Page 37 of The Madman's Nightmare
I had to think about how long into the semester that was, and strangely, the events of the following day stuck out in my head, giving me a timeframe. “It was the day before our rival football game.”
James began working on the computer but looked up at Devlin. “Bradon was gone for seven weeks from September to mid-October. He came back and it was the following weekend when you sent them away.”
“So, he spent those weeks away stalking Elise?” Devlin asked with cracks of anger starting to show.
“He didn’t stalk me. If anything, he seemed afraid of me,” I interjected.
“Why go all the way to Elise’s campus just to run back to the Flats?” Devlin asked.
It was James who offered an answer. “I think he was trying to get close to Elise so she wasn’t available to you anymore. I bet Kendra thought Bradon could win Elise over then she could finally have you.”
“That would make sense from her crazy perspective,” Devlin added, and I started to question some things.
“Who is she?” I questioned. “I mean, why is she still so hung up on you, all these years later?”
“She was always a little bit off,” James remarked. “She seemed to think that Devlin was some kind of divine choice, and she got way too attached too quickly.”
“She mentioned something about you being her first,” I remarked, and James and Devlin shared a look. I added, “She said it was the night you pushed my mother off the roof for what she did to me.”
“That can’t be right,” James replied and began to work on the computer, almost determined to find something he was searching for.
Devlin explained, “There was at least five or six years between the time I dealt with your mother and the night I tangled with Marco. I think she’s creating events in her head, and if I’m right, she’s truly crazy and none of us will be safe until she’s caught.” He shook his head.
Hearing Devlin’s words gave me chills. He didn’t back down from many people, but she seemed to have gotten into his mind and was playing games with him. He wasn’t afraid, but he was questioning everything.
And who could blame him?
Bradon or Michael?
Kendra or whoever she was?
Where were they from, and where did they go?
Hopefully, Lucian and Regan could shed some light on the situation before they tried to hurt us again. Or drove us crazy in the process.
Chapter 19
Devlin
Elise didn’t seem pissed as she began to unravel some of the things she was told when she was with the siblings. Lucian texted that he and Regan would be coming up, so I asked her to hold her information until they arrived. The elevator dinged and the doors opened to reveal the two of them, seemingly pleased with themselves.
“Did you find anything?” I asked, and Regan offered a smile.
“I found a few different things,” she returned and handed her laptop to James.
They both took a seat, and I looked at Elise, silently asking if she was okay with speaking in front of them. She and James were like brother and sister, but she was still getting comfortable with my other siblings. The subtle nod she gave me was encouraging. James was looking at whatever Regan had discovered on the junkie’s cell phone as Elise started speaking.
She filled them in on what we had discussed before she continued. “The missing poster you showed me said he disappeared when he was nineteen and in college, but he spoke about growing up around here.” Her face wrinkled as she said, “And from what you’ve told me, they just appeared. So, what if he grew up here and was sent away, only to disappear and return to his home.”
“That would be kind of stalkerish,” Regan interjected.
Elise nodded. “Agreed. Bradon, or Michael, whoever he is, I think he’s somehow associated with the Flats, Portstill, Pierce Bluff, or maybe all three.” She shook her head. “I can’t shake thisfeeling that this is all connected. But no matter what she tells him to do, he complies.”
James handed Regan her laptop back and said, “Not to change the subject, but can you explain what you found to Devlin and Elise, please?”
She took the computer and turned it so we could see it as she spoke. “Timothy’s phone was pretty damaged, but I eventually got into its GPS settings.” She pressed something and explained. “He told you that he delivered the truck to a warehouse somewhere on the outskirts of Portstill, but I think he was off by at least a dozen miles.” I gave her a confused look, and she continued. “The location his phone pinged was outside of Rider’s Cross, on the other side of the Flats. Technically, the next county over. Anyways, I used the location and narrowed the warehouse down to three in a half-mile location. I think somewhere in that area you’ll find what was delivered, and maybe the siblings.”
“Has anyone looked into Kendra’s family?” Lucian inquired. “I mean public records going back to when they moved here?”
