Page 50 of Finding Chaos

“Just another wedge to put between you and the ranger.” He chuckled. “But the Banshee found me first and tried to save me. It was almost comical. I thought about shooting her on the spot, but I wanted the story instead. I wanted to know who the hell she was and if she was as wild in bed as out of it. Only you and the ranger showed up and whisked her away. But don’t worry, I’ll see her again and while I couldn’t impregnate you, I’ll be sure my little swimmers do the job with her, so we can sell her baby too.”

“That’s what this is? A baby farm?” Destiny gawked, unable to believe what he’d said.

His hold on her arm tightened as he shoved her through the open door. After the bright sunshine, the barn was dark and musty. Sunlight showed through some of the broken slats and dust motes floated in the air.

Destiny’s father was tied to a broken chair, a thick rope wrapped around his chest. Duct tape covered his mouth and his eyes were wild and bloodshot above it. Her mother stood over him, a gun pressed against his temple. His mused hair was a mess not even remotely resembling the unflappable senator I grew up with. His hair looked as though he’d been running his fingers through it. The lipstick on his cheek told Destiny another story. Her mother’s fingers had done that to his hair. He’d probably been excited when she’d wanted to tie him up.

“Mom?” Destiny asked as her heart clenched tight.

“Well, now. Aren’t we just one big happy family?” Her mother’s voice, which Destiny had once considered soothing, had an unfamiliar bite.

“Dad.” Destiny struggled against Putnam’s hold, trying to get to her father.

“I guess you’re smarter than I thought. Heisyour biological father, dear,” her mom said.

Her dad’s eyes widened as he whipped around to look at her mother. Apparently, he was confused too.

“But you aren’t my mother. Her bones are in the Devil’s Pit, aren’t they?”

She shrugged with a half-smile. “I guess my secret’s out. I faked it all. It was the only way to keep your father from leaving me for that whore. When she came to me and told me she was pregnant with his child, well, I couldn’t let her take away everything I’d worked for. No, that simply wouldn’t do. So, she was my first. I kept her sequestered until she gave me you, and then I killed her and dumped her in the hole. She was the first who had to go. Everyone believed you were mine. No one even suspected a thing.” She turned to Destiny’s father. “Especially your father when I told him his whore ran off with someone richer. Convincing everyone else was a piece of cake.”

Her dad was struggling to speak and wrestling against his bindings.

“Dad,” Destiny said. “Look at me.”

He turned his gaze toward her.

“We’ll get through this. I need you not to give up on me.”

“How pathetic,” Destiny’s mother said as she strolled toward Destiny with the gun clasped tight in her hand. “Like father, like daughter. But I do have to admit I was surprised that you found the whore’s picture. I thought your father had gotten rid of all of those photos.”

Destiny swallowed hard, trying to figure out how exactly she was going to get her father and herself out alive.

“You raised me knowing I was his bastard child?” Destiny asked.

“Of course, dear. I needed you,” her mother said as she ripped the duct tape off her husband’s mouth and untied him. She held him at gunpoint and cocked the trigger before leaning down to whisper in his ear. “Now, here’s what we’re going to do.”

She nodded toward Putnam. He took out the clip and emptied the chamber and handed Destiny the gun.

Destiny took it and pointed it at her mother and pulled the trigger, wishing there was still a bullet inside.

“Thank you,” Putnam said, slipping the gun free, while her mother kept the gun pointed at her father’s head. “Those prints will do nicely.”

Putnam reinserted the clip and shoved her toward her father. He caught her before she fell to the ground. He tried to move her behind him, and she fought him on that move.

“She found out her father was a murderer, and she killed him, but not before he shot her first. People will eat this up, knowing that I’m the victim in all this. I’m sure I can milk it for a long time. Kill them both.”

“With pleasure,” Putnam said and pointed the gun. He pulled the trigger at the same time Destiny shoved her father to the ground. The hot sear of the bullet hit her stomach, sending her to the ground. Blood oozed from her wound as she lay gasping for breath. Her father took off his shirt and pressed it to the hole in her stomach. She coughed, and blood sputtered from her lips. This was it.

The yelling started, and the noise tunneled as she turned her head to find Walker headed straight for her with a gun clasped in his hand. He pointed it at her dad just as sirens in the distance sounded.

Her father backed away, holding up his bloody hands as Walker dropped his gun and pressed down on her wound. Intense pain almost made her black out, but she fought unconsciousness.

The sheriff had Putnam on his knees and was putting cuffs on his wrists.

Walker’s lips were moving, but she couldn’t hear the words. Her head lolled toward her mother, and the last spike of adrenaline sparked within her when her mother pulled out a gun, pointing it at Walker’s head.

Destiny grabbed Walker's gun and lifted it, pulling the trigger once before her hand dropped to the ground.

Her mother fell. The gun dropped from her grip.

“It was my mom,” Destiny said, unsure he could hear her.

His eyes were pleading with her, even if she couldn’t hear his words.

“I love you,” she whispered just before the darkness sucked her under and the world around her melted away into the darkness.

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