Read Online Hitmen Triumph by Sigmund Brouwer - Free Book Online Page B

A small drop of blood fell from his nose.
    â€œThat was brave,” he said, his lips clearly moving. “Hitting me from behind like that. Want to try it again? Right now? While I’m ready?”
    I knew he wanted to fight.
    So did I. It had been over a month of frustration, of not trusting him. Then to find out that he was working with a gang of bikers. And that he’d sent the bikers after me to scare me away.
    Yeah, I was angry. Real angry. And so, so ready to throw a punch at him. But I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how frustrated I was.
    â€œI’m sorry,” I said. I tapped my ear. “I’m your deaf brother. Remember? I can’t hear you.”
    I skated away without looking back.

chapter twenty
    â€œI get why you’re angry with Nate,” Mercedes said.
    â€œI doubt it,” I answered.
    We were at the Calgary Zoo, off Memorial Drive. The sun was low and deep shadows stretched from the buildings in front of us. In the background was the screeching of monkeys. And the screeching of kids. Hard to tell them apart, I thought.
    When I’d called Mercedes an hour after early afternoon practice finished, she had suggestedwe meet at the zoo to talk. I’d been fine with it. I’d have been fine with meeting her anywhere, even if it meant crawling across broken glass.
    â€œYou’re angry,” she said, “because he betrayed you. When he knew you were following, he sent those bikers after you.”
    I let a silence hang over us, not sure if I should tell her the truth.
    She put her hand on mine. “I’d be mad too.”
    Her hand felt good. Still, I moved away from her. She was with me because she wanted to make a documentary. I was with her because of my brother. No sense fooling myself into believing that she liked me.
    â€œRadar?” she said quietly. “What is it?”
    Mothers pushing strollers walked toward us. In the background, elephants walked around doing what elephants do. Eating. Drinking. And...well, you know. The one I watched as I looked away from Mercedes could have filled a wheelbarrow. Things like that impress guys. Usually not girls. I kept my admiration to myself.
    â€œRadar?” she repeated.
    â€œHe’s not betraying me,” I said. “He’s betraying my parents.”
    She frowned. “But he told me your parents are...”
    â€œDead,” I said. “Gone. You don’t need to tiptoe around it.”
    She nodded. “How is he betraying them?”
    â€œWe grew up outside Vancouver,” I said. “Dad was a cop. In grade five, that’s all we knew about his job. Later we found out he was an undercover cop.”
    â€œSounds dangerous.”
    â€œA few years after he died, we learned he was trying to work his way into a biker gang that was moving drugs throughout the Lower Mainland.”
    â€œReally dangerous.”
    â€œYeah,” I said flatly. “It killed him. And my mother.”
    â€œBut Nate said—”
    â€œThat a cement truck hit their car?” I asked.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œIt did. What he probably didn’t tell you was that the driver had a criminal record and was known to be part of the gang that Dad was trying to crack.”
    â€œIt wasn’t an accident!”
    â€œNo,” I said, “but no one could prove it. The driver was charged with vehicular manslaughter and spent only six months in prison. Back with his friends in no time.”
    â€œOh,” she said very quietly.
    â€œYou understand now?” I said. “Nate’s working for the same kind of losers who killed our parents. That’s what hurts me.”
    â€œI’m so sorry,” she said.
    â€œNot your fault,” I said. “His choice.”
    â€œI’m sorry for you.”
    â€œDon’t feel sorry for me,” I said.
    â€œI don’t feel sorry
for
you. I’m sorry
with
you.”
    She was looking straight