Page 153 of Dark Endures

He glances over at me quickly. “Exactly what I’m doing.”

It feels like he means doing this with me, but that’s just wishful thinking. “I think that’s what I love about my 911 job. I get to help people. Your job is the same. Only you get to help them in a different way. I can see why you love it.”

“Mindy.” Maddox’s tone changes.

“Yeah?” What’s wrong?

“Who did you say your mother’s fiancé was?”

“Percival.” Why is he asking now?

“Look ahead.”

There’s nothing to see. We’ve been driving down a desolate tree-lined road for twenty — “What is that?”

“That’s a private gate.”

“But it’s huge. Are those men holding guns?” Did we make a wrong turn and end up on a border?

“Yes, they are. What’s Percival’s last name?”

Men with guns… “Percival Linckester.”

“Linckester.” He whistles. “You weren’t wrong about your mother’s taste in men.”

“You know him?”

“Not well.”

“Is there anything I should be worried about?” Not that Mom would listen now that she has her talons in a man rich enough to have guards like this.

“I think your mother knows what she’s getting into.” Maddox stops the car at the guard shack by the gate.

There’s another one just inside the gate. All of them are carrying very large guns.

“Name and identification.”

“Um, we’re here for my mother’s wedding.” I lean over Maddox so the man can see me.

“Name and identification.”

He seems friendly. I take my license out and hand it to the man, and Maddox does the same.

“Are there any weapons in the vehicle?”

“Yes,” Maddox answers simply.

The guard freezes and lifts his weapon. “What do you have?”

“Weapons.”

I’m tempted to smile at Maddox’s non-answer, but gun guy is kinda scary.

“Names and quantities.”

“I have weapons, and that’s all you need to know. Either let us in or we’ll turn around and go home.”

The guard looks like he wants to fight, but instead, he walks into the guard shack and makes a phone call.

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