Page 41 of Graves & Griggs
“Cut the shit or we’ll end your pathetic life right here and now.”
I pout at that. I’ll be seriously pissed if they take away my fun with a bullet to the head. I’m already annoyed that I didn’t get to let out some much-needed frustration on his dear old brother. This tight-lipped fucker isn’t saying shit, though.
Shaking my head, I crouch down to my other bag as I speak over my shoulder. “He’s not going to talk, guys. He’s loyal. You’ll talk to your brother, though, right?”
“Alex? He’s here?” Phillip pants. “Y-yeah. Yeah, I’ll talk. If Alex says it’s okay, I’ll talk.”
I nod at that. Perfect.
As fast as I’m able, I stick my hand inside Alexander’s head, fashioning it to fit into his jaw like it’s a puppet. I may or may not have hollowed out part of his head at the house with the very intention of doing this. It actually looks creepy as fuck, the stuff nightmares are made of. I can’t help but giggle at how completely fucked up it is, but I’ve always wanted to try my hand at ventriloquism.
Ha. Get it? Try my hand?
When I turn around, I push the head puppet out in front of Phillip’s face and do my best not to move my mouth as I work Alexander’s jaw.
“Please, Phillip! Tell them what they want to know. It’s okay, I won’t be mad.”
Horror claws itself across Phillip’s face, his brain clearly struggling to put together what his eyes are seeing.
“Zayden, what the fuck?” Dominic sighs.
“That’s fucking disgusting,” Griggs says with a grimace.
I can’t help but snicker as I focus on our target, who looks like he’s about to blow chunks all over himself. I worked really hard on that garland. If he pukes on it, I’m gonna be pissed.
“Y-you killed him,” Phillip strangles out, a tear falling down his face.
“Actually no!” I say as I look at the head, working the jaw some more as I do. “I know it looks bad and all, but do you see this hole right here?” I say as I move the head puppet closer, just inches away from his face.
Phillip attempts to lean away from it, trying to look anywhere but at him… or it… or whatever.
“That wasn’t from us. That was from his buddies. Yeah, turns out he wasn’t a track star when it came to evading, and when they thought he was going to get caught, they shot him and drove away. Any idea who those guys might have been?”
He looks to me with surprise. “Jacob killed him?”
Dom takes a step back, his fingers now flying across his phone screen.
“It would appear so. Does Jacob have a last name?” I ask.
Phillip shakes his head. “I don’t know it. Alex started working with him when…”
“When Desmond Volkov faked his death and employed him?” Griggs fills in.
He looks to Griggs with surprise, like he’sconfused how we could possibly get that kind of information. I see why Desmond only picked up the one brother—this one is dumber than a box of rocks.
“You got an address for Jacob? A phone number?” I ask.
He shakes his head, and my patience begins to slip. I toss the puppet to the side—because even with my gloves, it’s starting to make my fingers pruney, and I absolutely hate that feeling—then grip his face with my blood-soaked glove.
The head hits the ground with a thunk before doing a quarter roll. Ironically, the eyes stay open and are pointed directly at Phillip. Phillip’s eyes stay on Alexander’s before moving to mine.
“He said Desmond wanted him to follow a girl. That intel said she’d be vulnerable. He was supposed to confirm the target and then grab her. Kill anyone who got in his way.”
For a moment, my joy slips as I allow his words to sink in properly. “And do what with her?” I ask as my body begins to shake.
He shakes his head. “Wait for further instruction.”
An eye for an eye. That’s what Desmond was thinking no doubt. I killed his sister, so he wants to kill my wife, probably torture her. Maybe worse.
