Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 97369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97369 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Milo’s face wrinkles. A breath later, he nods. “You’re right. I don’t know that. But you won’t die while I’m still breathing.”
“Tell me.”
He shakes his head.
“Milo …”
He continues to shake his head.
“If you don’t, he will. Fletcher will tell me his version of your story. I’m his pawn too, and he’s going to use me to destroy you.” I wipe my face. “Take away his power.”
His gaze settles at his feet, shoulders curled inward. “She’ll die,” he whispers.
“Your sister?”
He nods.
“Why?”
“Because I’m the keeper of his secrets, and he’s the keeper of mine. Fletcher no longer has anything to lose, but I do. He holds the power.”
“Take it away.”
Milo shakes his head.
“Then I’m going to ask him. I’m going to poke and prod until he can’t help but spill everything. I know he’s dying to tell me why he hates you yet holds onto you tighter than anyone.” I get two steps toward the house.
“I shot her.”
Everything stops. Everything.
My breath catches while the night air delivers his chilling words.
“My twin. I shot my twin sister.”
His words are not only shocking; they’re paralyzing.
“I stole my dad’s gun. The shot was intended for him. And everything just…” Milo sighs “…happened so quickly. My mom tried to stop me, and the gun went off; a bullet landed in Annie’s head. My dad took one look at Annie and charged toward me. Then boom. His body fell to the floor, and blood from the hole in the back of his head spilled onto the faded wood floor. Mom screamed, frantically attending to Annie and then to Dad. She … just … wouldn’t stop screaming. Then snap! Another shot, but that one landed right between my mom’s eyes.”
Milo slowly shakes his head, face blank. “We hadn’t seen Archer in weeks. He was busy. Always busy working with Fletcher. I needed him, and he was never around. Then the day I decided to handle things on my own, he just … appeared.”
His gaze lifts to mine, and he blinks slowly. “Archer wiped my dad’s gun and put it in his hand. Then he told me to ride my bike to the park, play with as many kids as possible, and not come home until dinnertime. I … I said no. But he held his gun to my head and told me to go before he put a bullet in my head for being so fucking stupid.”
My lips part to speak, but I can only find a shaky breath.
“My parents are dead. Archer is dead. I really, really need you to help me save her before he lets her die. I can’t …” His voice cracks, and he swallows hard. “I can’t let her die. She’s the only one of us who deserves to live.”
Biting my quivering lips together, I blot my eyes.
Milo’s boots scuff along the dirt, past the fence, toward the house. He stops without turning back to me. “If you decide to stay, I’ll leave the back door unlocked. Skip the third and seventh steps; they creak.”
His head twists, chin at his shoulder, but his gaze doesn’t quite find me. “If you decide to leave, I understand. You’re an innocent victim too. And I love you, Indie.”
I choke on the emotions, holding them hostage until he reaches the house. Then I lower to the ground, knees to my chest, head bowed. And I cry for Milo Odell and his sister, Annie.
35
THAT’S FOR INDIE
MILO
When Ty’s wife left him, he moved into my old barn apartment.
“Hey,” Ty says, opening the door a little after five thirty in the morning, holding a cup of coffee. No shirt on yet. No holster. No gun. He’s much bigger than I am, but timing is on my side.
Thud!
I land my boot in his gut. He buckles over, spilling his coffee. Then I ram my knee into his nose, sending blood splattering everywhere.
Click.
I hold my cocked pistol to his temple while he’s on all fours, moaning.
“It’s not your fault that Satan pays so well. I get it. You need the money. But you have a daughter. You have no excuse. If you ever lay a fucking finger on Indiana again, I will make sure many lifetimes pass before someone finds your remains. Are we clear?”
“You crazy fucker …” He sits back on his heels, blood pouring from his nose.
I keep my gun pointed at him. “I am. And I’m not afraid of dying for my cause. You need to decide if you’re willing to die for him. Maybe chat with your daughter about it.” I turn and head out the door, stopping just before shutting it. “Now, I’m going to fuck up your truck so you can blame your nose on an unfortunate accident.”
Luck tilts in my direction the rest of the day. Jolene doesn’t call me, which means Indie stayed. Fletcher’s therapy keeps him out of my business. Chatter about Ty hitting two deer, totaling the front end of his truck and breaking his nose when the airbag didn’t deploy, circulates in a believable fashion around the ranch. By nine o’clock, I decide to call it a day, shocked that Jolene hasn’t blown up my phone, demanding I quit working and relieve her from her “motherly” duties. An hour with Benjamin seems to be her limit.