Darkness at the Edge of Town (Iris Ballard #2)(93)

I bridged the gap between us and hugged my brother. He hugged me back. “I do love you, you know? We all do. You mean so much to so many people, Billy. Please take care of yourself. If you feel something’s wrong, no matter how little or crazy you may think you’re being, get out. Get out fast. Here.” I took a step back and removed a phone from my purse. We’d bought it at a gas station on the way. “This has my number, Luke’s, Hancock’s, the house. Call me. Call any of us. You are no good to your baby in prison or dead. Be smart. Be brave.” I kissed his cheek and squeezed him once more. “Please come with us. We’ll figure out the rest later. Please don’t do this.”

My brother kissed my head. “I’m so sorry about what I said to you yesterday. I didn’t really—”

“I know.” I kissed his cheek again. “I know. I forgive you. I love you.”



“Please reconsider,” Luke said.

Billy pulled away. “You guys better get out of here. There was talk of shooting trespassers on sight.”

“Billy, that—”

Billy kissed my head again. “I’ll be fine. Nothing’s going to happen, okay? Just go. Everyone’s on edge. Be careful.”

“I was just about to say the same to you. If anything feels wrong, anything…you run,” I whispered, voice quivering along with my chin. “Promise me. Promise.”

“I-I promise.”

“Iris…” Luke said behind me.

I took a step back, then another, then felt Luke take my arm to help me the rest of the way. At the door I turned around. “Don’t let him know we were here,” I said. “Don’t let him think you’re anything but loyal. Not for a millisecond.”

“I won’t.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too, Smarty Pants. Go.”

Luke tugged on my arm again and practically yanked me out of the trailer. I didn’t want to let my brother out of my sight. But I had no choice. The fear that I’d never set eyes on him again hit me the moment the trailer door shut. That time I really did need Luke’s arm around me. I’d failed. Again. “You didn’t fail, Iris,” Luke whispered, as always reading my mind. “You got through to him. He listened. He’s on his guard. That’s something.”

“Not enough,” I whispered back, voice still trembling a little.



We began ambling toward the garden, where people had returned to slave duty. I was glad I had an excuse not to look at them. My brother’s eyes were a little more open, but what about the rest of those people? They were going to follow that sociopath off a cliff like lemmings. Even if I shouted at them all I knew about their guru, they wouldn’t listen. I could litter the compound with his rap sheet and they’d think it was all doctored. I burrowed deeper into Luke’s chest and held on tighter.

But sadness and helplessness quickly gave way to terror with two words:

“Iris Ballard!”

Luke kept walking, but I froze for a moment when I heard that man’s voice. “Just keep walking,” Luke whispered.

“I know it’s you! Hey!”

Luke stopped when the speaker grabbed his shoulder. We were caught. Luke released me as we both spun around to face him. Paul. Gone was the goo-goo-eyed boy from the parties, and in his stead was a scowling, huffing man ready to fight. “Paul…” I said.

“You have a lot of nerve coming back here,” he seethed.

“I know. I’m looking for Billy. That’s it. That’s all. I’m not here to cause trouble. I just—”

“You brought in the FBI and DEA to arrest us.”

“I didn’t! The DEA’s been onto Mathias for months. I had nothing to do with it,” I said.

“You’re a lying bitch.”

“I’m not. Paul,” I said, stepping toward him. I touched his arm. “Listen to me. Mathias is not who he says he is. He’s a career con artist and drug smuggler. He is using you.”



“Using me?” he asked incredulously.

I kept going. “He is going to sell you out, just like that couple did before. You are a good, sweet person, Paul. You are. You deserve better than to be manipulated by a psychopath. Come with us. Right now. Tell me where my brother is, let me talk to him, and we can all leave before it’s too late. I-I’ll help you get on your feet. I meant everything I said the other evening. You have more to offer than you think. Don’t waste that energy on Mathias.”

His brown eyes appraised me coldly, harshly, and I knew he hadn’t heard a damn word. “You’re one to talk about using people, Carol. You lied to me, then you used what I told you to sic the cops on us right after you fucked me—”

“What? I never fucked you!” I cut in.

“Now you’re lying about it because you don’t want your boyfriend here to know you cheated on him.”

“We never—”

Paul stared straight into Luke’s eyes. “She likes to nibble when she kisses. My lower lip is still sore.”

Fuck. I looked at Luke, who remained mostly stoic save for his eyes. They strained at the corners a little. “Fine. We kissed for all of ten seconds when I got swept up in the moment, but that is all. I stopped it before it went any further—I swear on Hayden’s grave.”