“He wouldn’t. I…” Billy’s mouth shut again. He had to look away from us. “Y-you just want me to turn on them. Give evidence. You’d say anything to build a case against him. You want to use me. I—”
I stepped toward him. “No, what I want is to get you the fuck out of here and straight to a lawyer, because one of two things is about to happen. Agent Carmichael has evidence drugs were transported in your vehicle. He’s made a fucking mess of his case and he’ll take any victory he can. You are a weak link. He’ll come for you, arrest you, show you hard proof of everything I’ve just said, and when that happens…you’re a threat to your precious guru. He’s had witnesses murdered before. I very much doubt it will matter that you knocked up his great-granddaughter when he’s facing life in prison.” Billy looked up at me. “Scenario two is he just won’t wait for them to arrest you. He’ll neutralize the threat before it becomes one. He’s losing control, Billy. He will do anything to maintain as much control as he can right now. You’re in danger, Billy. Mortal fucking danger. You and everyone here. If I could herd everyone into a bus and haul ass off the property, I would. But I can’t. I can, however, save you, if you let me. Billy, we have to go. Now.”
“Your sister and I are risking a lot being here,” Luke added. “Obstruction charges. Exposure on Meriwether. She wouldn’t do that if this wasn’t life and death. Your sister loves you. She’s risked her freedom and life for you despite all the crap you said to her yesterday. You are damn lucky to have her. So wake up, Ballard. You are either going to end up in prison or dead if you don’t listen to her. And that will break her heart. It will break your mother’s heart. Your grandparents’. Your entire family’s. And they may not be perfect by any stretch of the imagination, and they may infuriate you on an hourly basis, they may tell you horrible truths that strike you to your very core, but they love you. Really love you. No strings attached. They would risk their livelihood. Their reputation. They would die for you, Billy. That is true family. Not people who use you as a drug mule and take all your hard-earned money.
“And I see it in your eyes. There’s doubt. Your eyes are open enough to see this place is wrong. You can’t unsee it now. So listen to your damn sister, and let’s get the hell out of here. We’ll see a lawyer. Get you away from this place, even if it’s just for the night. Let us protect you. Please.”
And that was it. The moment. The moment I realized I was in love with him. The moment I let myself be in love with him. I stared at my fierce partner, my best friend, and I knew I was in love with him. I was already an emotional wreck, but this revelation knocked the wind out of me. I wanted to kiss him, to leap into his arms and kiss every centimeter of his face, but I couldn’t move. Hell, I could barely breathe. The rest of the world just fell away for that moment.
But only for that moment.
“What about Betsy?” Billy asked, bringing me back to horrid reality.
“What about her?” I asked, not thinking.
“She’s my wife, Iris,” he replied. “I can’t just leave her. And she won’t leave. She loves Mathias more than anything. Would you leave Luke?”
“No,” I said instantly. “Fuck no. But Luke isn’t Betsy. If it came down to you or Mathias, do you really think she’d pick you? She manipulated you into getting her pregnant. I have no doubt about that now. She learned from a master. She’s not worth your life, Billy. Love is a two-way street. It is give and take, and all she has done is take from you. She’s using you just like her grandfather is.”
“She’s…my…wife,” he said, drawing out every word. “She’s pregnant with my child. I can’t leave her. I can’t.”
“Billy…”
“I am not leaving my child!” he snapped. “I won’t. I can’t. She’s carrying my child, Iris. Nothing matters but that.”
The Ballard stubbornness streak struck again. He was resolute; I saw it in his eyes. The set jaw. The squared shoulders. At least he’d listened to me. He’d heard me. Those eyes were wide open. But he wouldn’t leave. He was in too deep. He was too nice a man. He’d made his choice and he’d chosen his child. I couldn’t fault him for that.
I bridged the gap between us and hugged my brother. He hugged me back. “I do love you, you know? We all do. You mean so much to so many people, Billy. Please take care of yourself. If you feel something’s wrong, no matter how little or crazy you may think you’re being, get out. Get out fast. Here.” I took a step back and removed a phone from my purse. We’d bought it at a gas station on the way. “This has my number, Luke’s, Hancock’s, the house. Call me. Call any of us. You are no good to your baby in prison or dead. Be smart. Be brave.” I kissed his cheek and squeezed him once more. “Please come with us. We’ll figure out the rest later. Please don’t do this.”
My brother kissed my head. “I’m so sorry about what I said to you yesterday. I didn’t really—”
“I know.” I kissed his cheek again. “I know. I forgive you. I love you.”
“Please reconsider,” Luke said.
Billy pulled away. “You guys better get out of here. There was talk of shooting trespassers on sight.”
“Billy, that—”
Billy kissed my head again. “I’ll be fine. Nothing’s going to happen, okay? Just go. Everyone’s on edge. Be careful.”
“I was just about to say the same to you. If anything feels wrong, anything…you run,” I whispered, voice quivering along with my chin. “Promise me. Promise.”
“I-I promise.”
“Iris…” Luke said behind me.
I took a step back, then another, then felt Luke take my arm to help me the rest of the way. At the door I turned around. “Don’t let him know we were here,” I said. “Don’t let him think you’re anything but loyal. Not for a millisecond.”
“I won’t.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too, Smarty Pants. Go.”
Luke tugged on my arm again and practically yanked me out of the trailer. I didn’t want to let my brother out of my sight. But I had no choice. The fear that I’d never set eyes on him again hit me the moment the trailer door shut. That time I really did need Luke’s arm around me. I’d failed. Again. “You didn’t fail, Iris,” Luke whispered, as always reading my mind. “You got through to him. He listened. He’s on his guard. That’s something.”
“Not enough,” I whispered back, voice still trembling a little.
We began ambling toward the garden, where people had returned to slave duty. I was glad I had an excuse not to look at them. My brother’s eyes were a little more open, but what about the rest of those people? They were going to follow that sociopath off a cliff like lemmings. Even if I shouted at them all I knew about their guru, they wouldn’t listen. I could litter the compound with his rap sheet and they’d think it was all doctored. I burrowed deeper into Luke’s chest and held on tighter.
But sadness and helplessness quickly gave way to terror with two words:
“Iris Ballard!”
Luke kept walking, but I froze for a moment when I heard that man’s voice. “Just keep walking,” Luke whispered.
“I know it’s you! Hey!”
Luke stopped when the speaker grabbed his shoulder. We were caught. Luke released me as we both spun around to face him. Paul. Gone was the goo-goo-eyed boy from the parties, and in his stead was a scowling, huffing man ready to fight. “Paul…” I said.
“You have a lot of nerve coming back here,” he seethed.
“I know. I’m looking for Billy. That’s it. That’s all. I’m not here to cause trouble. I just—”
“You brought in the FBI and DEA to arrest us.”
“I didn’t! The DEA’s been onto Mathias for months. I had nothing to do with it,” I said.
“You’re a lying bitch.”
“I’m not. Paul,” I said, stepping toward him. I touched his arm. “Listen to me. Mathias is not who he says he is. He’s a career con artist and drug smuggler. He is using you.”
“Using
me?” he asked incredulously.
I kept going. “He is going to sell you out, just like that couple did before. You are a good, sweet person, Paul. You are. You deserve better than to be manipulated by a psychopath. Come with us. Right now. Tell me where my brother is, let me talk to him, and we can all leave before it’s too late. I-I’ll help you get on your feet. I meant everything I said the other evening. You have more to offer than you think. Don’t waste that energy on Mathias.”
His brown eyes appraised me coldly, harshly, and I knew he hadn’t heard a damn word. “You’re one to talk about using people, Carol. You lied to me, then you used what I told you to sic the cops on us right after you fucked me—”
“What? I never fucked you!” I cut in.
“Now you’re lying about it because you don’t want your boyfriend here to know you cheated on him.”
“We never—”
Paul stared straight into Luke’s eyes. “She likes to nibble when she kisses. My lower lip is still sore.”
Fuck. I looked at Luke, who remained mostly stoic save for his eyes. They strained at the corners a little. “Fine. We kissed for all of ten seconds when I got swept up in the moment, but that is all. I stopped it before it went any further—I swear on Hayden’s grave.”
“She’s lying,” Paul said.
“I’m not!” I took a second to compose myself. “I hurt you. I get it. And I am sorry from the depths of my soul. I’m sorry. But all of this is a moot fucking point. You’re in danger, Paul. You need to leave this place while you can. You can still come with us. You can still find a woman who loves you for you. You can. You need to—”
“What’s going on?” a woman shouted from the farmhouse.
We all turned and found Megan running in our direction. “It’s Billy’s sister and her boyfriend! I caught them!” Paul shouted back.
Here we go, I thought.
Megan double-timed it, and I stepped back to Luke. A united fucking front. When she reached us, though she was out of breath, she still chuckled cruelly. “Gotta give it to you. You got balls.”
“Biggest in North America, I’m told,” I said, matching her cruel grin.
“She says she’s looking for Billy,” Paul said.
“Let me see him, and I’ll leave,” I said.
“Yeah. Right. You do realize you’re trespassing. Didn’t you see the signs? We shoot trespassers on sight.”
“Yeah, shooting an FBI agent when you’re under federal investigation. Smart,” I said.
Megan scoffed. “You’re armed. And we can get thirty-plus witnesses who’ll say you both drew on me and had to be shot.”
“Yeah, except I don’t have a gun,” I said. Luke convinced me not to carry one for this very reason.
“Nobody’s shooting anybody,” Luke said. “We’re leaving. Iris?” He took my arm.
“Megan!” a man shouted from the farmhouse.
Of course, I thought. The more the fucking merrier.
Mathias stood on the porch with Ken at his side. “Escort our guests over here. I think Dr. Ballard and I need to have another chat.”
Megan smiled at us. “You heard the man. Don’t be rude.”
“We’re not going anywhere,” Luke said.
“Oh, yes you are. Because if you don’t, I guarantee we will make good on those signs. And we can make sure your bodies are never found.”
“Except people know we’re here and that would be a giant mistake, which we both know,” Luke said. “He wants to talk to us? He can do it out here. In front of all these witnesses. Getting one or two people to lie, maybe, but a dozen under pressure? I don’t think so.”
“Gorgeous and smart. Don’t know why she stepped out on you with our Paul here. No offense, babes,” Megan said to Paul. “Go get them.” Paul nodded and began running back to the house, leaving us with the smirking Megan. “I almost fucked her too, you know.”
“Not in your wildest dreams, sweetheart,” I said. “But I have to ask. How many of his biker partners did Mathias suggest you fuck? One? A dozen? Or maybe you’ve moved up in the ranks and he has you handling the girls and guys like Paul. Is that why you’re so loyal? Because he promoted you from whore to madam?”
“I’m not a whore,” she said.
“Right. Just keep telling yourself that, sister—that is when you’re not telling yourself Mathias wouldn’t sell you for a corn chip. You, Paul, Helen—you’re all disposable to him. Use your brain. You’ve got one. I can’t believe you’re letting a player play you, Megan. I gave you more credit than that. Or is it just out of misplaced loyalty? I admire it, I do, but he’s not worthy of that loyalty. The sky’s falling, girl, and Mathias will push you under a chunk of it to save himself in less than a heartbeat. Don’t let him do that to you. I’d get out while the getting’s good.”
I think she heard me. The corners of her eyes and mouth tensed. “Aren’t you sweet to worry. But I’m not going to take advice on loyalty from you. You cheated on your husband with Agent Hudson here, then you cheated on him with Paul. He—”
“Just because you two keep saying it won’t make it true,” I cut in.
“And you lying about it won’t unfuck my friend,” she countered. “You know nothing about loyalty. About family.”
“You know that the Mansons considered themselves a family too,” I pointed out. “Keep that in mind when those chunks fall out of the sky.” I looked over her shoulder. “And here comes Charlie now.”
Paul, Ken, Betsy, and Mathias walked right over. Mathias appeared at ease in his white button-down shirt and jeans, but the others glared at us. Ken’s lip even curled a little. Luke moved in closer so our arms touched. “Dr. Ballard. And I assume you must be Special Agent Hudson. I’m Mathias Morning,” he said, holding out his hand to Luke.
Luke just looked at the hand, then up at the man himself. “Really? I thought it was Samuel Mueller. Or was it David Marshall? Peter McMillian?” Luke asked. “What did your last cult call you? Samuel McCormack?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mathias said without missing a beat. “Is that why you’re here? To spread more lies about me? Enlisting the DEA to do that very task wasn’t enough, you had to come in person and do it?”
“I came to talk to my brother. Where is he? Do you have him locked away somewhere?”
“Of course not. Paul, Megan—go find him, please,” Mathias ordered.
“Yes, the adults have to talk now. Run along, minions,” I said as they started walking.
“Bitch,” Megan muttered.
“And damn proud of it, sweetheart. And on the topic of bitches…” I said as I turned to Betsy and smirked. “I knew you weren’t as innocent as you pretended to be. Part of the family business with Grandpa and Grandpa here, huh? Adds to my theory sociopathy runs in the blood. You’re not even pregnant, are you? Or if you are, you absolutely did it on purpose, you conniving cunt.”
“Don’t you fucking talk to her like that,” Ken said.
I ignored him. “Baby or no, Billy will eventually see through you, and it won’t be hard for us to show the courts who’s really the fit parent between the two of you. And that’s not even if you end up in prison, which is exactly where you’re headed,” I continued. “You’ll never see that child again.”
“You bitch!” Betsy hissed.
“I got nothing on you, sweetheart,” I said with a shit-eating grin. “And that is saying something.” I looked at Mathias. “My brother’s leaving with me today. That is not a request. You can threaten me like you did yesterday, but he is leaving with me.”
“I cannot tell if you are stubborn or purely insane,” Mathias said. “I do not make threats I don’t back up, Agent Ballard. I’m calling the IRS and FBI about you and your grandparents the moment you leave.”
“Go ahead. You want their numbers?” Luke asked, voice hard. “Of course, you do realize it’s almost impossible to blackmail someone when you’re a career felon about to be arrested for fraud and drug trafficki
ng.”
“Yeah, blackmailing me—no, wait, extorting me based on hearsay, not that worrisome,” I added. “Besides, I think you have enough on the old to-do list to prepare for the DEA’s oncoming onslaught. You and I both know if they find one joint, one member faced with parole violations, with your history, you’re rotting in a prison cell. The Scythes have already cut off their manufacturing and smuggling ties with you. They’re savvy enough to recognize you’re tainted goods now. How much were you making from them a month? Ten grand? Twenty?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mathias said.
“Please,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You worried about Luke? He’s not here as an FBI agent. He’s here as my friend, nothing more. He can’t arrest you. He can’t do shit. The DEA’s running the show. We’re actually probably going to be charged with obstruction when they find out we came here.”
“As if you haven’t been working with them since the beginning,” Mathias said.
“Actually, no. I haven’t. I just found out about the whole DEA investigation after we met yesterday. I will say, though, you have quite the rap sheet, Samuel. And I do have to give you props. You did learn from your past mistakes. Just not enough. I do have to wonder which came first, the cult or the deal with The Scythes. Was this place always a means to an end or did you really want to give the guru gig a go this time? Did you approach The Scythes with the idea of New Morningism and they gave you the seed money? A cult is a halfway decent front. But you really should have just stuck to one or the other. You could have spent your remaining days with your partner, your great-granddaughter, and dozens of brainwashed followers tending to your every need. But you got greedy, didn’t you? Wanted trips to the Turks and Caicos and a nice retirement fund when people inevitably started to figure out how full of shit you were and began chasing you with pitchforks and torches.”
Darkness at the Edge of Town Page 28