Revealing

by Calle J. Brookes

  But she had met Simon, and recognized something in him as her family. It wasn’t like what she had with Luc—they had a shared history, small though it was. Simon was just a kid who needed her and Luc.

  That counted for something.

  Or at least that was what she was telling herself. She wasn’t going to let the fear take hold of her. Fear would make her do something stupid, reckless.

  Something clattered behind her and she spun around, her weapon ready. “FBI! Show yourself!”

  Male laughter echoed all around her. She turned, searching for the voice. Someone stepped out on a catwalk fifty feet away and up from where she stood.

  She recognized the man standing there. He had gotten older, but he still looked the same.

  Twelve years ago he had seemed so worldly and sophisticated, a bit larger than life to her. He’d taken in lost people and made them into a family.

  Yes, he’d turned those people into his own little thieves and soldiers—strictly for profit—but for many of the girls in his gangs it was the first time they’d ever found a place to belong.

  That’s exactly like she and Carrie had first thought. Until they figured out his true motivation. “Miles. Where’s the kid?”

  “Your brother, you mean? How did I know you’d choose the boy over the girl? Because he was younger, more vulnerable. An easier target. Much like Carrie was. Tell me, how is she?”

  “Carrie is fine. Your shooter shot the wrong girl, did you know that? That woman never did a damned thing to you.”

  “Sometimes mistakes are made. Tell me, Paige, why did you run all those years ago?”

  “Staying had never been a part of our plans, Miles.”

  “Now, you see, I had done so much for you. I thought you understood that loyalty mattered. But first chance you had, you took off. That hurt me, Paige. Badly.”

  “So you beat on Amy and Ceci.”

  “You know about that?”

  “Leo told me. I spoke with him yesterday. Him and Ceci.”

  “She’s alive?”

  “No thanks to you.” Paige kept her eyes, and her gun, trained on him. She could just pull the trigger, find her brother, and end this forever. But she didn’t. She was better than that, wasn’t she? “You almost killed her, too.”

  “She shouldn’t have interfered.”

  “How did she? By trying to stop you from killing a thirteen-year-old girl? Why did you hurt Amy?” She remembered the girl. She’d been dark haired, and brown-eyed, and so very afraid of the world. She’d been scared that she would mess up every time they were to steal something. But Miles had worked with her, over and over, with patience and understanding.

  But she had never forgotten Amy, the girl nobody had ever wanted. For a long time, she’d thought Miles had beaten her to death that day. But Ceci had said Amy was alive when she and Leo had left Miles. So where was she now? Paige prayed the girl had wised up and left Miles long ago. “Why? She was just a little girl who idolized you.”

  “Because she wasn’t you.”

  “I don’t understand, Miles. What did that matter?”

  “Simple. Everything I did, I was doing for you. Do you think the money mattered to me? No. It was nice, and it bought the things I wanted. But it didn’t seem to matter to you. I bought us a house. I was even going to let that little tagalong who went with you everywhere live there with us.”

  “Excuse me? We never—“

  “Because I was waiting for the right moment. And that moment never came. You were gone before I could see to the details. I know it was my brother who sent you away. Leo never could stand it when I had something.”

  “I loved Leo, Miles. Not you. Never you.”

  “No. What you felt for him was a pale imitation of what you would have had with me. I should have killed him when I realized you were sleeping together.”

  “He is your brother.”

  “He had what was mine. He has always taken what was mine, and then after you were gone, he took years from my life. I know he turned me in. I know he did. He found Ceci that day, and he ran. Took her far away where I couldn’t find her, or you. He was always taking from me.”

  “I thought you loved Ceci.”

  “She was amusing. But you…you had the fire, the understanding of the world. Same as I did. And you were damned good at taking from the world what you wanted or needed. I burned for you. Dreamed of you almost every night from the moment my brother carried you into our home.”

  She remembered so little about that day. She’d been almost dead, and Carrie had made that bargain with Leo. And this is what had come out of Carrie’s decision.

  But what choice had Carrie had? Paige was almost dead that day. Would have died if Leo hadn’t found her medical care and antibiotics. She could never forget that.

  But how many lives had been lost because Carrie had acted to save hers? Those thirteen girls who’d had their throats slashed, would they still be alive?

  “What about those girls in the St. Louis warehouse? Thirteen of them. How did they harm you?”

  “I’m sorry about those girls, Paige. I lost my temper, and then I realized they’d outlived their usefulness. I was going to finish with you and my brother, then I was going to have to relocate. Rebuild.”

  “So you killed them? Why the drugs?”

  “Simple. I drugged them every night. Made them easier to control. It was just a matter of doubling the dose that last night until they were out of it. They never saw it coming. I took care of them. Like I said, they’d outlived their usefulness. I never imagined your team would be the ones called to the scene. Once you had, I had to reevaluate my plans for you.”

  “I see. Where’s Simon? I’m assuming you’re the one who killed his mother?”

  “How do you think I found out about that sister of yours? I tracked your family until I found your mother. I wanted your sister; I figured she’d be a fun substitute for you while I dealt with you and Leo. But she was suddenly unavailable to me. I misjudged there.”

  Was this going to turn into one of those crazy serial killer type confessions? Paige knew they sometimes happened, but most were just myth. “Where are they, Miles? Ariella and Simon?”

  “Oh? So you fell for that? It wasn’t Ariella in that photo. It was Amy. I don’t have your sister. I never did.”

  “Then who does?” And where was Amy now? And had Miles just flickered? Disappeared for a split-second? What in hell…?

  Chapter 47

  “Henry, we don’t have to tell them you kidnapped me. Just that you helped keep me safe.”

  He was filled with a calm resolve. He knew what he was doing was the right thing.

  Henry Brown, head of PAVAD’s I.A. division looked at the young woman and smiled. She was just as kind and wonderful as her older sister, though they hadn’t been raised together. “We’ll tell Ed the truth. He’s a good man. I’ll take whatever punishment he thinks is appropriate. Even if that’s jail time.”

  What he’d done could technically be considered treasonous, though he’d never given away any vital information to the damned animal he’d learned was called Miles Butelli. But he’d betrayed his badge, his field office, and his people. His friends.

  He’d not forget that.

  Henry just hoped Ed Dennis was capable of understanding.

  If not, Henry would live with the ramifications of his actions.

  Ariella walked at his side as he led the way into the PAVAD building. They’d find Ed Dennis, Paige, and Mick. And they’d spill all.

  And Henry would turn over responsibility for Ariella’s safety to the ones who should have it. Her family.

  “I’m ready. This is what I am supposed to do. I couldn’t look myself in the mirror if I didn’t make this choice. Are you ready?”

  Ariella smiled. “I am ready. Lead the way.”

  Chapter 48

  “Where’s Simon, Miles? He’s just a little boy. He’s never done a thing to you.”

  “He’s up there. But y
ou have to get to him. I made a little test for you.” Miles pointed up. The catwalk, twenty feet behind the one Miles stood on. She could just see her brother tied to the metal railing. Dear god. The fire was building below him. It wasn’t a large fire. But she didn’t know what was kept in those boxes next to it. “Get to him. Before this place goes. If you can.”

  Miles shot at her from a gun that hadn’t been there a moment before. What was going on? Was he even real? Gunshots echoed through the growing smoke.

  Paige dove for better cover. How was she supposed to get to her brother? And where was Mick?

  ***

  Mick ran. But he didn’t even try to get to where he’d left Paige. Instead he went further back. Past where he could see the flames building. What had the guy used to start the blaze? Flames were slowly spreading over the concrete. There wasn’t much to feed the fire, but it was still growing. Had the bastard used an accelerant on the floor?

  It was the only thing that made sense.

  He could see Simon, and knew that was where he needed to get. But first, he had to take care of Butelli. “Miles Butelli! Drop your weapon!”

  The guy turned. Mick saw the weapon. Butelli didn’t even try to get cover. Why? He shot at Mick.

  Mick fired back with textbook moves. Simple. Too simple. He missed. What?

  Butelli disappeared. Mick shook his head. Had he really seen that?

  Smoke was building around the catwalk.

  “It’s a distraction Mick! A hologram or a projection! He said he set a trap! I have to get to Simon!” Paige yelled from where she’d taken cover.

  Maniacal yelling surrounded them, echoing off the walls. “Catch me if you can! Catch me if you can!”

  Mick made a decision. He ran toward the only section where the hologram could have originated. “I’ll get Butelli, if he’s here! You get Simon! Go!”

  She was already moving.

  Chapter 49

  Smoke was rising. She heard explosions in the backroom. Behind the metal doors. Too close to Simon. She didn’t bother with the ladder to the catwalk. She went straight up the empty shelves. They were bolted to the floor, and there was just enough light coming in some of the windows above the smoke for her to see the next shelf. She climbed, after ripping the air cast off her arm. Until she reached the catwalk where her brother was anchored. She ran over the wooden and metal walk as carefully as she could, mindful that it was supposed to be a trap. She wasn’t leaving without her brother.

  She had her knife, one she always carried with her, and she used it to cut through the tape binding the little boy. When his arms were free he wrapped them around her neck. “You came. I thought I was going to die. He killed a woman. He killed her. She worked with you and he killed her. I saw him.”

  Jazz. It had to be Jazz. She wouldn’t let grief make her stupid. “Come on. We need to get out of here, before this place goes up in flames. Can you walk? Did he hurt you? If I have to I can carry you.”

  “I’m not a baby. I can walk. Run if I have to.”

  “Good. Let’s go.”

  She started back down the catwalk, holding her little brother’s hand as she went.

  Paige would not lose him. No matter what.

  She wouldn’t let herself think about Mick. She had to trust him to catch Miles. Had to trust him to keep himself safe.

  ***

  Mick ran outside the building, though every instinct he had was telling him to go to Paige. To get her out of harms’ way, then return to catch the bastard threatening her. But he didn’t. Like she’d said, he’d had to trust her.

  He saw Butelli. Had seen him right after he’d shot that damned hologram. It was particularly clever of the man. With the dim light, the smoke, and fire, he hadn’t realized at first that it was a hologram. But it was. Mick had known something was wrong with what they were facing when the bullets from his gun had passed right through the image.

  Butelli had had a bent for computers twelve years ago. And Paige had said he and Carrie Lorcan were always tinkering with electronics. It was entirely possible the guy had recorded that hologram weeks ago.

  But Mick didn’t think so. The image had responded to Paige’s cues. Like it was a live feed. Like Butelli was close enough for him to see what Paige was doing.

  And then Mick had seen him. Running from a small office at the back of the warehouse. He’d been dressed in dark clothing, but Mick had caught the movement.

  He was fifty feet behind the guy.

  The fire engines were just starting to pull in. “Butelli, stop! Don’t make me shoot you!”

  The guy turned, and Mick saw what was in his hand. A grenade. With the key pulled. Mick fired before the guy could throw the grenade and take out him or the approaching engines. Or half the warehouse.

  Butelli went down. Green smoke billowed all around the body.

  Mick fired again. Knowing it was just a distraction. A smoke bomb. What was the guy trying to pull?

  When the smoke cleared, Butelli was down. But he wasn’t dead.

  Mick had hit him in the shoulder and arm. But the hits hadn’t been lethal.

  He rolled him on his back and cuffed him. Mick looked around at the now gathering crowd. Firefighters. Cops. FBI. He recognized Fin McLaughlin at the front of the crowd. He waved at the other man. “Paige’s still inside!”

  He didn’t wait for a response. He ran back toward the entrance.

  And there she was.

  Leading her brother out of a burning building.

  She’d never looked more beautiful to him.

  He caught her when she fell to her knees, coughing. Simon was beside her. A fireman pulled the boy up and away from the building. Mick scooped Paige into his arms and headed for the ambulances just now pulling in. “Thank God.”

  “Did you get him?”

  “Cuffed and on his way to the hospital. He’s under guard. He’ll never hurt anyone again.”

  “Then it’s over.”

  “It’s over.”

  Chapter 50

  Paige was given a clean bill of health, but was forced into going home with Dan and Ally—who’d both shown up at the hospital after word got out that some of PAVAD was involved. Ally knew what to watch for, and had railroaded Paige—and Simon—into staying upstairs so that she could watch over them.

  Paige hadn’t minded. She didn’t want to be alone.

  What—who—she really wanted was Mick.

  But he had been ushered out of the hospital by a man named Wilcox. Wilcox had been with Fin McLaughlin when they’d apprehended Miles. Waiting for Mick.

  They’d known he had to testify, and that they were on borrowed time. But she’d at least hoped to be able to tell him good-bye.

  But that hadn’t happened.

  Maybe that was a good thing?

  The last few days had been crazy; she’d hate to make a life-altering decision based on adrenaline. And she knew he’d feel the same.

  They would just have to wait until the trial was over.

  In the meantime, she’d clean up the mess Miles had made of her life.

  Lake was going to recover. It was too soon to tell if Melody Beck would walk again. Carrie was doing well with the baby.

  This was all information she’d learned when she woke the morning after Miles’ arrest.

  He’d broken in interrogation, under the combined interrogating skills of Mal and Hellbrook. Miles had given all of the victims’ names and where they had originated. Hernandez had taken it on himself to track down all the families.

  And Jazz…the firefighters found her in the office of the warehouse when the smoke had cleared. She’d been very, very lucky they’d found her when they had.

  She’d almost died and was still in the hospital.

  But she hadn’t. Thank god. She and Hernandez had found the warehouse and somehow Miles had gotten the jump on them.

  General consensus was that it was with the help of the final body found within the warehouse walls. A dark haired woman they’d no
t been able to identify had been killed with a blow to the head. Miles hadn’t identified her, but had simply said she’d outgrown her usefulness.

  Amy, who would always be last nameless. Paige would try to find out more about her when she returned to work. Why had Amy stayed with Miles until the end?

  He’d been a true cold-blooded killer.

  And she’d never forget him or how he’d changed her life.

  But in the meantime, she had to get Simon figured out, and meet Ariella. Then decide what to do.

  And try not to miss Mick so damned much.

  Chapter 51

  Two weeks, five days, and thirteen hours. Not that she was counting. But it had been that long since she’d been with Mick.

  Who knew she would have gotten so attached to him in such a short time?

  If someone had told her that she’d love and miss Mick, of all men, she would have told them they were crazy. And she definitely loved him. That had become abundantly clear in the last few weeks.

  She was one of the last ones to enter the church for Al’s wedding rehearsal. The Brockman family was in the first pew, laughing and talking. Like they always did. She wondered if they realized what a perfect group of people they were—what luck they’d had in finding their family.

  She still had Simon, though he was currently hanging out with Luc while she was at the rehearsal. She wasn’t entirely certain what she was supposed to do with him. Her apartment definitely wasn’t big enough for a teenage boy, her, and the dog. Dan was being incredibly generous letting him sleep upstairs in the guestroom next to his stepson Ryan.

  Luc and Payton had given him the option of staying with them, but though he’d taken them up on a few nights here and there in the last few weeks, he still preferred being with Paige.