him.
They watched as Wayneâs car and Wayne himself burned.
The flames were intense enough that Crowe suspected they were fueled by more than the violence of the crash into the canyon.
âHe was fucking crazy.â Archer sounded shocked. âYou know he patched me as well as that news helicopter into that call, donât you?â
Crowe hadnât known that. He was damned glad he hadnât said more to Wayne.
âThen you heard his confession?â Crowe stated.
âMe and every person watching on television,â Archer agreed.
What did it matter? It was over now.
The Slasher was dead.
âNash and John are on their way,â Archer said. âJohnâs going to be glad itâs over. Maybe now he can relax and stop killing himself trying to watch over two sisters heâs terrified he canât protect effectively.â
Amelia being one of those sisters. Hell, it was hard to believe the undercover agent was actually a son to the bastard.
âYeah, it will be a hell of a relief,â Crowe agreed.
It just didnât feel right, and he couldnât figure out why.
The hairs on the back of his neck rose while a sense of foreboding had his shoulders tensing. Something wasnât right.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Wayne watched the vehicle burn. Somber, regretful.
Heâd imagined one day getting to know the cousin now burning in the car he had rigged with an explosive.
As far as the cousin had known, he was being paid simply to draw Crowe up the pass where Wayne could assassinate him. Heâd been more than eager to take the job, no matter the risks, just to have the money to pay the medical bills from his daughterâs illness.
The other man hadnât even suspected what was coming.
Wayne had helped him don the latex mask that ensured Crowe would believe he was chasing Wayne. He had then given him precise orders.
Orders that had been followed implicitly.
Hell, maybe he should have considered partnering with that cousin rather than Thomas Jones all those years ago. Wayne had a feeling heâd have been the perfect partner if heâd chosen him before the birth of his daughter sixteen years before. Unfortunately, he had cared so much about that daughter that he hadnât considered the drawbacks or possible deceptions.
It had been too late to change the plan, though.
No one knew about the cousin, Jimmy Bowers, or his connection to Wayne. The manâs DNA would be close enough to Wayneâs to get the FBI off his ass, hopefully.
At least long enough for Wayne to take care of his daughters and Crowe Callahan.
Him and those arrogant cousins of his.
His only regret was Amelia.
Had she simply stayed away from Crowe as heâd warned her to do, then she would have been safe. Had she not betrayed him for Crowe, then Wayne would have just let her be after Amoryâs betrayal.
She could have lived.
But he couldnât allow her to live now. Not after a Callahan had defiled her body. Still, if he wasnât mistaken, he knew his enemyâs greatest weakness. He only wished heâd known earlier how much his daughter had meant to the other man over the years.
Wayne knew how to destroy Crowe Callahan now.
Heâd seen it in the recorded broadcasts of the news stories. Heâd heard it in the bastardâs voice.
Crowe was in love with Amelia, whether he realized it or not. Taking her from Crowe would destroy him.
Â
CHAPTER 3
Wayne was dead.
Or so it appeared.
Leaning forward in the large, dark leather chair, Amelia watched the chase up Corbin Pass for what had to be the hundredth time since it had actually occurred six hours before.
Eyes narrowed, she focused on the tan sedan as the news helicopter recorded its race up the mountain.
From the moment Sheriff Archer Tobias had called in the sighting of the suspected serial rapist and murderer, chaos had reigned. News helicopters, reporters, and journalists had flooded Corbin County,
They watched as Wayneâs car and Wayne himself burned.
The flames were intense enough that Crowe suspected they were fueled by more than the violence of the crash into the canyon.
âHe was fucking crazy.â Archer sounded shocked. âYou know he patched me as well as that news helicopter into that call, donât you?â
Crowe hadnât known that. He was damned glad he hadnât said more to Wayne.
âThen you heard his confession?â Crowe stated.
âMe and every person watching on television,â Archer agreed.
What did it matter? It was over now.
The Slasher was dead.
âNash and John are on their way,â Archer said. âJohnâs going to be glad itâs over. Maybe now he can relax and stop killing himself trying to watch over two sisters heâs terrified he canât protect effectively.â
Amelia being one of those sisters. Hell, it was hard to believe the undercover agent was actually a son to the bastard.
âYeah, it will be a hell of a relief,â Crowe agreed.
It just didnât feel right, and he couldnât figure out why.
The hairs on the back of his neck rose while a sense of foreboding had his shoulders tensing. Something wasnât right.
*Â Â Â *Â Â Â *
Wayne watched the vehicle burn. Somber, regretful.
Heâd imagined one day getting to know the cousin now burning in the car he had rigged with an explosive.
As far as the cousin had known, he was being paid simply to draw Crowe up the pass where Wayne could assassinate him. Heâd been more than eager to take the job, no matter the risks, just to have the money to pay the medical bills from his daughterâs illness.
The other man hadnât even suspected what was coming.
Wayne had helped him don the latex mask that ensured Crowe would believe he was chasing Wayne. He had then given him precise orders.
Orders that had been followed implicitly.
Hell, maybe he should have considered partnering with that cousin rather than Thomas Jones all those years ago. Wayne had a feeling heâd have been the perfect partner if heâd chosen him before the birth of his daughter sixteen years before. Unfortunately, he had cared so much about that daughter that he hadnât considered the drawbacks or possible deceptions.
It had been too late to change the plan, though.
No one knew about the cousin, Jimmy Bowers, or his connection to Wayne. The manâs DNA would be close enough to Wayneâs to get the FBI off his ass, hopefully.
At least long enough for Wayne to take care of his daughters and Crowe Callahan.
Him and those arrogant cousins of his.
His only regret was Amelia.
Had she simply stayed away from Crowe as heâd warned her to do, then she would have been safe. Had she not betrayed him for Crowe, then Wayne would have just let her be after Amoryâs betrayal.
She could have lived.
But he couldnât allow her to live now. Not after a Callahan had defiled her body. Still, if he wasnât mistaken, he knew his enemyâs greatest weakness. He only wished heâd known earlier how much his daughter had meant to the other man over the years.
Wayne knew how to destroy Crowe Callahan now.
Heâd seen it in the recorded broadcasts of the news stories. Heâd heard it in the bastardâs voice.
Crowe was in love with Amelia, whether he realized it or not. Taking her from Crowe would destroy him.
Â
CHAPTER 3
Wayne was dead.
Or so it appeared.
Leaning forward in the large, dark leather chair, Amelia watched the chase up Corbin Pass for what had to be the hundredth time since it had actually occurred six hours before.
Eyes narrowed, she focused on the tan sedan as the news helicopter recorded its race up the mountain.
From the moment Sheriff Archer Tobias had called in the sighting of the suspected serial rapist and murderer, chaos had reigned. News helicopters, reporters, and journalists had flooded Corbin County,
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