Page 24 of Back In the Shadows

“Ella won’t like that one bit,” Kip said.

“Might not have a choice if Dope can’t get through to Cami. Maybe you can let her calm down and try to talk to her again, Ryan.”

Ryan shook his head. “Cami broke up with me. She said she didn’t want to ever speak to me again. Guess she couldn’t get over the fact that I was covering up crime scenes for a serial killer.” Ryan shot me a look. “But I’ll handle that later. We have to find Ella, then deal with the rest of this shit show another time.”

“We need to talk to Death and see if he has any ideas of who took Ella. Do you think … Do you think that.” Kip winced before he continued. “Ya know, you could change and let us talk to him?”

My brows arched. “I’ve done that?”

“Actually, no. But maybe we can try it. Now that you’re aware that he’s there, maybe …” He gave me a half shrug. “It’s worth a shot.”

Once again, I was bewildered at the idea that I didn’t have control over my mind or body. I just gaped at my friends. “This is real?” I choked on the words, hoping they’d been fucking around with me even though I knew better. I’d known Kip and Dope my entire life, and they would never joke around in such a serious situation. I just wasn’t sure how the hell to get a handle on all of this. If Ella were here …Jesus, she married me and knew the truth. How could I have asked her to do something like that? I truly was a monster to involve her and now my kids.

“How does it normally happen?” I stared at my feet, shame clinging to me like a second skin.

Kip’s face darkened and his voice took on a grim tone as he explained, “You get bad headaches for a week or two before Death shows up. It’s our cue to know that we need to have some men lined up for you to …” He coughed and cleared his throat. This conversation wasn’t easy for him either, apparently. “Death says he washes the earth with their blood. Bass, you gotta understand that Death only goes after some sick fucks. Men who sell their kids and beat their wives … sometimes worse if there is such a thing.”

“A vigilante?”

Ryan nodded at me. “Exactly. He can do what I can’t as a cop. It’s why I try to point the investigation in the opposite direction without giving myself away.”

My attention traveled from Kip to Ryan. “How long can you keep that up? You’re risking everything for a cold-blooded killer.”

“But that’s my choice. Maybe he goes about shit in his own way, but do you have any idea how many women and children he’s saved? When you save them through the Horizon Society you’re doing the same damn thing, just in a different way.”

Kip’s brows furrowed as if he were deep in thought. “Ryan is right. Each of us has chosen to be on this journey with you, protect you. You’re our brother. Dope and I have watched out for you since your parents were killed.”

A lump formed in my throat. “And now Ella is going to pay for it.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, attempting to keep the onslaught of emotions at bay. I couldn’t find her if I was a goddamn mess, but I wasn’t sure how to be anything else. “Okay. Let’s see if we can bring out Death.”

“I have an idea, but I need Dope to hack into the FBI’s ViCap.”

Kip shot Ryan a sideways look at the mention of the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program. “I think I understand where this is going. It might work.”

“It has to,” I muttered. “Will … do you think now that I know about my other side that I’ll remember him, or he’ll remember me?”

Kip held my gaze. “I’m not sure. We’ve never been able to approach either of you about the other. But when Ella got pregnant, she had Death run a DNA test. She had taken some of your hair and had one run on you too. He was furious, but he did it. When the results came back showing your DNA matched and you were both the father, he did …” Kip hesitated.

“What?” I urged him to continue.

“He promised Ella he wouldn’t try to kill you anymore.”

I rubbed my forehead with the heel of my hand afraid to learn more. “What do you mean?

“Your car accident,” Kip explained.

Memories of the wreck rushed toward me at top speed. “He … he was the one that I thought ran me off the road?”

“From what you were explaining, Death was fighting to appear, and you were driving. The fight to be front and center didn’t go well. But, there haven’t been any more problems like that since Ella showed him the DNA tests. Plus, you both love her and those kids more than your own life. You’ve both always put them first.”

“Jesus. It’s as if you’re describing another man violating my wife,” I snarled, my teeth gritted so hard I could almost feel the enamel cracking. A deep rage boiled and churned in my chest, threatening to consume me whole.

“He thought the same about you. He’s also not married to Ella, only you are. She takes off her wedding rings when he’s around.”

My eyes widened. “Fuck. I hate myself for putting her in that position.”

Ryan took a step closer to me. “You can’t go down that road, Bass. Shechose you.Bothsides of you. That’s real love. You’re a lucky son of a bitch. I can only hope to have that someday.” Sadness flickered through his gaze. “While we’re waiting for Dope, let’s try to think of any other suspects. When he’s back, we’ll try to lure Death out. I have no idea if this will go sideways or not, so just try to stay calm. When Death realizes what’s happened, he’s going to flip the hell out. If you have any connection with him at all, you need to try and help him keep his head on straight, so we can get Ella home safely.”

I nodded, the gravity of the situation crushing me like a brick wall. “What do you think he’ll do if I can’t reach him and try to rein him in?”

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