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Nausea clawed up my throat like lava from an acidic volcano. I inhaled through my mouth, holding my nose. This was an old barn and wouldn’t smell good anyway.
Plus, I’d never smelled a dead body before. I didn’t want to start now.
I won’t get sick. I won’t get sick. I won’t get sick.
Too late.
I dropped to my knees and retched. When my throat stopped spasming, I inhaled involuntarily through both my mouth and nose.
The stench.
Old barn. Feces. Rot.
I retched again.
I was still ten feet away from the tarp-covered body.
“Did you ever have to do this?” I said aloud to my father in his grave. “Help me. For God’s sake, help me.”
No help came, of course. I didn’t believe in ghosts.
“I’m here.”
I jerked.
The voice was crackly, but familiar.
“What the fu—”
Someone grabbed me from behind and slipped a hand over my mouth. I jerked wildly. I could take most men, but my attacker had the element of surprise on his side.
“Quiet,” he roared. “I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to help.”
“Who the fuck are you?” I demanded. Of course the words came out as nothing, since his hand was still clamped over my mouth.
“I’m going to let you go now. Do not yell.”
My gun was strapped to my ankle. As soon as the attacker loosened his hold, I bent down and grabbed it, turned, and held it on him.
The assailant was masked. “You don’t want to do that,” he said.
“I assure you that I do.”
“No, you don’t.” He removed the black ski mask.
I’d dropped my flashlight when he first grabbed me, but now I knew why the voice was raspy but familiar.
George Steel stood in front of me.
My jaw dropped.
“It’s me, son.”
“You’re…dead.” Except the words didn’t come out. They floated around in my head, repeating themselves again and again.
“It’s me. I’m not dead.”
“But how…”
“It was time for me to step down, let you and your children run the Steel family. Besides…I can accomplish a lot more dead than alive.”
“You’re crazy,” I said, shaking my head. “A complete loon.”
He guffawed. “I’ve been called a lot worse.”
“But I have… I have all your money. Your assets.”
“You have all the Steel assets, son. Do you really think I didn’t hide a thing or two away over the years?”
“Enough to fake your death, apparently.”
“Your mother is better off without me. We both know that.”
“You didn’t have to be such a tyrant.”
“You’re right. I made a lot of mistakes, but I built Steel Acres legitimately, and I’ve left it in a good place. You have the chance to make it huge.”
“I plan to. I’ve already got major investments in place. I’m going to take it into nine figures. Maybe ten.”
“You can do it.”
“Why didn’t you do it?”
“I wasn’t the man for the job. You are.”
I shook my head. “This is nuts. Why would you pretend to die? The heart attack?”
“Son, money can buy just about anything.”
“You bought your own death?”
“In a manner of speaking. I’ll be of much more use this way. My legacy is in good hands with you.”
“I’m twenty-three.”
“You’re more of a man at twenty-three than most are at three times your age. You have a wife and a child. Something to live for.”
“You had that too.”
“I did. And I stayed around until I was sure you could handle everything.”
“Why not just walk away, then? Why orchestrate your own death? Or fake death? Or whatever the fuck it is you did?”
“Because, Brad, something’s going on. I haven’t been able to put my finger on it quite yet, but I know I’ll be better able to figure it out without anyone watching me.”
I gestured to the tarp-covered body in the corner. “Please tell me you had nothing to do with this.”
“I did not, of course. I’m not a killer, and even if I were, I certainly wouldn’t harm anyone who’s important to you or your wife.”
“So it is Patty, then.”
“It is. I’m sorry, son.”
“Damn. Why is she here? On our property?”
“My people recovered the body and brought her here at my instruction.”
“Wait… Your people?”
“A select few who are in on my little secret.”
“Who did this? Who’s behind this?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“Is it related to Murphy’s murder?”
“I believe so.”
“Why? Why would anyone want to hurt two innocent people?”
“Because they’re important to you, Brad.”
“Me? Who— Oh, fuck.”
“I can’t be sure it’s her. She’s under constant supervision, and she’s heavily medicated.”
“Who else, then?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Whoever it is moves like a panther. Untraceable. Which is why I’m better off flying under the radar. I’m able to do that if everyone thinks I’m dead.”
“You really think I can keep this from Mom?”
“I’d think you’d be happy to.”
I sighed. He was right. My mother was happy now. She had a grandson to dote on, a new daughter-in-law, and her tyrant of a husband was finally gone.
