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What exactly did that mean?
“Bexley never went through with the consummation, so I’m feeling pretty satisfied,” Ty blurted, then suddenly realized his mistake. How would he know that if Bexley was dead?
Garrick folded his arms over his chest and blinked a few times. “No, he didn’t get to plant his babies in the woman you loved. But I take pleasure in knowing you didn’t get her either. Do you miss her? I don’t. Do miss little Ahnah, though. The way she lapped up the mud on my boots. If only she were still alive. I’d be all over that. But that’s what happens to girls who run away.”
Blood whooshed in Ty’s ears.
“Y’all have a nice day and don’t come back. Or I’ll have the police escort you off the property. Your badge doesn’t scare me, Tiberius.”
When Garrick reached the porch, Ty hollered, “It’s not my badge you should be afraid of!”
Owen gripped his shoulders. “Again, he’s not worth it. Let’s go. He’s trying to get under your skin and it’s working.” Ty didn’t budge. “Tiberius, let’s go.”
Finally, Ty acquiesced and clambered into the passenger side. He had no business driving while this distracted and angry.
“He knows they’re alive. He’s doing it, and he’s all but taunting me to try and stop him. I should have suspected him first-go. Question is, is he also the Fire & Ice Killer?”
“I don’t know what he is, Ty. Other than a wicked man. But, yeah. I think he knows they’re alive. Whether or not he took Ahnah or has plans to take Bexley is another story. And without proof, we can’t search the home or his room or car or anything. All we have is his condescending tone and suspicion.” Owen buckled his seat belt and pressed the ignition button.
Ty scrolled to his mother’s name on his phone and pressed Call. He had questions.
She answered on the first ring. “Tiberius, have you seen a hurricane is heading for the Outer Banks? You don’t plan to be there when it hits, do you?”
“Mama, you know I do. I’ve always wanted to go out by drowning.” He rolled his eyes. “Sorry. I’m having a bad day.”
“Why?”
“I saw Rand.”
The line remained silent. Finally she asked, “Why?”
He told her what he could regarding the case. “How can Dalen be the Prophet? I thought only first wives could have heirs, and you’re the first wife.” Could Rand have been lying to protect Garrick? Did Garrick have plans to eliminate Dalen and usurp the office? Something wasn’t jiving.
“Tiberius, I am not the first wife. Nor was I ever the ‘first’ first wife. It’s not about who he married first. It’s about who he chooses to be first. There was one before me—before I ever came into the Family. Mother Lorna. She had a son. He was in line to be the Prophet. But he had some...problems, and Rand said he had to do what Abraham did to Hagar and Ishmael. He sent them away. I became his next choice.”
“What kind of problems?”
“Well, for one, he kept carving the Family’s logo into squirrels and cats. Or that’s what I heard from your father. It was difficult for him to send them away but it had to be done.”
The killer had been putting the logo on unsuspecting women.
“How old was he when he had to leave?”
“I don’t know. Fifteen or sixteen? Rand had other wives before her and me—they just didn’t get the title ‘first wife.’ The first wife bears the next Prophet. Could be Dalen’s mom was made the first wife.”
He’d never questioned that before. You didn’t question anything in the Family.
“Mother Mae told me that the boy was pretty angry about leaving and losing the office of Prophet. He loved the Family. Couldn’t believe anyone would want to leave. And he was furious with your father. Vowed no one would take the Prophet’s place but himself, but he was only a teenager blowing off steam.”
Ty wasn’t so sure.
“What was his name?”
“I don’t remember. Mother Mae would know, or Rand. Disfellowshipped members aren’t allowed to be spoken about. You know this.”
Rand would never cough up the name, and Mother Mae was dead.
Could some tossed-out first son be out there coming for Ty, and was anyone else who might take the position be in danger too? When he said he was after those close to him, would he assume Ty was close to his brothers?
