thumping rumble from inside sounds like someone jogging down stairs. A latch clicks behind me, I don't turn. A female voice says.
Can I help you?
I rotate back quickly in a turning thrusting motion and punch Gerbershaden square in the teeth. Her hair wraps around her face as she is propelled back by the force into a stumbling stagger until she drops to the tile floor. She allows a small groan to seep from her bloody mouth.
I walk inside and close the door. I can hear a small child upstairs. Walking past Gerbershaden I snatch her pony tail and drag. Pull and drag. Open the door leading to the garage and drag. She and I are inside the cool garage. Scanning the room I see the place is very clean. I let go of her hair.
She is on her knees now. Her hands are close to her face collecting the blood drip drip dripping from her lips. A tooth falls into her hand. Another tooth. Blood spills in between her fingers. I slip the 9mm from the back of my Dockers and lightly tap it agianst her temple. She groans. She looks through her hair as it hangs limp around her eyes. Longer strands have become sticky and matted with the drip dripping blood. Stuck slick to her cheek. I chamber a round and smile. I have no intention of killing her. Not at this point. Not yet.
You lured my sister here for Manalito Santana. Why?
A slurring sucking sound. Then a weak groan.
I press the muzzle against the crown of her skull. I tap it down twice.
Listen to me. I know what you are. You're a groomer for this asshole. He's dead, so there's no need to worry about repercussions.
Another low moan.
I appreciate that you are in pain. I understand. I really do, more than you'll ever know. In fact...
I slip off my right canvas shoe and show her my right foot. The long toe next to my big toe is missing. Severed. All the way back to the knuckle of my foot. I speak.
I was in a similar situation to you one time. I didn't want to talk. Didn't see the need to say anything. I was in danger of death. Didn't want to die. They had already shoved needles into my face, my wrists and ankles and balls. But they had to cut off my toe before I said a thing. The stupid part I thought was why fuck around with needles, why not just go straight to the toe, saved us all a lot of time and pain. You want to die?
She shakes her head.
Good.
There is a pool of piss on the concrete floor. Her body trembles and jerks involuntarily. I step away from the expanding pool of piss. I tell her.
Concentrate. I need you to stay focused. Santana. He got you to get Carly here, why? For sex?
Shakes. Shivers. She shakes her head. This is a good answer for her. If she had nodded I am not sure how I would have reacted. I'm pretty sure my reaction would have created a lot of noise. A sense of relief sweeps through me. To the matter clear I will finish with Jennifer's confession first.
She could not speak well. A 20 minute conversation of mumbled words and cries of pain. She told me that Santana had been asked to grab the girl as a favor. It was Gerbershaden's job to procure certain types of girl for Santana. These were not girls but kids, Gerbershaden called them girls. Santana rented this house for her. He told her Carly was special, that it was an order. She did not and does not know what he meant by this. When my sister was on the driveway or the front yard of her house she was to call him so he could carry out the snatch. She did not know there would be death or violence.
I break Gersharden's nose with a left hook directly to the face. She went into shock but remained lucid. Inside the clean garage was a reeled hose for washing cars I suppose, or some other domestic shit I do not concern myself with. I unreel it and spray her body, hair, legs, arms and face. She starts to come round, gains consciousness. Spitting blood. I turn off the hose. I grab her hair and shake her head. She pleads. They all plead. She tells me she knows.
Knows what?
She tells me she was pissed at Santana for what had
Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child