Page 96 of Prey

I hadn’t realized she was watching me as I pulled up to the house.

She moved off to the side and allowed me to go in.

I stepped inside and looked around.

Everything was still the same. Still as organized and as clean as it had been when I moved away for college.

“Don’t just stand there. Why don’t you come into the kitchen and help me prepare dinner?”

I nodded.

My parents had people working for them. Marsha came in and cooked and cleaned, but my mom loved cooking.

If she had the time, she liked to spend it in the kitchen.

I looked around and didn’t see Marsha anywhere. I assumed she had been given the day off.

I sat down on the kitchen stool by the island and watched her, knowing this was what she actually meant when she said she wanted my help.

I would only get in the way if I tried to do something.

“Tell me, how are you?” Mom asked as she started chopping up the lettuce for a salad.

I watched the way the knife sliced through the leaves before I answered her. “I’m good. I just started two new projects, so I’m keeping busy.”

Her lips thinned into a line at the mention of my job, and I held back the urge to sigh.

“Where’s Dad?” I asked to change the subject.

She moved to the cabinets and took out a large bowl. “Oh, he’s in the office with Billy.”

I nodded. William Gallagher was my dad’s oldest friend. He was also the mayor, so I could see why they remained close, even after twenty years.

They grew up in the same circle, and now they worked in similar fields.

“I’m gonna go say hi,” I said, hopping off the stool.

I didn’t think I could handle sitting in the kitchen and watching her cook in silence. I should have shown up a little later, when I was sure the food was done cooking.

She made a small noise of acknowledgment but didn’t look up when I walked out of the kitchen and up to Dad’s office.

I could already hear voices coming through the slightly opened door, and I was about to knock when I heard something that made me pause.

“Those King’s Men bastards won’t know what hit them,” William said.

My breath caught, and I held still, trying not to make any noise.

“Are you sure?” Dad asked.

“Positive. My informant told me they’re going to do the drop-off tonight. Most of the key figures will be there, including the slimy little bastard, Roman Stone. And this time, when we put them away, it will be for good. There won’t be another scapegoat around to get him out of this.”

“This is huge, William. Do you know what this will do for our reputation? We’ll be known as the people responsible for taking down one of the most notorious crime groups in the country, and once they’re out of the way, we can put in Stephen and Samuel.”

Who?

Stephen and Samuel… I heard of those names before.

I couldn’t remember where or how, but I had heard of those names before, and something told me those weren’t names I wanted to hear.

---