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Carved in the Shadows

Page 111

by A.L. Jackson

My mind swam with the imprint from last night. The way he’d remained arrogant even with a gun in his face. The fact that he thought this dirty money could buy his way out of his penalty.

I was the sick motherfucker who was proud to have delivered it.

“And who do we have the pleasure of destroying next?” This from Phoenix.

Severity took over Silas’s features. “Shayne Ellison. I want that motherfucker on a stake.”

Disquiet bustled through my nerves. “Any trace?”

He planted his palms on the tabletop and leaned forward as he swung his attention toward me. “Cash got word that someone was trying to access the Ellison accounts we drained. Shayne was a signer on two of them.”

Dread.

Hate.

Disgust.

They were nothing but a riot inside my being.

“He knows we have the money,” I gritted.

“I’m sure he fucking does,” Brody ground out. Disquiet buzzed through his demeanor. “And that means he wants both revenge and to get back what he thinks we stole from him.”

“Let him come for it.” Venom dripped from Phoenix’s tongue. “I will take pleasure in showing this motherfucker that nothing that remains is his. Not his brother’s vile legacy. Not his wealth. Most of all, not his pathetic life.”

Frustration puffed out of Silas. “He won’t be left standing with it, I promise you that. But I’d prefer that sentence not be meted out here in Crimson Creek. We need to keep this town as quiet as possible. Its citizens protected.”

I could hear what he left out. Our families included. This place that had become a sanctuary.

Brinley and Kai’s home.

Elena and Meems.

“But if he’s already here…” Brody cocked his head, just as ready as Phoenix was to go and hunt down the piece of shit.

My entire being itched in agreement.

“Then we cut him off,” I snarled. I turned to Silas. “Did we pick up on any trails?”

He exhaled an uncertain breath. “Cash dug out some surveillance from about two weeks ago. Some grainy footage from a store in San Jose, but he gave about a ninety-seven-percent chance that it was him.”

That meant he’d been within a day’s travel of this place.

Irritation buzzed through me.

“Nothing here in Crimson Creek?” I pressed.

“He’s going through everything he can find. He promised to let me know if he picked up the scent of anything.”

So that was a no.

Silas looked me square. “While we know Shayne is a threat, we have to entertain the possibility that he’s not the one who left that package outside Elena’s door. This could be anyone in town. A neighbor. An old enemy. A teenager playing a prank.”

“We might have poor Trevan here spun up for nothing.” Brody reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “Probably some fifteen-year-old punk who got an eyeful of my sister and thought the best way into her panties was scaring her. You know that whole stalker thing is now considered romance.”

He wagged his brows.

I had the urge to elbow the idiot in the gut.