Chapter Twelve
Tess stood in line at security. She’d been traveling for hours and waited in a queue of equally grim-faced people, waiting to be processed and searched.
When it was her turn she braced herself and walked up to the guard.
“Name?”
“Tess Fallon.” She handed over her photo ID to the officer.
The corner of his lips moved into a small smile. “I haven’t seen you here before.”
“I haven’t been here before,” she acknowledged.
His assessing glance scanned from the top half of her head to her hips before returning to his screen. After a moment, he turned back to her. “You’re not on the list.” His eyes were cooler now. Irritated she was wasting his time.
“There’s been an emergency. I put in the application last night but I’m hoping I can get special dispensation.”
He pushed her documents back towards her. “You need to wait for official approval before you can see the offender. Next.”
“You don’t understand…” Her mouth went dry. What could she say? That she was worried her brother was involved in murder? On what evidence? Their father’s date of birth? She glanced at the big wall clock—only fifteen minutes until visiting began. She didn’t want to have to stay in Idaho overnight. “I’ve traveled all the way from DC.” Ahead of an approaching winter storm that she hoped to beat back home.
The guard’s lips compressed into a stern line. “Information is all on the website. You should have read it before you left.”
She had read the website but she’d been desperate and hoping she could charm her way inside. She’d have better luck conjuring a demon.
A shiver of awareness raced up her spine and a second later someone reached over her shoulder.
“Actually, she’s with me.”
A gold badge appeared, but she’d already recognized that soft voice with the slight country drawl.
Steve McKenzie. FBI.
Dammit.
“You have approval from the warden?” The guard spoke with even less warmth than he’d shown her as he checked McKenzie’s credentials.
She twisted to look over her shoulder and found McKenzie standing way too close. He was wearing a dark gray suit, white shirt, and a blood red tie that screamed federal authority and competence.
He gave her the side eye when the guard turned away to pick up the phone.
Tess avoided his gaze and her nails cut into her palms. She couldn’t believe he was here. Couldn’t believe he was trying to help her get inside. Something must have happened—did it involve Cole? Had someone else died? The idea made her stomach pitch.
After a moment, the guard returned and spoke to McKenzie. “Warden says you can come in, but no one else.”
“Get us in to see the warden and I’ll talk to him about Ms. Fallon. Then he can make the final decision.” McKenzie and the guard seemed to be in a pissing contest. Tess had learned from a young age that when one dog lost face it usually took out its ire on the nearest potential victim. The guard indicated McKenzie walk through. She watched anxiously as the FBI agent handed his weapon into a side booth in a secure area and the bag he carried was searched.
When the guard waved Tess through, he stopped her just past the counter with a heavy hand on her shoulder. “I need to search you.”
Her spine went rigid. It wasn’t that she hadn’t expected to be searched—contraband was clearly a problem in any prison. She’d stowed her belongings in one of the available lockers and wasn’t carrying anything on her person. She raised her arms, and the guard slowly but firmly slid his hands all over her body, being a little bit too thorough. He was punishing her and she pushed down her instinctive desire to bolt. None of it was obvious to the casual observer, but the malicious gleam in his annoyed stare told her all she needed to know about how much he enjoyed his job. She felt violated from those few basic strokes of his hand, and was grateful to be wearing jeans.
Then he opened his mouth and she knew he was about to order an even more intimate search. Her knees wobbled and she fought the urge to scream. This was too important to run away from, but she wasn’t sure she could endure a stranger seeing her naked and touching her intimately just to ask someone she detested a few questions he probably wouldn’t answer. And now McKenzie was here, maybe she didn’t need to. McKenzie could confront Eddie and she’d go home. A wasted trip but, hey, at least her dignity would remain intact.
“The warden doesn’t have all day.” McKenzie tapped his wristwatch impatiently. He’d observed the search with an impassive expression, but Tess could read the storm clouds in the tornado green of his eyes.
The guard’s shoulders dropped and his chin raised. He stood back and let her through. “I’ll see you on the way out, Ms. Fallon.”
Great.
McKenzie took her elbow and steered her toward another guard. This guy was bigger and his eyes seemed kinder. He introduced himself as Officer Pennington.
He smiled at Tess, spoke to McKenzie. “Some of the guards are still pissed about the FBI investigating the prison a couple years back. Might not take too kindly to a federal agent poking his nose in.”
Fantastic.
“That was here?” McKenzie said with a grimace.
“Sure was,” the tall guard told him with a smile. “You want to talk to Prisoner Hines?”
Not really.
“That’s right,” McKenzie said in that easy way he had. People instinctively liked the guy. He no doubt used it to his advantage.
“You know him?” she asked the guard.
The flash of white teeth against dark skin almost blinded her. “I make it a point to know where the white supremacists are housed.” Pennington laughed. “Plus, he’s been here longer than I have—since this place opened.” Those dark eyes turned hard. “Knock on wood he’ll be here long after I’m gone.”
“We can hope,” she agreed.
The guard’s eyes rested on her face as if weighing each of her features. Did he see the family resemblance? Eddie had always favored their mother. With the exception of Tess’s hair and eyes and the occasional killer glare, she had her maternal granddaddy’s features.
“What’s your business with him?” Pennington asked as they ambled along.
“I’m afraid I can’t discuss that until after I’ve spoken to the warden,” Mac said with obvious regret.
The guard assessed them both with a cool nod before showing them into an office. Inside, a tall, wiry man turned to look at them over half-frame glasses. He held a sheaf of papers in his hand.
A secretary with a benign expression was busy at a PC.
“Warden Flowers, you’ve got visitors,” said Pennington.
“Thanks, Hal,” Flowers said to the guard. “I’ll let you know when I need you again.”
Hal Pennington nodded and sauntered slowly away.
“Thanks for seeing us at such short notice, Warden.” McKenzie shook the man’s hand. “And for giving permission for the interview.”
Tess was surprised McKenzie needed permission. She’d thought the FBI would be able waltz in and do what they wanted. Apparently not.
“Can you tell me what it’s regarding?” the warden asked.
“No. Sorry. It’s part of an ongoing criminal investigation.”
“And you also want to see Eddie Hines?” Warden Flowers regarded her thoughtfully.
Tess nodded.
One side of the warden’s mouth pulled back. He examined the papers in his hand. Tess saw her photograph. He was reading the visitor’s application form she’d filled in last night.
The man looked up and nailed her with a piercing stare. “This is the first time you’ve seen your brother in twenty years?”
She cleared her throat. “Yes, sir. I had no desire to be involved in Eddie’s kind of lifestyle.”
“He doesn’t have a lifestyle, he’s imprisoned.” His curt tone seemed reprimanding.
Her spine stiffened to steel. Was he judging her?
“So he no longer holds white supremacist views?” Mac asked, which was not what the guard, Pennington, had insinuated.
The warden’s eyebrows bobbed up. “I didn’t say that. But he’s been a model prisoner and has found God. He appears genuinely repentant about his crime. He was only eighteen at the time of the offenses. It’s hard to change the core ideology we are raised with.” The look he sent Tess suggested she must be full of hatred and prejudice. She opened her mouth to correct that impression but McKenzie beat her to it.
“Tess was only ten when her brother was arrested. She never shared his beliefs,” he told the man. “You can’t blame her for wanting to leave that part of her history behind.”
She swallowed the unfamiliar sensation of someone defending her.
The warden’s expression reserved judgment. “So why the sudden and urgent change of heart?”
Because she was worried Eddie had somehow influenced their little brother and got him involved in a murder plot? She didn’t want McKenzie to hear about the file in Cole’s drawer, not until she found the slightest proof Cole might have had something to do with the judge’s murder. Then she’d go to the Feds. Not before.
Tess looked at McKenzie but he raised a brow, not helping her with the warden’s question.
“Did you hear about the murder of the federal judge in DC on Monday this week?” she asked.
The warden nodded.
She glanced at McKenzie—did he already realize this? “Monday would have been our father, David Hines’s, birthday. I wanted to make sure my brother wasn’t involved in something that might get him into trouble.”
She didn’t say which brother.
The warden glanced at her application forms again. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt to allow you to talk to him for a few minutes, but if you’re questioning him about a murder he should probably call his lawyer.”
“He’s not being questioned about a murder, Warden Flowers,” McKenzie told him. “He’s just talking to his sister who he hasn’t seen for years and I’d like to listen in to what he has to say.”
The warden drew his slight frame upright and narrowed his eyes. “You want to record their conversation?”
McKenzie nodded. “I have a warrant.” He fished a piece of paper out of his bag.
Tess swallowed uneasily.
“I think Tess might be able to pry information out of him I can’t. And if he has nothing to hide it might help at his next parole hearing if he’s cooperative.”
“You’d speak for him?” the warden said with a raised brow.
“If he’s changed the way you’re suggesting, yes, I would. First, I need to ascertain he had nothing to do with this latest crime so I can concentrate on other lines of investigation. Can you send me a list of everyone he’s had contact with via either visitation or correspondence?” He pointed his last request toward the secretary who smiled as he handed her his card.
The guy had more charm than was legal, and evidently used it to get his own way.
Warden Flowers nodded his consent. Then he cupped his right hand over his left cheek and massaged his jaw with his thumb. “You can talk to him,” he said to Tess. “Visitation just started so you only have five minutes to prepare. I’ll send someone to bring Eddie up, but remember, he doesn’t have to talk to you if he doesn’t want to.”
“Five minutes prep is all we need,” McKenzie assured him.
Tess’s mouth went so dry she could barely swallow. The idea of facing Eddie wearing a wire didn’t seem so smart. What if he implicated Cole? Nerves rose up but she pushed them back down. If Cole was involved she couldn’t shield him forever. She was done being held accountable for the actions of others. McKenzie took her arm and pulled her into a bathroom across the hall. It was the ladies but he didn’t seem to care.
He whirled her around and pressed her up against the door. She stared at him in shock at this sudden change from good ol’ boy to hard-ass. Her pulse skipped a few beats.
“You made me look like a damn fool in front of the task force for not realizing these murders started on your daddy’s birthday.” His expression was stern, but for some reason it wasn’t fear she was feeling.
“And looking like a damn fool is unusual?”
Something sparked in his eyes. “Why the hell didn’t you mention it last night?”
She tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let go. She glared. “I only remembered after you left.”
His lip curled. “Says the girl who remembers how I take my coffee after two decades.”
She gritted her teeth. She didn’t like the fact all her nerve endings had come alive now he was touching her. She wasn’t about to tell him she’d memorized everything about him back then. Her childish heart had been in love.
“Look, ASAC McKenzie, I’ve spent most of my life actively pushing thoughts of my parents out of my head. I have made it my mission to forget everything I can about my family.”
He was unconvinced. “You could have called me once you figured it out. Pretty sure I gave you my card in case you had any epiphanies.” His voice held an edge of sarcasm. “Instead you got on a plane. Tell me why that doesn’t look suspicious.”
She stared pointedly at where his large hands gripped her upper arms. She had enough taekwondo training to make him let go if she had to, but she didn’t want to be charged with assaulting a federal agent or something equally lame. With her background, she’d lose every time it came down to a case of he-said, she-said.
He relaxed his grip but didn’t let go.
“Why did you come here today?” he demanded.
“Once I remembered it was Daddy’s birthday I had to come. I needed to know if this is connected to my family. Eddie’s the only one who can tell me that.” She raised her chin, held his probing gaze as he assessed her for lies. “I’ve built a decent life, ASAC McKenzie. If the Pioneers are involved in these murders that could all be destroyed.” She specialized in working for non-profits and civil liberty groups. If they found out who she really was they’d never trust her with their financial information again. Her fledgling business would be dead before it ever got started.
His fingers squeezed tighter and for a second his knuckle brushed the side of her breast. She jolted. His nostrils flared and he swallowed tightly. He released her but didn’t step away.
“Look, call me Mac. Everyone does.” He ran his fingers over his skull, making his short hair stand up on end. One silver strand of hair stood out amongst the warm brown. Up close, his face had more lines than she remembered. Faint creases fanning out from the corner of his eyes. His brows were short, dark slashes of personality. A small scar etched his right cheek.
She met his gaze.
“What do you want from me, Mac?” The short version of his name rolled too easily off her tongue. “An apology for existing? Or to grind me into the dirt along with the rest of my family?”
His hands rested on top of her shoulders and squeezed. “Just be the person I hope you are.”
What did that even mean?
He pulled something out of his computer bag. A tiny microphone.
“Did you know I was going to be here?” she asked.
“First I knew about you being here was when I walked through the prison’s front door,” Mac told her. “But this works better. I was going to pretend to be Kenny Travers. Tell him I escaped after the raid and went off radar and wanted in on any new action against the government. If that didn’t work then I was gonna confront him and tell him I was actually an undercover cop and that I single-handedly brought down the Pioneers. Pretty sure the resulting explosion might have revealed a few home truths. But this is better. He might trust you. Here.” He handed her the short piece of wire. “Attach that to the inside of your bra.”
“He’ll figure something’s up.”
“Just act natural. Forget it’s there. You’ll be fine.”
She took it and undid the top few buttons of her blouse, then slid the listening equipment up under her shirt and camisole, positioning it beneath the underwire of her bra, adjusting the position from the top. Thankfully she was wearing dark colors which helped hide the thing.
“What makes you think he’ll talk to me?” She glanced up as she tucked her shirt back into her jeans.
His pupils were large and his nostrils flared as he drew in a breath. Damned if his cheeks didn’t hold a touch of fire.
His hand closed over hers when she went to do up the top buttons. “Leave those undone. It might distract him. Sure as hell distracts me.”
The fact her brother might be interested in her body was disgusting, but she knew Mac was right. Eddie had always been an animal. She couldn’t imagine prison had improved him any.
“Can you see it?” she asked.
His fingers clenched as he took a step back. “Nope, you can’t see it.”
She frowned at him. “They’re just boobs, Mac. Snap out of it.”
He mumbled something unintelligible and turned away, watching her in the mirror.
“What if he won’t talk to me?”
Annoyance hardened his features. “Why wouldn’t he?”
“He is nearly nine years older than me. We didn’t have much in common even when we lived in the same house. He didn’t know I existed except as someone who cleaned up his dishes.”
He frowned at her. “I’m nine years older than you and I knew you existed.”
She eyed him from under her lashes. “You were different.”
His expression grew serious as he turned to face her again. “Be grateful Eddie didn’t notice you.”
She frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”
Mac’s lips pressed together and his expression looked torn. “Did you know Ellie was pregnant when she died?”
All the blood drained from her head and she steadied herself against the wall. “No.”
He observed her carefully, though she didn’t understand why. “Ellie was sixteen weeks pregnant when she died.” With that he left the restroom.
What? Sixteen weeks? Four months pregnant? That was impossible. It didn’t make sense. Ellie was only married for two months and had never had a boyfriend. She hadn’t even liked Harlan Trimble…
Oh, God.
Tess hugged her stomach as rage and grief competed for control of her body. That meant Ellie had gotten pregnant when she’d lived at home, and no one in the Pioneers would have been foolhardy enough to mess with David Hines’s girl.
That bastard. That fucking bastard. Heat spread through her body like fire. She followed Mac into the hall.
“Did you know?” she asked.
His lips were a thin line. Eyes pained. “No. I didn’t know. Did you?”
Her eyes widened and her throat closed. Mute, she shook her head. After that day in the barn with Walt she should have realized, should have guessed he’d done the same to Ellie. How could she have been so naïve?
Because you were ten, Tess.
“Was it both of them, or just Walt?”
“I don’t know for sure, but looking back I think they were both involved.”
How she loathed them all. Eddie, Walt, her parents. They must have suspected and yet they’d done nothing?
“What do you want me to ask him?”
Mac shrugged. “Find out if he knows anything about what’s going on in DC. Who’s doing this. See if you can get a slice of the action.”
She nodded. “I doubt he’ll fall for it though. Me turning up like this for the first time?”
“Try your best, Tess. Lives might depend on it.”
She gave him a look. She wasn’t one of his lackeys. Then she caught Officer Pennington’s eye and followed him down a long corridor. Mac stayed where he was, out of sight, reminding her she was on her own. Not exactly unusual, but the loneliness stung today. She was worried about Cole. The idea of losing him to this sort of hatred was almost too much to bear.
She was led to a large, open room with lots of small tables set up. Inmates wore orange jumpsuits and sat opposite their visitors. She searched around for her brother but didn’t spot him anywhere. Then he walked through the holding area opposite and slouched into a seat at one of the empty tables. Did he know who was here to see him? Did he care?
Officer Pennington led the way between the tables. “You have a visitor, Hines.”
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.”
“You’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.
RoguePawn75: He’s responsible for the whole thing—finding the guns, the raid, killing David—
MustangGuardian: How did you not know this?
RoguePawn75: I told you I thought someone inside the compound had ratted them out. I didn’t realize it had been a cop all along.
MustangGuardian: You should have known. Have you made any other mistakes?
God, she hated the power this man had over her. She thought of all her careful planning, all her years of sacrifice, working to execute their plan faultlessly and still he treated her like a child. Like he was in charge. Some days she hated him more than she loved him.
RoguePawn75: No. Everything else has been flawless.
A third person joined the conversation.
EagleScreamr: He must have read the manifesto. He’s gonna figure out what we plan to do before we get the chance.
RoguePawn75: No, he won’t. We are leaving the clues they are supposed to find. Everything is going as planned.
MustangGuardian: What if this agent figures out who you are before you have a chance to finish?
RoguePawn75: He won’t.
MustangGuardian: How are you going to stop him?
The empty screen was like a hungry animal waiting to be fed.
RoguePawn75: McKenzie needs to be taught a lesson as to what happens to people who betray us. I have an idea that will take care of him.
She quickly explained her plan. It was off script, but there was a good chance it would work. If it did it would be a brilliant display of cunning. If it didn’t, it would still form the starting point of their revenge against this bastard. The man who’d destroyed her life.
RoguePawn75: But I can’t do it. I have other messages to send and a schedule to keep.
No response.
All her sacrifice and no one else was willing to step up?
EagleScreamr: I’ll do it.
A tremor of unease vibrated over her skin.
MustangGuardian: You’re sure?
EagleScreamr: Yes. When?
She pondered for a moment. Was it wrong to involve him in such a dangerous mission? What if he messed up? What if he got caught? What if he couldn’t go through with it?
She generally felt nothing when she took a life, but the people she killed weren’t human. They were vermin that needed to be eradicated. She forced the unexpected worry out of her mind. They all needed to make sacrifices in this war.
RoguePawn75: It requires precise timing. I’ll contact you. Be ready to move at a moment’s notice and be sure to leave nothing behind.
She logged off and stared into space. All these years of hard work and careful planning and everything came down to what happened in the next few days. But justice wasn’t going to wait forever. The FBI had better be ready to reap what it sowed. The government couldn’t hang on to power forever, and only those prepared for armed resistance would survive.
She’d been born ready.
These murders were for David, and formed the opening salvo of the revolution. Their names would go down in history, irrevocably entwined.
Once she finished the first phase of the operation, thousands would rise up and join the fight. These people might not know her name yet, but it wouldn’t be long until she was synonymous with the most daring act in history. She’d save the republic for those it was meant for, and drive the others from its shores.