Eddie’s eyes were the exact shade of cobalt their father’s had been, but there the resemblance ended. Eddie had always looked more like their mother, with her brows, nose and strong jawbone. He was nearly forty now and gaunt. His skin held a pallidness that detracted from what would otherwise be a handsome face. He didn’t wear handcuffs or chains. This was a medium security facility. His fingernails were dirty. Even after all these years he repulsed her.
He eyed her from the top of her dark hair down to her black boots, gaze lingering on the swell of her breasts as Mac had predicted.
“Well, hello, darlin’. What can I help you with?” The insolence in his voice hadn’t changed one iota.
He didn’t recognize her. That gave her a jolt. As did the fact he was obviously used to receiving women visitors he didn’t know.
She eased into the hard, plastic chair, keeping her distance. “You don’t remember me?”
He regarded her more closely then and one side of his mouth curled up. The eyes didn’t change though, her daddy’s eyes, as cold as the deep ocean.
“Little Theresa Jane. All grown up and come to see me. To what do I owe the pleasure?” His words slicked down her spine like ice water.
“Figured it was time.”
His head shifted sideways as did his smile. “Twenty years is beyond time.”
Not long enough.
“Too long.” She cleared her throat. “I should have come sooner.”
Eddie grinned, flashing a broken canine that made him look feral. “Why? You hated me. I treated you like shit.”
“You’re the only family I have left.”
“What happened to Bobby?” he asked sharply, eyes narrowing.
“Bobby’s fine,” she amended. “But he doesn’t remember anything about the old days.” And she wanted to make sure it stayed that way.
She studied Eddie for any clue he’d been in touch with their baby brother, but she wouldn’t be able to tell if he was lying or not. He’d perfected the art of survival in this place and lying to someone as naïve as she was would be child’s play.
“Last I heard, you and Bobby got adopted by some rich bitch and changed your names. No one’s heard from you in years.” He was watching her avidly through narrowed eyes.
“We did what we had to do to stay together.” She didn’t want to talk about her adoptive mother or the amazing life they’d shared together. She wouldn’t give him any information he could use against her. “So which one of you got Ellie pregnant?” She tried to sound casual.
He laughed and the sound tore a chunk out of her soul. “I’d forgotten about Ellie.”
Forgotten? And he hadn’t been shocked by her words or denied touching his own sister. He’d forgotten her. Her hands vibrated in her lap. She wanted to slap the smirk off his thin face. “I can’t believe Daddy didn’t skin you alive.”
Their father had ruled with an iron fist.
Eddie tapped his fingers on the table. “Daddy didn’t know. He’d have killed us both.”
Us. Him and Walt. God. Nausea curled through her stomach. “Momma knew?”
Francis Hines must have been even more callous than Tess remembered.
“Momma persuaded Daddy some boys were sniffing around Ellie’s skirts and it was time to marry her off. Harlan didn’t know she was already used goods when he got hold of her.”
Used goods? Rage burned like fire under her ribs.
Eddie laughed. “Momma was mad as hell when she found out Ellie skipped her monthlies. She slapped Ellie around until Ellie told her what happened. Then she slapped me and Walt, but she never told Daddy.” He was leaning to one side and his shrug looked uncomfortable. “I was always her favorite.”
Favorite? Was he really that heartless? To care more about being a favorite child than being concerned with the sister he’d raped? She looked at his pinched features. His eyes rested below her chin on the vee of her shirt, as unbothered by the sin of incest today as he had been back then.
She would have crossed her arms but didn’t want to muffle the microphone. She took a breath, ignored his efforts to disconcert her. “I remember Momma belting you for being cheeky with her.”
“Momma was not an easy woman, but she loved us in her own way.”
Tess huffed out a snort. “She was going to shoot me that night of the raid.”
His smile told her he didn’t care. “Poor little Theresa Jane, always getting into trouble. You should have learned to keep your trap shut and do as you were told.”
“Like Ellie you mean?”
“You’re assuming Ellie wasn’t a willing participant in our games. She liked it once she got used to it. We gave her money to keep her quiet.”
“I don’t believe you.”
His eyes narrowed a little, enjoying her torment. “At first Walt told her we’d kill her if she told anyone. But eventually she liked it. We used rubbers so I don’t know how she got pregnant. Maybe someone else had her, too.” He shrugged like he didn’t care.
Tess’s insides turned inside out—how long had it been going on? Ellie had only been thirteen when she died.
“Were you planning on abusing me next?”
She got a whiff of his sour breath as he laughed. “I wasn’t planning on touching you for another couple of years until you grew some nice titties.” His smile didn’t go near his eyes. “But Walt was begging me to help him, getting desperate after being cut off from his regular supply of pussy. Harlan wouldn’t let Ellie out of his sight once they were hitched—probably the first time he’d gotten any in years. And Walt was too much of an asshole to find a real girlfriend.”
The fact he spoke this way about their sister—someone he’d seemed to like—made Tess want to vomit. Something else about his words struck her.
“Walt tried to grab me in the stable. Did you know about that?” She wondered if he’d known about their brother’s plan.
He ran his teeth over his tongue. “Like I said I had a girlfriend who gave me what I wanted. Walt was an impatient asshole.” He raked her up and down with his gaze. “I didn’t trust you to keep your trap shut. No pussy in the world would be worth Daddy finding out.” He stretched out his neck first one way, then the other. “Your tits turned out great by the way. They’re very…” He wiggled his brows as he smirked, “Pert.”
She stared at him. He was disgusting, but she couldn’t afford to let the horror show. “I remember your girlfriend now. Sandy or Candy or—”
“Brandy.” He sat up straight. “How the fuck do you remember that?”
She remembered her momma going off on her daddy when she’d smelled a woman’s perfume on him. He’d said it was Eddie’s girlfriend standing too close to him. Momma hadn’t believed him.
Eddie’s expression narrowed. Mad she’d remembered something that might be important, or pissed she wasn’t rising to his bait?
She rested her hand on the table and stared at Eddie through her lashes. “You must miss it—sex.”
His eyes crinkled at the edges as if amused. “You’d be surprised.”
“You’re gay?” She feigned shock. Being gay was as bad as being a person of color in the white supremacist world.
He gave her a long look and then stared at a female guard who was standing against one wall and licked his lips. “Nope.”
Tess’s eyes widened. It might be a bluff, but she wouldn’t be surprised if he was in a physical relationship with someone who worked here. Like any sociopath, Eddie could be charming when he wanted to be. And sex was doubtless something he needed.
She hooked her hair behind her ears and forced herself to lie. “I’m glad. I’d hate to see you suffering.”
A smile played around his mouth. He leaned forward and touched her hand. “Liar.”
She froze and withdrew her hand, sending him a glare.
“You have her eyes,” he said suddenly. Harshly.
She knew it. Hated it. “And you have Daddy’s.”
“Yeah.” He let out a deep breath.
“But hers were always scarier.” Eddie’s mouth thinned and they almost shared a smile of childhood remembrance.
If only he hadn’t raped Ellie, Tess might have sympathized with the guy. After all what chance had he had? But Ellie had been kind and thoughtful and sweet. And this asshole, their own flesh and blood, had treated her like a piece of meat.
Steve McKenzie had understood what he was doing when he’d loaded Tess with that information.
A jagged scar ran behind Eddie’s right ear, as if someone had tried to cut it off. Eddie saw her gawking but didn’t enlighten her. Just returned her stare with Momma’s features and Daddy’s eyes.
It was weird to think that the physical resemblance was all that remained of their parents. That, and a twisted legacy of hate.
“Someone got in touch with me about these murders going on in DC,” she told him. Needing to say something to broach the subject as Eddie patently wasn’t going to.
“Who?” He didn’t ask what murders. The fact made a shiver travel from the base of her spine to her nape. She hoped McKenzie noticed, too.
“He didn’t leave a name.”
He laughed then leaned back with his hands folded across his stomach. “Is that so? And now you’re here seeing if I know anything about it?”
“Do you?” She pushed.
“All I know is you promised our parents you’d go shoot some cops, but instead you took Bobby, locked the bedroom door and hid like a coward.”
“I was ten,” she snapped.
“You were better with a gun than any of us.” Malevolence shone in his eyes. Something had changed. Danger radiated off him.
“I was a good shot. Didn’t mean I was prepared to kill another human being.”
“More fool you.” He tapped his foot, looking at the clock on the wall. People were beginning to stand and say their goodbyes.
Tess felt sick. She’d blown it and hadn’t gotten anything useful out of her brother. She felt dirty being in the same room as him, let alone carrying the same genes.
“If they find out you know anything about these murders and you don’t tell them, you might never get out of here, you know that, right?” Not that she wanted him released.
“Who said I knew anything?” His eyes narrowed and he used his index finger to indicate she lean closer.
She did. Cautiously.
“But if I did know something…”
She held her breath and inched a little nearer.
“I wouldn’t tell you, you conniving little bitch.” His hot breath brushed over her neck. Eddie grabbed her by the hair and slammed her face into the table. She managed to protect herself with her hands before the second slam but she heard screams and saw people running away. He dragged her roughly over the table like a rag doll and held her by the neck with both hands.
“Why are you still alive?” he hissed in her ear.
Fear seared every cell in her body. She backpedaled as he dragged her up against the nearest wall.
“I’ll snap her neck like a twig if anyone comes near us!” he yelled. One hand delved under her shirt and he gave a cry of rage when he found the wire. “You traitorous slut. You should have died back then like Momma wanted.”
Tess’s vision was wonky and her breathing was cut off by his strong forearm. She turned her head into his chest to get more oxygen. He stank of sweat and hatred.
The guards edged closer but Eddie would never release her. He was going to kill her first.
She took a breath, fought her panic, ignored the pain and fear and centered her mind. With one hand, she struck his groin hard, then twisted inward and smashed her other palm against his face.
He screamed in agony and she danced out from under his arm. A rush of blood cascaded from his nose. She darted away as the guards closed in behind her.
“You bitch. You fucking little cunt. I’m going to find you. I’m going to come to your nice little house and I’m going to wait until you’re asleep in your bed, and then I’m going to fuck you until you are battered and bloody and when you’re lying there begging for mercy I’ll shove my knife up you so deep you’ll feel it in your gut.”
Tess’s entire body trembled. She had no doubt he’d do just that, and enjoy every second of it.
McKenzie was suddenly beside her. A guard tossed him the small black listening device, then Mac was dragging her out of the visiting area. Eddie went berserk, shouting about Kenny Travers being a backstabbing motherfucker and how he was gonna die, too.
Reaction set in and Tess’s teeth chattered so hard she could hardly see let alone walk.
“Wait here.” Mac retrieved his bag of tricks and then herded her toward the entrance. He stopped for his sidearm. The warden met them as he was replacing it in his holster.
“I need to talk to you.” Warden Flower’s demeanor screamed tension. “I need to know what happened in there.”
Mac spoke in a low whisper. “You have the video surveillance tape from your cameras so you know what happened. I’ll send you a copy of the audio as soon as it is cleared with HQ.”
“Do you need medical attention, miss?” Officer Pennington stood in front of her and reached out to touch her neck.
Tess flinched, then shook her head. “Nothing’s broken.” She touched her nose and Pennington passed her a box of tissues. She took some gratefully. “I’m just sore.” And humiliated. And angry. “Good thing he’s rehabilitated.”
The guard from earlier stepped forward and blocked her exit. “I need to search her before she leaves.”
Mac got in his face. “She’s been through enough.”
Tess rolled her eyes and raised her shaking arms. Office Pennington stepped in and searched her clothing with much more efficiency and less insolence than the other guard had earlier.
Pennington stepped back. “She’s clean.”
“Fine. Let them go.” The warden nodded. He pointed a finger at Mac. “I want that audio recording on my desk by the end of the day.”
The pissed off guard shot them a glare but stood aside. Tess stopped to pick up her belongings from the locker, then she and Mac hurried out the front exit.
It was snowing heavily, which was an unwelcome surprise. Mac threw his arm around her shoulders as she shivered uncontrollably. So much for beating that winter storm out of here.
He shepherded her to his car and popped the locks. “Get in.”
She slid into the front seat and sat numbly with her belongings on her lap. She was too freaked to do anything except shake.
Mac got in the driver’s seat and started the car, staring out the windscreen. “Holy fucking shit, Tess, I thought you were dead. Where’d you learn a move like that?”
Seeing she was incapable of normal behavior he grabbed her luggage and tossed it on the backseat. Then he leaned around her and grabbed the seat belt, dragging it across her body and punching it into the clip.
She raised a hand to touch her nose, which was sore and swollen. “Taekwondo, remember?” And if she hadn’t been a black belt, she’d probably be dead back in the visitor lounge, awaiting the ME with Steve McKenzie staring down at her body.
Would he have cared? She doubted it. Not really. Except for the information he’d never gain and the trouble it might cause his career.
“You all right?” he asked.
She gaped, incredulous. The bridge of her nose throbbed, her scalp burned and her throat was scorched as if someone had poured bleach down it. She was not okay. She turned to tell him so and noticed how white his lips were, noticed the strained tendons standing out in his neck. Stark fear shone bright in his eyes. Fear for her. Maybe he did care. More than she’d appreciated.
“I’ll live.” She touched her nose again and winced. “I’m sore. But grateful it wasn’t worse.” Much worse.
“Fuck. Tess. I never imagined he’d touch you. I’m so sorry.”
“Model prisoner and all.” She tried to make a joke of it. “I guess family brings out the worst in us Hineses.”
“Yo
u’re not a Hines. You’re a Fallon.” He put his hand on her thigh and squeezed. She felt the imprint of each finger like a brand through her jeans. “You were incredible.”
He quickly removed his hand as if he’d just remembered exactly who he was touching. A Hines, not a Fallon.
“Yeah. Incredible.” Her head started to spin and she rifled through her purse to find some more tissues and an Advil.
“What time’s your flight?” he asked as he drove out of the prison lot.
“Five.” In the meantime, she wanted to curl into a pathetic ball and nurse her wounds.
“Mine’s in forty minutes.” He leaned forward and peered up at the sky. “With luck, we’ll both get out of here before the blizzard really hits.”
“Fingers crossed.” Her throat constricted and tears burned her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Eddie was a repellant monster and it was one of her many shames to be related to him. Now all she wanted was to go home and forget she’d ever had any family beside Cole.
The FBI could figure out what was going on without any help from her. She’d talk to Cole and explain about their past. Hopefully he’d be able to tell her why he’d had that file in his drawer and it would be an innocent coincidence—if it wasn’t, she’d get him to turn himself in. She didn’t believe he was involved in murder. He wasn’t like Eddie or Walt or Francis or David. He was like her.
Hopefully he’d forgive her for all the lies she’d told him. But it was time for the truth. She was done with lies.
* * *
RoguePawn75: We have a problem.
They were in a secure “Members Only” chatroom on the dark web. Chance of anyone seeing this conversation was limited but not impossible. Chance of anyone tracking their location or real identities? Practically zero. By the time they did, the revolution would already be in motion.
MustangGuardian: What problem?
RoguePawn75: Discovered an undercover cop infiltrated Kodiak Compound the year before the raid and that cop is now the federal agent in charge of the task force investigating murders. Name is Steve McKenzie. Went by “Kenny Travers” back then. I never met him.
The blank screen was full of such menace unease crept up her spine and she found herself nervously filling the emptiness.
Cold Malice Page 12
