Page 58 of Shrouded Past

“Eric. What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry.” The man stumbled toward them. “I had to do it. They told me they wouldn’t hurt her. I’m so sorry.” He wept, waving his hands around. Piper saw the knife and got a good look at his eyes. Dark and dead. This was the man who had kidnapped her.

She must have made some sound because Bryce jerked her away.

“It’s him. He’s the one who kidnapped me.”

Startled eyes confirmed the horrible truth. The name played through her mind and then she remembered who this man was to Bryce. This was Jenna’s brother.

“You?”

Eric jerked his head back and forth. “I’m sorry, Bryce. It wasn’t supposed to end like that. He just wanted you there.Shewasn’t supposed to be harmed.”

She. Was Bryce the target?

“Go inside. Hurry, Piper.” Bryce gave her a push toward the door. “Eric, put the knife down.”

Piper couldn’t move. She stood frozen in place watching the horror unfold.

“I can’t. I have to kill you and get her back to her family. They’re going to kill me, Bryce. If I don’t follow through, he’s going to have me killed.”

Bryce reached for his weapon and aimed it at Eric. “Drop the knife now.”

“I can’t. I can’t go to prison.” He lunged for Bryce.

Bryce pushed Piper aside and then dodged Eric’s knife. He grabbed the man’s flailing arm and slammed the hand with the knife against the side of the house. It took three attempts before the knife flew from Eric’s hand. The man crumpled as if defeated.

Bryce grabbed hold of Eric. “Let’s get inside. I want to find something to tie him up.” Bryce’s voice was tight as if he couldn’t believe what had transpired.

Piper stepped into the house and saw the three women standing in the middle of the room. All appeared nervous.

“What’s wrong?” She wondered if they hadn’t been able to find a landline. But the look on each of their faces said it was far more serious.

None of the three spoke.

Bryce came in and closed the door.

Out of the shadows, multiple armed men appeared near the three security members.

“Drop your weapon. It’s over.”

That voice. She recognized that voice even before he stepped from the shadows.

“Daddy?” The shadowy past melted away, and she stood face-to-face with the man who had killed her mother. The man she’d called Daddy.

Aleksandr Pushkin’s mouth thinned. “I’m not your daddy,” he spat the words out. “Your mother was pregnant by that worthless boy she knew in high school and then he got himself killed.”

A terrifying smile spread across his face as her memories long hidden came tumbling out. This cruel man wasn’t her father. A weight was lifted. She’d lived in fear of him her entire life.

Piper had watched the man she thought was her father murder her mother when she’d threatened to leave him in Wyoming. She’d put up with years of abuse from Aleksandr. She’d planned to leave. Told Piper her plans and asked for her help. Piper had gone to the house her mother sometimes shared with Aleksandr some distance from Basin. They’d been almost out the door when he’d found them. He’d strangled Marina while forcing Piper to watch and then he’d slammed the fireplace poker against Piper’s head so hard that he’d thought he’d killed her. There’d been a fire. Somehow Piper had escaped and ended up at the shelter unable to remember anything.

From the devil.

Edmon had died trying to protect her from the devil who had been closer than she’d known.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eric break free from Bryce. One of Aleksandr’s men fired. Eric dropped to the floor. A second shot struck Bryce.

“No,” Piper screamed and ran toward him. Someone grabbed her, restraining her arms.

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