“Honey, I like you.” She hated hearing him call her “honey.” When Noel did it she felt loved. Right now, she felt revolted. “You’re bait, plainand simple.”
“I thought we were friends.”
“Were?Addy, wearefriends.” Brent’s smile looked more than off. That lack of expression in his eyes made him seem creepy. Serial killer-like.
“Then why all this? Why the baby? Why try to kill Noel?”
“Let me tell you a story.”
Finally. Some answers. She just hoped she’d be alive to tell Noel.
“A long time agoa boy was living in the streets, trying to stay away from his drug-addled mother and all her boyfriends who liked to visit—who liked to play with her children, the younger the better.
“This boy was smart. He knew his sisters and baby brother would distract her boyfriends while he did his best to get rid of them. So he used his siblings as bait, and while Mom’s boyfriends got busy, he slittheir throats.” He paused to glance down at his phone. “He made a good bit of money, because Mom was pretty and her babies were beautiful. Neurotic, seriously screwed-up by this point, but so pretty.”
Brent smiled, and she saw a hint of that beauty under the cruel man. “It’s a harsh tale. Nothing like the little angels in your classrooms.”
“I’m sorry, Brent.”
He shrugged.“Life isn’t always pretty. The story has a good ending. The boy was so good at his job, he grabbed the attention of a local gang. He played them all, taking over the neighborhood. And that attracted even better attention. A program not acknowledged by the government yet does government work. They legitimize murder and violence, all to help America stay beautiful.” He smiled. “I went to work. I didbetter and better. I rose up the ranks. And I scored Big Joe as my handler.”
He sat up, lowering the gun. “Did you know he works with all your friends? Ice, Shadow, and Destroyer?”
From the names, she gathered who they were. Ice was obviously Noel. Shadow, Deacon. And Destroyer had to be Hammer.
“Big Joe’s a big wig in the organization. I think he might be the owner, but noone can say for certain who really bankrolls what we do.” He rubbed the gun against his leg. “Or I should say, what wedid.”
He stared at her. “You know you’ll never be able to tell Noel this. If he even makes it this far to the cabin.” An explosion outside punctured his words, and he gave her a big grin. “Yes, he’s out there. Wonder if he can make it through my maze? Anyway, if your lovermakes it this far, I’ll shoot you. And it will hurt, Addy. So much.” He tsked. “Like they hurt Angel.”
“Who is Angel?” Hadn’t Noel mentioned her name on one side of the baby’s locket?
“A good friend of mine. I loved her. I hated her. But I didn’t kill her. Oh sure, I wanted to. But she disappeared, and then Big Joe had her taken out. But he had help.”
He just watched her.
“You think Noel and the others did it?”
“I don’t know. I think they might have.”
“But why are you doing this to them? You’re the one hunting Noel down. The one who sent all those men to try to kill him?”
“It’s fun, and he really needs to keep on his toes. He’s taken to relaxing on the island a little too much. A contractor has to be sharp, Addy. Noel’s not doing toobadly though. He took out my men in Seattle when he landed. Then he destroyed the ones sent to take you last week. And just a few days ago, he killed my other team. Of course, they were all amateurs, but still, Noel isn’t doing half bad. Sloppy though. He should never have left you all by yourself.”
“He didn’t.”
“But he did. He was too slow, not where he needed to be.”
Anotherexplosion outside. Brent checked his phone and frowned. “He’s getting closer.”
Addy started crying. “Brent, let me go. I’m not part of this.” And if she got free, she’d find a way to warn Noel away, to keep him safe, somehow.
“Shh. Don’t cry.” Brent brought her a tissue and dried her tears. Then he stepped back and aimed the gun at her.
“Brent?”
“We all have a partto play, Adeline. Now play yours.”
He fired, and the ice in her leg turned to a conflagration of pain that had her crying out despite her effort to not give Brent the satisfaction.
“That’s just a love tap,” he chided. “Let’s try again.”
This time he aimed higher, at her midsection. Addy lunged out of the chair, needing to protect herself.
Another explosion, this oneso close it rocked the house.
But it didn’t stop Brent from firing. And it didn’t stop the pain from dragging her down, down, into the dark.
