Page 160 of The Reluctant Hero

“Fuck you,” he spits.

The attack has jolted me into that raging, ready state. I’m not bored anymore. All my cold focus is on him with a purpose.

I flip the baton up and catch the tip, then double-hand it to swing at his calf like it’s a baseball bat. He’s so busy watching the spin in a stupor he’s too slow to dodge. There’s a loud crack before his eyes widen, and he screams, falling to his side. I caught him with the thin end, overshooting the hammer head by half an inch. I’m disappointed in myself despite the obvious break.

“Who else.”

He gasps in a breath, tears streaming down his face to start cursing again. Unlike the landlord he’s frozen stiff on the carpet like he can’t believe he’s in pain. He starts repeating the same curse over and over.

“I don’t think Jesus Christ is bankrolling your sex trafficking scheme. Who.” My voice has dropped into a dead zone of nothing as I plan my next move.

“No, no, no. I just buy the properties,” he babbles with wide eyes.

Not the answer I’m looking for. He seems to realize it because he starts using his feet to scramble back. He’s forced to stop when he applies pressure to his broken leg. A grotesque bulge comes up where his shin should be under his slacks. I miss my intended target and bring the hammerhead down on his ankle because of it. There’s the sound of bone breaking and then a silence. His choked wail of agony takes a second to come out. He’s too busy staring at his foot in disbelief for the pain to click.

I glance at the door to make sure no one is coming. No one is jiggling the handle in a panic, so I call it good.

“Hey, if you hold out long enough, yourgolfingbuddy Matthias might save you,” I tell him as I catch my breath.

“I’ll give you whatever you want. Money. The pictures of you with Ace. Anything.”

“The only thing I want from you is names. The more you stall, the more bones I break.” My bland tone makes him start sobbing. I’m a little surprised by it.

“This isn’t you, Amanda,” he pants desperately. “I’ve never seen you like this.”

“Looks like your luck in that regard just ran out,” I spin the baton, and his eyes drop to it warily. “Who?”

“I buy the properties. That’s it. I’mnothingin the scheme of things. I wasn’t even supposed to be in the playhouse. Karter got me in. He’s one of the top guys. Said it was good money as long as I didn’t ask questions.”

“So you didn’t,” I mutter as I stare at his violently shaking hands.

“Of course not. You wouldn’t either if you had seen how much he has. All that power and thewomen. They’re everywhere.”

The gleam in his eyes as he talks about it makes my nausea worse. He doesn’t care how he gets his money or anything else. The only thing that matters is that he gets it. He’s a leech that latched onto a rotten carcass.

“He helped you get the purchases through.”

“No shit,” he snaps and then swallows as he eyes the baton’s movements in my hands. “Fullerton made it smooth, too. I don’t know anyone else. I’m on the fuckingoutside.”

“Who has the account for all this money?”

His watery eyes meet mine, and he starts laughing. It's low at first but then loud enough that my ears ring.

“You do, you dumb bitch.”

I bring the hammerhead down on his knee with both hands. His laugh falls into angry roars of pain. I watch him try to clutch his leg with his good hand. The other has bloated up and already turned black. I lift again to get this hand, too. His screams become ear-piercing in intensity.

“That’s why you wanted me back.” I take another shot at his thigh.

“Because it’s all inmy namesomewhere.” Another hit on the same leg, no aim.

“All the pleading and maneuvering.” Again. My hands are tingling after every hit.

“You thought I’d come back and be as blind as I was before. Easy to manipulate.”

The sick part is I might have done it. Without the letters and photos Mrs. Danvers tortured me with, I could have been talked around to saving my marriage. The idea of how brainwashed I was makes me want to scream in rage, but I’m too calm for that.

I pause my hits as an idea comes to me.

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