Page 68 of Kylie

“I’m not sure whether you know the name Stewart Crawford.”

I shook my head. It didn’t sound familiar.

“He’s an oil mogul up in Dallas.”

“Okay.”

“My mother is his illegitimate daughter.”

I wasn’t sure where she was going with this, but I relaxed and settled in for the story.

“Anyway. Stewart’s legitimate son, Stephen, was arrested for blackmailing government officials.”

“Blackmailing them for what?”

“Anything and everything. His father’s company was big on skirting the rules, and they were being cited left and right for illegal drilling. Evidently, Stephen thought blackmail would solve the problem. It didn’t. When he went to jail, that left a perfect little hole for Martin to squeeze into. He realized he had found the golden ticket: My mother.”

Allison paused to take a drink of her coffee, which had to be cold. When she set her cup down, I turned and grabbed the carafe and refilled it for her.

“Thanks.” She pulled the cup closer. “Martin blackmailed my parents, threatening to arrest them as accessories to Stephen’s crimes. Didn’t matter that my mother and Stephen didn’t have anything to do with each other. The only connection my mom had to Stewart was the money he’d given her. That’s how Martin learned about her. He followed the money.

“Anyway. Martin played God like he always does and created some false evidence that would force them to comply. Whatever he had, it was enough to convince them they would go down for the crime if they didn’t do what he told them. It took time, but Martin was able to finagle things so that my father ended up working for one of the Adorites’ businesses.”

“Doing what?” I asked.

“Construction. Nothing major, not high up on the ladder or anything, but it gave Martin some insight into what the Adorites were doing. Nothing ever came of it. But Martin doesn’t give up. Because he had such a stronghold on my parents, he decided I would be a perfect chess piece. I was still in high school when he decided I would come work for him.”

Based on her expression, that hadn’t gone over well, but I didn’t interrupt, wanting to hear her tell it.

“I was four years old when I started playing the piano.”

Confused momentarily by the change in topic, I patiently listened.

“By the time I was eight, I was considered a prodigy, playing pieces by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin. When Martin decided to derail my life, I had already been accepted to Juilliard.”

“Wow.” I didn’t mean to speak, but I couldn’t help it. To think of what Allison could’ve become if her parents hadn’t crossed paths with Martin Calloway.

“I became Martin’s most valued human chess piece. At least that’s what he likes to say. I graduated at midterm my senior year and was enrolled in my first semester at Texas State University before the holidays were over. By the time I was twenty-four, I had a master’s degree in criminal justice and two years of interning with the FBI Forensic Science Research Lab. That was when Martin brought me onto his team.”

“So you’ve been under his thumb since you were a teenager,” I said.

“Yes.” Allison sat up straight. “And I’m tired of doin’ his dirty work. Fucking tired.” She looked at Kieran. “I have to go to Coyote Ridge. I have to get help. We have to take him down once and for all.”

“He’ll kill you if he realizes what you’ve done,” Kieran stated; this time there was fear in his tone.

Allison turned to face him. “Yes, he will. And then you’ll take him down.”

I reeled from her words. She was admitting this was a suicide mission, and she was walking right into the line of fire.

Kieran jumped to his feet. “I won’t let you do that.”

“You’re not my partner, Kieran. You were sent here to take us down. And that’s what you need to do.”

He shook his head. “I won’t let you be collateral damage.”

Her chin tilted slightly. “Too late for that.” Allison’s gaze shifted to my face as she got to her feet. “I’m gonna talk to Brantley and Reese. Let them know what’s really going on. You’ll be back with your family soon. I give you my word.”

Before I could say anything, Allison spun on her heel and marched toward the front door. A second later, there was nothing but the sound of her absence, which was the equivalent of a sonic boom.