Page 83 of Unleash You

Senseless

Wesley

I’d spent a good chunk of my life trying to make it up to Charlie. Life dealt him a bad hand when has still young, and somehow, I felt it was up to me to make it right. He, of course, blamed it all on Anabelle. His parents’ death was no one’s fault. Charlie turned his pain into something ugly. I glanced at Anabelle. Even now, she seemed full of hope and light. She’d gone through the same thing. Maybe even worse, since she had to go at it alone, holding on to the idea that she could still get the only family she had left back.

“Or there’s a vent near the showers. We can all go out that way. You can help us get up to it.” She slipped her hand in mine and pulled me away from the front door. “That’s how I got out the first time.”

Both of them looked up to me to decide. As if I had all the answers. I fucking didn’t. All I knew was that this thing with Charlie wouldn’t end until we faced it straight on. “I can’t leave knowing that Charlie is still out there doing God only knows what to other people.”

“Tyler has a connection to the FBI. Can’t he help us?”

“He already tried.” Rebecca crossed her arms. “I lost my faith in government authority a long time ago. We’re on our own. But, Wesley, it doesn’t have to be today. We can get him some other time, when it’s not you against two.”

“Those odds are not that bad.”

The silent imploration in Anabelle’s gaze cut me deep. I wanted to fix this for her. I wanted this fucking nightmare to end. Not some other time when we had a better plan or backup, it had to end today. “You just told me about all the innocent people he left in Mexico. The same ones who suffered the trip to get there. Just an hour ago, they were all here. What he did to them is a crime.”

“I know.” Anabelle wiped her cheek. “And he should be tried for that.”

“I agree. Do you have evidence of everything you saw?”

“No, but my testimony should count for something.”

“It would count for shit. His lawyers will figure out a way to discredit you. Under the spotlight, we all have something to hide.” I kissed her lips softly. I hadn’t meant to be crude with her. Whatever decision we made in the next couple of minutes, we had to make it knowing the harsh truth. “The FBI has evidence of all this, maybe not implicating Charlie, but they know it’s been ongoing. They’re choosing to stand aside and do nothing because they want a bigger fish, because they want something that will pay off in a big, career-making way.”

“He needs to be in a mental institution.” Anabelle’s voice was above a whisper. Her frail words were a last attempt to save her brother.

“He does. I mean, look at you. I think he meant to sell you off along with the rest.”

Her body jerked, and she opened her mouth to speak. She blinked as her brain caught up with this new information. “What?”

“He’s right, Anabelle.” Rebecca rubbed Anabelle’s arm.

A small gesture meant to comfort her. Though I didn’t think such a thing existed, a touch that could lessen this news. Anabelle shuffled back.

“Think about it, he knows you’ll never stop coming for him.” What the hell was I really asking for? Was I asking her for permission to kill her brother? Fuck.

“Enough.” She covered her ears. “I know what he is, what he’s done. We’ll go with plan B.”

“What was plan A?” Rebecca raised her eyebrows in question.

“Y’all go on. I’ll stay and deal with him.” I gestured for Rebecca to join Anabelle.

She made to follow her back to the showers, but Anabelle returned with a stack of dirty clothes. “I think we can use this.”

“Please explain.” I picked up a dress I’d seen Rebecca wear before.

“I think if we make rags and then braid them, they’ll serve as rope.” She glanced at me, then Rebecca, as if the answer were obvious.

“Why do we need rope?”

“To tie up Charlie. We’ll take him to the cops in Georgia. He kidnapped us. We can’t prove what he did here, but we charge him with kidnapping. Rebecca and I can testify. Two minutes on the stand with Rebecca in the audience, and the judge will see how crazy he is. He’ll be sent to a mental institution.”

“He doesn’t deserve your kindness.” Rebecca sat on her haunches and picked up a T-shirt. “But you deserve peace of mind. If that means sending your brother to an asylum, I’m right there with you.” She picked at the hem, and pulled at the fabric to rip it in half.

“His delusion of grandeur won’t be fed there. It would be worse than prison for him.” Anabelle talked fast as she braided the shreds into restraints.

There it was again, the tiny spark in her eye. She didn’t say it, but she was still hopeful that Charlie might get better. I exchanged a look with Rebecca, who simply shrugged.

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