“Now I feel really bad about your car.”
“Don’t. I was going to sell it, too, and the insurance paid more than I could have gotten for it. It’s a piece of metal. Nothing more,” Burnett said.
“It was a classic. You loved it.” It was a life.
“And right now you’re sitting here, not a scratch on you, Mr. and Mrs. Conner are at home probably watching The Bachelor—she loves that show—and that car doesn’t mean shit.” He half-smiled.
When Perry didn’t smile back, the humor in Burnett’s eyes vanished. “It’s tough, I know.”
“I’m a wimp for letting it get to me, aren’t I?”
Burnett stood and put his hand on Perry’s shoulder. “If it didn’t bother you, I’d be worried.”
“How do you do it?” Perry asked, for the first time questioning if he had what it took to be an agent.
“You put it in perspective. There are good people in this world and there’re bad ones. The bad ones rape, kill, and torture the good ones. There’s no telling how many people Caleb’s already killed, but think about how many more innocent people who’d have suffered at his hands if you hadn’t stopped him.”
Perry nodded. His mind raced, guilt coated his soul like an emotional stain, but then it hit—one good thing that might come out of this. “He might trust me now.” When Burnett looked confused about the statement, Perry elaborated. “Jax’s game. He wanted Caleb dead. He might trust me enough to tell me what’s going on.”
Burnett nodded. “Now all we need to do is figure out how to play this.”
* * *
After Burnett and Perry made plans, Perry went to Miranda. He didn’t tell her anything, but just being with Miranda had helped bring home Burnett’s point. He’d taken a life and nothing was going to change that, but Caleb had brought this on himself. The next morning, the dark spot on Perry’s soul wasn’t completely gone, but he could deal with it.
Leaving Shadow Falls, he called his dad and requested a two p.m. meet with Jax. Burnett had Caleb buried on an empty lot in what had been dubbed the Killing Fields under the only oak tree on some property just a mile from where Jax lived.
This went against Jax’s rules, but if his brother wanted proof of Caleb’s demise, he’d have to get it himself.
When it was show time, Perry walked up to the front door. The goon standing guard let him in. Perry grimaced when he saw his parents. He didn’t know why, but the idea of them thinking of him as a murderer stung. Perhaps it was because he knew they were sick enough to be proud of him for it.
It felt so screwed up that it reminded him of the unresolved issues. He’d been so worried about Miranda and Tabitha, he hadn’t dwelt on his own problems. They were still there, like a forgotten to-go box of food in the fridge that would start stinking soon.
“Ah, little brother, come in,” Jax said. He held a glass that looked like whiskey.
Did his brother always drink? Maybe he needed it to be able to live with himself.
“I’m told you come bearing good news.” Jax stood up and downed the rest of the liquid from his glass. Perry noticed the slight slur in his voice.
Perry had been around enough drunks to know that some got happier, some got meaner. A meaner Jax could be dangerous.
Perry sat down in the same straight chair. It was uncomfortable as hell, but the last thing he wanted to feel here was comfortable.
“Do I need to cut you a check for taking care of Ricky?” Jax asked.
“I haven’t found Ricky yet,” Perry said.
His brother frowned. “Then why are we meeting?”
“Caleb.” Perry pulled air through his nose. He saw his mom smile. His father didn’t. Did that mean anything?
Jax, eyes wide, just stared. “Where’s the proof?”
“I buried him.”
“I told you that you’re required to bring the head to me.”
“I let him keep it.” The thought of removing a head from a body turned Perry’s stomach.
“So I’m just supposed to believe you.” Jax poured himself another shot. “Perry, Perry, Perry. I’ve got three of my best men after Caleb, they haven’t gotten shit. You waltz in here, a greenhorn, and expect me to believe you’ve done it.”
“I figured you’d send someone for the proof. I don’t particularly like toting around body parts.”
“Yeah, and now you’re going to tell us his body is halfway across Texas.”
“No. It’s less than a mile away.” He recited the address and mentioned the oak tree. Jax appeared doubtful. “If I send my man over there and it’s gone, I’m gonna be pissed. If it’s not Caleb and you messed his face up just to try to fool me, I’m gonna be furious. You’ll end up with a price on your head.” His smile was a threat.
Perry leaned back. “And if it’s there, and it’s him. What are you going to be?”
Jax stared. “I’ll be impressed. Then I’ll put you in charge of another job.”
* * *
Thursday evening Miranda sat at the kitchen table with Kylie and Della. She’d spent the last few days studying and learning to fight—without her tattoo groove on—and clinging to the inner peace she’d found at the falls. She’d considered going back, but she hadn’t been called. So she waited, albeit impatiently—with a mix of dread and anticipation—for the armadillo’s words to come true.
She would be told when to run.
Run away from everyone who made her feel safe. At times, she wanted to question this. Really, really wanted to question it.
She looked up. While she studied, her friends went through the books searching for a clue about tattooed witches with “mojo” as Della described it.
Miranda considered how they’d feel when she ran away. They were going to be so mad. And Burnett. She didn’t even want to think about him. Or Perry. He’d be devastated.
Her sinuses stung. Swallowing the need to cry, she spoke up. “I’ve finished the math section.” She nudged the SAT study guide away. Right now she wished they offered one on faith, because she felt weak on it.
“You want me to question you over it?” Della asked.
“No. I’m done.” Miranda hesitated. “Can I ask something?”
“I’ve already explained this. A boy has a ding-a-ling, the girl a vajayjay,” Della teased.
Miranda rolled her eyes, not in the mood for humor. She had to find a way to ask it vaguely without saying too much. “If you get a message, or a feeling, from the falls, could it be bad?”
“Sometimes what they tell you hurts,” Kylie said. “But generally it’s—”
“No, I don’t mean bad like sad. I mean bad advice.”
“No,” Kylie said, empathy painting her words. “You ready to talk about what happened in the falls?”
“No. Still mulling things over.”
“If that was me mulling, you’d get pissed,” Della said.
“Sorry.” Miranda stood. “I should get ready.”
“For what?” Della asked. “Is Perry coming again?”
“Yeah. I want to shower.” And talk to Tabitha.
The armadillo hadn’t defined which talents she got from the mystic side. But since Tabitha’s text seemed to imply she could hear her, Miranda, counting on it, had been talking to her every thirty minutes or so.
Miranda spoke to her sister as if she were sitting beside her. Promising that she would come there soon.
As she stepped into the shower, a wisp of steam rose, and Miranda couldn’t help but think of the ghost and bloody messages. Fear traveled up her spine like a spider. She stood naked and determined, holding on to her last bit of courage. The last message had saved Anthony. If the ghost needed Miranda to help save anyone else, she’d hear her out.
* * *
At six o’clock on Thursday evening, Perry walked through the Shadow Falls gate. Burnett and Holiday were both there in her office.
“What happened?” Burnett asked, already waiting for him.
Nodding at Holiday, who was posit
ioned behind her desk while Burnett sat on the edge of it, Perry walked into the office and shut the door.
They both stared with eyes round with worry.
“Did something go wrong?” Burnett spoke first.
“Not really,” he said. But then there was the fact that he’d had to see Caleb’s severed head tossed on Jax’s table. And in Perry’s mind, the image kept appearing. He looked at the dirty pillowcase he held, not knowing where to start.
“Then what is it?” Holiday asked. “You’re upset, I can feel it.”
“Two things,” Perry said. “Jax gave me another job.”
Burnett stood up from the desk. “You got Tabitha’s whereabouts?”
“No, I tried. He wasn’t opening up about that. He wants me to find his son.”
“He’s not getting him!” Holiday seethed.
Perry looked at her. “I’d die before letting that happen. But just because he put me on this case, doesn’t mean he won’t put others on it. This could be dangerous.”
“You said the babysitter left the country,” Burnett said.
Perry nodded. “He suspects the babysitter took him. He’s found some info on her family in Mexico. He has contacts checking if she’s there. If he thinks she is, he’s sending me and another guard there.”
“I don’t care.” Holiday looked at Burnett. “He stays here.” Then she exhaled, still looking at Burnett. “Can I ask now?”
Ask what?
Burnett nodded and Holiday refocused on Perry. “We wanted to ask if you’d mind if Burnett and I adopted your nephew. We’ve fallen in love with him.”
Perry’s chest tightened, leaking out some of the bad he had dwelling there. “You have no idea how much that’d mean to me.” He looked at Burnett.
Worry wrinkled the vampire’s brow. “We need to contact the babysitter. If one of Caleb’s men catches her…”
“I already called her. The only family she has in Mexico died a few months ago, but she’s scared. I told her if she’d come back to the States we’d make sure she’s safe.”
“Does she have tickets yet?” Burnett asked.
“No, I said I’d let her know as soon as I spoke with you.”
Burnett did a short lap around the office then stopped. “Give me her information. I’ll have someone make her a ticket under an alias. They’ll meet her at the airport with a fake passport and fly back with her.”
Perry nodded. “Thank you.”
“Now, what’s the other thing?” Burnett asked.
Perry hesitated then dropped the heavy, dirty pillowcase on Holiday’s desk. It landed with a dead thump.
Chapter Thirty-four
“What’s this?” Burnett asked.
“Seven hundred thousand dollars,” Perry answered. “Payment for taking care of Caleb. I didn’t want to take it, but it would’ve been suspicious if I didn’t.”
Perry sat down. “I figured we’d turn it over. For evidence. Then I remembered what you said. That the FRU already had enough evidence to bury Jax from his previous crimes. I considered dropping it by a homeless shelter. But I didn’t know who’d find it.”
Burnett looked puzzled.
“I don’t want a dollar of this money, and if you need it to make a case, by all means, take it. But if not, maybe it could go to some good use. Maybe half of it to help straighten out the FRU’s foster program.” He looked at Holiday. “Burnett told me that you two bought the property next door and were trying to get a loan to build cabins. Why not use this?”
Burnett sat back down on the edge of his wife’s desk and looked at her as if asking for advice. She shrugged.
He looked back at Perry. “Because you aren’t officially working for the FRU right now, you aren’t required to turn it over. But…”
“No buts then,” Perry said. “Jax would have a shitfit if he knew his money was going to some common good. That makes it all that sweeter.”
Perry stood there, still feeling emotionally numb. “I guess it’s time to go to plan B.”
“What’s plan B?” Holiday asked frowning.
“Arrest Jax,” Burnett answered and looked back at Perry. “The Galveston FRU is lead agency because it’s their territory, but our Fallen team and the Houston team are all in. They’ll call when they have everything in place. It will probably be tomorrow.”
“I don’t like this,” Holiday said, and Perry agreed with her. He could not let his half brother, whom he shared no love with, hurt anyone at Shadow Falls, who had become the family of his heart.
* * *
Miranda rested back on the blanket and stared through the trees to the stars twinkling in the sky. The weight of the cast rested on her abdomen, the weight of her worries were lighter. Being with Perry and being amongst the trees was like an emotional hug.
Perry shifted. “Why did you want to come out here?”
“I like the trees,” she said.
“Didn’t you tell me you were afraid of them?”
“Not anymore.” She slipped her hand in his. She could feel his pain, but she also felt the healing properties the trees offered her. She wished she could share that with him.
Tightening her grip, she said, “Are you ever going to tell me what’s happening? What’s hurting you?”
He dropped his right arm over his eyes. “Not now. It’s so ugly.”
She leaned up and looked down at him. He moved his arm. Their gazes met. He was her true love. He was hurting. Not being able to console him was like not breathing.
She swallowed. “Yeah, but when you share things like that sometimes it lightens the load on you.”
He caught a strand of her hair in his hand. “The last thing I want to do is put these things in your head just to make me feel better. You’ve got enough crap on you already.”
“I can handle it. I feel better about things.”
“How about I promise that when it’s done, I’ll tell you everything.”
She frowned, but nodded.
“Now, let’s talk about good things.” He sat up, looking down at her.
“You know something good?” she asked.
He smiled—a real one. “I’m with you, aren’t I?” He ran a finger from the middle of her forehead to her nose. Then slowly he traced her lips. “Don’t get any ideas, but I don’t deserve you.”
She gave his finger a playful bite. “You’re the one getting a bad deal. I’m dyslexic…” She stopped, remembering what the armadillo had told her about it being a gift. If she was so upset with Perry for thinking little of himself, maybe it was time she stop doing it.
“Neither of us are getting a bad deal,” she spit out. “You’re amazing. You’re funny, sensitive, powerful, and you’re so hot you could do commercials for men’s cologne. And I’m … I’m okay, too.”
“Okay? Now there’s the understatement of the century. You’re freaking amazing.”
“But you’re too sexy for your shirt.” She started unbuttoning it.
“And you’re better than eating ice cream while flying.”
They rolled around on the blanket, laughing, kissing, and tossing out silly compliments. While he didn’t share what was hurting him, Miranda felt his pain fading. And that wasn’t the trees doing it. That was nothing more than the power of love.
* * *
Burnett’s text woke Perry up Friday morning at six a.m. Three words: My office now.
Miranda was still sleeping. He’d allowed himself one quick glance back before walking out. She looked like an angel. His angel. What had he ever done to deserve her? With no time to waste he flew off to meet Burnett.
The vampire waited on the office porch.
“Is it time?” Perry morphed as he landed. Burnett wore his stoic expression. He looked wrinkled and tired as if he’d been up all night. “Guess who walked into the FRU headquarters about two a.m. this morning?”
“Who?”
“Ricky Raco. He wanted our protection for the exchange of information.”
“Does he k
now anything about Tabitha?” Perry asked.
“Not where she is. He’s not even sure that Jax knows where they’ve taken her. He said they’re very secretive about that, but…” Burnett swallowed. “He knows why they wanted her and Miranda.” He frowned. “They need powerful witches to produce heirs.”
The thought made Perry sick.
Burnett continued. “At least that means that they don’t have plans to kill her.” He shook his head as if the thought hurt him. “The drug house was Jax’s operation. He said they were using the witch as a front and also to draw in potential young witches. But he claims they weren’t behind the explosion. He also gave details of how many guards and what kind of firepower Jax has at his place.”
“How bad is it?” Perry asked.
“Not good, but at least we’re going in prepared. Considering what Tabitha might be going through, I don’t want to wait any longer.” Burnett paused as if needing to say something else. “I know you wanted to go, but—”
“No,” Perry bit out. “I’m going!”
Burnett met his gaze and probably didn’t like the determination he saw in Perry’s eyes. The vamp growled. “Only if you agree to stay in the van.”
“Damn it!” Perry snapped. “Would you please stop treating me like I’m six.”
“Listen to me!” Burnett got in Perry’s face. “There’s only a small chance that Jax will tell us where Tabitha is, but if he sees you, he’ll know it matters to you. And he won’t give us shit.”
“You just don’t think I can handle it!” Perry’s voice deepened, emotion rattled his chest.
“That’s not true. Do I worry that you could get hurt? Hell yeah. But it’s not because I don’t think you can handle it. It’s ’cause…”
He squeezed the back of his neck. “I taught you to ride a bike. I was the one who taught you how to treat a girl. You are my family. But that’s not why I’m asking you to stay back. It’s because you could ruin any chance we have of learning something from Jax.”
“But—”
“Say you will stay in the van, and you can go with us. Say it, and swear to it,” Burnett insisted.