Page 70 of Linger

Vinny laughed a soft, grating sound. “Einstein was Johnny’s, which means she was family.”

“Touching,” I murmured. “I don’t think she saw it that way.”

His lip curled before he could fix his forced amusement. “At least I had the decency to wait a few years after my best friend was in the ground before going for his wife. You never were far from Einstein, even when Johnny was still alive. And from what I’m hearing, you still can’t keep your dick on a leash even though you’re married with a kid...isn’t that right?”

My smile was practically feral as I finally put together why there had been so many clues for me—why they’d singled me out—from that first body through today.

Vinny was working through all the people who’d wronged him—wronged Johnny—and he thought I was Maverick.

My head listed as I pretended to consider him and his words, but the movement was enough to keep Kieran from coming any closer.

“So, you create chaos and fear in the town and within Dare’s businesses, then kill his wife and mom. But not him,” I added, acknowledgment building in my chest. “Let him destroy himself over it all, yeah?”

Vinny didn’t respond, and from the way his gloating expression was slowly fading, I had a feeling he was beginning to wonder why his brother hadn’t ambushed me yet, but he was a little busy being dead.

“Then you made sure I could follow all your trails to know I’d wind up here...wrapped up in a shiny pink bow for you to get your revenge.” I held my hand out to the side and shrugged. “Well, minus the bow.”

“Look at you taking over as the new mastermind.” His eyebrows lifted as he nonchalantly twisted just enough so his gun was aimed at me. “Or maybe if you fuck Einstein long enough, her genius starts rubbing off on you.”

“No, I’m still plenty dumb when it comes to a lot of things, and I don’t pay attention half the time,” I began. “But if you would’ve ever paid enough attention to me, you’d know thinking like my enemy and dissecting their tactical strategy is a part of what I do. Besides, asshole, I had scones today. I’m ready to fucking go.”

Before he could respond or act in any way, I dropped my aim and fired.

Considering it was early enough in the morning that most people were still in their homes or just leaving for work, I probably should’ve been more concerned at the sound of the shot or Vinny’s scream that followed.

But I wasn’t.

I stayed wholly focused on him, watching the veins in his neck bulge as he cradled his bloodied, mangled hand and struggled to swallow his cries of pain.

“I’m gonna kill you,” he seethed through tightly clenched teeth.

“No, but you clearly wanted to,” I countered as I scooped up the gun he’d dropped and used it to aim at his head. When I continued, my voice was a dangerous whisper of mocking rage. “What’s sad is you had more than enough chances to...and I’m not even the brother you want.”

The only acknowledgment that he understood my meaning was the slight flaring of his eyes before they narrowed in anger and pain again.

“Don’t worry,” I continued, “I’ll tell Mav you really meant for all this to be for him—I’m sure he’ll be flattered. Just as I’ll let everyone know Lily wasn’t one of your letters either.”

The fear that covered Vinny’s face when Kieran stepped into view was instant and blatant, but he hurried to cover it and spit at Kieran. “Holloway fucks are getting yours.”

“That right?” Kieran asked viciously.

“Let’s see that beast inside you, Nightshade,” Vinny goaded. “You gonna finish me off, do it. Your princess had that grave waiting for her.”

I dropped to a crouch beside him, letting all my anger and hatred and guilt fuel my words when I countered, “If Lily had been the last letter, if she were really dead, your new family wouldn’t be trying to confuse Einstein with the different vans. If she were dead, you would’ve made sure there was a way for me to track her, but there isn’t. There was only a clue leading here.”

A hissing laugh left Vinny, bleeding through his pain and bemusement. “Track her?” he coughed out. “That Holloway bitch is in pieces on your lot.”

“Say that again,” Kieran demanded as he dropped to Vinny’s other side, pressing a bloodied knife against his neck and another against his ribs.

But before Vinny’s fear flared across his sweaty, paling face, there was a flash of deeper confusion. A whisper of doubt. A sliver of betrayal. And it had me cutting in, voice lazy as a smirk pulled at the corner of my mouth.

“And here I thought you were just getting tired, but you didn’t even know you left someone for me to find who’s alive, did you?” My smirk widened at the way Vinny’s pained glare snapped to me before focusing on Kieran again.

Vinny faltered, mouth moving desperately before he spat out, “You think you can find her without me? She’s dead with—”

Blood sprayed from the force of Kieran’s blade slicing through Vinny’s throat. And Vinny’s vain attempt at seeing another day, hour, or even second morphed into a garbled choking noise.

“He wouldn’t have told us where she is,” Kieran said without taking his stare off the man beneath him.

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