by LENA DIAZ,
They caught lightning bugs and he’d put a frog down her shirt. She’d retaliated by dumping ice water down his pants. She became a regular fixture in their household, spending more time with the McKenzies than she did at home, while Brian had remained on the fringes.
Her brother had never felt comfortable around the McKenzie family. He was quiet and reserved where they were loud and boisterous. He didn’t like the outdoors, preferring to veg out playing video games all day. But he didn’t mind that she hung out with Colin, as long as she spent time with him too. So they played video games together, even though she didn’t like them. They’d ride their bikes down the mountain to the closest neighbor’s house and bum a ride into town. And when he was struggling in middle school and had to repeat seventh grade, she’d started tutoring him, filling in the gap left by a mother who loved her son but didn’t always know how to show it. She’d rather bake him cookies or try out her newest scented candles around the house than teach him to multiply fractions.
Then, everything changed. The summer before their freshman year in high school, fifteen-year-old Colin McKenzie transformed. Gone was the thin, lanky boy who sometimes tripped over his too-big feet. In his place was a confident young man who was growing into his frame. Muscles rippled in his arms and powerful thighs. Dark stubble lined his strong jaw where other guys his age still sported peach fuzz. His lean waist, narrow hips and broad shoulders had all the girls swooning on the first day of school, and that female attention never waned.
Not that he noticed.
Colin was only interested in one girl at school: Peyton. His newly deep, rich voice would send shivers up and down her spine, making her blush and making him grin. They’d shared many kisses behind these very bleachers, although their very first, magical kiss had been next to a waterfall on some beautiful land on the other side of the mountain from Colin’s current home. Caught up in a bubble of happiness, she’d thought she’d died and gone to heaven.
Meanwhile, her brother had been floundering. And she hadn’t even noticed.
She’d wanted to spend every free minute with her boy friend turned boyfriend. But Colin felt guilty taking her away from her brother so much. Especially since he was well aware of how rocky things were at the Sterling home. He insisted on including Brian in some of their outings, taking him with them to the occasional movie or dinner, even target practice. Brian might think of Colin as the devil now. But if it hadn’t been for Colin’s kindness in high school, Brian would have been even more lonely and miserable.
In his four years of high school, Brian had only made two friends. It would have been better if he hadn’t. He’d managed to find the only kids in school more awkward and shy than himself. They looked up to him as their leader, which gave him confidence, but not in a good way. He’d acted out more than ever, leading the trio down a destructive path. Their petty thefts, graffiti and vandalism caused thousands of dollars in damage. And if Chief Landry was right, Brian had done far worse than that.
Did you really start fires as a kid, Brian? Are you the one who set the fire at the school dance, almost killing two people, hurting Colin, then blaming him for the choices you made?
If he had, she couldn’t help but feel partly responsible.
“I’m so sorry, Brian,” she whispered brokenly.
“For what?”
She jerked her head up.
Familiar gray eyes smiled back at her.
“Brian?”
She jumped up and threw herself against him. “I’ve been so scared. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” She held on tight, moving her hands up and down his spine, hesitating when she felt the unmistakable outline of a gun shoved into the back pocket of his jeans. She squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that wanted to flow once again.
When he tried to step away, she hugged him fiercely, bumping hard against him and nearly knocking him over.
“Whoa, sis. Give a fella some air will ya?”
She let him go and straightened her blouse as she offered him a tight smile. “I’ve missed you so much. I’m so sorry.”
He cocked his head. “What do you keep apologizing for?”
She gestured toward the bleachers, the field behind him, the school a hundred yards away. “This. All of it. It’s where the worst of your problems started. I wasn’t there for you. I was too wrapped up in—”
“Colin?” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Three’s a crowd, sis. Colin was one handsome dude. But he wasn’t my type.”
She blinked, then laughed, then hated herself for laughing because it seemed so insensitive, so wrong with everything that had happened.
He caught her hand and pulled her to the bleachers where they both sat down. “School was never my thing. And there wasn’t anything you could have done to stop my downward spiral. Your superpowers didn’t extend that far. But you could bake an amazing chocolate chip cookie.”
She tried to smile. But her heart wasn’t in it. “I wish I could do it all over again. Like at the last school dance. The barn.”
“Don’t.” His jaw tightened and he braced his forearms on his thighs, hands clasped together. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
“But we went there together. It was supposed to be a party and I promised I’d get some of my friends to dance with you. Colin was on a trip out of town with his family. I didn’t expect him to get home early and come looking for me. But when he did, I should have told him no, that I was there with you.”
“Trust me, sis. It wouldn’t have changed a thing if you had.”
She frowned. “But if we’d stayed together, or if I’d encouraged you to stay with Mom when she was chaperoning—”
He snorted. “Yeah. Mom the chaperone, keeping everyone safe. Wasn’t that a joke.”
“What do you mean?”
He gave her a sideways glance, shrugged. “She was a space cadet. Not tuned in to things going on around her. She’d rather roast those stupid s’mores in the fireplace than spend quality time with her kids.” He shook his head. “How many s’mores can one person eat? And who uses their fireplace in the summer? Didn’t you think she was weird?”
“I prefer to think of her as eccentric. But she’s gone now. I don’t see the point in disparaging her.”
“To each his own.”
“I thought you adored Mom. You were her favorite.”
He scrubbed his hands against his jeans. Funny that she’d never noticed before that he had the same habit she did.
“Mom liked me because we liked the same things. She saw herself in me and didn’t feel as weird, you know?”
She didn’t know, but she nodded anyway.
“Now Dad, he and I had nothing in common. He couldn’t stand me. But you were his favorite. I guess it evened out.”
He sounded so cold speaking about their father. But she believed it was mostly bluster, a defense mechanism by a boy who’d always loved his dad, even if his dad seemed incapable of returning that love. The police had been able to keep the shooting out of the news so far, but that wouldn’t last forever. She should tell him, now, but she wasn’t ready.
She looked toward the trees on the far side of the field, back over her shoulder. “What happened to the guys you escaped with? Should I be worried that they’re watching me from the woods?”
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, sis. You were always there for me growing up. I owe you my protection, even if you are consorting with the enemy.” He motioned toward the parking lot. “Where’s your boyfriend hiding?”
Her stomach jumped. “Boyfriend? Hiding?”
“Tell the truth. Are you bait? He’s hiding somewhere hoping to catch me?”
Her pulse leaped in her throat; his teasing tone had an underlying bitterness that sent a chill down her spine. “I’m all alone, Brian. He doesn’t know I’m here.”
His brows raised. “
Snuck out, did you? Huh. Could it be you miss dear old bro after all? You just wanted to see me?”
Standing, she crossed her arms and moved to the fence, hoping he’d follow. “I did miss you, do miss you. I’m worried about you.”
He pushed to his feet and joined her. “You always did worry about me.” His smile seemed genuine, like the old Brian she’d once known. “But that’s not your job anymore. It’s time for me to take care of me, wrap up a few loose ends.”
“L-loose ends?”
“Colin McKenzie, for one.”
The bottom dropped out of her stomach. “But... I don’t want you to do anything to Colin.”
“Yeah, I know.” He clucked his tongue. “But a guy’s got to do what a guy’s got to do. I’ll protect you. You have my word on that. But I’m afraid you’re going to have to live with at least one more tragic loss in your near future.” He leaned against the top rail. It squeaked in protest.
His callous confession that he planned to hurt Colin had her wanting to throw up. And more committed than ever to her plan. She had to stop him, stop whatever he was planning. But she also wanted more information. She had so many questions, so many things she didn’t understand. “Why do you hate him so much?”
His grin faded. “He testified against me. Fifteen years, Peyton. He and his fellow Mighty McKenzies put pressure on the judge and got me fifteen years.”
“There were other kids roaming the property that night, instead of staying inside the dance hall like we were supposed to. Colin wasn’t the only one who testified that they saw you outside the barn, running away right before the fire. How do you explain that?”
“Explain it?” He leaned toward her, his mood changing lightning fast, anger blazing in his quicksilver eyes. “Fine. Truth. I was in that barn that night.”
“Oh, Brian.”
“But I didn’t start the fire! Sure, I saw that stupid gas can. Some idiot had knocked it over, spilling gas all over a hay bale. I was worried someone would do something stupid, like sneak out of the dance and into the barn to smoke a couple of cigarettes without realizing the fumes could light the place up like a roman candle.” He jabbed his thumb toward his chest. “I was being the responsible one. I was trying to prevent a fire. I ran the can outside, fully intending to warn people away from the place. When I came back, it was already going up in flames.” He shook his head, his lips curling in a sneer. “And your precious Colin gets all the credit for being the good guy, for saving those stupid fools who never should have gone in there in the first place. There. Is that enough truth for you?”
“But Brian, if that’s what happened, it changes everything. It explains why people said they saw you with a gas can. Did you tell your lawyer?”
He laughed, but didn’t sound amused. “Dear old Mom and Dad told me not to.”
She pressed her hand to her throat. “What are you saying? That doesn’t make sense.”
“Yeah, well, in hindsight, not being a green nineteen-year-old kid anymore, I agree with you. But they insisted that no one would believe me, that I’d be admitting I was at the scene of the crime. They said my best shot at an acquittal was for my lawyer to discredit the witnesses. There wasn’t any forensic evidence that proved I started a fire. Showing reasonable doubt would be a slam dunk.” He wrapped his fingers around the pole, his knuckles turning white. “Not such a slam dunk after all, was it? And here we are, folks. Once again Brian goes down in flames for something he didn’t do. I didn’t plan the stupid jailbreak. And I didn’t shoot that cop. But I’ll still get the death penalty. Felony murder. Guilt by association. Which is why I need to get out of here before someone else figures out where I am.”
“No, wait.”
He frowned. “What?”
She had to keep him distracted, put her plan into motion. It was time to tell him about their father. “A couple of nights ago, there was a shooting, at Colin’s house—”
He looked away. “Yeah. Heard about that.”
“Then you know? About dad? He was...he was killed in the woods that night. Colin... Colin shot him while returning gunfire.”
“Dear old dad tried to get payback for what your boyfriend did to me. Huh. Guess the old man did something good for his son for once in his life.”
“Oh, Brian. How can you be so callous about our own father?”
He leaned against the fence, the top bar wobbling beneath his weight. “You’re so naive, even now, aren’t you? Daddy cared about Daddy—and the Sterling name. That’s all he cared about. Why do you think he bought my way out of trouble all the time? It sure wasn’t because he cared about me. He cared about how it would look. That’s why I called him, told him to meet me.”
“You called him? And he met with you at Colin’s place? You were there?” Her voice broke on the last word.
Something flashed in his eyes. Confusion? Pain? Regret? Then he let out a deep breath. “I told him if he brought me enough money, I’d disappear. For good. He’d never have to worry about me dragging his precious name through the gutter again. But when he showed up, he didn’t bring money. He brought a stupid lecture. The son of a gun must have finally developed a conscience after all.”
She was starting to go numb inside, no longer processing the revelations he was making. Instead, she kept her focus on her plan. She slid her hand into her back pocket, then clasped both hands together and put them on top of the railing next to his. When he didn’t look down, she moved her left hand oh so carefully, then put her right hand just slightly on top of his and leaned forward to cover what she was doing, looking down at the ground as if she’d seen something.
He frowned and leaned over the rail. “What are you looking at?”
One more slight adjustment. Click. Click.
She jumped back, stumbling and catching herself against the fence a few yards away. The whole thing wobbled, seeming much more unstable than she’d realized.
He frowned in confusion, then started toward her. He jerked up short, catching himself against the fence. “What the—” He looked down, confusion turning to fury when he saw the handcuff circling his wrist, the other end circling the top pole.
“I’m so sorry,” she told him. “But I can’t let you go. You have to stay and face what you’ve done.”
He rattled the cuffs, his face turning red. “You conniving little...” He yanked his arm, straining against the railing. “Take them off. Now.”
She backed up several more feet, his anger like a palpable force, thickening the air between them. “I took them from Colin’s house. I don’t have a key.” She pulled her phone out of her front pocket.
His eyes narrowed. “Don’t.”
“I have to.” She punched her favorites folder.
He cursed at her, saying things that pierced her heart like shards of glass.
Whirling to face the top rail, he grabbed it with both hands and pulled, his biceps bulging beneath the strain. The bar made a metallic screeching sound, then popped. The chain link fencing sagged away, leaving the top rail leaning toward the left, but still attached to both poles. Barely.
Peyton stared in horror as he slid the cuff along the rail toward the pole on the left. Using his free hand, he yanked and tugged on the bar some more. The bracket holding the pole creaked.
“Brian, stop. Please. I’m trying to help you.” Her hands shook so hard she was having trouble pressing the preprogrammed number on her phone.
“Turns out you’re as fake as everyone else,” he sneered. “All you care about is dear old Colin.” He spat the name at her like acid.
He moved back as far as his arm would allow, then slammed his shoe against the rail. It bent, but held. He moved back again, raised his foot.
Peyton desperately pushed the number and hit Send.
Brian slammed his shoe against the railing a second time. A piece of metal flew off the bracket, landing on
the concrete with a metallic clang. The railing fell, jerking Brian to the ground as the handcuff caught on what was left of the broken bracket.
“US Marshal. Put your hands in the air, both of you!”
Peyton froze at the sound of Colin’s voice behind her and slowly did as he’d said, her phone still clutched in her right hand.
Brian tugged and pulled at the cuffs.
“Don’t move, Brian!” Colin yelled.
Brian jerked the cuffs loose from the broken bracket, but remained crouched on the ground with Peyton between him and Colin. He glanced up at her, one handcuff still attached to his wrist, the other dangling from the small chain. She’d never seen such a look of pure hate before.
He grabbed for his back pocket, then whirled around, looking at the ground, then up and down the perimeter of fence.
A bone deep cold crept through Peyton’s body as she watched her brother searching for his gun so he could kill Colin, or her. Or both.
“Peyton,” Colin yelled, his shoes thumping against the ground as he ran toward her. “Get down.”
Brian cursed viciously and took off running.
Peyton tried to duck. She tried to obey his shouted command. But she couldn’t move. Was this what it felt like to die? To have every organ in her body shut down at the same time? To have her heart shatter in her chest?
“Peyton!” Colin yelled again.
Brian disappeared behind the bleachers.
Colin stopped beside her, his gun pointed up toward the sky.
Duncan sprinted past them. She hadn’t even realized he was there. Pistol in hand, he stopped at the end of the bleachers, peered around the concrete supports then disappeared.
Colin stared at her, his brows drawn down as he holstered his gun. “Why didn’t you move out of the way? He could have shot you and there wasn’t a thing I could do about it.”