Page 96 of Hell Bent

“After we leave here, we’ll head to the bank. It’s a short drive.”

“It’s not in town?”

Sage shook her head. “The next one over. Longford doesn’t have a bank anymore.”

“Christ. This place is a dump. Nothing but barren wasteland. No wonder Rosemary—”

“Rosemary what?”

“Nothing.”

“Is this your first time in this area?” Sage asked as she sipped on her coffee.

“Uh, yes. I mean, no. I have a couple of clients out in Canmore and thereabouts.”

“Anyone I know?” Sage asked calmly.

“Hardly.”

Valery returned with Blane’s iced tea and left just as quickly.

“It takes all kinds. There are a lot of farmers around here, and bikers too, people from every walk of life. I’ll miss it, the quiet country roads, the leaves in the fall, the beautiful summer sunsets.”

Blane gulped his tea and shook his head. “I didn’t fly all the way out here for small talk. Let’s go sign those papers. The sooner I can get access to those funds, the better. I got someone breathing down my neck.”

“Just how much are you in for, Blane? Who do you owe this money to?”

“Like I told you, bad motherfuckers, Sage. People who won’t hesitate to hurt me. You have no idea what I’ve had to do in order to buy myself more time. But once this debt is gone, I’ll be square. I’ll be fine.”

“But you won’t, will you? Ever since our parents died, you just chase after every high you can find, no matter the cost or who you hurt. And you’ll keep on doing it.”

“Maybe I will. It’s my business. And so far, I’m still here. And do you know why?”

Sage looked at him intently.

“Because I’m a survivor. I do what it takes to get what I want.”

“We’re not that different then, you and I,” Sage whispered.

Just the thought gave Sage the shivers that she did her best to hide.

“No, we aren’t. Unlike our sister,” Blake hissed. “She was so goddamn stupid and too damn emotional. She just kept fucking up and look what happened to her.”

“She didn’t deserve to die like that.”

“We all have our time, Sage. And Rosemary’s was up. She led a high-risk life. She made her own choices and she paid the price. I still don’t see why you’re so hung up on grieving over her. She was suffocated and left for dead. Get that image of her lying face down in a muddy riverbed out of your head. She’s gone, it’s over. Let her go.”

Sage couldn’t believe how cold Blane was, how unfeeling. It made her numb and at the same time, so angry she wanted to scream.

But then, something Blane had said clicked in her brain.

Rosemary, lying face down…

No, that wasn’t right.

The crime scene photos that Sage had memorized showed Rosemary lying on her back. That’s how she was found. On her back, in the tall grass, not in the muddy riverbed.

Jesus Christ, that meant…

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