“Bob wanted me to get rid of it years ago. Bet you anythin’ that gun’s killed some poor bastard. Call it a partin’ gift from me.”
Sapphire’s jaw tightened. She put the gun on a rock in clear view.
With her weapon aimed at the darkness ahead, she leaned forward. “Frank, where’s Bob?”
He turned his head toward us, and his bloodshot eyes opened. Even half-dead in the dirt, the bastard still had fight in him.
“Finish me,” he rasped. “Kill me.”
“Where’s Bob?” Sapphire repeated.
Frank’s breathing was crackly and shallow as he lifted one shaky finger and pointed toward the back of the cave.
I couldn’t see anything but darkness and bats.
Sapphire stood and peered into the distance. “I’m going after him.”
“I’m coming with you.” I reached for her, but she slipped her arm away, and the look she gave me shut me up. No anger. No fear. This was the job she had to do.
“Stay with Frank. Do not let him die. He has to pay for every fucking thing he’s done.”
“Got it.”
She squeezed my arm once, then raised her Glock and flashlight together in a two-handed grip. The beam cut through the dark, and she moved fast toward the back of the cave. I watched her disappear behind a rocky outcrop.
Pride hit me hard. Christ, that woman.
Then it was just me and Frank.
And Lyle moaning at the cave mouth.
I stood over my father. I’d never looked down on him before.
Now, I stood, reflecting on my entire damn life of being told I was useless, of years of his fists, his cruelty, and his smug bullshit. He’d killed my chance of joining the army—him and his fucking mate, Bob. Between them, they’d taken the only thing I’d dreamed of doing.
“Shoot me,” Frank rasped. “Kayden, don’t leave me like this.”
“Fuck you.”
“You owe me?—”
“I owe you nothing.” My tone was so cold I barely recognized it. “Not a single fucking thing.”
I crouched down where he could see me. “You sabotaged my army application.”
His eyes didn’t meet mine.
“Look at me, you bastard. You got Bob to dump fake reports into the system. You destroyed my army career before it started.”
“Was for your own good.”
“Shut up.” My hands shook. “Don’t you fucking dare tell me what was good for me.”
“Koolaroo needed you.”
“Koolaroo never needed me. You did. You needed somebody to dump on when Mitch took off. You let me carry that rejection for years. I thought I’d failed at the only thing I ever wanted. But the whole time it was you. It was always you.”
He didn’t answer. He lowered his gaze to the dirt.
