Darkness at the Edge of Town (Iris Ballard #2)(73)

His end was silent by the end of my monologue. My gut grew tighter with every passing second. I’d studied for decades how to anticipate what people would say or do next. To get into their psyche. In those horrid seconds, I had no idea what would happen next. “Luke?” I whispered. “Please say something.”

“I’m just, I’m…”

I closed my eyes. “Go on, say it.”

He sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this before?”

“I didn’t want you to worry. I thought I could handle it.”

“You didn’t me want to…” He paused. “You lied to known cultists. You went into hostile territory without backup. Fuck worrying me.” I’d really pissed him off if he was swearing. “God knows what could have happened to you.”

“I wasn’t in danger, Luke.”

“You weren’t in…That bastard threatened you.”

“Not with violence.”

“Yet. You went into your meeting blind. You knew nothing about him. He could have multiple murders on his record.”

“It’s my brother, Luke,” I whispered. “He has my brother.”

“Your life is just as important as his.”

“Says the man who was shot three times to rescue me,” I pointed out.

He was quiet again. “What are you going to do?”

I sniffled. “Go home? What can I do? He threatened my grandparents. He threatened you.”

“An idle threat. There have been rumors for years about that night. He has no proof. The case was closed. And with what we just accomplished with Shepherd, the FBI won’t want to reopen it. It’d be our word against some cult leader already under investigation. What did your grandparents say?”



“They want Billy home. Safe. No matter the cost. What else would they say?”

“At least we know where you inherited your chivalry streak from,” Luke said. “Okay, what do you want to do?”

“Want?” I chuckled wryly. “I want to sleep in my own bed. I want to hug my dog. I never want to see this fucking town again.”

“Right,” he said curtly. “So you’re leaving?”

“That was the plan.” I scoffed. “Until the DEA threatened my friend. Seems to be the theme of the day.” I flopped my head back on the headrest. “What did this Carmichael guy say to you?”

“He wanted to know if you were working a case on The New Morning Movement for the FBI. I checked; the FBI has nothing on them whatsoever. Then he asked me to call and get you to drop it. You really pissed him off, Iris.”

“So what else is new?” I sighed. “So what should I do? I promised Hancock I’d sort this out. I have to sort this out, Luke. I can’t fail another person. I can’t.”

“Okay, what you’re going to do is call Carmichael and set up an appointment today to compare notes. Just make sure the appointment is after four thirty. My GPS says I won’t be in Pittsburgh until four.”

I sat up straight. “Wait, what?”

“I just crossed into Pennsylvania, and there shouldn’t be traffic, but—”



“Are-Are you coming here? Right now? Luke, that’s insane. Turn around. You don’t have to—”

“This Carmichael is bound to be more malleable if you’re with a member of the FBI. And I actually know the ASAC in that office. He’s an old friend of my father’s. I just wanted to speak to you before I called him. He—”

“Luke, turn around. What about work?”

“I took a half day today and took tomorrow off already. I have four weeks of vacation days and comp time saved up if I need to take it.”

“You…This. This is why I didn’t want you to know. I didn’t want you to drop everything to ride in and save me. Remember what happened last time?”

“Yeah. We stopped a serial killer,” he countered.

“This is my mess, Luke. Mine.”

“And you dropped everything two months ago to help me clean up mine. That’s what we do, Iris. Partners, remember? Family? I’m coming. We’ll speak to this Carmichael and go from there.” He paused. “We’ll figure this out, okay? Together. I don’t want to hear another word about it. I’m going to be at that office no matter what. So just say, ‘Thank you, Luke.’?”

Fresh tears sprung into my eyes. “Thank you, Luke,” I whispered.

“Call me as soon as you have an appointment time. See you soon. Bye.” He hung up.

More tears fell, but for the first time that day they weren’t from fury or hopelessness, they were from relief. It was as if three hundred pounds had lifted from my body and soul. There was hope. It still might not work out, I still might have failed, but at least there was a chance.



I immediately called the curt Agent Carmichael and set up an appointment for four thirty to hand over all my notes and recordings, then called Luke to confirm the time before starting my car and driving back home. I rang the doorbell, and when Grandma opened it, I said, “I’m sorry” and hugged her. She’s always initiated the hugs, so she stood tense for a moment before hugging me back. I looked over her shoulder to my stoic grandfather standing in the living room. “I’m so sorry.”