Page 17 (1/2)
Everett struggled to ht be able to make a run for it "Please You don’t have to do this"
His arm twitched, but that was all he could coax from it
"Yes, I do If you were sane, you’d see that"
"You’re the one who’s insane"
A bright, cold light spilled fro me? How dare you?"
Keith looped the fabric belt around Everett’s neck and tied it "You’re ungrateful Just like the rest"
Tears slid down Everett’s face "I want to live"
Keith jerked the belt tight, cutting off Everett’s air Through the thin mask, he could see the determination harden Keith’s features "No, you don’t You’re just afraid to die You’re a coward"
Keith lifted his hand and sprayed another dose of that stuff in Everett’s face His body went lih air
"But don’t worry I’ll help you You’re my brother I love you too much not to"
CHAPTER TEN
Isabelle shifted unco not to abrade her raw back It had taken two hours for the police to finish their questions and let theainst the heavy fatigue that weighed down on her
Since he’d gotten in the car, Grant had been silent He gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned bone white Tension radiated fro with it
He wasn’t just angry He was furious
Isabelle had seen hiar Lavine
He navigated the nearly e all his focus on the road
Grant pulled in behind Dale’s car The light in his room was off, so he was probably already asleep At least he wouldn’t miss the takeout that was now splattered so lot
Isabelle stifled a sigh Dale had been working too hard lately, but until his SATs were conquered, she didn’t see any hope of hiht whoever was killing people in her life, she wasn’t going to find ot out of the car without a word
Isabelle rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands Things were getting too big and heavy, and soiven for the ti for a while
Grant opened her car door and stared down at her with a hard, almost fierce frown He reached out and offered her his hand up
Isabelle took it, not because she needed the help, but because she thought it ive it
As she moved, the skin on her back stretched and she barely hid a wince of pain
They went in through the back door, and Isabelle tossed her purse on the counter Grant didn’t seem to be in theto check on Dale and hit the sack"
He gave her a silent nod and watched as she went up the stairs She knocked lightly on Dale’s door, and when he didn’t answer, she peeked in He was sprawled in bed, asleep with one long ar off the side
She had a sudden flashback to last night when she found hi him, thankful he was safe and sound
His radio switched songs and started playing a new alternative rock song quietly in the background A deep bass rhythm thrummed out of the speakers, but Dale didn’t even shift
Isabelle never would have been able to sleep with the noise, but Dale said it helped hiured he’d probably used the sound to er
When she ca room The cut on his cheek had been taped closed by the para to forest look on his face--like he was preparing to do battle with her
A sliver of worry worht This was not the Grant she knew
Grant watched as fear o pale
Guilt twisted inside hi her, and he tried to say so caulf hiht was still rah him It took every ounce of concentration he had just to appear civilized
Not killing the bastard who’d touched her had burned off all of his reserves of willpower and goodwill, and there was simply none left in hiht he’d caught Lavine in her bed, holding her down as she fought against hie, weak If Grant hadn’t been trying to sneak out of the house that night, he never would have passed by her door and heard her muffled, panicked cries He never would have seen Lavine on top of her and gone into a blinding rage that ended only when the last breath had been choked fros
Grant had always hoped the uncontrollable need for violence that had led hiht had si his system He’d killed since then out of duty or self-defense, but it had never once felt the sa
But after tonight, he knew teenage hor out in pain had brought all of that rage back, though he had no idea why