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. Thanks, Junior.Way to brighten the mood. Junior meant well, and Killian knew that.He d always been one to use humor in tensesituations.That kind of attitude had defused a lot of hot-headed arguments that could have escalatedinto real feuds over the years.A true gift. Look, all I m saying is that you re a good man, and we re gonna get through this together. He stuck out his hand, and Killian gave him their secret handshake.As they pulled into Junior s gravel driveway, Larry hopped off the front porch and met them. Find anything? No. Killian slammed the truck door. Have you remembered anything? Something you mightnot have thought was important before? He nodded. Yeah.When we pulled in, another truck pulled in behind us.It was an oldermodel, Ford maybe, and had a roll bar with search lights across the top. He walked back to the housewith Killian and Junior.Killian took a seat on the porch railing. What color was it? Beige or light brown. He leaned on the railing next to Killian. I remember it because it wascovered in red mud, and I figured it was kids who d been out to the gravel pits or someplace like that.You know, where we used to mud-hog back in the day. Over behind the old sawmill? Junior pulled his phone out of his back pocket. The tire trackswere the kind for handling all that red clay on that side of town. Yeah, I remember. Junior dialed the phone and made a call. Dad, check out the old sawmill and that abandonedfarm off of Jefferson Road. He gave Killian a thumbs-up as he listened to his father on the other end. Yes, sir. A few Uh-huhs and Yes, sirs later, Junior hung up the phone. He said Phillip Morsecalled.They lost the scent they d been following about a mile from Jefferson Road.That could bewhere they are. What does he want us to do? Junior grinned. Well he damn sure doesn t want us to sit here on our asses. Killian jumped off the railing. What are we waiting for? Let s go. What about me? Junior looked Larry up and down. He didn t say you couldn t come, but if you do, you have toremember this is pack business, so if I ask you to stay back, it s nothing personal. Understood. All three men hurried to the truck.Every nerve in Killian s body tingled.His chest felt heavy, and his head pulsed with every beatof his heart.Anger and fear rivaled for top billing, and his mind raced, overloaded with unspeakablethoughts of all the ways this could go wrong.One thing remained unmistakably clear losing Quinnwasn t an option.Not now.Not ever. Chapter Twenty-ThreeQuinn sat against a tree watching the man who d set all of this into motion sharpen a largeknife on a whetstone he held between his legs.The others called him Mr.Dean, but one man referredto him as Simon.Simon Dean.Quinn tried hard to remember if he d ever heard the name before.Nothing cameto mind.He was a stranger to Quinn, with the exception of the one memory he did recall his face.He was definitely the man who d killed Quinn s parents.He was older, of course.His leathery skin had weathered some, and his eyes held a coldnessthat could only come from somewhere dark and lonely.It was a place Quinn had come close to going atime or two, and would have entirely, if memories of his parents hadn t kept him from breaching thewall.Quinn would never pity the man.Simon Dean s pain meant nothing.Any other poor soulwho d suffered his loss might have garnered some sympathy, but not this man.His kind of evilcouldn t be forgiven, overlooked, or excused.He scanned the camp where they d taken him.The remains of a dilapidated barn sat off to theleft near what looked like the burned out shell of a house.An overgrown hay field was behind that, andforest surrounded them on all sides with the exception of the dirt road where they d entered the site.Quinn didn t know how far they d driven down the dirt road before they arrived at the clearing,but from his limited view in the back of the truck the treetops had narrowed overhead for at least tenminutes.The afternoon sun beat down warming him from the slight chill, and his throat scratched fromthirst.No one seemed to pay him any mind, which only stoked his curiosity as to what this Simon guyhad in store for him.He drew his knees to his chest and folded his arms across them so he could rest his head.Hewelcomed the short reprieve from having to look at the man who had destroyed his childhood.Hereally wanted to kill him, strangle the life right out of him with his bare hands, but he wasoutnumbered six to one.Killian had to be looking for him by now.He d been gone at least three, maybe four hours.Thesun had already peaked in the midday sky, and started its afternoon descent.This whole thing wouldbe over soon.He felt it in his gut. You. A gruff voice called out.Quinn ignored it.A few seconds later someone approached him. I m talking to you. Quinn lifted his head to see the skinny guy from the gas station standing over him, but hedidn t respond.The guy reared his boot back and kicked him hard.Deep pain shot through his thigh, and Quinn jumped to his feet. Touch me again and I ll The guy shoved the sawed off shotgun in his face, nicking his bottom lip as the barrel jammedinto Quinn s mouth. You ll what? The metallic taste of blood seeped onto his tongue.Quinn licked it away and glared at the man.Given the chance, he d rip his throat out without a second thought
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