Or maybe not.
“Jasper texted that Kester was at his apartment.”
Braith swore and put his blinker on.Archie didn’t have to ask to know that they were now headed to Jasper’s apartment.He was relieved.He was panicking, but at the same time, he had no idea how to feel about this.Of course Kester had been at Jasper’s apartment.That was just how their lives were.
“Jasper texted you.That means he’s okay, right?”
Archie was already finding Jasper’s number and calling.“I sure hope it does.”At the very least, Jasper wasn’t dead.He wouldn’t have texted if he’d been.
“I’m fine,” Jasper said when he answered.
“You need to stop texting me that you’re in danger.Call instead, please.”
Jasper gave a shaky laugh.“Yeah, sorry.I’m overwhelmed and wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“It’s a miracle that’s the only thing you are.What happened?”
“Nothing, really.He was sitting on the couch when I came in.I think he was here to gloat that he knows something about me that I don’t.He seems to find it entertaining.”
“That’s it?He was there to talk about you?”
“Pretty much, yeah.It’s clear he knows something about my past.He mentioned being surprised that my father decided to raise me instead of killing me.He’s not going to tell me anything, though.”
“Of course he’s not.He’s having fun.”
“He likes using this against me.I think it makes him feel powerful.”
Archie wasn’t sure that Kester cared about power, not in the way most people did.To him, it felt more like Kester was having fun playing with Jasper.He was a cruel being, and he knew that this was hurting Jasper.
Archie wanted to hurthim.
“Anyway, he left, and I’m fine.You don’t have to freak out,” Jasper continued.
Archie snorted.“You do realize that telling me not to freak out is going to make me do it even more, right?”
“I promise I’m fine.”
“We’re still coming over.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
Even though he was doing his best to sound annoyed, Archie knew that Jasper was relieved.If he was in Jasper’s place, he’d be terrified.Jasper knew how strong Kester was and how easy it would’ve been for Kester to kill him.Even though Jasper would have fought back, he was only one person.It would probably take more than that to defeat Kester.
“Just come,” Jasper said in a soft voice.
“We’re almost there,” Archie promised.“And I have something to tell you about our latest case.”He knew that distracting Jasper would be good.
“Oh?”
“You might want to text your friends and tell them to come home.I don’t want to wait to rescue Finn.”
Jasper groaned.“And I have to tell them about Kester.They’re not going to be happy when they find out he was in the apartment.”
“I wouldn’t be happy, either.You need to invest in a security system.”
“I don’t think any security system would keep him out.”
Unfortunately, that was probably true.Kester would get into Jasper’s apartment, no matter how hard Jasper tried to keep him out of it.The only way to stop him would be to kill him, and while Archie was eager to do just that, it wouldn’t be easy.
