Page 92 of Haven

“Cinder. She doesn’t look good.”

“When are you bringin’ Rory home?”

I sighed. I had more plans with her, but it seemed we needed to get her home sooner. “I’ll bring her home Friday night. I’ll show her the pictures and give her a couple of days.”

“It’s Wednesday, so I’ll tell Melisa to expect evidence on Friday. When you said she didn’t look good is that from Hades’s perspective or Dr. Morningstar’s?”

“I think you know the answer to that. I’ll let you know how Rory is and we’ll be back in Briarwood soon.”

Rory was brushing out her hair when I stepped back into my bedroom. She glanced at the box, her back straightening. “What’s in the box, Hades?”

I knew I couldn’t keep it hidden from her, and she deserved to see it. Whatever she needed, I would be her strength. “I…It’s…Just look for yourself. It’s bad.”

It broke my heart watching her open the box and seeing the pictures of her sister. Her hands were shaking as she went through the pictures before a broken sob escaped her lips. She pulled out the shirt and clutched it to her chest. It was the only thing she had of Cinder currently. I set the box to the side and crawled into the bed with her, wrapping my arms around her.

“I want her back!” Rory screamed.

I brushed her hair out of her face, doing my best to comfort her. “I know, baby. We’ll get her back.”

I held Rory until she finally fell asleep, the shirt still clutched to her chest. Rory would get her closure. I would make sure of it. This was something I never wanted to see again.

Seventy-Seven

Widow

Ineeded to do something before I spiraled further down the rabbit hole. Someone in town had to know something or heard about what happened. We might’ve kept it quiet, but people talked, even when we put the fear of God in them. There was a seedy bar on the outskirts of town, always full of lowlifes. We let them have their place as long as they didn’t do anything dumb. Most of the time, they listened.

Tonight, I hoped they didn’t.

I wanted information, but I was itching for a fight, too.

Davena was the bartender in this bar for the last fifteen years. She liked the bar and the freedom she had here, but she also hated the people who showed up most times. We offered her a spot at Reject’s, but she declined since she didn’t want to become a Viper. She would be the perfect person to question.

“Hey, D,” I cooed, sitting down at the bar.

“Hey, sugar.” She smiled, cleaning her glass. “Whatcha lookin’ for?”

I leaned on my elbows and pecked her check. “You got any information for me?”

“Keep bein’ sweet and I might. Whacha need?”

“Anything suspicious? Cinder is missin’, and we’re tryin’ to find her.”

Her brows furrowed. “That’s why these punks been actin’ a damn fool? I heard people whispering about a man in charge. I don’t know who he is, but he lurks in the shadows like a creeper.”

Man in charge? As far as we knew, there was no one else in town who dared challenge Cinder or the Vipers. “They say anything else?”

“I heard someone mention a missed shot? A drive by or somethin’ to piss off Cinder.”

So it wasn’t Axel. “Anyone in here know what's goin’ on with this mysterious man?”

“Ole Jimmy. You know the old bastard hears everything. He can’t see worth a damn, but he hears everythin’.” She slid me another beer to offer Jimmy for information, and I slid her two twenties. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be pointless.

Jimmy “Cricket” Paxton was the town drunk, but he was a wise old man. He was sitting in the back booth hidden in a dark corner, nursing a nearly empty beer. I slid the bottle D gave me over to him as I took a seat across from him. He grumbled, but took the beer.

“Whadu want?”

“Tell me about this man who shot at Cinder’s sister.”