Slow Agony (Assassins, #2)(48)

Last Christmas, when I’d come to see Griffin’s family, she’d made me feel right at home, like I belonged. I hugged her back. “I’m so sorry, Beverly. We’re going to get Christa back.”

She ushered us into her kitchen, which was immaculate. Perhaps she’d been cleaning to ward off her worry. Or maybe she simply hadn’t bothered to come inside this room.

“Ma, you gotta tell me what happened,” said Griffin. “Everything.”

“Sit down,” she said, pointing to the cherry-wood table. “Are you two hungry?”

“Never mind that,” said Griffin. “Christa’s been taken by a crazed man. How can you think about food?”

Beverly looked hurt. “I’m doing what I can. I don’t know where your sister is. I’m losing my mind here. But if you were hungry, I could fix you something to eat. That’s something I could do.”

I put my hand on her arm. “It’s okay. Griffin’s only worried.”

“We’re not hungry,” said Griffin.

She patted my hand. “And you, sweetie?”

I shook my head.

“What happened?” said Griffin again.

Beverly sat down at the table. She took a deep breath. “Well, I told you most of it. Christa went out last night. She’s practically graduated from high school at this point. Only two more weeks. So I haven’t been paying as much attention to where she goes or what she does. She’s eighteen for goodness’ sake. Lord knows, I’m not going to give an eighteen-year-old a curfew.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “This isn’t your fault.”

“So she went out last night?” he said.

She nodded, biting her lip. “And I don’t know where she was going.” She burst into tears.

“Ma...” He put his arm around her. “Don’t cry. It’s going to be okay. It probably doesn’t matter where she was last night. She’s probably not there now.”

“Oh, Lord,” she said. “Where is she, then?”

“If I knew that,” he said, “I’d be there getting her back, now, wouldn’t I?”

“Oh, Griffin,” she said. “I don’t want you hurt. I thought I lost you once, and I couldn’t take it if I lost you again.”

Op Wraith had told Griffin’s family that he was dead, even though they had given him the serum and were training him to be an assassin. Beverly had been certain that her son was gone for years. When Griffin found her again, he told her that he’d been in a coma and that there had been a mix up in the hospital about his identity. He couldn’t find her until after he woke up. Of course, that was a lie. But Griffin didn’t want his mother knowing about Op Wraith. He didn’t want her put in danger because of it.

“I won’t get hurt,” he said. “I’m tough, Ma. So, when did you get the call?”

“Last night,” she said. “Around midnight.”

“Did the caller identify himself?”

“No.” She shook her head. “All he said was that he had Christa, and he was going to hurt her unless I got you to come home.”

“Nothing else?”

“Only not to tell the police.”

Griffin swore under his breath.

“You watch your mouth, young man.” She glared at him.

“Sorry,” he said.

“Did he call again?” I asked.

“No,” she said. “I spent all last night and this morning calling every number I’ve ever had for you, Griffin, and none of them worked.”

“I’ve been having to lay low ‘cause of this guy,” he said. “Sorry, but I thought if you were in touch with me, it would put you in danger.”

“Not being in touch with you almost killed your sister. If you hadn’t called me, she’d be dead.”

“I don’t get it,” Griffin muttered. “He wants me home? I’m home. Now what?”

I wasn’t sure. Marcel hadn’t dealt fair with us so far. And between him and Wolfman, they were proving to be careless with other people who were involved. Naomi and the girl from the bar were both dead because they’d been too close to us.

“He didn’t leave you anyway to contact him?” I said.

“No, or I would have told him that I couldn’t get a hold of Griffin.”

I thought of Marcel with the gun to Naomi’s head. It was like a cold hand had grabbed my spine. “He wouldn’t have cared.”

Abruptly, there was the sound of the front door opening.

We all froze.

“Who is that, Ma?” Griffin murmured.

“I don’t...”

“You two stay back,” he said. He took out the gun he carried and crept out of the kitchen.

It was quiet.

Beverly and I looked at each other. Her face was full of terror. My heart was in my throat.

What if something happened to Griffin? Would I be able to protect his mother?

“Jesus, Griffin, you scared me,” said a young female voice.

Beverly’s eyes widened. “Christa?” She scurried out of the kitchen.

I followed her.

I was just in time to see Griffin’s sister being squeezed by both her brother and her mother.