Page 184 of Never Die for a Sinner
“Please . . .”
With a huff, I point and fire a second blank.
“Odds are getting slimmer, Dale,” Christian calls, lighting the end of a cigarette and blowing out the smoke into the damp night. “Smokey sounds like he’s getting pretty pissed off down there.”
“I don’t want to die.”
Too bad, asshole.
“Last chance, Dale.” I step back over to him, lowering my voice and getting right in his face so only he can hear. “Who hired you?”
His eyes widen to saucers, and I think it’s at that moment he realizes he has no choice.
He rattles off a name, and it’s not the one I was expecting.
A cold chill runs up my spine at the information he gives me. I watch him speak, hear what he’s saying, but my mind can’t wrap around it.
I’ll fucking kill him.
At the same time, Dale screams in fear, I fire the shot directly at the rope. The bullet hits, and with a crack, Dale falls into the pit with a heavy thud.
All three of us step over to the side, watching as Smokey charges. Dale’s screams are unlike anything I’ve ever heard, and the noises emanating from the pit send a shiver down even my spine. Abruptly, the screams stop, and then in the blink of an eye, all that’s left of Dangly Dale is a few spare body parts that Smokey will take care of and a pair of workless work boots.
Christian is the one to break the silence, pointing to the hand that lies discarded off to the side.
“Need a hand?”
I shoot him a look.
“Good to see you practicing your dad jokes. Can’t wait to be an uncle.” I pat him on the back when he chuckles under his breath and head over to where the man, they call the Butcher, is leaning against a tree.
“Thank you for this.”
He’s silent, the black skull mask covering his face offering no explanation as to who he really is. They’re like this, and the only reason we’re standing here right now is because of a job I did a few years ago as a favor tothemunder the DEA.
“I didn’t do it for you,” he says finally.
“How the fuck did you catch a grizzly that size, anyway?” Christian asks when the Butcher pushes off a tree.
“A year ago, a zoo had scheduled to put him down because he ate his trainer. The trainer had a history of abuse.” He shrugs. “The zoo thought he was dangerous. I felt he was justified.”
And with that, he turns and walks off into the trees without another word.
Christian and I watch after him, but like the ghost he’s meant to be, he disappears into the overgrowth without so much as the rustle of leaves.
“You know, this may be a first,” Christian murmurs. “But that motherfucker creeps me out.”
I can’t help but smirk.
“He’s harmless.” I glance back at the pit where the metal door is opening, and Smokey is licking his paws. “Unless you’re someone like Dale.”
“Don’t be like Dale,” Christian says as we walk back towards the car. Unfortunately, it’s at least a mile walk, but at least we don’t have Dale to worry about. Hauling a knocked-out Dale here in the dark was a fucking treat. “Great life motto.”
AVA
It’s official. I’m screwed.
Against my better judgment, I’ve gone and fallen in love with Levi Cross, and there’s not a single thing I can do to stop it.
