I smirked at her and leaned in to chomp off the end of a few of those noodles while they dangled from her fork, and moved past her to go to my bat cave. I closed the door behind me and slid the license outta my pocket while I booted up my wall full of eagle eyes.
Natalie Truman.
Five-six.
Hair color…blonde.
Eye color…blue.
Current residence…
Yikes.Certainly isn’t 428 Perkins Street.
I started plugging in all the details, anyway. Went to school at Colby…didn’t stay long. Worked at a strip club not far from Waterville. That checks out. Such is the way, sometimes. I started filtering through her social media, aaaaand…
Bingo.
I recognize that face hanging over her shoulder in a drunk selfie video at some party. Lassies always tag. Led me right to the bloke. Zach McKinley. Spoiled, frat-boy nephew of none other than Ace McKinley, himself. The immediate churning of my stomach told me I just stumbled onto something way bigger than I hoped.
Bridget’s out for Irish blood. By her fucking self.
“Fuck me sideways,” I whispered, dragging a palm down my face and sighing through my fingers. Why? The way I tried to tell myself that it’s just some leftover bitterness over what happened last year…it did nothing for me. It’s gotta be something bigger than that if shekilledsomebody for it. I slid my phone out of my pocket, continuing to click on anything I could pull up on Zach, his closest friends, and the rest of his twisted family. Malek answered on the third ring.
“I swear I hear more from you now than you did from me when I needed favors. Can’t we just call it even, mate?”
I snickered through my nose and turned my neck to hold the phone while I fumbled around for my earbuds. “Dunno about that, brother. You promised a nice rack.”
“That was before you started fuckin’ my sister. You’re just lucky I’m a delivery boy now.”There was a pause before he added,“…and married.”
“Fairs fair, I reckon. I won’t keep ya. Just bein’ thorough. That being said, was Bridge at your place last night?”
“Don’t put me in that position, Dec. I’ve already got more than enough reason to rip your bollocks off as it is.”
“That’s not why I’m askin’, Mal. How did she seem to you? Anything seem…off?” I shoved one of the buds into my right ear and set my phone on my desk, bringing up a few more windows on different screens.
“She seemed edgy and stressed out, but I ‘figgered you probably haven’t been fluffin’ her pillows right, or bought off-brand Bugles. That’s what usually got the other ones a death sentence.”
“Did she talk to you?”
“Nah, she told me to get fucked like usual. Somethin’ I should know, deartháir?”
I know he heard me sigh. I didn’t catch myself soon enough. “Not unless I’m right. I made you a promise, Mal. I still mean it as much as I did the night we dragged them outta that shite-hole.”
“If I’m readin’ you right…you should know, I’ve got no qualms with gettin’ bloody.”
“It won’t come to that. You promised Sev you wouldn’t. Lemme do my job.” I leaned back in my chair, staring at a picture of Jonas O’Dell, taken with Ace about two months before we made them both a pile of ashes.
“I promised her I’d only kill again…for protection. Are you tryin’ to tell me—”
“No. I’m probably just overthinkin’ it. She’s bored. I shoulda known better.”
Malek got quiet and my sudden regret for calling him at all, started to sink its claws into me.“Read her some Poe.”
“Whaaa?”
“Edgar Allan Poe. She got into it while she was camped out here at Seven’s. I’m startin’ to realize why. It’s just dark and twisted enough to appeal to people like us. Viper takes her clothes off pretty quick when I read her so—oww! Shite! Dammit, woman!”I heard Seven cackling in the backgroundand the corner of my mouth raised.“Try it or don’t. I’m about to be very poetic.”
“Later.”
