Spark of Hope (MacKenny Brothers #3) - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,53

them. Don’t you fucking dare blame yourself.”

“I wear the badge.”

Sean laughs. “Just ‘cause you’re the president doesn’t make you the protector of all of us. We all make our own decisions. Smokey was following orders, and he’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

I nod and stare at Lola, gesturing for her to take a step back with a flick of my head. Her eyebrows come together, but she nods and does as I’ve silently asked of her.

“Carlos?” I ask Sean.

“Do you really want to know?”

Staring into my brother’s eyes, I say, “Not only do I want to know, but I also want in.”

Sean smiles. “I’m going to make it look like an accident.”

My brother is an ex-Marine, Special Forces. Not so long ago, a senator tried to take him out, and although he says the senator killed himself, I know better. Sean has always been the protector of our family. He’s always the one to stand up for the underdog, and I know he’s probably done reconnaissance on Carlos, the man who ordered the hit on Smokey.

“Good.” I glance over my shoulder at Lola. “I’m taking her home. How soon?”

“Tomorrow night?”

“Done.” I turn my back on the pyre. “One last thing. Keep an eye on Cutter. He’s got a special kind of crazy on tonight.”

As if on cue, the door to the shed flies open, and Cutter comes out carrying a body wrapped in plastic. He smiles broadly at me and awkwardly waves at me.

“Fuck,” whispers Sean.

“Like I said, keep an eye on him.”

I give Cutter a two-fingered wave and walk toward my woman.

Kyle

We lay in wait in Carlos’ home. Sitting in the darkness, not speaking, the only movement comes from me as I stare at my watch from time to time. It’s a little past one when we hear his car pull into the driveway. The sound of the garage door going up causes both of us to stand.

“You ready?” asks Sean as he makes his way through the house.

“As I’ll ever be.”

“Just like we planned,” says Sean as he positions himself near the door leading to the garage from the kitchen.

He’s gone over the plan so many times in the past twelve hours, I’d know it in my sleep. I’m to be visible when Carlos opens the door, he’ll walk toward me, and Sean will come up behind him and put a chokehold on him, causing Carlos to lose consciousness. It’s a good plan.

The door from the garage opens. Carlos has his eyes down and doesn’t notice me. I clear my throat, and he stops walking, his hand goes to a gun holster, but Sean is too quick and is upon him before he can grab the gun.

The noise of a man being deprived of oxygen in a choke hold is unlike anything I’ve heard before. Carlos struggles, but Sean is completely covered, save for his face, and try as he might, Carlos is defenseless in warding Sean off. Unlike the movies, it’s visceral, and the man’s face goes red as he tries unsuccessfully to get out of Sean’s grip. It’s all over and done with in about fifteen seconds. Sean is breathing hard when he finally lets Carlos’ unconscious body hit the floor. He bounces on tiptoes like a boxer, cracking his neck from side to side, and then he grins at me.

“Like clockwork.”

In this moment, Sean scares me a little, and I thank the gods that he has a strong sense of family, honor, and faith. His moral compass will always protect those he loves, and I count myself lucky that I’m one of them.

Pulling out a needle from my waistband, I pull off his shoe and inject Propofol between his toes. This will keep him unconscious for five more minutes. Its effects wear off quickly and don’t show up in a standard drug test.

“Get his legs,” orders Sean. “This will make the drug take effect quicker if his legs are above his heart.”

I do as I’m told, and we take Carlos upstairs to the bathtub Sean prepared earlier. It’s filled with water. We put Carlos on the floor, keeping his legs elevated on the side of the tub and remove his clothes. Both of us are wearing gloves and a pair of gray overalls with long sleeves.

Without having to be told, I grab Carlos’ legs while Sean lifts him from under his arms. We slide him into the tub and he sinks under the waterline. Sean picks up his clothes and puts them into the