“I’m taking his balls if anything happened to my sister!”
“We know where she is—Knox has her. We’re going to fucking get her and kill him, and then we’ll all go for drinks, okay? Okay? Now take this handcuff off me.”
“She’s in this house somewhere,”I fume. “Search it.”
I find the photos in the desk drawer and crumple them up in my hands.
“That’s evidence,” Salinger reminds me.
“I don’t want any evidence after what I do to him.”
“Are you going to let him do this?” Hawthorne hisses to Salinger.
“Did you know,” I tell my brothers, “that I impulse-bought a crematorium once? It wasn’t even that expensive, and no one checks up on what you burn. It’s wild what they let you buy if you have cash.” I shrug.
“Oh,” Carolina says, staring at me apprehensively. “Shit. I guess you do really love Winnie.”
“I’m real close to burning down this fucking city.” I’m really trying to keep the smile on my face.
“Stop smiling,” Salinger barks. “You look crazy.”
“If anything happens to her because you wouldn’t let me do what needed to be done, you and I,” I warn Salinger, “are finished.”
“Any leads on Knox?” Crawford says into his phone before snapping orders at them.
My phone dings. “Found him.”
“How?” McCarthy is suspicious.
“I own hotels, idiot. And I know everything that goes on there.Everything.”
I don’t even bother knockingon the suite door. I just swipe the master key card and sweep into the room.
The living room is empty. So is the interior bedroom.
The master bedroom? Knox screams when I kick the door open.
He’s shirtless in bed.
“Knox, is that your mother?”
“Oh my god, she is peak boy mom.” Carolina gags.
“You have no right to be in here! Security!” Shelby hollers.
I ignore the squawking woman and haul Knox out of bed.
He thumps to the floor in nothing but his underwear. I grab him by his hair and drag him into the living area.
“Where the fuck is Winnie?” I rage down at him.
“I don’t know!” Knox blubbers.
“Where is that knife, Kathy?” Carolina demands. “Or that hatchet?”
“I don’t need a knife.” I remove my jacket.
“I swear, I swear!” Knox begs on his knees. “Sir, you know I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize my career,” he whines.
