Page 56 of Sinners Retreat

“Fuck all three of you,” Bennett says as he pushes past me. “I’ll be in the wheelhouse with Grim if anyone needs me.”

Unable to stop herself, Cat delivers a parting blow. “If we need to know the best antibiotic for gonorrhea, we’ll be sure to come find you.”

It was actually chlamydia, but I’ve done enough damage, so I keep my mouth shut. Everyone makes a mistake when visiting Thailand.

With Bennett gone, we begin setting up the rods. It isn’t long before the rocking waves send Cat rushing for the edge of the boat again. Kindra suggests she go below deck to lie down. It’sin the center of the ship, so the rocking will be less evident. She nods and heads down.

And then there were two.

With no one around to see us, I step into Kindra and place a kiss on her forehead. “I’d bend you over the railing if the others weren’t around,” I whisper into her ear.

“You’d do it even if they were,” she says with a smirk, and she’s not wrong. “Let’s get a line in the water before this storm hits.”

I set to work, attaching the yellowing penis to a hook the size of my hand. We drop it into the dark water, then sit back and wait.

The silence between us unnerves me. She’s looking out at the water, but I can see that she’s deep in thought. I have to think of a way to buy some time and throw her off until the last day. If I can discover why I killed her brother, maybe I can convince her that it was justified.

Then she places the solution into my lap.

“What was Eighties’ deal?” she asks. “Is there any chance he could have been the Abattoir Adonis?”

She may have offered an out, but I have to play it cool, so I shrug. “It’s possible, I suppose. He was from Texas, but serial killers can travel for work just like anyone else.”

Kindra shudders. “Makes me think of the I-90 killer. Did they ever catch that guy?”

“No, and I doubt they ever will. He seems to be on hiatus. They haven’t found any new bodies for months.”

She sits with this for a moment, then says, “Do you think you’d ever give it up?”

“Not a chance,” I say with a shake of my head. “As far as I’m concerned, my need to kill is genetic. My brother and I were killers before we knew about each other, and our father is still an active killer as well.”

“Your father too?” Her eyes go wide. “Does he do good work like us?”

This is a topic I didn’t want to touch on. It’s too shameful. But she asked the question, and I feel safe with her, so I answer. “No. My father and I aren’t close for a reason. He kills indiscriminately. He hasn’t gone so far as murdering children, so we’re still on speaking terms, but he’s made some questionable choices that Bennett and I don’t agree with.”

“I’m sorry, Ezra.”

She rests her head against my shoulder and places her hand on my thigh. I’m unaccustomed to these bids of affection and comfort, and only now do I realize what I’ve missed out on for so long. Then again, I’ve never craved this sort of attention from a woman.

In reality, I’ve missed out on nothing. I’ve just been waiting.

For her.

I place my hand under her jaw and raise her face to mine. She closes her eyes, anticipating a kiss, and I don’t want to disappoint her. I place my lips to hers, and her hand travels higher.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Cat says beside us.

Kindra pulls away and smooths her hair. “Are you feeling better? You weren’t down for very long.”

“No, I’m not, and you’re about to feel a little worse yourself.” She holds her phone toward Kindra. “The email was sent two days ago, but the signal on the island is pretty non-existent. I guess we got some brief blast of signal, because this just came in.”

Kindra takes the phone and studies the screen, her face growing paler with each word she reads. She’s drained of all color by the time she finishes.

“Guess I’d better start looking for a new job,” she says.

“What’s the issue?” I ask.

Cat and Kindra take turns telling the story of how they ended up here and why Kindra’s job is now in jeopardy.

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