she cried. “You don’t know me. You killed my son with your stupid games of cat and mouse. I can’t trust any of you.”
“ May cha , what are you talking about? Let us help you.” Voodoo stroked the back of her head and spoke in a soothing Cajun dialect.
“How you going to bring my baby back from the grave? You all think you’re gods. Playing with people’s lives like you possess them. Maybe I went after the wrong group of crooks.”
Lawless tugged at her shoulder so she’d sit up. “Abigail, please listen closely. A man we trust, and you trust, asked us to come here and meet with you. We really know nothing other than St. John asked us to help. If you want us to go, we’ll go. It’s your call.”
Lightheaded, Abigail scrubbed her forearm beneath her nose. Mucus trailed between both. Embarrassed, she gave a tentative smile. “I must look a mess.” She straightened her back and rolled both shoulders like a boxer in the ring. “Geneti was my baby’s father. He abandoned us the second I told him I was pregnant. I raised Jack on my own for three years. We were happy. Then, Ricky showed up and stole him. That’s when the Savage Souls paid Ricky back for ripping them off on the gun deal.”
Abigail brushed the lingering tears from beneath her eyes. Trembling lips fought for a smile. “Instead of ending it all, I wanted revenge—kill the Savages who killed my son. I took all of the shit in Ricky’s computer. It told about the deal. He had notes on where the money was stashed, where the guns came from and where they were going. Not many names but I figured out who most of the players were.”
Voodoo’s eyes brightened. “Do the Savages know you have this information?” Her hand stayed planted firmly on Abigail’s shoulder as they all sat in a small huddle on the floor at the foot of the bed.
“One knew that I knew of—Rage. He kidnapped me from the hospital and drug me into nowhere. He knew most of it, but not all. He was going to kill me.” Death’s cold fingers snaked back up her spine and she quivered at the memory of that horrible night.
“What happened?” Lawless asked.
“I killed him,” she stated flatly.
“Oh.” He averted his eyes.
“Your brother. Oh my God, I’m sorry.” She clasped his hands.
“It’s okay. I would’ve done the same thing. They chose the outlaw life.”
Voodoo gently rubbed Lawless’ shoulder. Abigail picked up on the fact that they were more than partners. She eased her hands away from Lawless.
“Brings me to right now. I figured out who had the guns and emailed him. Realized it was Gray Man. Didn’t know he was a serial killer until St. John told me he watched him torture Graham at his compound in Sonoma County.”
“What the fuck?” Voodoo barked. Lawless wrapped his long arm around her. Her face contorted with grief.
“You didn’t know? You feds have got to quit keeping secrets from each other,” Abigail said. “St. John stopped me from setting up a deal. It would’ve planted the guns on the Savage’s property. I thought I’d call the cops and they’d find the stolen guns. Simple, right?” Her hands lifted in a mock sign of surrender.
“You’d be dead right now.” Lawless whispered. He leaned his cheek against the top of Voodoo’s head.
“I know. Honestly, I never expected to come out of this alive. Killing Savages was my only plan.”
“What changed?” Voodoo asked softly.
“St. John.”
“Poor guy’s already lost so much and, still, he keeps fighting behind the lines to save us. What thanks does he get? I accuse him of crossing over to the other side,” Lawless said.
“You’re right. He trusted me with his real identity, although I recognized him anyway from his football days at Florida and the NFL.”
“How?” Lawless asked.
“Vegas is a gaming town. There’s nothing else to do when you’re homeless and hiding in the alleys. You watch what’s on the big screens through the glass.”
Voodoo patted her
“ May cha , what are you talking about? Let us help you.” Voodoo stroked the back of her head and spoke in a soothing Cajun dialect.
“How you going to bring my baby back from the grave? You all think you’re gods. Playing with people’s lives like you possess them. Maybe I went after the wrong group of crooks.”
Lawless tugged at her shoulder so she’d sit up. “Abigail, please listen closely. A man we trust, and you trust, asked us to come here and meet with you. We really know nothing other than St. John asked us to help. If you want us to go, we’ll go. It’s your call.”
Lightheaded, Abigail scrubbed her forearm beneath her nose. Mucus trailed between both. Embarrassed, she gave a tentative smile. “I must look a mess.” She straightened her back and rolled both shoulders like a boxer in the ring. “Geneti was my baby’s father. He abandoned us the second I told him I was pregnant. I raised Jack on my own for three years. We were happy. Then, Ricky showed up and stole him. That’s when the Savage Souls paid Ricky back for ripping them off on the gun deal.”
Abigail brushed the lingering tears from beneath her eyes. Trembling lips fought for a smile. “Instead of ending it all, I wanted revenge—kill the Savages who killed my son. I took all of the shit in Ricky’s computer. It told about the deal. He had notes on where the money was stashed, where the guns came from and where they were going. Not many names but I figured out who most of the players were.”
Voodoo’s eyes brightened. “Do the Savages know you have this information?” Her hand stayed planted firmly on Abigail’s shoulder as they all sat in a small huddle on the floor at the foot of the bed.
“One knew that I knew of—Rage. He kidnapped me from the hospital and drug me into nowhere. He knew most of it, but not all. He was going to kill me.” Death’s cold fingers snaked back up her spine and she quivered at the memory of that horrible night.
“What happened?” Lawless asked.
“I killed him,” she stated flatly.
“Oh.” He averted his eyes.
“Your brother. Oh my God, I’m sorry.” She clasped his hands.
“It’s okay. I would’ve done the same thing. They chose the outlaw life.”
Voodoo gently rubbed Lawless’ shoulder. Abigail picked up on the fact that they were more than partners. She eased her hands away from Lawless.
“Brings me to right now. I figured out who had the guns and emailed him. Realized it was Gray Man. Didn’t know he was a serial killer until St. John told me he watched him torture Graham at his compound in Sonoma County.”
“What the fuck?” Voodoo barked. Lawless wrapped his long arm around her. Her face contorted with grief.
“You didn’t know? You feds have got to quit keeping secrets from each other,” Abigail said. “St. John stopped me from setting up a deal. It would’ve planted the guns on the Savage’s property. I thought I’d call the cops and they’d find the stolen guns. Simple, right?” Her hands lifted in a mock sign of surrender.
“You’d be dead right now.” Lawless whispered. He leaned his cheek against the top of Voodoo’s head.
“I know. Honestly, I never expected to come out of this alive. Killing Savages was my only plan.”
“What changed?” Voodoo asked softly.
“St. John.”
“Poor guy’s already lost so much and, still, he keeps fighting behind the lines to save us. What thanks does he get? I accuse him of crossing over to the other side,” Lawless said.
“You’re right. He trusted me with his real identity, although I recognized him anyway from his football days at Florida and the NFL.”
“How?” Lawless asked.
“Vegas is a gaming town. There’s nothing else to do when you’re homeless and hiding in the alleys. You watch what’s on the big screens through the glass.”
Voodoo patted her
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