Page 51 of Sully

“Do snappers have any significance to you?”

“Aside from once putting them under the toilet seats in school, no.”

Fallon sucked in a deep breath. “Did you do that with friends? If so, might those friends be pissed at you?”

“The only person who was pissed at me was my father. I worked alone.” At his dubious look, I added, “We moved around a lot. Some places I made friends easier than others. That town didn’t take kindly to my ass. So I scared the shit out of theirs. Before you ask, no one was hurt. And I doubt anyone even remembers me from then.”

To that, Fallon grumbled.

He wanted something, anything to go on.

“I don’t think there’s an actual link. I think this is… meant to scare us. Psychological warfare shit.”

“That’s gotta be it, right?” Dezi asked. “It’s gotta be about those days. Kill anyone with relatives who might want revenge?”

“Dozens, man,” I admitted, shrugging. “Maybe hundreds. Figure all of them had loved ones left behind.”

“Seems extreme to me, though, right?” Rune asked. “Who would come all the way over here, track down Sully, and play mind games with him?”

“Think you underestimate how unhinged grief can make some people,” Nave said. “Knew someone who once did a full-scale investigation into who poisoned his dog. Then slowly dismantled his entire life before beating him into a coma.”

“Is the dog okay?” Voss asked.

“He ended up with neurological problems,” Nave said. “But he pulled through.”

“And back to the present,” Fallon said. “Start working on a list,” he told me.

“Boss… I don’t know their names,” I admitted. “We didn’t always have names for targets.”

“Dates to the best of your ability then. Maybe Chris and Hailstorm can fill in the rest. Everyone else who isn’t getting me camera feed, I want eyes outside. Glass room, windows. And if you go out, hug the walls of the clubhouse until we know more.”

“I’ll get working on the list. But I want to check on Bonnie first. She was freaking out.”

Fallon gave me a nod, and I turned and rushed back to the basement door.

“Layna, it’s Sully. We’re clear for the moment.”

I heard her feet on the steps, then the sliding of the locks.

“How is she?”

“Luna has her mostly calmed down,” Layna said. “What the fuck?” she asked me in a whisper.

“Snappers.”

“Snappers? Like… fireworks?”

“Yeah.”

To that, her brows pinched. “Should we be worried?” she asked. “Should I be telling Gracie and Willa and all the other girls to head here or Hailstorm?”

“I don’t know, babe. That’s a question for Fallon. We think this is about me. But you girls…”

“Are close friends with you,” Layna filled in.

“Exactly.”

“Okay,” Layna said, sighing. “I’m gonna go talk to Fallon. Be gentle with her. She’s still shaky.”

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