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“Abe, you gotta keep her away from her uncle, but never let her get near Quetz or Garvin. They usually go for much younger, but I think they’re both pissed that they couldn’t get to her sooner. Her uncle was protecting her in a strange way.”
“Protecting her? Why? I thought he wanted her out of the way,” said Abe.
“On the contrary. He wanted her there. Her father was the older son. Everything was controlled by him. Everything. I never said this to Lyra, but her old man wasn’t much better than her uncle. She doesn’t remember a lot about him, but our records from previous investigations tell us all we need to know.”
“Did she inherit the house and business?” asked Abe.
“Inherit it? Brother, she owns it all. We just have to find the paper proof.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Oh, shit,” muttered Ham, looking up from examining John. “Did she know that?”
“No,” said John, slowly shaking his head. “She didn’t want anything to do with it. You have to remember her uncle was making her watch everything. I’m not sure if he was hoping it would grow on her or if he was hoping she’d ask to walk away.
“He’d have these dinners at their home, always at the house. The worst of humanity was invited to those damn things,” said John, shaking his head. “That poor girl would have to sit and listen to their disgusting conversations about murder, mutilation, rape, beatings, and ways to undermine our own country and military. The worst part was being forced to watch some of that.”
“She mentioned a young girl that Quetz took after a dinner. A dancer or something,” said Abe. John gave a little head nod.
“Fourteen. Fourteen fucking years old,” he said, wiping his eyes. “We barely recognized her body when it was found. Took the photos and tried to get the division on board, but we were threatened within an inch of our lives. Careers we didn’t give a shit about, but we couldn’t help Lyra if we were dead. I think Garvin was behind keeping us off track.”
“You do know that Carr is dead, right?” asked Abe.
“I figured,” he said, biting his lip. “We had sat phones that we rotated so no one could trace the calls. There was a set time of day and night we always connected. Wolford and Quetz killed my ex-wife. She was a real estate agent, and they used that to set up a showing of a house. She never knew what was going on.
“Showed up at the house, and they lured her in. The things they did… The things they did to her,” he said, shaking his head, tears rolling down his cheeks.
“Brother, I’m so fucking sorry,” said Abe.
“Not nearly as sorry as I am for my sons. John III, known as Tré, and Ruben are close. Close as any brothers I know. They were both out of college and trying to decide what to do. Ended up going to work for a friend in Philadelphia.”
“Are they safe?” frowned Luke.
“Yea, man. We got them papers with different names. No one will know who they are.” Riley began putting her things back in the bag, staring down at John. “I’m not gonna make it, am I?”
“I won’t lie, John. It’s bad. The damage to your kidneys may heal, but the rest of it,” she shook her head. “I’m just not sure. I wish you’d come back with us and let me do exploratory surgery.”
“I think I’ll take my chances, Doc. Never planned on living to a hundred.”
“John,” murmured his mother.
“It’s alright, Mama. If I can do this last thing. This one thing, and give this woman a life, it will make up for all the things I’ve ever done wrong, and God knows I’ve done a fuck lot wrong in my life. Find the Michigan, Luke. Someone is sabotaging her, and if you don’t get there, those men are gonna die.”
“Fuck,” muttered JB.
“Listen to me,” said Riley. “You don’t move. Not even to piss. Use a pan, a jug, anything. But do not move from this spot. The longer you’re able to lie still, the better off you’ll be. Your aunt has some instructions from me, and she’ll check on you every day. You do one thing wrong, and I’ll have Max, Tailor, and Alec come back here and drag your ass down to us.”
John gave a smirk and little nod, winking at Max.
“Oh, no, asshole. You’re not winking at me and getting me in trouble. You listen to my wife, or I will come get your ass, and I won’t be gentle.”
“Understood, sir.”
They left John in the bedroom with his aunt and mother by his side. On the front porch, his father looked at the men, shaking his head.
“I don’t know who this man is, but I’d sure like to see him dead, Luke. It’s the Cajun way. You hurt mine; I hurt you worse.”
“I know, sir. I can promise that we’re going to stop them. First, we have to get to the Michigan.”
