Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Where was Carla living when she died?” I asked him.
He shifted his feet nervously. “Two towns over with her new man.”
“I’ll need an address,” I told him.
He looked frustrated. “I got the proof. It made the news, if you care so damn much. Bridge, get that paper I folded up and put on top of the fridge.”
The woman went over and took down a paper. “This one?”
Billy waved his hand at me. “Give it to him!” he barked.
The woman rolled her eyes, then walked over to me after she shoved her boobs up further in her tight top and shook them a little. Annoyed, I cut my eyes toward Kenneth, who was pressing his lips together. Amusement danced in his eyes.
When she got close enough, I took the paper and turned my back to her.
“It’s right there. See? She’s dead.”
I read over the article, and her name was listed as one of those found in the meth house that had exploded. She’d been identified before the others because she was farther from the explosion. Her body hadn’t been as destroyed.
I hoped she’d felt it, suffered, screamed in agony. Crumpling the paper in my hand, I let the fury that I’d not been there to make sure she died a horrid, drawn-out death seep through me.
“Is that all you needed? Did Carla do something?” Billy asked.
I glared at him. “Do you remember Fawn Parker?” I asked slowly.
Billy frowned, confused for a moment. The fact that he didn’t remember the girl he’d abused or that he was pretending not to made me snap. The cool I had been trying to remain was gone.
I stalked over to the man as he backed up until his back hit the wall.
He held up both hands, shaking his head. “I didn’t do nothing to her. Except feed her and give her a roof over her ungrateful head,” he stammered. “She ran off—”
My fist connected with the side of his face, hard enough to snap it back, and then he sank to the floor, unconscious.
Bridge screamed as I turned around.
“Tie him up. Get him in the vehicle,” I ordered.
Gage slipped his gun back into its holster and started toward Billy. I nodded at Kenneth to go on outside, then swung my gaze to Bridge.
“He won’t be returning. Get a good job, clean yourself up, and find a life out of this place.”
“What are you doing with him?” she cried.
I ignored her and headed for the door.
“The police will come looking for him,” she called out.
I had to give her credit for the balls to threaten me. I kept going. She wasn’t my concern.
“Be a waste of time, calling the cops,” Gage told her. “But you can try.”
I smirked at his response.
“I understand now,” Kenneth said, falling into step beside me.
“Yeah. This never is to be spoken of. I won’t betray her trust, but I can’t let those who hurt her live.”
Kenneth nodded. “Understood.”
Gage came out with the man thrown over his shoulder. His feet were bound at the ankles. I knew his wrists would also be tied and a gag would be put into his mouth. The only things that could be seen were his feet since Gage had wrapped him in a blanket before hauling him out like a sack of potatoes.
Bridge came bounding out of the house, swinging a gun. Her eyes were wild as she stood on the stoop. “I’ll shoot you all! Put him down!” she yelled.
Kenneth’s swift reaction reminded me of a time before the younger men had taken over this part. Back when it had been us handling the dirty work. His gun was pointed at the crazed woman and cocked, ready to fire. I knew he would pull the trigger without blinking an eye.
“You can drop the gun, go back inside, and live. Or I can put a bullet in your head.” Kenneth’s cool, unemotional threats were always powerful. He always delivered them as if the idea of killing someone didn’t affect him in the least. He could have just asked her about the weather with the way he stood, looking bored.
She lowered the gun and didn’t say anything as Gage tossed Billy in the back of the SUV.
“Go on. Drop it,” Kenneth told her. “I’m growing annoyed.” Although his tone didn’t have any infliction to show that fact.
She stared at him, and then the gun slipped from her fingers and landed on the ground at her feet.
Kenneth tucked his gun away and turned to walk to the SUV.
We climbed in, and Gage waved goodbye as if we had just shared a friendly visit before we drove away.
Forty
Garrett
Standing under the fall of water from the ceiling of my shower, I washed away the filth that felt as if it’d clung to me from standing in that trailer. Knowing that Fawn had lived there once, that she’d been a helpless girl with no one to protect her, had ripped me open inside. Once we were done here, I was sending Gage back, possibly Huck with him, to contain the situation and burn that shithole to the ground. It wasn’t going to be possible for me to accept that it still existed. It had to be taken out too.