Page 130 of Broken Wheels

Now Dix wanted to know. “How did you even get mixed up with him? I know you said you believed in what he was saying, but what convinced you that killing innocent people was the way to go?”

She turned her head. “You don’t want to hear about that.”

“Obviously I do, because I’m asking. So?”

“Because people suck, okay?” Her face reddened, and the cords stood out on her neck.

He waited. He’d burst this bubble—it was time to let it all out.

Kathy got up and began pacing, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides. “My father was the one who showed me the truth of that statement. The man who swore he’d always love me? Yeah, that went out the window when I got pregnant. Suddenly I wasn’t his little girl anymore. I was a slut who was giving it to any boy in school. I tried to explain that I never gave anything to that guy—he took it by force.” She swallowed. “It didn’t matter. As far as my dad was concerned, I was at fault. And when I tried….” Her voice broke, and she swallowed again. “When I tried to do something about it, no doctor in Texas would help me.” She glared at Dix, and he knew the anger he saw there hid a shitload of hurt. “Dad found out. The fact that I looked into an abortion? Now I wasn’t just a slut, but a murderer too. And in the end, I didn’t need to find a clinic. He beat me so bad, I lost the baby and ended up in the hospital for two weeks. He was arrested, and I never saw him again. When the news got out about everything that had happened, I was a pariah in that goddamn town.”

“What about your mother? Didn’t she have anything to say about this?”

Kathy’s face fell. She was long gone. Whether she left or she died, I have no idea. The old man used to taunt me with it, saying he would tell me where she was if I behaved. Except he never did.”

“What happened to your dad?”

“He went to prison for six months, then got let out for ‘good behavior.’ Meanwhile, I had nightmares for years. He deserved what he got, and those others? The ones who wouldn’t help? The people I’d grown up with? Fuck them all.” She raised her chin defiantly. “And then I met Spencer, and right away I believed in him. He promised we’d change the world, so no other kid would have to go through what I did. He swore it.” Her face hardened. “And then he turns around and kills a playground full of kids.”

Dix had heard enough. Sure, he had sympathy for what she’d gone through—any decent person would—but to condone Spencer’s actions was a step too far.

“Okay, so you finally gained a conscience. Congratulations. Personally, I want to toss you out on your ass and watch as the sharks circle before they eat you. The only thing keeping me from doing that is you have information. If you expect to get out of this with your skin intact, you’ll tell us what we want to know.”

She scowled at him as she retook her seat. “Stop treating me like a disease. I’m here, I’m trying to help, and?—”

“Don’t get delusions of grandeur, honey. You’re trying to save your fucking hide, nothing more, nothing less. No matter what you think of us, we aren’t stupid. If you had another way, you’d take it. Now, are you going to work with us, or is this a waste of time?”

She glared daggers for several long moments, then sighed. “What do you want to know?”

Chalmers stepped forward. “Spencer took my boss. We think he’s holding him someplace. What we don’t know is where. Can you shed any light on that?”

She arched her eyebrows. “I don’t know every person Spencer interacts with.”

“That’s a fucking lie!” Chalmers shouted. “You’re in this up to your fucking neck, lady. Don’t give me that bullshit.” He came to the table and leaned toward her. “His name is David Carson. There. Does that jog your memory?”

Her brow furrowed as if she was deep in thought, and Dix wasn’t convinced it wasn’t all an act. Then she widened her eyes. “Feds? Yeah, Spencer had him in. Him and two others, because they knew the ins and outs of their departments and could give Spencer details he wouldn’t be able to get any other way.”

At last.

“Where would he put them?” Dix demanded.

Her mouth twisted. “Best guess? He has a facility in Santa Ana. He stashes people who have uses there until?—”

“Until they don’t.” Chalmers was already heading for the door.

Dix followed.

They had a rescue mission to organize.

Chapter 39

The CrossBow jet sat in the hangar of the John Wayne Airport, and Dix kept checking his phone for news from Chalmers, who’d taken a small team of federal agents to scout ahead. It was still dark outside. They’d flown out of Roswell Air Center some eight or nine hours ago, and dawn wouldn’t show up for another hour and a half. It was more comfortable to stay on the plane instead of the drafty hangar.

Dix cleared his throat, and heads turned in his direction.

“Seeing as we have time to kill, I’m gonna run through the specs again, so we’re all on the same page.” He knew he didn’t necessarily have to. Every CrossBow agent was highly trained, and having heard it once, they’d already committed it to memory, but it gave him something to do so he wasn’t worrying about Doc.

He glanced around the plane’s interior at the group he’d handpicked, the eight agents he was entrusting with one of the most important missions they’d ever undertaken.

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