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Eric was caught off guard by the comment, but he rallied quickly, so sure of himself. “John Fordham,” he said easily. “Director of the FBI,” he added with a cocky smile. “His direct number is in my phone-”
Eric’s voice dropped off suddenly when Vincent hit a button on his own phone. The man kept eye contact with Eric as he said, “Yeah, it’s me.” He was silent for a brief moment before saying, “I’ve got a friend of yours with me,” he said. “I’m afraid your friend is threatening one of my friends.” Vincent’s voice was relaxed, but ice cold. I actually felt a shiver run down my spine.
“Eric Palmer,” Vincent murmured. “Said you’re one of his people.”
Vincent listened for a moment. “Maybe you should talk to him,” he said. “Oh, and he doesn’t know who I am…maybe you want to clue him in?” I watched in disbelief as Vincent handed the phone to Eric.
Eric hung there for a moment, clearly surprised by the turn of events. Then he grabbed the phone and put it to his ear. “John, you need to help me. 372 Old County Line Road in Helenville-”
His voice dropped off suddenly as he listened to the other person talk. Even with his battered face, I could see the transformation happening. Shock, then disbelief, then stark fear. It was at least two minutes before Eric spoke again, his words desperate this time. “No, wait John, you can’t just leave me here!”
Eric went silent, refusing to let his eyes meet Vincent’s. Vincent took the phone from him and pocketed it. “Cavalry on the way?” he asked knowingly. I didn’t miss the amusement in his voice.
“People…people will figure it out,” Eric stammered. “They’ll be looking for me and they’ll know Ethan was behind it all,” he whispered. I felt Cain stiffen behind me, but before he could say anything, Vincent got up into Eric’s face.
“He told you who I am, right?” Vincent asked.
Eric nodded jerkily.
“Did he tell you what I do to people who threaten my friends?”
Eric shook his head.
“That’s because no one’s that stupid,” Vincent murmured. “You that stupid, Eric?”
To his credit, Eric was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.
“Now here’s how this is going to go,” Vincent said easily. “You are going to walk out of here because my new friend, Ethan, wants it that way. But just remember that when you’re in that tiny little cell that he’s” – Vincent looked over his shoulder at me – “going to put you in, I can reach you there. I can reach you, your family, your friends, your fellow cops who might be inclined to help you send Ethan a message…from this moment on, I own your ass. Not the courts, not the prison guards who are going to put you in that little hole that no one will even remember you’re in. Ethan gets even a hangnail and I’ll take it out on your ass.”
Vincent shifted off Eric long enough to put his gun to Eric’s groin. “One word from me and you won’t even have the benefit of solitary confinement to keep you safe from the men you put behind bars. And Eric,” he added softly. “They’re going to love having a little bitch like you to play with.”
And just like that, he pulled the trigger.
Eric screamed in agony and put his hands over his groin as he folded in on himself. Vincent straightened and turned away from him. When his eyes fell on me he said, “What? He’ll live…probably.”
I started stripping off my jacket, but Cain grabbed my arm. “You are not helping him,” he said.
“Yes, I am,” I returned. “I want his ass alive so he can rot in jail.”
“Don’t worry, Doc. Ambulance will be here any second.” It didn’t surprise me in the least that Vincent knew I was a doctor.
“How do you know?” I asked.
“Because John knows me too well,” Vincent said with a slight smile.
And sure enough, a few moments later I heard the sound of a siren off in the distance.
“We should go,” Vincent said. “It’ll take John a while to sort all this out with the local cops.”
“Are we going to be arrested?” I asked. I knew, despite Vincent’s threat, that Eric would tell anyone who’d listen what had happened here.
But Vincent didn’t answer me. As Cain’s warm fingers closed over mine, I didn’t even spare Eric one last look before following Cain from the room.
Epilogue
Cain
Six Months Later
“I swear, it’s like that thing with cats,” I grumbled as I carefully shifted the baby in my arms. I held my breath to see if she would wake up, but fortunately, she didn’t.
“What thing?” Ethan asked. His mouth was pulled into a wide smile as he settled down on the couch next to me. He held out the bottle of beer he’d brought me, but with my arms full of sleeping kid, I didn’t want to risk waking her.
