52

Addison

After a lifetime of lying and a fascination with acting, Brady Darby had an imagination that wouldn’t quit. It had landed him behind bars more times than he cared to count, and it was at full throttle now as he carefully—sans driver’s license—drove toward the suburbs and the North mansion.

Despite the scenario playing out in his mind, Brady wasn’t thinking about the consequences. He rarely did. All he imagined now was rescuing the love of his life from her spiteful, overbearing father. He meant only to scare the man, if it even came to that, but Brady was so saturated with passion that he ruled out nothing. All he could see in the future was him and his soul mate waking up next to each other somewhere—anywhere.

One of the coasts would be cool. But even if it was just a hotel in the middle of nowhere or even some abandoned hideaway, that was okay too. The system, Serenity, Tiny? They’d soon give up looking for him. The Norths? Katie could call them from here or there to assure them she was fine and to tell them that she had made her choice and was following her heart.

Brady didn’t know why Katie hadn’t called or taken his calls. Of course, she had caller ID. That was the advantage of his having the phone of one of Tiny’s girlfriends. When Katie saw the strange number with the downtown area code, she would have to pick up out of curiosity alone.

Within a mile of Katie’s subdivision, Brady was so excited he could barely sit still. What could be better than this? He had given his all at Serenity, had even considered the straight life if that’s what it took to win Katie. But though she had been raised to be a good girl, the straight life sure didn’t seem to appeal to her.

Brady had been making progress, had proved he might even be a candidate for normal life as a free man. But that would soon be a distant memory. He didn’t really want to be a sap anyway, a working stiff, a nine-to-fiver. He was smart enough to hide in plain sight, get himself a new ID, start a new life. With Katie at his side, all things were possible.

As he pressed her number into the phone, he allowed himself for the first time to wonder if she was even at home. Was it possible her father had kicked her out? So much the better. Brady would pick her up wherever she was.

Her number was ringing. Don’t go to voice mail! Please!

“Hello?” Katie said.

“It’s me, babe.”

“Brady? What phone are you calling from?”

“Borrowed it.”

“Oh. Uh, hi.”

“Hi, baby. I got that letter from your dad and I’ve just got to see you.”

“Letter?”

She had to know. “All official and everything, threatening me, talking about his lawyer, telling me to never see you again and that you weren’t really interested in me. Can you imagine?”

“Oh, man. Well, you know, he’s just upset. He doesn’t speak for me.”

“I know! I know! I’ve just got to have you tell me to my face that we’ve still got something going. In fact, I’m ready to get married if you want.”

“Married?”

“C’mon, we’ve been talking around it forever. I’ve got wheels, and I’m ready to go. Where are you?”

“I’m home, but—”

“I’m almost there. Pack a bag and sneak out. I’ll pick you up a block away.”

“Brady, no. My dad and I are half getting along right now, and there’s no sense—”

“I thought you said he didn’t speak for you.”

“He doesn’t, but I’m not ready to just up and—”

“We’re still okay though, aren’t we? I mean, I’m glad if you’re getting along with your dad better. And I’ve got to find a way to do that too, don’t I?”

“Um-hm.”

“But I can’t just show up there after getting his letter,” Brady said. “We’ve got to figure this out, make a plan. You’ve got to work on him for me.”

“Um-hm.”

“I’m pulling into the area right now. I’ll wait at the corner, all right?”

“I can’t go anywhere tonight, Brady.”

“I know. I just need to see you and talk to you, that’s all. We can figure out the rest later.”

“He’s going to be suspicious.”

“What do you care? Tell him anything, but just come and talk to me in the car.”

“How’d you get a car?”

“Never mind, from a friend, who cares? Now I’m parking and I’ll be waiting. You coming?”

“I’ll try.”

“Don’t try! Just do it. Tell him you’re going for a walk.”

“I don’t go for walks.”

“Katie, I’m serious. I am not leaving till I see you. You want me to come there and start something with your dad?”

Silence.

“I didn’t think so. He’s not ready for that and neither am I. Don’t make me come there. Because I will and I mean it.”

“No, don’t come. I’ll see if I can slip out.”

“That’s my girl.”

Brady sat there aware that this had to be one of those neighborhood watch areas and that concerned eyes could be peeking at him from any number of windows. He kept wrenching around, looking for Katie, all the while recalibrating his plans. If she wasn’t ready to run off with him tonight, he’d have to get back to Serenity. But then Tiny would soon know where he was.

Maybe he should pull a heist in this neighborhood. Problem was, who knew if anybody had cash lying around? Maybe Katie had an idea. Brady had never burglarized a home, though he’d heard enough stories from guys inside who had. He would be a lot more comfortable with a partner or even a team.

Katie seemed tentative as she approached, and he realized she wouldn’t recognize the car. He waved and leaned over to open the passenger door, and she slid in. Brady reached for her, but she wasn’t her usual self. She seemed to halfheartedly return his hug, and when he went to kiss her, she turned and took it on the cheek. “Man, I’ve missed you, babe,” he said.

She smiled thinly. “Thanks.”

“Where’ve you been, Katie?”

“Busy. Whew. Dad’s really clamping down, and I guess it’s time to start acting like an adult.”

Brady cocked his head and squinted at her. “Hello? I’m looking for Katie North. Where’s the rebel I knew?”

“Oh, you know. Growing up.”

“In just a few days? It wasn’t that long ago you had me cutting Harley cookies on your lawn.”

“I know. But enough’s enough.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Your dad got to you, didn’t he?”

“I guess.”

“What, he threatened to cut you off?”

“Only if I see you.”

“So we’re both taking it in the teeth from this guy.”

“This guy? Brady, you’re talking about my father.”

“I know who I’m talking about. What do you think, I don’t know? Oh, I know all right. This is the guy who threatened to report me if I tried to see you again. Told me someone like you wouldn’t ever really be interested in someone like me. Well, what does that make me, Katie? What does that say about your taste in men? You gonna let him decide who you’re going to be in love with?”

“In love? Brady, we’ve had a lot of fun, but we’re not in love. At least I’m not.”

“What?”

“It’s been fun, a game.”

“It wasn’t a game to me! I want to get married.”

“Married? Oh, Brady, no. Now, come on.”

“What, so it’s true? A girl like you could never—?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“No, your dad did, and you’re proving he was right.”

“Seriously now, Brady, did you really think there was a future for us?”

“There is!”

“Um, no. There isn’t. And I’m sorry if you didn’t get that, but there never was.”

“You were playing me?”

“Brady, please. I thought we were both just playing. How would it have worked out? I marry you and then what? What do you do? Where do you work? What happens next?”

“So the whole thing was a big joke?”

“I didn’t mean to mislead you, I really didn’t.”

“You were conning me!”

“No, that’s not it. Now I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

“Wait! So now that you know how I really feel about you, that’s it? It’s over?”

“I’m flattered, really I am, but I don’t feel the same, so I think it’s better that we just—”

“Wait!”

But she had opened her door and the interior light came on.

“Wait! I’ve got something for you.”

“Brady, listen, now, come on. Do you need me to be clear that we’re officially over?”

“Don’t say that! I love you!”

“Stop! Okay, I admit it. I used you to tick off my dad.”

“We had way more than that going, Katie.”

“No! We didn’t.”

She turned to leave. He grabbed her arm. “Please,” he said.

“I helped him write the letter, Brady, okay? I know that’s hard to hear, but you need to hear it.”

Brady reached into the backseat and grabbed the sawed-off, flicking off the safety as he brought it forward and stuck it within inches of her face.

He saw the panic in her eyes. She opened her mouth but couldn’t seem to make a sound.

He loved her so much. Wanted her so badly. Needed her so desperately.

When she turned to flee, he pulled the trigger.

The explosion deafened Brady, and the twelve-gauge pack of buckshot had barely escaped the muzzle and had no time to release and spread before it hit her. The concussion removed most of Katie’s head, drove her body into the half-open door, and blew it off its hinges onto the grass.

She lay next to it in a motionless heap.

Brady sat quivering as the acrid smoke cleared, sickened by the blood and tissue left inside the car. Lights came on all over the neighborhood, and he heard shouting.

He turned the weapon and pressed it to his heart.

Click!

He had emptied both barrels into the love of his life.

Anyone else might have thrown the car into gear and raced away. But Brady didn’t want to live. If only Tiny had given him one more shell . . .

Nothing had ever gone right for Brady Darby. And now he couldn’t even kill himself.

With the car still idling, he opened his door and rolled out, landing on the pavement on his hands and knees. He vomited and howled like an animal, heaving great sobs in the night. Soon he was surrounded by men in bathrobes, one on his cell phone to the police, two others leveling hunting rifles at him.

He was vaguely aware that a couple was making their way around to the other side of the car. The woman screamed.