“I don’t exactly have Brad Steel.”

I was sick of him pussyfooting around. “He’s here. You’ve said so yourself. So let his sons go.” I swallowed, about to do something that already had me gagging. “Please…Dad. If you ever cared for me at all, please let them go.” Yuck. I needed some mouthwash after that. But it was worth it. I’d do anything for Ryan.

He shook his head. “I’ve told you before that I have no intention of hurting them.”

“Then why did you lure them here?”

He sighed. “I want out, Ruby.”

“Out of what?”

“What do you think? Out of this! I’m old. I’m tired. I’m going broke. It’s taken me most of my savings to deal with the fallout of the Steels’ interference. Once Talon Steel got into therapy and Larry hired Jade to be his assistant city attorney, everything started crumbling. I want out.”

“So you want out because you’re getting close to getting caught. That’s nice.”

“No, I want out because I’m tired. Believe it or not, I’m not proud of everything I’ve done.”

I rolled my eyes and let out an indignant huff.

“Scoff if you want. I’m nearly out of funds. You were right.”

“It’s a shame Brooke Bailey didn’t die in that accident you staged.”

“That was a million-dollar policy, Ruby. It would have bought me a little time, but not much. A million dollars isn’t a lot in this business. Besides, I don’t expect you to believe this, but I actually cared for Brooke.”

“No, I don’t believe it.”

“Suit yourself. But I’m glad she’s not dead.”

“You got in touch with her. Wanted her to go away with you somewhere.”

“I did.”

“Jade told her everything. She wants nothing to do with you.” I didn’t know if that was true, but I did know Jade had talked to her mother.

“So be it.” He rubbed the back of his neck until it popped.

Time to change tactics. “I want to know about Wendy. I want to know about the symbol on those rings. I want to know what Wendy has on all of you to make you get into this horrible business. According to her, you guys simply got greedy and found out how lucrative the business of selling human beings is.”

“I won’t deny being greedy. I also won’t deny having some odd…tendencies.”

“Odd tendencies? Is that what you call pedophilia? Rape? Odd?”

He closed his eyes. “So much you don’t know. You’ll never understand.”

“How the hell did you find two other guys—Larry and Tom—who shared your sickness? The three of you were on some kind of macho power trip induced by greed and a psychopathy you all shared.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“You’re right about that. It isn’t simple at all.”

“Doing heinous things becomes easier after a while.”

“It shouldn’t.”

“Maybe not. But it does. The first time you break a rule, you’re filled with remorse, but when you don’t get caught, it’s easier to break it the second time. And it gets easier each time afterward, until it’s the norm.” He closed his eyes again, leaning his head back. “Things get twisted after a while. After you…” He opened his eyes and stared at me with those eerie blue eyes. “Never mind.”

“We’re not talking about jaywalking here, Theo. We’re talking about abusing women and kids. People, Theo. They’re fucking people!”

“It was Wendy—”

“Spare me. Three big tough guys were outsmarted and manipulated by one teenage girl? I’m not buying it.”

“You don’t know her.”

He was wrong about that. I did know her. She was evil. As evil as they were. But I couldn’t believe that she had been able to manipulate three strong men. Four, including Ryan’s father. Five, including my Uncle Rodney. All the while having a successful career as a TV and newspaper journalist.

Unbelievable.

Something sinister was lurking here. Something I couldn’t even begin to comprehend. Something no one in his right mind could begin to comprehend.

My father had said it was a long story. My patience was growing thin.

“I need to see Ryan,” I said.

“That’s not possible.”

“He’s here. He’s come for me. If he finds me, he’ll leave.”

“No, he won’t. He’s with his brothers.”

“You asked me to guarantee you safe travel out of the country when you met me at the hotel,” I said. “You managed to get out without my help, because here you are. You’re not as helpless as you’d like me to believe, Theo. Not at all.”

He didn’t deny my words. Not that I expected him to.

“Now that it’s dark again,” he said, “I’m taking you to more suitable accommodations.”

Chapter Fifteen

Ryan

I reached for my phone to text Joe that we’d made it to the island where the compound supposedly was. It was a pretty long text, because we hadn’t had decent service for over twenty-four hours. I had to tell him that we’d found the coordinates on our father’s ring.

He texted me back within seconds.

Good. Be careful. When you can get away, we need to talk.

I looked around. In the darkness I couldn’t see any wiring. It was probably all buried anyway. This island had killer cell service.

What’s up?

I met with Dad’s attorney. Finally. Got some information out of him.

I didn’t want to think about what Joe had done to get any information out of anyone. My oldest brother had both a hot temper and a dark side—a lethal combination when he unleashed them together.

We’re hiding our stuff.

Then what?

Hell, then what? I had no idea. We didn’t have a plan per se because we hadn’t known what we’d find when we got here. Only the coordinates. The basic plan was to stay out of sight until we figured out where we were and who else was here.

We already had a pretty good idea of who we’d find here. Where? That was the question.

I texted Joe back.

We’ll need to find somewhere to spend the night.

Okay. When you get settled in, like I said, I need to talk to you both. Get me on speakerphone.

I didn’t like the idea of talking in front of Raj. He hadn’t given me any reason not to trust him, but the thing with Talon’s tank had me shaken up more than a bit.

Start a group text. Let’s do it that way for now. Don’t want to talk out loud.

Understood. Will add Tal into the text. Just let me know when you’re both available.

I sent him the thumbs-up icon and continued on my way. I’d fallen behind a bit.

Raj had stopped about a hundred or so feet ahead where the trees made a small clearing. I jogged to reach him and Talon.

“This looks like a good place to rest,” Raj said.

Not that I would be able to sleep, but he and Talon should get some. “I’ll keep the first watch,” I said.

“Sounds good to me,” Raj said. “I’m beat.” He sat down on the dirt. “Not the most comfortable bed, but it’s a beautiful night, mon. Nothing like sleeping under the stars.”

“I’ll stay with you until I start to nod off,” Talon said, arching one eyebrow. He’d obviously gotten the group text from Joe.

“Works for me. Just remember, you won’t be at your best without sleep.” Raj lay down on his back and closed his eyes.

I signaled to Talon. We stood until Raj’s breathing had gotten less shallow and steady, a snore after every few breaths, and then we moved away from him.

We each took a seat on the dirt, our backs against what I thought was a banyan tree. Not that I’d had a chance to familiarize myself with the local flora. I kicked off our group text conversation.

We’re here.

Joe: Good. I’ve got a lot to tell you.

Talon: Go ahead.

We waited. Joe was obviously writing a long text. The tiny ellipsis was moving. Finally, after what seemed like hours, his text appeared.

Joe: I finally got in to see Dad’s attorney. The one who read his will when he supposedly died. I demanded to see the will. He was squirrely at first, said I had no right to see it. I got in his face and said as his oldest child and one of his heirs, who the hell had more right? He saw it my way when fists got involved.

Talon: Jesus, Joe. You’ve got the cops questioning you about Larry’s death, and you decide to pick a fight with Dad’s attorney?

Simultaneously, I texted: For God’s sake.

Joe: He had it coming. He finally got the document out of a locked safe behind a portrait in his office. Can you believe it? He kept Dad’s will in a locked safe.

Me: Is that normal?

Joe: No. I called Jade. Attorneys don’t normally lock up their client’s files. At least not in a hidden safe. They might lock their filing cabinets. Anyway, I grabbed it out of his hands. I read through it, and it turns out it was a decoy.

Me: What?

Joe: It wasn’t his real will. Well, it was, but a page was missing. Dad’s attorney had been an idiot and hadn’t bothered renumbering the pages of the will, and I noticed right off that a page was missing.

Talon: Did he have the other page?

Joe: Yeah. After I threatened him with more violence and showed him Rosie strapped to my ankle.

I smiled. Rosie was Joe’s Glock 23. He was a master marksman.

Joe: He got the missing page out of yet another safe. And you won’t believe what it says.