Page 120 of I'm Watching You

The cracking of twigs had him stiffening. Damn. Who the hell was out this early?

‘Holy shit!’

The strained voice had the Guardian whirling around. Two teenage mountain bikers paused on the trail as they straddled their bikes. The taller one was a male, no more than seventeen. Long stringy hair accentuated oily skin and acne. The shorter one, also male, had blond hair and aKISST-shirt. Each wore bike helmets and gloves.

The Guardian’s heart hammered. Jesus, why did they have to find him? He released Greenland’s body and reached for the gun tucked in his belt at the small of his back. ‘Hey, guys, it’s not what it looks like. I’m a cop.’ To prove his claim, he flashed a badge.

The taller teen’s eyes narrowed. ‘What the hell is that?’

‘A dead body.’ There was no hiding what they’d seen and there was no disguising his own face as he tucked the badge back in his pocket. They had seen him. Damage control was his sole option. He didn’t want to sacrifice them. Shit. They didn’t deserve to die. But the Greater Good was at stake here. Hadn’t God tested Abraham by asking him to kill his only son?

He smiled. ‘I’ve just called for backup. More cops are going to be here soon.’

The shorter teen laid his bike down and took a step closer. ‘What happened to that guy?’

‘Shot, by the looks of it. We won’t know until the medical examiner gets here.’ Hand still behind his back, he pulled the hammer back on the gun.

‘Damn,’ the teen said. ‘I’ve never seen a dead body before.’

‘It’s rough.’

The other teen had made no move toward him. ‘Hey, Mark, come on back. You shouldn’t get that close.’

Mark shrugged. ‘He’s dead, Jeff. He can’t hurt me.’

The Guardian smiled. ‘Naw, he can’t hurt you. Have a good long look.’ As Mark moved even closer, the Guardian jerked the gun free but his ribs pinched hard and slowed what should have been a fluid motion.

Mark saw the gun and immediately started running toward his friend.

He fired. The first bullet went wide and missed Mark. He fired again and this time hit him in the leg. Mark fell to the ground, screamed, and clawed at the dirt. He cried for his mother.

For a split second, the Guardian froze like a deer caught in the beam of headlights. ‘Jesus, please forgive me. Forgive my sins.’

Jeff stared in horror at the Guardian and his wounded friend. Fear turned to shock and then anger. He dropped his bike and scooped up a branch. Screaming, he rushed toward the Guardian.

The branch tip caught the Guardian on the shoulder and drew blood. Pain jerked him out of his own funk. Instinct took over and he fired.

The bullet hit Jeff in the chest. He stood stunned for a moment as if not quite sure what had happened. And then a plume of blood began to stain his shirt and he dropped to his knees. Air gurgled from the hole in his chest.

The Guardian’s ribs ached and his shoulder burned as he staggered over to Mark, who was crying and calling even louder for his mother.

The Guardian stared at him. ‘Damn it, kid. Why did you have to be here?’

Tears streaked Mark’s freckled face. ‘Why are you doing this to me? Me and Jeff never would have told.’

‘I’m sorry. I couldn’t take that chance.’ Tears filled the Guardian’s eyes. ‘Dumb, damn kids. You shouldn’t have been here.’

He raised his gun and shot Mark in the head.

Frank Hines’s angry voice echoed through the house. His wife, Deb, was crying. He’d been drinking again, and judging by the sounds, he’d been hitting Deb again.

‘I told you I don’t want that worthless brother of yours coming around here!’ Frank said.

‘Why, Frank? He’s my brother. He’s family.’

‘I am your only family!’

Lindsay was ten. And she was hiding in the darkened closet of her bedroom. She was too old for teddy bears and yet she clutched the threadbare one she’d had since she was a baby.

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