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  “Be an agent,” he yelled after her.

  Chapter 68

  Angel skid to a dusty stop back at the darkened house. The electricity was still off. She wondered if Earl found out about the stash of pictures. After resolving this situation, she intended to contact Paulette and make a trip out to the mansion. That was the only logical place to search at this point. A black Audi was in the front yard.

  She entered the unlocked door with her Glock drawn just in case. The house inside was just as hot as outside. Moonlight illuminated her grandmother’s brother as he sat next to a window with a glass of alcohol. Another large man stood in the corner holding an assault rifle.

  “You don’t pay your electric? It’s eighty degrees in here.”

  “Uncle Earl.” She relaxed her hold on the weapon but kept it ready. “Why did you summon me?”

  “Don’t mind Barry there. He’s with me. You can put that away.”

  “Someone cut my power. What’s going on?” Angel sat in a chair facing her uncle but kept glancing at the bearded guard with dead eyes.

  Earl indicated the liquor cabinet. “Helped myself. Hope you don’t mind.”

  Angel glanced at the bottle. “Cold Duck?”

  “Lorna’s favorite. It’ll do.”

  She waited for her uncle to initiate.

  He took a long look at the glass. “Everyone knows the Blondeaux clan had something to do with the missing bus in some form or another. It was a secret that many people kept - still keep - to protect those that might get prosecuted.”

  “You, Trevor, and Paulette, by my count.”

  He finished the shot. “I would’ve been happy going to my grave with this information. But old age – no – one’s imminent mortality changes things.”

  “You want to unburden yourself. I can protect you. The Bureau will.”

  He spoke serenely. “I’m going to tell you what you want to know. And then I’m going to answer to my God for what I’ve done.”

  “Quicksand, right? I know my real father is Simon Hill.”

  “You figured it out?”

  “Not the details.”

  “So many places I could start.” He held out his glass to fill. “Doug and Rob had been paired with Lorna and your momma. As you know, arranged marriages weren’t questioned. These two were chosen in haste because of the pregnancies.”

  She poured a whiskey. “I know the rapes culminated with me, Lucy May and Bobby.”

  He took the glass. “Rape. We all thought the situation was one thing, but it was something else entirely. We made a mistake, and it was Rob who made it clear what really happened. But too late. Way too late.”

  “My dad knows what happened to those boys?”

  “Your dad – Rob – is the reason your real father survived that day – the reason he still lives today.”

  Chapter 69

  Thirty years ago

  Earl keenly observed Doug, Zeke, and Rob’s reaction to the young boy falling to the ground, dead. Doug made the sign of the cross. Zeke stared in amazement. Rob turned green in the moonlight, placing his hand over his mouth.

  Welcome to the family, boys.

  Earl pointed his gun at the next kid’s head as Paulette attempted to interrogate the frightened boy. Paulette asked about his participation in the rapes and which of her daughters he defiled. He was too distraught to answer.

  “Wait,” Rob said, diverting everyone’s attention. “I can’t let this happen.”

  “Buck up, boy,” Earl commanded. “It’s happening.”

  “It wasn’t a date rape party.” Rob looked to each of them. “It wasn’t rape,” he repeated.

  Zeke and Doug glanced at each other as if they knew that information. Everyone stayed frozen, except Paulette, who strode to Rob with purpose. She was like a four-star general getting in a private’s face. Earl stepped closer to hear.

  Paulette stood a foot away from him. “Explain.”

  Rob’s voice shook. “Mable confessed what really happened. There was no rape. You can’t kill these boys for something they didn’t do.”

  “My girls willingly had sex with three of these boys?” Her head cocked. “They consented? They lied?”

  Rob stood tall. His jaw clenched. “Lorna convinced Mable and Izzy to make a pregnancy pact.”

  “A pregnancy pact? What the hell are you talking about, boy?” Earl asked.

  Rob’s eyes darted back and forth. “Lorna convinced them they could raise their babies together, without fathers. They just had to get pregnant at the same time. She said they were on the same cycle. They timed it. You know Mable and Izzy. They looked up to Lorna. They’d jump off a cliff for her.”

  “That’s a ridiculous story,” Paulette hissed.

  Doug said, “I heard about these pregnancy pacts in the news. It was a hot story. I remember praying for those girls.”

  “But why?” Earl asked.

  Doug continued, “These young girls all decide to get pregnant at the same time to raise their babies together. Your girls are so close. That’s probably where she got this stupid idea.”

  Rob nodded. “After they realized what they did, they regretted it. They were so scared of what you’d do. They took the blame off themselves by claiming rape. Mable said it was all Lorna’s plan.”

  “Why would Mable confess this to you?” Paulette asked.

  “She didn’t.” Rob swallowed. “I overheard them talking one night when they were drinking. I confronted Mable.”

  Paulette stayed silent for a moment. Her fists worked against her thighs while turning toward the quivering boys. Some had fallen to the ground, unable to stand. The Blondeauxs on guard were waiting patiently.

  “It appears we’ve been given misleading information,” she said to the group. “It’s very good news for you. All I want to know is which three of you had sex with my daughters? I understand now they were willing participants, and I don’t blame you. However, I do need to know who the fathers are. No one else here needs to die tonight. Speak up!”

  The players looked at each other sheepishly. One boy raised his hand slowly. “Lorna wanted to. It wasn’t my idea, honestly.”

  Paulette spoke in a comforting tone. “I know that now, son. Come stand over here. Who else? C’mon, the sooner you say, the sooner we send you home.”

  “How do we know you won’t just kill us?” He was a bigger kid, obviously one of the alphas.

  Paulette stepped to him. “Because young man. We’re going to make a deal here tonight. If any of you boys point the finger at any Blondeaux, we will make sure each of your family members will pay the price. Do you understand that? We are the law. There is no way on God’s green earth the police or FBI or CIA will be able to keep your loved ones safe. Do we have an agreement?”

  “What about Stevie?” He pointed at the dead player.

  “He never got on the bus. That’s all you have to say.”

  Earl forced himself not to laugh at that ridiculous story. But the boys would agree to anything to save their lives.

  Paulette clapped her hands together. “Well?” They all agreed by nodding almost in unison. Paulette smiled. “Good. Now, who are the other two fathers?”

  The two boys standing side by side raised their hands, glancing at each other. Their faces were wet and red from sobbing. They stepped forward when Paulette motioned for them. “Stand by your friend there. Alright, take the rest of the boys home. Get them back on the bus.”

  All but three players had filed out, leaving Earl, Paulette, Doug, Zeke, and Rob. The prison walls towered above them.

  Paulette said, “Find out who’s who, and I’ll meet you back at the bulldozer. And for everyone here, Rob didn’t say a word. Do you understand?” She walked out of the courtyard.

  Earl faced the boys. “You son. Give me your name and which Blondeaux daughter.”

  “Frank Boyle,” he said meekly. “Izzy.”

  Earl pointed at the next boy.

  “Howard Patterson. Lorna.”


  The last boy said, “Simon Hill. Mable.”

  Doug howled like a wounded animal, jumping on Howard Patterson, the boy who impregnated Lorna. No one intervened as Doug pounded on the boy until he stopped moving. He jumped to his feet, panting like a rabid dog. Doug snatched Wyatt’s gun, firing it into Howard’s stomach for good measure.

  Earl swung his gun back and forth at the two remaining boys. “Zeke. Your turn.”

  Frank turned to run, but Zeke fired two shots, hitting him in the back after just a few feet. One final shot ended his life. “Bastard.”

  “Oh, Jesus,” Simon Hill muttered. “I don’t want to die.”

  Earl presented the boy like a prize in a game show. “Rob.”

  Rob’s hands shook. He raised his gun slightly, then let it drop. “I can’t do it. I can’t kill him.”

  Earl looked at him incredulously. “Are you shitting me? This man put his seed in your future bride. You’re going to marry in a matter of weeks, knowing this boy had her before you did. You’ll be raising another man’s offspring.”

  “That ain’t his fault. He’s not a part of our world, Earl. He’s not… in this game.”

  “Game?” Earl questioned.

  “I’ll do it,” Doug muttered.

  “No,” Earl said, having calmed himself. “You boys take the bodies to the van and bring them to the location. Send Paulette back here. Rob and I need to have a talk.”

  Doug and Zeke dragged the two dead boys out of the exercise yard. Once he heard the van drive off, it was just the three of them. Earl forced Simon Hill onto his knees. “If you don’t want to kill this boy, then fine. You don’t have to.” Earl touched noses with Rob. He put his hand behind Rob’s neck. “But, from this moment forward, Simon Hill is your responsibility.”

  “What do you mean?” Rob asked.

  Earl backed off. “You remember when you had to take care of the egg for your class project a couple years ago? You were such a sissy with it. You made sure it didn’t break to get your grade. Simon Hill is your egg. It’s your job to hide him, and feed him, and keep him prisoner.”

  “Keep him here?”

  “I don’t give a shit! You have to feed him, bathe him, clean up his shit. Every – single - day.” Earl stood nose-to-nose while keeping his gun aimed at Simon. “This is how I’ll break your cherry, boy. You’ll be so sick of this responsibility, of the worry, I’ll bet you kill him within the week. But if this boy ever sees the light of day, I will personally peel your skin off your body like a grape. It will not be quick. Are we clear?”

  Rob swallowed hard. “We’re clear.”

  Chapter 70

  Earl finished his second whiskey. “Paulette was livid with me. But not a week after, she ordered Rob to keep him alive. She wanted to keep him alive.” Earl stared at the old pictures on Lorna’s wall after finishing his confession. He appeared to be a man who had finally achieved peace. He was almost sleepy.

  “My real father is still alive?” Angel repeated.

  “I have no idea if he’s still with us today. My hands were washed of that situation when I killed Doug seven years ago. She exiled me to Brockton.”

  “I can’t believe Paulette went along with that plan.”

  “She was so angry.” He pulled at his red nose. “She was convinced it was a way to control Rob, who, at eighteen, was already a big money earner running guns to the Cubans. People were scared of him, and he knew how to intimidate. I just wanted to teach him a lesson. Only Rob was diligent. Oh, Simon Hill almost lost his life many times over the years when Paulette or myself felt some heat. But as you got older and more rebellious, we figured we might use him against you one day.”

  “Where was he held all this time?”

  “The prison, in that single cell with the bars. We let him exercise and watch television. Read books. Up to seven years ago. When you came in town for Doug’s murder, Rob moved him to an abandoned crack house in the Trap. Paulette and Rob would know where he’s at now, if he’s alive.”

  “What about the rest of the team? Where are they buried?”

  He glared at her. “If you don’t mind, I don’t believe their graves should be disturbed.”

  “They’re on Lorna’s land, aren’t they? I have to see my dad – Rob.”

  “Rob’s in the wind. Either the clan has him, or he’s running. No one can find him. Or at least, my sources can’t.” Earl took considerate effort in standing. “I’m old, and I don’t care anymore.”

  “Where are you going? You can’t leave. I have to get you into protective custody so you can testify.”

  “I’ll never testify. I’m going home. And please don’t try to stop me. Barry here doesn’t care if you’re an agent. And get someone out here to get your air on.”

  There was nothing Angel could do but watch her Uncle Earl leave. Within the minute of his car driving off the property, she called Agent Ruby.

  “Sent you an audio file of my Uncle Earl.” Angel walked to the window, looking out.

  “What’d he say?”

  “It’s long. You need to listen to it. Bastard didn’t realize my phone was on.”

  “Great,” Ruby beamed. “I’ll bulldoze through it all tonight.”

  Angel paused. “Wait? Bulldoze.” Earl mentioned they met at the bulldozer.

  “Yeah?”

  “I gotta go.”

  Chapter 71

  Angel hurried to the Rock after hanging up with Agent Ruby, rushing from her darkened property. She eventually eased along Channel Road to the dead-end where a trailer sat in the fenced-in lot for Blondeaux Landscaping. Two posts held up a sign with their brand, much like an old west ranch. One powerful floodlight lit up the property.

  Beyond the trailer were a large greenhouse and white-domed structure sure to house plants and such. She could barely make out a residence situated behind a row of trees two hundred yards back. Only the porch light was on.

  No pedestrian vehicles were parked near the perimeter, or anywhere in sight for that matter. She retrieved the bolt cutters from the back of the truck. Once that barrier was down, she drove to the trailer, noting there was only one exit if things got hairy. The lock on the flimsy door of the double-wide was no match for a crowbar.

  A fragrant bouquet greeted her at the threshold. Potted flowers were everywhere. The office area was somewhat messy, but she didn’t expect to find any materials from thirty years ago out in the open. With her flashlight leading the way, she entered the room to the left, which was lined with tall filing cabinets. A cheap fold-out table in the center of the room held one random packet for a client, which was meaningless.

  Angel’s torch illuminated the dated tags on the front of the cabinets. Her line of sight traced back to the end cabinet. They apparently started cooking the books in 1946.

  It didn’t take long to find the drawers containing the landscaping jobs from the year the bus went missing. Her fingers flipped through the months, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. But what exactly was she looking for? There were many gardening jobs for new homes, with the occasional contract for business construction where they planned the landscape architecture.

  The cabinet drawer quietly closed and she went back one year earlier. The drawer was sparse. Her fingers walked through dates until finding a large discrepancy between April and July. The clients dropped off tremendously.

  There was only one job folder dedicated to that time frame. Inside that folder was a topographical map, much like the one Mark had in his office. She opened it on the table, shining her flashlight across a map of Lorna’s property.

  A discrepancy jumped out at her between that map and the one Mark Senn had shown her. Yes, right there. Earl’s secret of where those boys were buried would not remain a secret forever.

  The overhead light flashed on. “Hold it right there.”

  Angel saw a man wearing pajamas and pointing a rifle. He looked to be forty-something and deadly serious. She held up her hands. “I’m FBI Agent Angel Blondeaux.”
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  “I know who you are. You set off my alarm. What are you doing here?” His posture relaxed.

  “Put the rifle down. You’re not going to shoot me. What’s your name?”

  “Isaac. This is my business.”

  “I remember meeting your dad when I was a kid. Sorry he passed. I’m looking for some answers.”

  “Answers?” He let the rifle drop. “What kind of answers?”

  “You said I set off an alarm. Are the police coming?”

  He hesitated. “Nah. No one’s coming.”

  “I think I found what I was looking for, but can I ask you a few questions, Isaac?” Angel approached, pointing at two cheap chairs turned in toward one another.

  He still frowned, leaning the rifle against the nearest cabinet. “Of course, but you didn’t have to break in. You could’ve called.” Isaac watched her like a shoplifter.

  Angel nodded. “Honestly, Isaac. I have no idea how truthful anyone is going to be in this town.”

  He finally laughed, scratching his head. “Yeah, you got that right. The family finds out I helped you, and I’m done, so as far as anyone is concerned - I never got out of bed.”

  “No one will know. Several lives are in danger, and time is of the essence. You understand?”

  He nodded.

  “You don’t need a lawyer. You’re not in trouble. She waved at the map spread on the table. “Tell me about the Indian mound on Lorna’s property.”

  Isaac scratched his oily hair. “Miss Paulette wanted a lake on the land for her daughter Lorna. My dad and a crew dug it out. Brought in seven extra Bobcats from Brockton for the job. Miss Paulette’s brother Mr. Earl thought it would be a kick to build an Indian mound with the dirt.” He shrugged. “We did it.”

  “Did my Uncle Earl or my grandmother have your father bury anything in that mound? It’s just you and me, Isaac.” Angel leaned in close to him.

  “Nothing I know of,” Isaac said. “I was young, around twenty. Didn’t give two shits about the job.”