Savage Row - Britney King Page 0,55
you I offered Alex money to take care of Mooney and now…”
“Now what?”
“Now he might be blackmailing me.”
“Tell me you’re joking.”
My lips press into a hard line. I shake my head.
“I wished you’d mentioned this before.”
“I know.”
He shakes his head. “No, you don’t…I sent an email to the partners at his law firm today and copied him. I said that he was harassing my wife—though I didn’t mention the truth. I just said it was over real estate business, and that if he didn’t intend on taking it to court, that he’d better leave you alone.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because I know Alex. I know what pushes his buttons. He loves his job—and he understands the law. He won’t mess around when it comes to either.”
My eyes narrow. “What if he doesn’t go away?”
“I have a strong feeling he will.” He removes the guns and ammo from the bag and lines them out on a log. “And if not,” he says, glancing over at me, “maybe we’ll just kill them both.”
“Okay,” he says as he slides ear muffs over my ears. “Wait.” He hands me a pair of glasses. “Put these on.”
He steps back, checks his phone, and then shoves it in his pocket. He hands me the gun, steadying my hands around the grip. “Flip the safety. Line up your sight, and when you’re ready, pull the trigger.”
Taking a deep breath, I set my stance and focus on my target. I keep my body balanced, preparing for the shock. And then I pull the trigger back. Even though I blink involuntarily the first few rounds, it’s easier than I thought it would be.
He inserts another clip. “Again.”
I roll my eyes. The gun is heavy, and I have noodle arms, which causes me to have to readjust, drop my arms, and fix my stance.
“What are you waiting for? It’s getting dark.”
I pull the trigger, emptying the clip.
“Don’t focus on the noise or the kick,” he says. “Focus on your target.”
Once I’ve emptied a few clips, he takes over. I watch as he hits the targets he’s lined up at the other end of the fence post. All center mass shots.
“I thought you hated guns.”
“Nah,” he says. “That’s just something I say back home. Otherwise my father would have us all captive for hours, going over every facet of his collection.”
“I thought you said no guns in the house.”
“I did. It’s better not to go around advertising what you’ve got. The fewer people that know, the better. My father taught me a lot of things. But his enthusiasm for showing off…well, that part we don’t agree about.”
I cock my head to one side and then the other. “I still don’t understand. Why didn’t you just tell me you took the gun? Do you have any idea how much sleep I’ve lost?”
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
“Work’s been hectic—life has been hectic. And we haven’t exactly had time to come and do this.”
“So?”
“No point in having a firearm, sweetheart, if you don’t know how to use it.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
I try Lucy’s cell five times on the way home, and our landline twice. Each time, I get no response. Finally, I call Mr. Crowley and ask him to go over and check on things. Greg steps on the gas, knowing it will take the old man forever and a day just to cross the street.
When I hang up, Greg’s face is set, and his brow is creased. “Isn’t there anyone else you can call?”
“The police.”
He mulls it over, his jaw muscle giving a familiar twitch. “Let’s wait for Crowley. The last thing we need right now is to look like irresponsible parents. Or to scare them if the cops show up.”
“She probably didn’t charge her phone. You know how teenagers are.”
“Or she’s on it,” he says. “Wait. I thought she was at least twenty.”
“Something like that. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Mooney is in the hospital. I doubt this has anything to do with him.”
I try Lucy’s cell again. Once again, it goes to voicemail. “I don’t get it.” I shift in my seat. “This whole thing, these past few weeks—they feel like a dream.”
“More like a nightmare.”
“Yeah. But there’s something I can’t figure out…it just doesn’t make any sense.”
“What?”
My thoughts shift. “Wait. First, what did you mean when you said we’d kill them both?”
“Nothing.” He glances over at me. “Just that after the video…well, I think we ought to defend ourselves from another attack.”
“How?”
“Easy. We lure him in. And then take care of the problem.”
“And Alex?”
“I think Alex