Inevitable Detour (Inevitability Book 1)(41)

There is still so much I don’t know. But Farren knows. He’s obviously deeply involved, as is his friend Rick. How else would they have all this inside information? Besides the time they spent working together on special-ops missions, Farren and Rick obviously still work as a team for someone now. But who employs them? And why? What’s the real endgame here?

Farren glances over at me. He’s painfully beautiful as the sun shines on him through the windshield. God, you’re stunning, I think. But I can’t afford distraction right now. I want an answer.

I again ask, “What would’ve happened to your sister in Mexico, Farren?”

A muscle twitches in his jaw. “Let’s just say bad things, Essa. Very bad things.”

I’m exasperated. “Please, Farren, you have to give me something more. Like, how do you know all this stuff? Don’t I deserve some answers? I mean, even after…” My voice cracks.

I feel close to him. How could he not feel close to me as well? But if that were true, he’d give me more, right?

“I just don’t know,” I mumble.

“Don’t know what?” he asks, his patience growing thin.

“I thought we were getting close.” I stare out the side window. “That’s all.”

His hand goes to my knee. “We are getting close, sweetheart.”

I misunderstand him and snap defensively, “I meant beyond the physical stuff.”

He swiftly withdraws his hand from my knee and says sharply, “I was referring to things beyond the physical stuff, Essalin.”

“Oh.” Now, I feel like an ass.

A long moment passes. Farren sighs and takes off his sunglasses. He says, “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get angry with you.”

“I’m sorry, too,” I reply, my tone truly apologetic. “I made an assumption.”

“That’s okay,” he says.

“Yeah, but you know what they say when you go and ‘assume’ something.”

Farren makes a chuffing sound. He knows I’m trying to lighten things up. Smiling, he says, “Yeah, best not to assume. It makes an ass out of u and me.”

We both start laughing, and when things settle, he sighs and says, “You’ve been very patient, Essa. And I know I should be more forthcoming with y—”

“Farren,” I interrupt, my eyes lowering to my lap. “You don’t have to tell me anything. I’m good.”

His hand returns to my knee, and he says, “But I want to tell you, Essa. I really do.”

And that is how, somewhere near Amarillo, Texas, I find out what it is that Farren really does.

“After I was discharged from the military,” he begins, “I was approached by a man named Barnes, Mr. Quinton Barnes.”

Farren quiets after he reveals his employer’s name. I’m also silent, contemplating. I know I’ve heard that name before. In a business context, I’m sure of it. But I can’t think of where.

It comes to me, though, when Farren says, “Mr. Barnes is a very wealthy man, very powerful, with connections all over the world.”

“I’ve heard of him,” I tell Farren excitedly. “I read about Quinton Barnes in Business Studies, freshman year.”

“I’m not surprised you’ve heard of him,” Farren replies. “He’s a very successful businessman.”

“He’s private, though, right?” I say. “I think I remember reading that he made his fortune later in life and that he’s always been somewhat of a recluse.”

Farren appears surprised that I recall such detail. Suddenly, and inexplicably devoid of emotion, he states, “Yeah, that’s right.”

Weird.

“So,” I say brightly, trying to lighten the mood. “Mr. Barnes is super powerful and wealthy. What did he want from you?”

“It’s something he still wants, Essa,” Farren says flatly.

“And that is…” I prompt.

“He wants something all the power and wealth in the world can never give him.”

“What does that mean?” I softly inquire.

Farren hesitates, and for a moment I think he’s going to say something pertaining to himself. But then he simply says, “It means he wants justice for his daughter.”

“And you can give it to him?”

“Yes”—he levels me with an intense stare—“I can.”

His eyes return to the road, and I ask, “Why does he want justice for his daughter?” Justice only you can give, I add in my head. “What happened to her?”

Farren shoots me a sidelong glance. “Are you sure you want to know?”

I take a breath then exhale. “Yeah, I want to know.”

“His daughter was kidnapped, abused, tortured, sold into sexual slavery, and, eventually, murdered.”

Holy hell. “Good God.”

“The men who kidnapped her are part of the same organization that took Haven. It’s all part of something big, Essa, something very big. Eric and Vincent work for that organization. Their job is to kidnap women, girls even. They generally prey on runaways, people with no ties to anyone. But that’s not always the case.”

“Is this like something mob related?” I question.