Morgan: Robinson Destruction – Paranormal Tiger Shifter Romance

by Kathi S. Barton

  “You’re a man without worth at all, you moronic fuck. You stole money that didn’t belong to you. You murdered when someone got into your way, and you raised your sons to be exactly like you.” Dad sat up straighter in his chair, and so did he. “That wasn’t meant to boost your already over inflated ego. You’re a fucking terror to this world, and had I been your wife, I would have murdered you in your sleep the first time you touched me with your fist. You, you son of a bitch, are nothing. Not to me or to Anna. And while I know that means shit to you, I hope you rot in Hell.”

  “She wasn’t hurting nobody.” They all looked at Bud as he rocked back and forth. “Momma was just hanging out the laundry because the dryer was busted, and he came up behind her and hit her in the head with a frying pan. I wouldn’t eat no more chicken after that.”

  “Bud, did you see your father hit your mother?” He didn’t answer Rogen, but continued to rock back and forth as he kept talking. “Bud, what else do you know about your family?”

  “Killed my friend when we were little. Junior just strangled him to death on account ‘a him being a black person. My momma, she said that the N word ain’t nice, and I wasn’t to call people that no matter what. I had to when they was around, but I didn’t mean it. Killed him by strangling the life right out of him, when he was my friend.” Noah stared to speak, but the look that Rogen gave him had his balls tighten up around him. “I tried to be good for my momma, but they hurt me all the time. I have no balls because Daddy said that I was too stupid to breed. I never did nothing to no girl, but now I got nothing at all. He just cut them off me when I was tied to the bed.”

  Rogen called for help and three men came rushing in. “Are you recording this?” They all nodded that they were. “Write down what he says too. I don’t want to miss a thing.”

  “David and I were good boys, Momma told me. But Daddy, he beat us all the time when we just wanted to stay home with Momma. She would make us fried pies when they was gone.” Noah was pissed about that. He never got any pies. “She loved us. She told us that all the time. Momma loves her little Bud and David.”

  “She never did that. How come when I asked for pies she told me that she didn’t have the stuff to make it? That ain’t right. No way.” Rogen wasn’t paying any attention to him, so he kicked out at her. “Did you hear me? That ain’t right. I wanted some fried pies too.”

  “Shut the fuck up before I rip your fucking face off.” He had a feeling that she wasn’t kidding either. So he sat there listening to his brother while he told her everything that they had done to him and David. “Bud, can you tell me, if you know, where the other people are buried? I’d like to tell their parents where they are.”

  Her voice was like his momma’s when she talked to Bud. Like she was the sweetest thing in the world, when he knew better. Making fried pies for the other two was about the worsterest thing she could have done. Not making him any when he was the oldest was just not right in his book.

  Bud went on and on about things for so long that Noah just wanted to tell him to shut up. Since his daddy wasn’t having any luck with getting Bud to shut his trapper, then he knew he wouldn’t either. It was like Bud had scribbled things down and was just now reading them off. Which was just stupid, because he couldn’t read or write.

  Then his brother looked right at him. It was the scariest thing he’d ever seen. Even the dyke had never looked at him like Bud was looking at him. When he didn’t say anything for some time, Noah looked around the room.

  “What’s up his ass?” Bud leaped at him as if he had super strength. Like one of them superhero’s that he loved to watch on television. He was chained up like he was, sure. But the chains groaned, like they were just barely holding him back. “Bud, whatcha thinking about?”

  “Killing you.” The hair on his arms and the back of his neck tingled, just like when he got a balloon and rubbed it on his body. “I’m gonna kill you, Junior. You watch and see. Just snap your neck like you’re nothing but a turtle.”

  Not only did he not know what to say to that, Noah couldn’t even think of a good comeback. He had a feeling that Bud would do just what he said. Just walk up to him, snap his neck like a turtle, then walk away.

  “I want some protection.” Rogen just stood up and moved to the door when Bud finally stopped talking. “Did you hear me? I want something to protect me. First my daddy said he was gonna kill me, now my own brother is. What is this world a coming to?”

  “I could care less if they both were in on killing you, then left your body out for the buzzards to pick over.” Dad was taken out of the room while she stood there smiling at him. “I have a feeling, Junior, that you’re not going to last till the end of the week. That’s not really anything that I’ll lose sleep over, but then I doubt anyone will.”

  It was just him and Bud in the room when they took David away. He was talking about fried pies and could he please have one. When the door shut behind them, leaving just him, Bud, and an officer, Noah asked again if he could have someone watching over him. Of course he was told to shut his mouth.

  Bud was next to go back to his room. When he stood up, he asked the officer that was holding onto his chains if he could stretch out real big. Given permission, Noah watched his little brother push his arms way up over his head. There was muscle there, not fat like Noah had on his belly. And Bud’s arms looked like giant logs they were so built up. He wanted to look like that too, and asked his brother how he’d gotten so buffed up.

  It happened so quickly that Noah wasn’t sure his brother was loose until the chains were wrapped up tight around his neck. He was thinking of shiny ribbons when he saw that the officer was trying to get Bud to let him breathe. Bud wasn’t letting go for nothing. As the room started to darken up a bit, Noah knew that his brother was going to kill him. When he couldn’t lift up his arms to try to pull the chains away no more, he just closed his eyes. Bud had killed him sure as shit.

  ~*~

  Anna didn’t move from the couch when she heard the phone ringing in another part of the house. Renee was sleeping on the blanket that she’d laid out for her and Marie. Marie was trying her best to pull herself along in her super crawl, as Morgan called it. Eddie was sleeping on her chest, just finishing his bottle. Anna looked at the doorway when Morgan entered the room.

  “Rogen called to see if you were all right.” Morgan sat down on the chair next to her and picked up Marie when she called him da-da. “I don’t think that I’ll ever get over hearing that. Are you all right?”

  “For now, yes.” Eddie stretched and she smiled at him. “They’re dead. All three of them are dead. I mean, I figured that eventually they’d be killed, especially Junior. But to have had Bud kill Junior was nothing that I expected at all.”

  “I can’t imagine the strength it took for Bud to have been able to kill Junior when there were nine officers beating on him to stop. But I guess the blows to his head and body were too much for him, and he died. Poor guy. He’d been treated so badly, don’t you think?” She nodded. “Bud and David both were a product of their upbringing. They all three were, but those two suffered the most, I think.”

  “Rogen said that when she went back to check on David after it was determined that Bud and Junior were both dead, David had killed himself by hanging. I guess he’d been told just moments before, and knew that he couldn’t live without Bud. They protected each other a great deal.” Morgan asked her if she knew about Noah Senior. “Is he dead as well?”

  “No. But he has been put on suicide watch until they can get him someplace that he’ll be safe. The only thing he was upset about was that he’d not been able to kill Junior himself. That’s a hell of a family, right there.” Anna nodded and burped Eddie. “Anna, I’d still like to take us away for a little while. Are you still wanting to go?”

  “Yes. But not right now. In a couple of days. Do you know what will happen to the bodies?” He said tha
t he could find out. “I’ve decided that I want to bury Bud and David someplace nice. Junior can be buried in the prison yard for all I care about him. I think he was the one that made the other two suffer the most.”

  “I think you’re right.” She nodded. Anna felt rung out. “I’m going to take the girls outside now that Marie is awake, and show them the back yard. They love to watch the trees sway. You rest here. All right?” Thanking him, she didn’t move even when he kissed her on the cheek.

  It wasn’t as if she was going to miss them—not any of them. But to have lost three people that she’d grown up with in a matter of an hour was just too much. David she remembered as being so kind when Junior or Noah Senior weren’t around. He would pick flowers for Ruth, and she’d make a big show of him bringing her mostly weeds to make the house prettier.

  Bud had been an old soul even when he’d been little. He only had the one friend when he’d been growing up, and now she knew what had happened to the youngster. Rogen was bringing in dogs, she told her, to see if she could find his body, along with the other four that he’d mentioned. All people that hadn’t been like them, so they’d murdered them.

  Meggie joined her a little while later, just as she was dozing off. She said she’d come back later, but Anna said that she needed to get up anyway. That the girls were out with their dad in the yard.

  “I’ve come to talk to you, honey. I need your help.” Anna would do anything for Meggie, but today her heart wasn’t in it. “You can do this. I’m sure of it. There is a huge auction going on down the road tomorrow. I wanted to go since I first heard about it, but Thatch, he hates those kind of things. He just doesn’t care for the uncertainty of them. Also, not getting things for the price he wants. Anyway, I thought you, me, and Rogen could go. It’ll be an all-day event, but a great deal of fun.”

  “I’ve never been to an auction before. I wouldn’t know the first thing about them.” Meggie actually clapped her hands. “I would think that is a bad thing.”

  “Oh, it is if you don’t have an expert with you. That’s why you’re lucky to have me going with you. Rogan hasn’t ever been to one either. Not when she wasn’t looking for someone to capture or kill, anyway. That girl scares me a little.” Anna told her that everyone was afraid of Rogen, including Meggie’s sons. “Really? Good. That’s the way it should be, I think.”

  “What’s at this auction that you’re hoping to get?” Meggie said there was nothing specific, and that was the point. “Okay. I’m not sure that’s a good answer, but sure, I’ll go with you. Did I tell you that Morgan is going to be a home dad? I’m going to be working with Rogen.”

  “Yes, he did tell me that. And I’m very proud of him. I think he really enjoyed the idea of teaching college, just not the actual teaching part. This will be good for you both. So long as I can watch the children too.” Anna told her again that she didn’t have to have a reason to want them to be with her, just to come and get them. “I’ll get that way soon, but right now I know that you and Morgan are enjoying having so much fun with them. Besides, I want to get to know you a lot more before I go taking your children away for the night. I can do that, can’t I?”

  “Of course. I think they’ll enjoy that as much as you will.” Meggie asked her if she would have rules about them coming over. “Rules? I don’t know what you mean. If you mean that you can’t feed them something that they don’t get here, then I’d be all right with them having that special relationship with you. So long as you don’t overdo it, or do something that is complete out of the question to us.”

  “I would never override anything that you have laid down the law about. You can count on that. But I was thinking more like bedtimes and snacks in bed sort of rules.” Anna laughed and told her no, that she was fine with them spending time with their grandma on her terms. “I thank you for that. I cannot wait to take them shopping with me. Trips to the zoo. I know that they’re much too young for that now, but I have to tell you, we’re making plans, Thatch and I.”

  “About this auction.” Meggie said she’d forgotten all about it. “You really want me to come with you? As I said, I know nothing about them.”

  “You’ll do fine so long as you follow these rules. Don’t take the first bid that is out there. Never tell anyone but who you’re with what you’re bidding on. Set you a price you want to pay for something, and stick to it. And my favorite is for you to enjoy yourself. All the people there can go to Hades for all I care if I get something they wanted. That is the best fun I’ve ever had.” Anna saw a side of Meggie that she’d never seen before, and she loved it. “I’ll pick you up in the morning. It starts at ten, but I like to get there early to scope things out a little bit. The things that I like to get are the box lots. They have so much more junk in them than treasure, but it’s fun picking through it.”

  Morgan came in with the other two when Eddie was just waking up. He was staying awake longer and longer now, and Anna loved it. Meggie was so excited when both the girls wanted her to take them. As she sat on the floor with them, she pulled out books for them and sat there reading to all three of them.

  “Dad wants me to hang out with him tomorrow. He told me that you ladies were going to an auction.” Anna told him what his mom had told her. “You’ll love it. Mom is really good at it. I’m a little worried about Rogen. She might get mad if someone dares to outbid her.”

  “I never thought of that. Maybe we should tell her not to take any weapons. That way we can at least be assured that she won’t draw on someone in the crowd when they start to go higher than she does.” They were all laughing when Thatch joined them. “I think we should have a nice cookout tonight. How about steaks on the grill? I think I overheard someone complaining about how we’re not home much anymore.”

  The plans were set, and Morgan invited the rest of the family over. They were going to have fun tonight, and Anna promised herself that she wasn’t going to think about anything other than the loved ones that she had with her today. As soon as Rogen and Thatcher joined them, they set Jimmy on the floor with Eddie and told them what they’d been up to.

  “You have no idea of the paperwork that is involved in having someone work for me.” She asked her if there was anything wrong with that. “No. But you’ll be happy to know that you’re as clean as a virgin on her first date.”

  “Rogen. Really.” Rogen winked at her when Meggie scolded her. “My goodness girl, don’t you ever say a word without cursing in some way or making a dirty remark?”

  “No. And that is why you love me so much, Meggie my dear. I keep you on your toes.” With a quick hug, the three of them went out on the deck, leaving the men to work around their cook. “I have some news for you. You’re not going to like it. Morgan knows, but he said to talk to you about it.”

  “What is it? I’ve already decided that I’m not going to allow anything to bother me for the rest of the day. If you screw that up for me, I’m going to be really pissed at you.” Meggie huffed, and said that their kids were going to curse before walking. “So long as they know that they’re loved, I could care less.”

  “There is a reward for finding the money from the banks. It’s quite a bit. I was wondering who we should make the checks out to.” Anna asked her how much was quite a bit. “Over two million. There were thirteen different money bags with bank names on them. More bags than that, of course, but those are the different banks.”

  “I thought that there were only about fifteen bags in total.” Rogen told her that when they searched Bud’s room to clean it out, they’d found notes. “He knew where it all was. Do you suppose that he was going to use it someday?”

  “No. We all believe that he figured he’d not last long in prison. He wasn’t all that violent for the most part. Strong as an ox, but not one to fight back. Bud was targeted a great deal by men bigger than him. We think that he wrote it all down so that if anything ever did happen to him, then someone would be
able to collect it back. There were other things that he had in a notebook.” Anna asked if they were important. “Yes. If you’d like to read—”

  “No. I wouldn’t. I don’t think I want to.” Rogen nodded. “To be honest with you, I didn’t think he could read or write. I wonder if David could.”

  “No, he couldn’t. Would it have been possible that Ruth showed him how to do both? You should know that David shouldn’t have been as advanced as he was either. I think that Ruth did a good job on both those boys. She must have been a hell of a woman.” She was, Anna told her. “Okay, you think about it and I’ll get back to you about it.”

  “I know.” Rogen sat back down. “I want it used for the education of people with disabilities like my brothers.”

  “I like that. Yes, that’s perfect.” When she walked away, Anna got up to join the rest of the family. She was happier every day that she’d come here to get away from it all. And boy, did she ever get away from it all. Life was suddenly very good.

  Chapter 11

  Shasta hated to grocery shop, especially when she had to bring the kids. All they wanted to do was to fill her cart with things that were no good for them. Every time she made her way up to the cashier, she had to dump a great many things out before they were rang up. It was annoying as hell.

  “You put that package of cookies in the cart once more, Sam, and I will beat you to death with it.” People stopped and stared at her. She would never do that, of course, but people acted like she had already done it. “Mind your own business, please. I’m just trying my best to make sure that they eat a decent meal.”

  She was embarrassed, and hated that feeling. Telling Jacob to watch his brother, she put all the things in the little basket that she picked up each time she had to shop with the kids. It was nearly full when she looked up and saw her sister.