He shakes his head. "Josie kept most of it and paid for replacements for her. "Why? You're not going to need it." He checks his watch just as a van comes up the street. "Come on, you two need to get out of here. The switch is going to happen in five minutes."
I look back toward Darcy, I doubt that's her real name, she doesn't look like a Darcy. She's swimming in the black shirt he gave her. She sits on the edge of the bed. "You ladies finished squawking? I get it, I'm not welcome here. He couldn't have made it more clear if he spat in my face. Though if there's a soon-to-be baby around, I suppose I get it."
A small laugh leaves me, despite the situation. I like her attitude. I wasn't expecting it from her with how much I saw her cry and not socialize with any of her coworkers.
"Can you understand her?"
I look at Cason, has he seriously forgotten I dated a deaf woman? I swear he only cares about what is happening with himself and doesn't notice anything else until it behooves him. That's why it took him so fucking long to realize Josie has been in love with him way longer than he has been in love with her. He had to get his own head out of his ass.
"Jesus, man. I know you were in your own world when I was in college, but you could've taken some interest in my life. I only had the same woman at all the family events for nearly four years in a row. Not all of us were dogs in college like you were."
I motion for her to come over. I need to get her out to the car before the power gets shut off. "Come on."
She walks toward me, and I take her by the arm gently. I don't know where she would run to, I don't think she can scream or yell for help. Her laugh earlier came out as nothing more than a whisper. I don't think she could make a sound even if she wanted to.
We step out near the front door.
"No, Josie, tell him that he can't put his foot down like that. That poor woman needs our help! Don't tell me you're going to let a woman in need leave here."
"I trust Cason's judgment, Ensley, if he doesn't think it's a good idea to keep her here then I have to trust he knows what's best for our little family. I'm not going to put up with anything that could bring harm to me or my baby."
Cason opens the front door and ushers us out of it before Ensley can take notice we're gone. He shuts the door quietly behind us and I hurry across the lawn with her and open the passenger side door. She gets in and I close the door. The cleaner van moves up alongside my car as I pop the trunk and the streetlights go out, as do the lights in the houses around us. The van shuts off its headlights as the back doors on it open and two men step out.
I'm used to navigating in the dark. I open my trunk and they take the body out and work together to heave it into the back of the van with athump. They close the doors and hop in the front. The car drives off, not turning on its lights until it makes it to the end of the street.
That was so fast that even if someone happened to look outside to see if the other houses had power they wouldn't have time to believe their eyes. The men were prepared with night vision glasses, so it made everything that much faster.
I close my trunk, not even wanting to think about what I'm going to need to rip out of there to get it cleaned up. It's not like I have a ton of time off to redo the upholstery for my baby.
Cason steps up to me. "Call me after you drop her off." He clasps me on the shoulder. "You did the right thing not killing her, but don't ever bring a hit like this here again. I'll shoot you in the foot."
I shrug him off. "I get it, Cason."
He's seven years older than me and thinks he can boss me around like he's one of our parents. Hell, I'm nearly forty, it's not like I'm a kid to him or something. I don't say another word as I get in the driver's seat and put the keys in just as the power comes back on and Josie comes to the front door of the house. "Cason?"
"I'll be right there, baby!"
He comes around to my side of the car. He looks at the mystery woman in the seat next to me. "Best of luck to you."
She gives him a forced, fake smile and says thank you, though it could also be misconstrued as an offensive gesture, and I'm pretty sure she did it that way so it would be taken that way.
Cason frowns and looks at me. "What did she say?"
A smirk pulls at my lips. "A very big thank you for all your generosity. Now get your hands off my baby."
He steps away from my Mustang and I close the door. I roll down the window. "Don't wait on me to call. It's doubtful I will."
Starting the engine, I drive off down the road. Making sure this time I rev my engine loud just so his neighbors can be disturbed for a few minutes.
I glance over as she rolls down the window and rests her head on the door, letting the breeze hit her face. She pulls her legs up to her chest and wraps her long arms around them.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
She brings a finger up to her lips and makes the sign fordrive.
I frown as my stomach twists again. Any way I look at this situation she's headed toward death. I don't know what she's been through, but it's clear it's been rough, and along the way, she's made enemies. Ones that sound like they'll stop at nothing until they know she's dead.
What if we were to make them think she's dead? Silas has a talent for special effect makeup. He's the one to give us disguises when we need them. He's on the same level as Beckett for my younger brothers. They aren't the best hitmen in the family, but for what they lack, they make it up in other areas.
