Page 24 of Deal with the Devil

“Ms. Armstrong,” Aravis sighed, twisting to her fully. His cheekbones were strong enough to cleave through bones. He was pinched in the brow, his eyes downcast to the ground. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to her and she thought her whole world became a swirling vortex. Dizzy and panicked, she froze in place.

“Lord Commander,” she breathed.

“I apologize for calling on you both so late, but we’ve only recently become aware that Richard Calhoon is missing.”

Oh fuck.The feel of Richard’s blood on her hands, crusted under her fingernails, returned to front of her mind. A sharp sting bit into her cheeks and throat as she let out a small, panicked laugh. “Oh, that’s not good.”

“Care to explain?” He raised a brow.

“Explain what? I don’t know what happened to the fucker.” She recovered her sanity and scowled at him.

“Your sister’s husband goes missing and you’re…laughing?” He straightened his spine.

“Look, it’s pretty common knowledge I hate Rick. Everyone, including Rick, knows I hate him with the fury of a thousand suns. He’s a liar, a cheat, a bastard, and now he’s missing? I won’t say I’m surprised, but I’m disappointed, how’s that?” She tossed her hands out to her side. Rick wasn’t missing. Rick was dead. D.E.A.D. Dead. She’d stabbed him in the neck without a second blink. Her father would be so fucking pissed. She’d promised to keep her rage in check and use it for good. And here she’d gone and killed a man.

He fucking deserved it, but still.

“Funny you should call him a liar,” Aravis’s face said nothing but his tone was suspicious. “I’ve recently come to understand Richard Calhoon is an alias.”

Maybe it wasn’t wise. Maybe she should have acted surprised. But Amelia clapped her hands together in victory, “I fucking knew it!”

“Excuse me?” Aravis cocked his head, a twinge of bemusement in his face.

“Uh, okay, before I confess to it, will you swear not to press anything against me for teenage stupidity?” She glared at him.

He snorted, “Depends on what the crime is?”

“Going to a twenty-one plus wrestling match as an eighteen-year-old?” She eyed him.

Aravis shook his head, chuckling, “We don’t even charge for that, it’s mostly a slap on the wrist and don’t do it again. You’re fine. The statute of limitations on that particular offense went up the morning after the event.”

Amelia sighed with relief. “Okay, so, when Penny and I were eighteen, we got fake IDs so we could sneak into a friend’s match. We just wanted to be there to support. But I remember the guy who did the IDs, he always left this tiny stamp, a barely indistinguishable mark on the IDs. I’d know them anywhere because Penny was so worried we’d get caught and kept pointing at it like it was a flashing neon sign. Anyway, a few years later, Rick’s at the house. He left his wallet open on a table, and I saw the mark. There on his ID. I’d know it anywhere.”

The Lord Commander eyed her for a long moment before he spoke. “And you told your sister about this?”

“I tried!” Amelia huffed, crossing her arms and leaning against her car. “But she was in love, then she was pregnant, and they were trying to get married. I just let it go, but I called it. I fucking called it.”

Aravis nodded, “Thank you, now, do you remember the ID maker or where I might get in contact with him?”

“Unfortunately not, I couldn’t even tell you his name.” That was also a lie. She knew the bastard, had memorized his name and written it in her journal just in case he snitched on them. He never did. Tony the Typewriter had been a part of dad’s gym for a long time.

“Thank you anyway, that does indeed help. Could you tell me what the mark looked like?”

“It’s a small circle with a t in the center, it’s almost always holographic.” She wasn’t going to protect him that much. If the Lord Commander was as good as they said, then he’d figure it out. Aravis nodded to her, bowing his head and stepping aroundher. She whirled toward him, the question flying out of her mouth. “Who reported him missing?”

Aravis spun to face her and cocked a brow. “Who do you think reported him?”

“Penny didn’t, she would have told me if she’d reported him or was thinking he was missing.” Amelia eyed Aravis suspiciously. Penny and she had sworn the night she got back from Knox’s that they wouldn’t tell a soul. Brayden was old enough to notice Rick was gone, but in the days since Amelia got back, he hadn’t mentioned it but once. Sat on the couch, bowl of cereal and phone in hand, he muttered ‘I hope daddy doesn’t come back’. And that was the end of it because Amelia was so gobsmacked she didn’t ask why. Amelia didn’t know if Knox had and had no way of asking.

“Why didn’t you or your sister report him missing?” Aravis lowered his hands to his hips.

“Are you kidding? What part of ‘he’s a snake’ did you not understand? He could disappear for a week, and it wouldn’t be shocking. I guess I was kind of hoping he’d stay away.” She snatched up her dinner, done with the conversation. Amelia wheeled away from the Lord Commander and stomped a single foot toward the door when he answered.

“His employer reported him missing today.”

She whipped on her heel, “His employer?”

“I’m not able to elaborate more,” Aravis sighed.

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