Stronger Than You Know by Lori Foster

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THESNOWWASalready falling by the time they left. Big, fat flakes that quickly gathered everywhere, covering every surface in white. Kennedy thought it was beautiful, adding a fairy-tale feel to the terrain.

Shivering, she huddled in the passenger seat, wishing she’d brought a coat.

“Not warming up, yet?” Reyes turned up the heater.

“Getting there.” He wasn’t shivering, but he was probably too busy watching the road to bother with the cold.

When his cell phone rang, Kennedy jumped, then immediately scowled, wondering if it was Annette calling back, or maybe one of the other women he’d mentioned.

He surprised her by answering hands-free, so that the caller was on speaker.

“What’s up?” he asked. “Make it quick, because the roads are shit.”

“Sorry to bother you,” Madison said. “Jodi just left the motel. Cade and Sterling are ready to go, but you’d still reach her before they do.”

“What in the world,” Kennedy said. “Why would she go out?”

“I don’t think she’s someone content to be cooped up,” Madison answered. “She probably wants to face the threat, not hide from it.”

“If she’s alone,” Reyes said, adding enough ominous overtones to make Kennedy worry that the men had gotten to her already.

“Do you think she’s been taken?” She wasn’t sure Jodi would survive a second time.

“Doubtful,” Madison said. “I haven’t seen any movement with the men, but I still don’t like it. We found her easily enough, so they could have as well.”

Reyes quickly pulled over to the side of the road. “I’m on it.”

Kennedy had no idea what was going on.

“Keep me posted,” Madison said, and disconnected.

Reyes got out and growled over his shoulder, “Follow me.”

Twisting, Kennedy saw him walk to the rear door, open it, then flip up the seat.

She got out and hustled to the back of the truck. The sound of her boots crunching in the snow seemed absurdly loud.

Reyes removed a rifle from the storage space and set it aside.

Her eyes flared. “Expecting trouble?”

“Always.” He retrieved a Glock and a bulletproof vest. Turning, he handed her the vest. “Put that on.”

Her heart started pounding double time. “You really think—”

“Don’t know, and I won’t take chances with you.” He tilted his head to indicate he wanted her back in the truck. Not knowing what else to do, and already shivering, she carried the heavy vest back to her seat. After he slid into the driver’s side and closed the door, he stored the rifle on the floor near her feet.

“This is nuts,” she muttered aloud while struggling into the vest.

“Here, let me help you.” He reached for the Velcro strips and tightened them around her. “Look at it this way. The vest will help keep you warm.” He stole a kiss then put the truck back in gear.

She made an abrupt decision. “I’m going to call Jodi.”

“Not a bad idea. If she’s in a listening mood, tell her to pull over someplace safe and wait for us.”

Nodding, Kennedy quickly pulled up Jodi’s number. At first it rang and rang without answer, until she was starting to panic. “Come on, Jodi,” she urged. “Answer, damn it.”

“’Lo.”

Releasing a tense breath, Kennedy got herself together and affected a casual tone. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Heading out for a bite to eat. Why?”

“Oh? Could you...” She glanced at Reyes, who had his attention on the road and the accumulating snow. Without coming right out and saying so, he showed that he trusted her to handle this the right way. “Do you think you could put off your meal for just a bit? I’m on my way to see you.”

“Why?” Jodi asked with suspicion. “You okay?”

“Yes, fine.”

“After that mess we were in, you didn’t seem fine. You seemed shook.” She paused, then asked, “Where’s your hulk? Don’t tell me he’s turned on you already?”

Kennedy almost gave into an eye roll. “He’s right here with me, Jodi. Now can you pull over?”

“Not that I won’t enjoy seeing you, but you should be holed up somewhere, staying safe.”

Exasperated, Kennedy countered, “As should you. At least I’m not alone, but you are, and really, Jodi, I thought you’d stay put until you heard from me.”

“Sorry, but I was getting antsy. I felt like a sitting duck, ya know?”

Yes, she understood that well enough. Between the fire at her apartment and Reyes taking her in, she had felt the same. “Please, pull over.”

“I already took the on-ramp, but I can get off at the next exit. That’s where I was headed anyway. There’s a little diner that truckers use. Might take me another five minutes or so.” Jodi named the exit and the diner. “How’s that sound?”

Reyes held up a hand, flashing five fingers first, then two.

“I’ll be there in under ten minutes. Go directly inside and wait, okay?”

“Sure, Mom,” Jodi quipped. “Later.”

“From what I saw of her car,” Reyes said, “it’s not exactly roadworthy in this weather.” The wipers cleared the windshield of a continuous stream of snowflakes and ice. “I have a bad feeling, babe.”

Well, hell. His bad feeling immediately became her bad feeling, too. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Instincts kicking in.”

Kennedy spotted the exit up ahead. “That didn’t take any time at all.”

“I know, but I didn’t want to give her an exact time frame.”

Because he thought Jodi might use the information to plot against them? She shook her head. “Still not trusting her?”

Reyes snorted.

Thanks to the snowstorm, the stretch of road was quiet with only a few cars present. “This is like a whiteout.” It wasn’t uncommon for Colorado, where the weather could be mild, then turn to a blizzard, especially at this time of year.

“At least it’s not a bomb cyclone,” Reyes murmured. “And luckily it’s mostly melting on the road. Guess the pavement is still warm from the earlier sunshine.”

Up ahead, alone in the lot, Jodi sat in her car with her cell phone in hand.

“Why hasn’t she gone in yet?”

Reyes shook his head and then pulled in with some distance between them. “Stay put while I check it out.”

“She won’t want to see you.”

“She doesn’t get everything she wants. Now will you stay in the truck?”

Kennedy nodded. “Do you need the rifle?”

“Got the Glock,” he said, stuffing it in the waistband at the back of his jeans and pulling his flannel shirt over it. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.” Without another word, Reyes got out and closed the truck door.

Jodi saw him approaching. Her eyes widened as she twisted to look out the driver’s window, staring toward Kennedy. Her mouth opened in a warning that Kennedy couldn’t hear.

Reyes stiffened, started to turn to her, and suddenly a car came careening toward him, forcing him to jump back. He landed half over the back fender of Jodi’s car, then got badly jarred when the other car crashed into hers. He ended up thrown to the other side.

Horrified, Kennedy screamed his name. What to do? Reyes had told her to stay put, but now she couldn’t even see him. What if he was horribly hurt? What if he was knocked out, making it easy for them to kill him?

In a single heartbeat she noted there were four men, three swarming out of the car and one still revving the engine as he slowly pulled away from Jodi’s car.

Jodi was no longer in the front seat.

Mind made up, Kennedy removed her seat belt and grabbed the rifle. She had no idea how to use it, but they wouldn’t know that. Maybe she could bluff long enough for Reyes to... She didn’t know. Get his bearings? Recover?

Not die.

Just please, God, don’t let him die.

She opened the door to step out—and hard hands grabbed her from behind.

DELBERTCOULDN’TBELIEVEit when he got to Jodi’s motel and found her driving away. He followed her to the mostly empty lot of a dive diner, staying back so she wouldn’t spot him, and lo and behold, Kennedy was there. He couldn’t have planned it more perfectly.

Seeing her made him want her even more. With success almost at hand, he felt the urgency burning through his blood.

Just as he pulled into the back of the lot, grateful for the thick snowfall that helped conceal him, an attack happened with a car trying to run over the big guy, no doubt to remove him so they could get to Jodi.

Didn’t take a genius to know his cohort had set up the whole thing—without even telling Del about it! What a double-crossing bastard. Now Del was glad he’d bailed without a word. Let the prick have Jodi.

Del only wanted Kennedy.

Taking advantage of the chaos, he pulled up behind the truck and crept forward on foot. Thinking to use the butt of his gun to shatter the passenger window, he was stunned nearly stupid when Kennedy actually stepped out. So she wasn’t a cowering girl anymore?

Better and better. He’d enjoy seeing her fight her fate.

Any second now that big bruiser could be on them, and Del would lose his chance.

While she was focused on the scene before her, he locked a tight arm around her throat, ensuring she couldn’t make any noise, and jammed the barrel of his semiautomatic to her temple. “Drop the rifle or I’ll kill you right now.”

Her entire body shuddered, but she held on to the weapon.

The bitch had gotten a lot gutsier.

“Or,” he breathed against her cheek, tightening his arm even more, “I’ll tell the others to kill your boyfriend. What do you think?” She, of course, didn’t know that he now worked alone, that he was as surprised as her to see men on the scene.

As she struggled for air, she dropped the rifle with a clatter.

Del looked up to see her bodyguard wasn’t out of commission after all. No, he was rapidly annihilating everyone.

“Fuck.” Spinning Kennedy around, Del smacked her hard in the head with his gun. Her eyes rolled back and she slumped hard into the door, shattering the window after all—and no doubt drawing attention to them.

She was a small woman, but her deadweight wasn’t easy for him to lift, not with his gun still in hand.

Awkwardly dragging her, he stuffed her through the driver’s door and climbed in beside her. In that single suspended moment of time, a golden-eyed gaze locked on his. Del saw his own death in those cold eyes. The big bruiser started toward him in a flat-out run.

With escape as his main goal, Del screeched out of the lot as fast as he could. He couldn’t help the shudder of dread that raced down his spine. He’d seen a lot of shit in his days, but he’d never seen rage like that.

And it had been directed at him.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, he didn’t yet see the big guy’s truck following, so maybe he had a chance. Where to go, though? Not back to the motel where Crazy lived. That bastard would probably torture Kennedy just for amusement. By the time he finished, there wouldn’t be enough of her left for Del to enjoy.

When she suddenly groaned, he glanced her way. Already a colorful knot swelled on her temple. She still looked dazed. “Be glad it’s just me, girlie. If I hadn’t left that crazy fuck when I did, you’d be dealing with real trouble right now.” He snickered. “I mean, I’m trouble. But that other dude? Even I didn’t want to deal with him anymore. I cut our association just today—and as luck would have it, I found you.”

She shifted, and it occurred to him, perhaps a moment too late, that her feet were against him. Half-watching the icy road, he tried to adjust her, but then...

Drawing up her knees, she kicked like a mule, one foot catching him in the shoulder, the other in his jaw. The old car swerved on threadbare tires, sliding sideways on the slick roadway. The gun fell to the floor near his feet as he tried to keep from crashing.

Kennedy launched at him.

What the hell?

Like a pissed-off wildcat, she clawed at his face, scoring his cheek and jaw. Damn it, it hurt. Sure, he’d wanted a little fight in her, but not this berserker shit! “Bitch,” he roared. “You’ll kill us both!” One-handed, he tried to fend her off, but she was throwing punches left and right, and somehow she managed to get him right in the junk.

Ah, hell.

Breath left him in a gravelly moan, and his hands went slack on the wheel. She took advantage, striking him again and again.

That did it. The car hit an icy spot and whipped sideways, slammed hard into a guardrail and then tumbled half over into a ravine.

He’d finally gotten Kennedy, only to die in the process.

ATTHELASTpossible second, Kennedy realized they would wreck and that it would be bad. She grabbed for the seat belt, got her hand and wrist tangled in it, but didn’t have time to fasten it around her. She held on tight, trying to keep herself from being thrown around.

When the car hit the guardrail, it felt as though her entire body took the impact. Her head smacked the side passenger window, making her see stars for a moment, then she felt the car sliding over the berm and very real terror scrabbled through the angry haze that had encompassed her.

If they rolled, she didn’t know if she would survive. Only her tangled grip on the seat belt kept her from bouncing from one end of the car to the other.

Delbert wasn’t so lucky.

Her thigh jammed against something sharp, and her elbow hit the dash. He landed against her. She screamed, as much out of dread as pain.

When the car came to a jolting stop, they were at an odd angle, with her passenger door against the ground.

Delbert O’Neil, his face covered in blood, slumped against her, pinning her down. She clenched her teeth as she tried to move.

Please let Reyes be okay. Let Jodi be safe.

Delbert moaned, but otherwise didn’t move.

Her situation couldn’t be more dire. How far had they traveled? Her head split with pain, thanks to how he’d clunked her before they’d wrecked. Her wrist burned and ached, likely from how she’d held the seat belt.

Pressing a hand to her heart, she felt the rapid thump, thump, thump of her terror, but she also knew she was alive—and she intended to stay that way.

Looking around, she realized she saw two of everything. She also felt like puking. That couldn’t stop her, though. She had to move, right now, before Delbert came to.

If she passed out, who would send help for Reyes?

She assessed the situation as best she could and determined that first she had to get out from under his deadweight.

Easier said than done.

Little by little, she freed her trapped left arm and then her legs. Every small movement hurt, but she used the pain as an impetus. If she could escape, then she could get someone to go back to help Reyes and Jodi. That, as much as her own safety, spurred her to haste.

Getting out of the car required her climbing over Delbert. She literally held her breath and was thankful when he remained out.

As she was maneuvering, she spotted his gun jammed up between the dash and the badly cracked windshield. Getting it meant climbing over him again, but she couldn’t leave him armed.

Unlike Reyes, she wasn’t comfortable putting the thing in her pants, but the windows were shattered, so she tossed it out the driver’s side where she’d have to exit. It landed on the snow-covered ground with a thud.

She was levering up and out, prayers on her lips, when suddenly Reyes was there, scrambling down the ravine in a hazardous race, his face covered in blood, rage in his eyes.

Hurt, but alive, and the relief nearly did her in.

He slid in the snow, recovered, then bellowed her name.

Tears welled up, blurring her vision. Damn it, she’d held it together so far, and by God she wouldn’t fall apart now.

“I’m okay,” she said more softly, glancing back at Delbert, hoping Reyes hadn’t roused him.

She screamed when she saw his eyes open. He stared right at her.

Reyes reached in, caught her under the arms, and easily lifted her out. Standing her behind him, he withdrew his own weapon and looked in at Delbert.

Whatever he saw took some of the tension from his body. “Should I fucking kill you now?”

Unable to help herself, Kennedy peered around Reyes.

Delbert tried a laugh that mixed with a groan. Blood and spit seeped from his lips. “Might as well, because I’m dead either way.”

“I have his gun,” Kennedy whispered, touching Reyes’s arm. “I threw it out the window.”

Giving up on Delbert for the moment, he turned to her, glanced over her body, and his mouth flattened. “Come here.” Sweeping her up into his arms, he took a few steps until he reached a jutting, snow-covered rock. Carefully, he set her down and brushed back her hair with a shaking hand. “If his legs weren’t already broken, I’d break them slowly and with pleasure.”

“What?” Delbert had broken legs? “How do you know—”

“You didn’t notice the bones?”

When she quailed, he muttered, “Never mind.”

Dear God. Delbert’s bones were showing? A convulsive gag shook her, making her head ache even more.

Keeping his voice soft, Reyes supported her. “Do you need to be sick?”

“No.” If she puked, her head would likely roll right off her shoulders. “No, I’m okay.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Where are you hurt, baby?”

She started to say, Pretty much everywhere, but he looked so stricken, she whispered instead, “You’re bleeding.”

“It’s nothing. My face hit the pavement when they tried to run me over.”

“Reyes.” The tears suddenly overflowed. “I didn’t know if you were—”

“I’m all right. Jodi is okay, too. I left her with Sterling. Cade is right behind us.”

“Actually, I’m here now,” Cade said.

Kennedy jumped, felt the startle everywhere, and scowled. “Where did you come from?”

Gently Cade tipped up her face, staring intently into her eyes. “Pretty sure you have a concussion.”

She was pretty sure she did, too. “I think Delbert hit me with his gun. It feels like he knocked something loose. Didn’t help that I made him wreck—”

“Made him?” Reyes asked, while nudging Cade aside.

Remembering how she’d attacked him, she started shivering uncontrollably. The cold wind didn’t help, sending icy snow to continually pelt her face. Tears filled her eyes again, making her madder than hell—at herself. Her lips trembled, too, and her voice emerged in an agonized whisper. “I thought you were badly hurt. I wanted to get back to you, but he was driving away... I couldn’t let him do that, so I started kicking and hitting him.”

“Jesus,” Reyes murmured. “He might have killed you.”

“That was his intent anyway, right?”

Cade’s gaze swept the area, then settled on the car. “So it is Delbert O’Neil?”

Reyes nodded. “He’s banged up pretty badly. Broken legs, looks like a dislocated shoulder, too. Face is scratched to hell and back.”

“The last was me,” Kennedy said, wanting her due. “I also punched him in the nuts.”

Both men stared at her.

“That’s when he completely lost control of the car.”

“That could do it.” After pressing a kiss to her forehead, Reyes peeled off his flannel shirt and wrapped it around her, leaving him in only a thermal Henley.

“You’ll get cold—”

“Shh, babe, let me do something, okay?” He bent his knees to look into her face. “You saved yourself. You realize that, right? The least I can do is give you my shirt.”

Cade cleared his throat. “Want me to do the honors?”

Reyes cupped a hand to her cheek. “We have to question him, and fast. How about you go with Cade—”

“I want to hear, too.” She deserved to hear. Damn it, she felt so wretched, but she had to know it all.

“You’re cold.”

“No colder than you,” she insisted.

After a split second, Reyes nodded and then lifted her in his arms again. With Cade at his side, he walked over to the car. Cade lifted Delbert’s gun, dusted the snow off it, and then leaned into the car.

Delbert’s eyes were closed but they opened real fast when Cade jostled his foot with the muzzle of the gun, causing him to hiss out an agonized breath.

“So,” Reyes said. “You and Rob Golly.”

The weirdest thing happened.

Delbert’s eyes flared, then he managed a sickly smile. “Rob Golly? That’s what you think?”

“It’s what we know,” Cade said.

“You’re wrong. Rob is dead.”

Held in Reyes’s arms, Kennedy felt a little warmer, and yet she still couldn’t stop shaking. The violent tremors racked her whole body. “I thought he was dead,” she admitted, unable to look away from Delbert’s battered face. She’d done that. Well, she and the wreck, which she’d instigated, so—

“I suggest you start talking,” Reyes growled, “or I’ll make you talk, and I guarantee you won’t like my methods.”

“I only wanted her,” Delbert murmured, staring at Kennedy.

Reyes tried to put her down then, his intent obvious. Kennedy held tight. God only knew what he’d do if he touched Delbert right now.

She didn’t think she could stomach more exposed bones or blood.

That didn’t stop Cade from reacting. He grabbed Delbert’s leg just beneath a break. “Look at her again,” he whispered, “and you’ll regret it.”

The pain must have been unbearable, because Delbert screamed around a string of rank curses.

“Cops will be here soon.” Reyes hugged her a little tighter. “You’ve got one minute to tell me what you know, otherwise you’ll be dead when the law arrives.”

Kennedy stared at Reyes, whose gaze remained on Delbert. Would Reyes kill him? She honestly didn’t know—and she didn’t really care.

“Rob Golly’s death is what started it all,” Delbert babbled. Despite the cold, sweat dripped down his white face.

“Then where’s the body?” Cade asked.

“His brother took it.” Delbert’s breathing became shallow. “Bet you didn’t know about the brother, did you?” Blood bubbled out of his mouth. “He and Rob look enough alike to confuse anyone.” Del struggled with a shaky breath and his eyes sank shut. In a rasping voice, he said, “He’s insane. I knew if he got to Kennedy first, there’d be nothing left...” Grimacing, he paused. “He’ll kill all of you now. He wants Jodi bad for what she did to his brother. He’ll make her pay. You’ll all pay.” They could barely hear when he whispered, “Everyone you know will pay.”

Cade stiffened.

“Go,” Reyes whispered, and just like that, Cade was scaling the hill back to his SUV.

Near her ear, Reyes said, “Sterling could be at risk, even in the parking lot at the diner.”

So much trouble she’d brought to all of them. Her head was pounding as she made herself nod.

He lowered her, then pulled her to his side as he stepped in close to the car. “Stay right next to me, and don’t interfere.”

“All right.”

“Where is Golly?” Reyes asked.

Delbert didn’t respond. He looked like he might not be able to.

Mouth tight, Reyes snapped, “Answer me.”

Delbert’s eyes barely opened. “Motel.”

“He’s still there?”

“It’s where I left him...” Head slumping to the side, he said no more.

His face was so white, Kennedy didn’t know if he’d gone into shock or if he’d died. In the distance, she heard sirens.

Very softly, Reyes said, “Be glad she destroyed you, or I’d be taking you apart right now.”

Surprised by that, she tried to figure out what to say. Reyes already had out his phone, and she knew who he’d called when he said, “Dad. Yeah, we’re all okay.” His attention moved over her with a worried frown. “Kennedy’s banged up, probably a concussion... Yeah, I’ll tell her.”

“Tell me what?”

Briefly he covered the phone. “That you’re going to need a lot of rest.”

Right. She could seriously use that rest right now.

Reyes uncovered the phone and shifted his gaze to Delbert. “Pretty sure this prick just died on me and cops are almost here—What? Why is he coming?”

Wondering who “he” was, Kennedy hugged herself and waited, resisting the urge to collapse onto the ground.

Reyes groaned. “So it was you, not Madison? No, I’m not questioning you.” He looked up the hill, prompting Kennedy to do the same. “They’re here now. Later. Yeah, I will.”

“Who’s here?” She instinctively moved closer, pretty sure she’d already used all her reserves for dangerous situations.

“Detective Albertson.”

Oh. That wasn’t so bad. In fact, it reassured her a little—as long as the presence of a cop didn’t get Reyes into trouble.

Sure enough, Crosby started down the hill, followed by two uniformed officers.

Reyes called up to him, “Ambulance here?”

“Yes.” Using a skinny, barren tree branch for support, Crosby finished his descent. “Kennedy, are you okay?”

Leaning into Reyes, she nodded.

“She needs medical attention,” Reyes said.

“Looks like you do, too.” Crosby surveyed them both, then said to the officers, “Help her up the hill.”

“She goes nowhere without me,” Reyes stated.

Crosby accepted that, then moved to look in the car. “Jesus.”

One of the officers removed his coat and held it out. Thanking him, Reyes tucked Kennedy into it and then said to Crosby, “A word?”

Scowling, Crosby moved away from the car as paramedics reached them.

Reyes, keeping Kennedy with him, stepped closer to Crosby so no one else would hear. “That’s Delbert O’Neil, scumbag trafficker.”

“O’Neil,” Crosby murmured, and a heartbeat later, his gaze shot to Kennedy. “That’s how you’re involved?”

“Medical care first,” Reyes insisted. Then he asked, “You can clean up this mess?”

That earned Reyes a snort. “I can follow the law, yes.” His gaze again went to Kennedy, who stood there shivering despite the layers she now wore.

She was too damn miserable to care how much attention she drew.

Sympathetic, Crosby said, “Give me the bare bones first so I know what I’m working with.”

“We’d just pulled into the diner. Soon as I stepped out, someone tried to run me over. While I was diving for cover, O’Neil cracked her in the head, stuffed her in his car and took off. I was right behind him, but when Kennedy came to, she attacked him and the car went off the road.” He gestured at the wreck. “This is how I found them. You saw O’Neil, with the results of the wreck.”

“You didn’t touch him?”

“Wish I could take the credit, but no.”

As if he knew Reyes had skipped a lot of pertinent info, specifically about Jodi, Crosby frowned.

Kennedy thought he’d say more, until he again looked at her.

His expression eased from doubt to concern. “We can talk after you’re feeling better. I’ll be along to the hospital shortly.”

“Thank you,” Kennedy said, glad for the reprieve. At the moment, all she wanted was to close her eyes...after she got warm.

“Thank Madison,” Crosby said. “She clued me in enough that I’m giving you some leeway now, as your father requested. Don’t abuse it.”

“I’ll be in touch.” Reyes guided her toward the hill. “Can you walk, babe?”

“Yes,” she said, though she wasn’t sure if that was true.

“Good. The fewer people I have to trust, the better I like it.” After waving off the paramedics who had started toward her, he casually asked, “Did you know my father is a doctor?”

“No.” Yet she wasn’t surprised. She’d already learned to never underestimate the McKenzie clan.

“He was a renowned surgeon, actually. He’s retired now, but still one of the best.”

Unsure what that meant, she asked, “Why are you telling me this now?”

He steered her toward his truck instead of the ambulance. “Because we aren’t going to the hospital.” He opened the door to get her inside. “That’s what Dad really wanted me to explain to you.”

“But Crosby—”

“Will figure it out soon enough.”

HEHOPED DELBERTwas dead. It would save him the trouble of hunting him down and torturing him to death, the cowardly worm. How dare he interfere? It was because of him that Jodi got away once again.

Oh, how he’d wanted to grab her. There’d been enough chaos in the parking lot, combined with the snowstorm, that it probably would have been easy for his men to accomplish.

That is, until the other big man had shown up. That one looked as if he chewed thugs for breakfast. He had to be related to the one watching Kennedy. The size and overall facial features were the same.

Perhaps he needed a bomb, something that would indiscriminately destroy them all.

Everyone except Jodi.

When she’d killed his brother, she’d sealed her own fate.

He would always remember finding his brother broken, stabbed and bleeding in that dank basement cell, murdered by a worthless tramp.

Yes, it would be better if Delbert was dead. Then he could put all his considerable concentration on Jodi.