Page 6 of The Silencer

The car pulls up in front of my home.“You did good today, Emmanuel,” Jer says softly.“Remember, you are not your father.You’re a better man than he is and you’re only sixteen.”

I grit my teeth and nod.He may not think I’m my father, but I know damn well that there are people out there who are going to think that.

“Come see me tomorrow,” he tells me as I climb out of the car.“Don’t let this shit get to you.We’ll find your da, Emmanuel, and when we do, he won’t be able to hurt anyone again.”

“Thanks,” I say as I step toward the house.I know that when my da is finally found, he’s going to be in for a world of hurt.The question is: what is he going to subject that girl to in the meantime?

As I walk into the house I’m blasted with heat, which means Ma’s home.I shrug my jacket off and hang it on the stair rail before walking into the sitting room, where Ma's waiting for me.Her eyes are red-rimmed, her face pale.She knows.

"Oh, Emmanuel," she whispers, pulling me into a tight hug.I let myself sink into her embrace, feeling like a little boy again, wanting her to make everything better.

"You've heard then," I say quietly once we pull apart.

She nods, tears spilling down her face as she takes a seat on the sofa."How could he do this, Emmanuel?How could he hurt that poor family?"

I sit beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders."He's not the man you married, Ma.He hasn't been for a long time."

She leans into me, her body wracked with sobs."I keep thinking...if I'd left him sooner, maybe this wouldn't have happened.Maybe I could have stopped it somehow."

"No," I say firmly."This isn't on you.It's all him.He made his choices."

We sit in silence for a while, the weight of everything hanging heavy between us.Finally, Ma speaks again.

"What happens now?"

I take a deep breath."I don't know.But I promise you, I'll do whatever it takes to make this right."

She looks at me, worry etched on her face."Just be careful, hun.I couldn't bear to lose you too."

I nod, guilt twisting in my gut.If she knew what I was planning, she'd be horrified.But I can't tell her.This is something I have to do on my own.

After Ma goes to bed, I slip outside and call Cole.

"Emmanuel," he answers on the first ring."Any luck?"

"No," I say, frustration clear in my voice."The cabin was a dead end."

There's a pause."So, what's your next move?"

I take a deep breath, steeling myself."I want in.The Agency—I want the job."

"Are you sure?"Cole asks, his voice serious."This isn't a decision to make lightly."

"I'm sure," I say firmly."I need to make sure assholes like him are taken care of.”

There's another pause, longer this time."Alright," he says finally."I'll make the arrangements.But, Emmanuel, remember what I said.This life...it changes you.There's no going back."

"I know," I reply, my voice barely above a whisper."But I'm ready."

As I hang up, I look back at the house.At the life I'm leaving behind.But I know this is what I have to do.For Ma.For that little girl.For all the people who have been hurt by assholes like my da.

Their days are numbered—I’ll make sure of it.And hopefully, I’ll stumble across Jacob Dellinger at some point too.

FOUR

clodagh

I waketo the sound of the door creaking open.My body tenses as I hear his heavy footsteps approaching.God, it wasn’t a dream.My mammy, daddy, and Dylan...he hurt them.

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