Watcher in the Woods (Rockton #4)(119)

Garcia told me his target would have insinuated himself deep in the community, and that’s what Paul had done. He just hadn’t been able to fake full commitment to the task.

“Let’s negotiate,” I say.

“You’re in no position to do that,” Paul says. “You act like you can give orders, but you’re just Eric’s girl. You’re hot, and you’re into him, and he’s taking full advantage of that. As he should.”

I resist the urge to glance behind Paul, where I know Dalton is in the trees, rolling his eyes.

“Maybe,” I say, “or maybe I’m the one taking advantage. You can tell yourself I don’t have power here, but you know I do. As long as I share Eric’s bed, I have power—over him. I am in a position to negotiate, and you’ll get a better deal with me than you would with Eric.”

He doesn’t come back with a rejoinder, which means he sees my point.

“We’re going to trade hostages,” I say.

Paul snorts. “Yeah, no. This skinny kid can barely heave a hatchet. I’ve watched you fight.”

“Which is why I’m not offering to be your hostage.” I gesture, and his gaze moves to Nicole.

“No,” I say and point his attention downward. “I’ll trade you Sebastian for that rifle. You take the gun and the knife, and you go. You run fast, and you run far. You might even get away.”

“I saw how well that worked for Oliver Brady. No, here’s my version of the deal. I keep this kid, and you give me the keys for the plane. Been a while since I’ve piloted, but I can manage it. I’ll let the kid go in Dawson. I know that’s the nearest town—I’ll find it and leave this kid there. I might even leave him alive, if he behaves—”

Sebastian starts to hyperventilate. “Oh God, no. Please don’t let him take me.” Tears spring to his eyes as his voice quavers. “I-I’m sorry. I just can’t do that. I’ll puke, or I’ll have a panic attack, and he’ll kill me. Give him someone else. Please.”

“For Christ’s sake,” Paul mutters. “Grow a damn backbone, kid, and—”

Sebastian’s fist shoots up. It smacks straight into the curve of Paul’s arm and knocks it away, the blade falling from his throat. I’m ready. The moment Sebastian started sniveling, I saw a setup. I leap. I’m already flying along the path, and Dalton is doing the same from the other side. Sebastian already has Paul by the arm, twisting, and before either of us reaches them, Paul thuds to the ground, with Sebastian over him, knife at his throat.

“Don’t move,” Sebastian says.

There’s no anger in his voice. None in his face either. That’s where my gaze goes—to Sebastian’s face—because I must see his reaction. I must look into his eyes. I do, and I don’t see rage. I don’t see excitement either. The expression on Sebastian’s face is the same one he might give a kid who accidentally bumped him in the school hallway, mild annoyance, the understanding that these things happen, and it’d just better not happen again.

When Paul tries to stand, Sebastian’s hand never wavers. He lets Paul rise right into the blade, the tip piercing his skin.

Sebastian says nothing. Does nothing. He just watches Paul with that same dead-eyed look.

“We have this, Sebastian,” I say. “Go on back to town with the others.”

The young man doesn’t hesitate. He nods and gets off Paul. After handing Dalton the knife, he joins the others. They start slowly back to town, glancing at us as they go.

We wait until they’re gone. Then Dalton says, “Paul? You’re under arrest for the murder of Mark Garcia. Get up and put your hands on your head . . .”





FORTY-EIGHT

Paul may have laughed at the idea that Garcia came back to arrest him. I believe that, though. I have no idea how he’d turn Paul over without losing his job, but I can’t imagine he came all the way up here to ask for more money. He cut a deal with a killer, and he regretted it. He tried to make that right. I know he did.

As for how we’ll make things right . . .

The council can do nothing about Mark Garcia. We discuss ideas—put his body in the woods closer to Dawson City, to at least give his family closure. Anything we do, though, would only make the situation worse. Garcia must vanish.

It turns out he was on leave from the marshals for a disciplinary action, and so no one knew he’d come up here. He has an ex-wife and two kids he hasn’t seen in years. According to his will, everything goes to those kids, including the investments he’s been holding, the ones that confirm his payout from Paul. His family won’t get his body back—or any answers—but at least they’ll have the money when he’s declared legally dead. It’ll have to do.

We now know how Garcia got here. He knew about Rockton, and he facilitated Paul’s arrival through a third party. He figured out that we flew through Dawson, and he arranged the rest from here. There’s no leak we need to plug—this only highlights concerns Dalton has been raising for years, like using the local airport. After this the council agrees to his demands on that.

Paul will be shipped out when we take April home to collect her things. Someone from the council will meet us in Whitehorse and take him from there. He’ll be given a new identity and access to his remaining funds. Yes, that seems like rewarding him for murder, but the council needs leverage to buy his silence about Rockton. If he says anything, they’ll make sure he pays for what he did. Until then, he’s free. It’s not fair, but it’s what’s best for Rockton.