Shattered (LOST #3)(78)

His eyes crinkled at the corners, as if he were fighting a smile. Was he proud because she’d caught his lie? His twist on the truth? “I guess she thought the mechanic would keep her safe from me,” he murmured.

“But you were never going after her.”

“Maybe, maybe not . . .”

She walked closer to him. The guards stiffened.

“Why?” Sarah asked him, hurt and desperate. “Why did you tell Jax all of this?” He’d destroyed Jax in that room, and she’d been helpless to stop Jax’s pain.

“A man with blond hair . . . a man with blue eyes . . . a man who wants vengeance . . . sweetheart, didn’t you see he was right in front of you? And he used fire . . . fire.” He shook his head. “I was pushing him because you needed to see past the mask he was showing you. He’s the one messing with your head. He’s the one trying to kill you.”

“No, he was there with me when Molly Guthrie vanished. He was—”

“He knew I didn’t kill his mother. He knew it. Think about it. He lived with her his whole life. She told him about me. And he found out about you. Now he’s trying to get his payback. He wants to hurt you, he wants to wreck you because of what I did.” His shackled hands lifted, as if he’d touch her. “But you’re my one good thing. Even I . . . I couldn’t destroy you. I couldn’t make you . . . like me.”

He was still lying about Jax. He had to be lying.

“Run from him. Get away fast. Because that man out there, he will shatter you. And when you’re gone, he knows that I’ll be . . .” His words trailed away. “There will be nothing for me then.”

His hands were between then. Once, she’d always linked her fingers with his. He’d tucked her in. He’d hugged her when she was scared.

“Nobody hurts my baby girl,” he said, his expression hard. “I knew when I saw him . . . he’s the one . . . I have to protect you from him.”

Sarah backed away from him.

His hands fell.

And Sarah became very, very cold.

“I need a name,” Sarah told him. “If you really killed Jax’s biological father, then tell me his name.” So she could check out this story. Find out if it was bullshit or the truth.

Her father’s head cocked to the right as he studied her. “Carl Winston.”

The guards led him away. The clang of that door shutting behind her father seemed incredibly loud. Sarah reached down for her phone, but then she remembered it was gone. She’d had to turn in her phone and keys and everything else she carried when she entered the prison. She couldn’t call Gabe or Victoria right then, but, God, she needed them.

Because for the first time in years, Sarah was lost.





Chapter 15

HE WAS WAITING FOR SARAH OUTSIDE THE prison. Jax had been pacing, anger pumping through his blood, but when he saw Sarah, he stopped.

She hesitated, just for an instant, then she came toward him. Her steps were slow, almost hesitant.

“Did you know?” Jax demanded. Everywhere he looked, Jax could have sworn that he saw red. He couldn’t breathe because the rage was choking him. For so long, he’d thought he hadn’t been wanted, but now . . .

They couldn’t come for me because that bastard in there killed them! He wrecked my life. Took away everything from me!

“No,” Sarah said softly. “He . . . I still don’t know all of his victims. That’s why I have to keep coming back. If I come back, he tells me a little more.” Sarah was standing a few feet away from him and her gaze as it slid over him—was that fear in her eyes?

For an instant, he didn’t care that she was afraid. “Your father killed my family.”

“Jax . . .”

He stalked toward her. Grabbed her shoulders. Held her tight. “He killed them!” And his head seemed to be about to burst. His temples were pounding. The memories were erupting from the recesses of his mind, like Murphy had unlocked some sick, twisted door in his head. “I was in the closet—I could smell the smoke! The fucking smoke!” His hold tightened on her. “Your father! He did this! He—”

He let her go. Stared at Sarah in shock. He’d been about to shake her. What if he’d hurt her? Sarah?

“I don’t know what’s true,” Sarah said. His voice had been sharp with fury. Hers was soft with sadness. “Not yet. I have to call my team. We’ll find out what’s really happening.”

Jax rubbed his head. The pounding felt as if his head were exploding then. And he kept hearing a voice, a voice saying . . .

If I’m dead, he won’t search for us. You have to forget who we were. Do you understand? Forget! Forget for Mommy . . .

He drove the balls of his hands into his eyes. “No.”

Forget . . . Mommy . . .

“No!” Jax roared as his hands jerked down.

Sarah backed up.

Fear was on her face. Guards were running up behind her. “Is there a problem here?” one of them demanded.

Jax glared at them. “Let’s go, Sarah.” They needed to be alone. He had to figure out what was happening. He needed to know—

“You go, Jax.” She tossed the rental keys to him. “I’ll find my own way back.”

His fingers fisted around the key. “Sarah?”