Page 95 of Second Chance Savior

“Not to worry. Jud and I are about to become very close friends. We’re going to have a nice, quiet chat, just the two of us.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

River

I’d been wantingto get Jud Hale alone. Now, I had my chance.

This was going to befun.

The side door of the garage creaked as I came inside. Jud lifted his head, flinching when he saw me. “Kwon. What do you want?”

I grabbed the hunting knife. Walked slowly toward the work table, where he once again lay bound. There was only a single lightbulb overhead. I didn’t bother to switch on the others. I didn’t speak either.

Instead, I pulled up a metal stool. The legs of the stool squealed when dragged over the concrete. Jud cringed.

I sat right beside the table, toying with the knife.

“Is that supposed to intimidate me?” Jud’s voice had a hint of shrillness.

I said nothing. Just twisted the blade from side to side, examining it.

Jud pulled on his restraints. Shifting around as much as he could on the table. “Let me sit up like a human! That’s why you’re here right? To question me some more?”

I didn’t respond.

“You’re nowhere near as scary as Stillwater.”

I just blinked. Like I was bored. Then checked the time on my phone.

His head thumped as he lay flat again. Jud started to laugh. But it was laced with panic. “You know, Kwon, you’re the one who should be worried. Stillwater knowsallabout you and your friends. Aiden Shelborne. Trace Novo. You’ve all got military training, and you spend a lot of time up at Last Refuge. They’ve got a tendency to take in strays at Last Refuge, don’t they? Did you think nobody would notice how you’re running around playing heroes?”

My pulse ticked up, but I didn’t react.

“Stillwater knows that you and your friends bombed their facility earlier this year,” Jud said. “Sheriff Douglas was there. Genevieve Blake. So were you and Aiden. I heard all about it. Do you think Stillwater forgot about that? You honestly think they’ll let that go unpunished? Now you’re playing Charlotte’s savior, but that’ll just make Stillwater hate you more.”

I had figured Stillwater knew my name and the names of my friends. It was interesting that Jud hadn’t mentioned Cole Bailey, a former Army Ranger with the callsign Lynx who’d helped us when we infiltrated Stillwater’s facility. I filed away that fact for later.

But I was far more concerned that he’d mentioned Last Refuge. How much did Stillwater truly know about our activities there? What else was Stillwater plotting that we didn’t know about?

Jud strained against the ropes. “My point is that we have a common enemy. We’re wasting time here. You must have a better place to hide, right? You’ve been keeping Charlotte away from Stillwater. Do the same for me. If you work with me, I’ll work with you. I’ll make a better friend than an enemy.”

“No, I don’t think so.”

Jud flinched, even though I’d spoken softly.

“Then why are you here? What the hell do you want?” He was getting more desperate. I could smell the sour sweat. The fear.

Now, we were ready to begin.

“Charlotte thinks there’s more you haven’t told us about the events leading up to Stillwater’s attack on the fundraiser,” I said.

“I’m happy to go through it with you again, but I wasn’t lying. I told Charlotte everything.”

I looked down at the knife. “Oh, I know. I think she’s wrong. You’ve got nothing else that interests me.”

“What?”

I paused a long moment. Then drew the metal stool a little closer. Leaned over like I was going to share a secret. “See, I told Charlotte I would come in here and interrogate you again. Find out the rest of what you’re keeping back. But the truth is, I think you’ve spilled your guts already.Figuratively, at least.”

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