Page 18 of Adored By Them
Caleb has wised up and he doesn’t say a word to Sergey or Edmund.To me, though, he whispers, “Look, man, I didn’t do any of this.You gotta believe me.”
I shove him between the shoulder blades, pushing him ahead.
A royal blue, classic Jaguar is parked outside the garage.I get the impression Sergey moved the car so we’d have more space to deal with Caleb.
Four men are already in the garage.They wear black suits and grim expressions.
Caleb falters when he sees them lined up along the far wall.“What is this?What are you doing?”
“We need to talk.”Edmund acts like this is a relaxed, easy afternoon.“Some of what you tell us, I’m certain Danica’s grandfather would like to know as well.We’re saving time, resources.”
“Don’t let him kill me, Edmund—please.”Caleb drops to his knees in front of Edmund.He makes a pathetic sight with his wrists zip-tied behind him.“Please, I swear, whatever you want, I’ll do it.”
Edmund’s cheerful expression morphs into what he’s truly feeling—cold fury.In a dark, chilling voice, he says, “And what if I want you to die?”
Caleb’s mouth falls open in dismay.“But we’re friends?—”
“You have betrayed me, betrayed my family.That isn’t what a friend does.”
“Put him up.”Sergey adds something in Russian to one of his guys.
Two of the men grab Caleb and haul him to his feet.They attach metal cuffs to his wrists and affix them to chains dangling from the ceiling.I don’t get the impression this sort of thing is done often, but I don’t think this is the first time a man has hung from the ceiling of Sergey’s garage.
Edmund faces Caleb, that mask of cold fury on his face.“We could make this so much faster if you tell us who has Danica, and where they took her.”
I examine some of the tools casually placed on a workbench.The soldering iron is a nice touch.Otherwise, it isn’t so different from the garage at Rendsell.Ready to fix a car or torture someone into confessing their sins.
“I don’t have anything to tell you.”Caleb has gone from fearful to sullen.“I didn’t do anything wrong, man.”
“Bullshit.”It’s the first time I’ve said anything.
Caleb looks at me, startled.Sweat drips from his forehead, but he can’t wipe it away.
I fold my arms across my chest.“You’ve been working against us for months now.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”Caleb shakes his head.“I’ve been loyal to the Laytons since the beginning.”
“Where’s Dani?”I pick up a crowbar.The solid weight of it fits well in my fist.
“I don’t fucking know where she is.”Caleb’s stare is challenging.
Sergey sighs.He points to one of his guys, then to Caleb.“Hit him.”
“No, I don’t know anything?—”
The guy steps forward.Almost quicker than I can track, he pops Caleb in the face.
Caleb cries out in pain.His nose cracks—broken.Blood flows freely down over his mouth.
“Tell us where she is,” Edmund says.
Caleb whimpers.“I didn’t do it, I didn’t do any of it.”
“How about I tell you a few things.”Edmund walks closer to Caleb, his gaze dispassionate on Caleb’s bleeding face.“Because I think you did quite a fucking lot.And if you don’t know where Danica is, you know where we’ll find her.”
Caleb coughs and spits, blood landing on the floor not far from Edmund’s feet.
“I wondered about how the docks at Mirarosa could be blown up so easily.All that whiskey, gone.Half a million dollars.”Edmund shakes his head as he circles Caleb.“Here we thought you were incompetent, but all those fuck-ups were on purpose.”
