Page 122 of Killer Kiss

“What do you mean he’s missing?” I asked Colt and Lacey distractedly.

Colt handed over his phone, and I had a sinking feeling of déjà vu. This was what Ophelia had done when she’d given me her phone with the video of Fawn’s death playing out on it.

I wouldn’t survive watching another video like that.

My fingers shook. “What is it?”

“Security footage from the front of our house,” Lacey explained. “Banjo was out there playing football with Luna earlier. Luna came in crying, saying Banjo had been kidnapped.”

Colt took over. “We thought she was playing a game at first. That it was part of some sort of hide-and-seek thing that she hadn’t understood properly. But when we couldn’t find him either, we checked the cameras…”

I hit ‘play’ on the video and watched in horror as a black truck stopped in front of the house. Banjo and Luna stopped playing, and Banjo walked over to the guy, who I’d bet anything had asked him a question. Maybe for directions.

In the next second, the back door opened and a masked figure pistol-whipped Banjo across the side of his head. He pulled my clearly disoriented brother inside the vehicle and the driver peeled out of the driveway.

Leaving my tiny three-year-old niece screaming in terror. Completely alone.

My hands shook.

“We’ve called the police. They came and took statements and a copy of the video. They said it might just be a prank, maybe his football friends or some sort of college hazing…” Colt’s voice trailed off.

A tear rolled down Lacey’s cheek. “I don’t believe that. Not for a second. Those guys wouldn’t do that. Not now. Maybe back in freshman year, but—” She shook her head. “This doesn’t feel like a prank.” She stared at me desperately. “Do you know anything? Anyone who might want to hurt him? Surely this isn’t some random thing. Luna was right there. She would have been the easy target. And yet they had no interest in her…”

I knew we were all silently thankful for that, and yet it didn’t ease the horrifying truth that Banjo hadn’t gotten in that car willingly.

I was pretty sure I knew who it was behind that mask.

Guilt hit me so hard it took my legs out, forcing me to sit hard on the couch. “This is my fault,” I whispered. I looked over at Ophelia. “You told me not to get involved with Bert Leddith. You told me he had Mafia connections.”

Colt and Lacey stared at me.

Colt’s voice came out a growl. “What the fuck, Augie? What have you done?”

I stuttered over my words. “I don’t know. I owe money…”

The silence was deafening.

Lacey let out a heartbreaking sob and flew across the small space, pummeling her fists against my chest. “What did you do, Augie? What did you do?”

I didn’t know.

But I did.

The investigator had warned me he’d take things further if I didn’t pay. Ophelia had warned me that the man had connections.

I’d ignored them both.

Thought I knew better.

I always fucking thought I knew best until it all exploded right in my face.

Like it was right now.

Lacey howled in agony, slumping down my chest with her fear. All I could do was catch her until Colt took her from my arms. His eyes were fire, burning me, his hatred right there in his expression.

Gone were the friendly smiles from the dinner we’d shared at his house, and the thank yous he’d given after I’d pulled his daughter from her grandmother’s burning house. In one fell swoop, I’d undone everything I’d started fixing with them.

I deserved every ounce of the hate he threw my way.

---