Page 289 of Knox Academy Omnibus
I find the small shack where I left it in the woods. Clearly, no one has found my guest inside since there are no cops hanging around. I take the three steps up to the door in one go, not risking getting my legs cut up by thorns. The last thing I need is to have to get a damn tetanus shot because of this guy.
“We meet again,” I say to the fucker as I enter the small musty room that has seen better days. Without Kalen, I couldn't bring my tools with me the first time so I had to go back for them. “I found my friends on the way back.”
I hold up my bag of special tools. He moans something under the duct tape over his mouth. The chair rocks with him thrashing around which sends dust particles flying around the room like little killer fireflies. Doom dust.
Fuck. Now I know I’ve spent too much time with Kalen; his stupidity is rubbing off on me.
A twig snapping has me reaching for the small knife strapped to my ankle. The idiot in the chair must have heard it too. He thrashes around like it’s an audition for the exorcist.
The door swings open and I throw my knife. It flies through the open space before Kalen pops his head around to look in.
“Good thing I know you’re a crazy mother fucker, or I would have lost an eye! What would I have done then? I would make a sexy pirate, but boats are not for me.”
I’ve learned it’s best to just wait out his stupid. If you say anything, it only encourages him more.
“What took you so long?”
“I had to look after my girl. Onyx nearly killed Jasper, and I had to send him home.”
I don't ask why, because frankly, I don't care.
“Apparently Elsie…” Just her name causes that twisting feeling in my gut. “Not only likes vag but she’s also into dick. Jasper had a case of the green eyed monster when he found out Elsie also diddled with Marcia.”
“What did he do to Amelie?”
“He scared her when he got grumpy. Onyx overreacted, but she’s our queen now and he has to follow the rules like the rest of us.”
I grind my teeth. Jasper has some explaining to do. He isn't paid to lose his cool over some pussy. He wants to scare her? I’ll show him scared when I slip through his window tonight. Hide and seek in the dark is a great way to end a night.
“How about you focus on what we have to do? Because not only is Amelie out for my blood over not showing up, I had to make up more excuses to track down this guy.”
“You didn't have to tie him up and bring him here. You could have just had him watched.”
“I'm not into prolonging the inevitable. Laura has been meeting with him, and it turns out he’s been following Amelie. I don’t like that at all.”
That snaps Kalen into gear. He reaches into the bag and pulls out a rusty knife. Smiling and stalking towards the sad sack slumped in the chair, Kalen cackles when the guy’s eyes go wide and more muffled moans of protest escape under the tape. Kalen rips the gag from his mouth.
“Help!” he screams.
“It won't do you any good, and even if someone did stumble across us, do you have any idea who I am? My brothers may think I’m soft, not cut out for this part of the job, and they’re probably right… I do lack focus and I hate getting my hands dirty, but you messed up when you involved her. If you haven't figured it out, she’s pretty fucking special. Special enough that even the big bad Baxter Branson is willing to work with me to see that she’s protected from every threat. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant.”
The guy’s mouth opens and closes as recognition of my name dawns on him.
“I...didn't know you knew her! Cordelia is a good client of mine, a friend even.”
He had to bring up that cunt. I swear to every god on this planet that’s reason enough to kill him. I loathe that woman almost as much as I despise having our names intrinsically linked. It makes me feel murderous…even more so than before. Before it was just a job, now it’s personal.
“I’ll be sure to send your head to her as an early Christmas gift.”
“You know, it really stinks in here,” Kalen complains. “Oh! That reminds me! What gets covered in dirt but always stays clean?”
“A body inside a coffin,” I reply.
He falls silent and stares at me a beat too long.
“You really are one twisted motherfucker.” He shakes his head like I’ve somehow disappointed him. “It’s soap. The answer is always soap. Which you could do with in here.”
I shrug.
