Page 41 of The Gentleness of Rage

“You think she did this?” Fish asked.

“I fuckin’ hope not. We can’t handle another serial killer being in our ranks. And not a brother’s old lady,” Drake stated.

“Slate hasn’t claimed her.” Fish frowned.

“Yet. We can see where it’s heading,” Drake commented and turned away. They marched back up the slope to the cabin.

Mina was sitting on the porch swing, wrapped in a thick blanket and snuggled into Hunter’s side. She held a large mug of coffee in her hands and glanced up as they approached.

“Hey,” she said weakly.

“You warm enough, girl?” Fish asked, and she shrugged. Fish disappeared inside and returned with another blanket, which Hunter tucked in around her.

“She worked for the bar?” Mina questioned. “I think I recognised her.”

“She did. It was Skylar. She’s been dead for a few days,” Drake replied. He studied Mina carefully, but she seemed okay.

Mina had suffered hell on earth. A stalker, later revealed as her sister, killed her family. Mina wasn’t a stranger to death, and Drake wouldn’t sugarcoat it for her.

“No point asking if you saw anyone,” Fish stated, and they all shook their heads. Sirens bounced off the hills as Ramirez and at least one other police car drew near.

A few minutes later, three cop cars, including one unmarked, pulled up and parked where Drake pointed them. Ramirez climbed out with Ben while four uniforms got out behind him.

“You called in a body?” Ramirez said.

“Down by the water. Mina discovered her. Before leaving, Ramirez, this was a former waitress at the Hell’s Rage. Skylar was fired the same time as Ariel,” Drake explained.

Ben and Ramirez exchanged glances.

“You’re sure?” Ben asked.

“Yup. Skylar’s missing an eye, but she’s recognisable,” Fish replied.

“Seems Rage has a problem,” Ben drawled, keeping his tone even.

“Let’s go see her first. Then, we’ll conduct interviews. The coroner is on his way,” Ramirez informed everyone.

“Just answer this. Has Slate been anywhere near the cabin in the last few days?” Ben inquired.

Drake bristled and clamped his mouth shut. He wasn’t snitching on his brother.

“That’s a yes,” Ben answered and sighed. “His girl’s running from a cop, were you aware? Her reaction towards Ramirez and me was telling. An officer, Drake, knows how to stage a scene. Just a thought.”

Drake was surprised at Ben’s words, considering how long they’d fought one another in the past. Even though Ben had learned that Rage was what he believed, Ben still held suspicions. Which was why Ben’s comments took Drake by surprise. He’d thought Ben would go straight after Slate. Instead, the cop saw past the obvious and searched for a different answer.

“Yeah, it’s strange,” Ben continued. “A missing person’s report hit my desk this morning. Girl sure looked familiar, but she was all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Obviously, an old photo. Anyway, she ain’t been seen around here, so I shredded it.”

Drake glanced at Ramirez, who was smirking. “Ain’t no point keeping shit we don’t need.”

“No,” Ben agreed. “Unusual name as well. Jaelynn, pretty. But not the same person; their looks are different.”

Drake grasped what Ben was saying in a roundabout way. It had been Jaelynn, but he’d covered for her.

“Odd though, it wasn’t a family member that reported her missing. It was some girl named Lucy Rogers, said they were close friends,” Ramirez added.

“Yeah, a girl like that, you’d think a boyfriend or family member would have called it in,” Ben added.

Drake heeded the warning. Someone was looking for Jaelynn and had reported her missing. But it wasn’t family; they knew she was safe, according to Slate. Ramirez and Ben were also saying that the boyfriend, who should have reported her, hadn’t. That was telling. In more ways than one.

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