Page 83 of Clean Slade
“I meant the other kid,” Wyatt corrected, and I looked up at him.
He sipped his coffee, half the mug disappearing into the thickness of his silver beard.
I guessed, for him, even King was a kid. Hell, I was probably a kid in his eyes too.
“Still very secretive,” I told him.
I didn’t like talking about King behind his back, but I tried to convince myself it was for his own good. Wyatt and the rest of my team had more experience with people like Tony Ferraro than King, so the more we knew about the situation, the better his chances of survival.
“You need to find out what he’s hiding. If we’re going to protect him from Ferraro, we need to know everything.”
As if I didn’t know that already.
“Well, short of torturing him, I can’t make him volunteer the information.”
Wyatt nodded and set his coffee down.
“There’s something odd about that kid. How does a guy like him eliminate two highly trained men?”
I stared at him before remembering the massacre Wyatt and the others had found in King’s house.
Wyatt still thought the four people hadn’t killed each other, but I didn’t buy it.
“You’re still on that? King couldn’t hurt a fly.”
Wyatt pursed his lips and huffed.
“You’d be surprised what people can do when someone threatens those they love.”
I knew that already, though, didn’t I? I’d witnessed that firsthand both in the Navy and outside it.
There was more to King than he let on, that I was sure of, but King, a killer? Something didn’t sit right with that.
“I find it strange that Ferraro would not only show up on the island right now after the cartel business but also let King go because he wants family time with his granddaughter. A man who kills his daughter wouldn’t hesitate to kill a stranger who stole his little girl.”
I nodded.
“Yeah. That I don’t buy either. Tony barely acknowledged Mac when he dropped by.”
“He dropped by? When?” Wyatt growled, and I remembered I’d kept that from him for a reason.
“Oh. Um…two weeks ago. He and his son came by the house to meet Mac. They didn’t stay long, but they certainly rattled King.”
“Why is this the first I’m hearing of this?”
The lines on his face got bigger and deeper, and I was reminded of how ruthless my old commander could be.
“Because I knew you’d act like this and accuse King of being a liar.”
“He is a liar.”
It was one thing for me to think it, but Wyatt saying it felt wrong. Dirty almost.
“Don’t start with me, old man.”
Wyatt leaned over the counter and his eyes narrowed.
“Stop calling me that!”
