Page 87 of Cold Threat

“They killed a kid,” Wilson said as if Tony’s question was stupid. “I can’t allow people like that to take in other children. I had to stop them. Just because everyone else said it was an accident, I never believed that.”

Knowing that he’d killed an innocent couple made the anger inside Tony grow, but he had to maintain control. He couldn’t risk setting Wilson off.

“And Sandra Cooper?” River said.

Wilson’s face twisted in rage. He was clearly furious that Sandra had gotten away from him. “I don’t want to talk about her. She’s evil, and she’s going to die.”

“So, you killed your father for deserting you and Stacy,” River said. “And then you punished the people who hurt Stacy. The rest of your victims didn’t have anything to do with you. You were just trying to protect other children.”

“Yes. Someone has to keep the children safe.”

Tony suddenly remembered River’s dream.It’s about the children.If only he’d figured it out sooner. Because of what had happened to him and his sister, Michael had decided that he was called to seek vengeance on those who hurt them—and other children. Was River thinking about her dream too?

River moved over just enough so that she hid Tony. She obviously knew what he was trying to do. He slowly reached down to his phone and quickly turned the sound all the way down so that whoever answered would be able to hear them, but Wilson wouldn’t realize anyone was on the line. Then he clicked on thenumber for his father’s station and pushed the phone under the bedspread so Wilson couldn’t see it, but whoever answered could still pick up their voices.

“Michael, tell me about the snow and the ornament,” River said gently. “We wondered what it meant to you.”

Tony was surprised to see tears form in Wilson’s eyes. “My mother made an ornament just like it for Stacy. When Mama died, Edward took it and destroyed it in front of us. I made Stacy another one with the felt my mother had. Stacy took it with her when she ... when she left. It was snowing the night Child Protective Services took us away.”

“Michael, I’m so sorry,” River said. “What happened to you and Stacy was wrong.”

“Stacy found me after she got away from the Greers,” he said, his voice breaking. “Now I keep her safe.”

Tony had to wonder how Stacy was able to find her brother after he’d run away and changed his name. Something seemed ... off. For now, though, he wasn’t going to challenge him. He had a feeling it could set him off. They needed to keep him as calm as possible.

“That’s great, Michael,” he said. “We’re really happy to hear that.”

Tony noticed that River had put her hand behind her back. She was pointing to the gun she’d slid into her waistband. He moved closer, hoping to get to it without Wilson noticing.

“That’s enough talking,” Wilson said. He gestured with his gun toward the bed. “Both of you lie down.’’

Tony had no intention of following Wilson’s instructions. “Michael, what are you doing here? No one in this house has ever been a foster parent.”

“And that’s exactly why I have to be here,” he shouted. “Angie Mayhew went through hell before finding a good family that adopted her. I went through her file.” He pointed the gun at Tony.“Your parents should have helped her. She told her case worker that the police said they were thinking about it. Angie waited and waited for them, but they never came. They deserve to die.”

Tony was certain his parents had no idea that anyone had told Angie that they were thinking about fostering her. He suddenly remembered Angie saying that she was angry no one had come for her, but that she’d put that behind her. Had she been talking about his parents?

“That’s why you want them to die?” River said.

Wilson’s face twisted with rage. “That’s only part of it. Your father is trying to stop me. Keep me from delivering justice.”

“And my mother?” Tony asked. He was trying his best to stall, but now he was worried that his parents and his sister could be in real trouble. He moved closer to the gun in River’s waistband.

“She’s guilty too. She didn’t help Angie, and she supports your father.” He shrugged. “She’s not innocent. She has blood on her hands just like he does.”

“What have you done with them?” Tony asked. “Did you hurt them?”

Wilson smiled a strange, twisted smile. “They’ve been taken care of, but this time I’ll make certain justice has been delivered. I won’t let them get away like Sandra Cooper did. I’m going to make absolutely certain that they die.”

“I don’t understand,” River said.

Wilson sighed, obviously losing patience with them. “I gave them insulin. It should be enough, but I intend to go back and check on them. I wasn’t counting on five of you. I only brought enough for four. If it wasn’t enough, I’ll have to use my gun.”

“But you don’t shoot people,” River said.

“And I don’t want to, but I may have to. It’s not my fault someone else is here.”

He sounded like a petulant child. As if they’d purposely taken away one of his favorite toys.

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