Page 20 of Kimbra

One month after that

Ben

There’s been no sign of Taz or Brander since the Norse Rogues saw them flee through the trees a few months ago. All our contacts have heard nothing, and it’s as if they’ve gone radio silent. The Feds ended up coming out and did identify almost all of the bodies found in the freezers at the two locations. There’s been no signs that either Taz or Brander has been back to either location. Hell, we don’t even know if Brander survived his gunshots.

Since there’s been nothing, Jon asked Mike, Tripp, Erik, and me to go over the documents that Erik found up on the mountain. He’s thinking that one of us might find a clue or a name from the past that could lead us to where he’s hiding. He figures, if not us, that Erik might find something since he knew so many of the names from back then.

We pull up to the parking lot and park. It’s pretty empty since it’s a Saturday. I doubt his assistant is working today, which will make discussing what we are looking for easier. The fewer non-club ears listening, the better. Erik pulls up in his pickup. He gets out and has two trays of coffee in his hands. “Hey, I know this shit is not how we want to spend our Saturday, and I knowmy nephew is always down for caffeine, so I stopped and got us all a cup because I know he can’t make a decent cup of coffee himself.” He’s not wrong.

We all head into the building and head to the office on the right. Mike opens the door and walks in, stopping so fast that Tripp and I almost crash into him. “What the hell, brother?” Mike steps to the side and points. “Look, something’s very wrong.” I look around Mike and see papers strewn all around. The front desk looks like a tornado hit it, with everything thrown around and the file cabinet drawers open. We all instinctively take out our guns and follow Mike further into the office. The next door is open a crack, so he lightly taps it open with his foot. He looks at the floor and pales. Erik pushes past me and shudders as he looks at the floor. I look around him. “Holy shit, that’s a ton of blood.” It looks like at least a gallon of blood on the office room floor. Enough that makes you wonder if whoever’s blood it is could’ve survived. Mike looks at us. “What the fuck happened here?” Erik, with a concerned panic, asks the most important questions. “Who’s blood is it, and where the fuck is Max?”

EPILOGUE THREE

Eleven years later

Kimbra

“I don’t like it.” I didn’t think a grown man could pout, but my darling husband is proving me wrong as he crosses his arms and leans against the doorway to the kitchen. “It’s the prom, not some swinger’s party she’s going to. She knows her curfew and has never been late. She’s seventeen. We have to give her a little freedom.” He walks over to the fridge and gets a beer out, still pouting. “It’s not her freedom I’m worried about. It’s the boy.” I can’t help but roll my eyes. Both Branson and Bentley had plenty of girlfriends in high school and college, and Ben didn’t have any issues with any of them, even though some were very…questionable. His little princess growing up and having her first boyfriend at seventeen? That he can’t handle.

I move around the counter and give him a hug. “Don’t worry, she’s going to be fine. You know he’s a good young man. Hell, he’s a prospect, for goodness’ sake.” He glares down at me. “That doesn’t make it any better, Doc. I know what boys that age think about, and it’s not okay. She’s too young.” I hug him again. “You know, no matter what, you’re always going to be special to her, just like no matter what, she’ll always be your princess.”He kisses my temple and mumbles something about me making sense.

Heaven help all of us when he sees her dress. I better get more beer in the fridge. Turns out Unicorns are thirsty.

THE END...