Page 53 of Depraved Truths

Click.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. There are only three chambers left, one with a bullet.” I tilt my head forward, meeting Dalton’s gaze. “I suggestyou spill everything now, or I’ll blast your brains across the wall. That would be awfully messy.”

Resigned, he sighs. “It all started in high school. Wilson and I were running dope when we got a call. We met up with a guy for what was supposed to be a drug run. He had evidence on us. He said he’d turn everything over to the feds if we didn’t do exactly what he wanted.”

“And what exactly did he ask you to do?” My patience is wearing thin. This fucker needs to spit it out already.

“Once a year, we take two girls. They have to match specific qualifications: between thirteen and fifteen years old, petite, brown hair, and blue eyes. Wilson and I each scout out a girl, then we round them up and deliver them.”

Anger erupts within me. “Round them up? They aren’t fucking cattle.”

Click.

Dalton flinches violently, his eyes widen with fear. “We deliver them to the warehouse you found me at. That’s all we do. I swear. We leave the van there and go. Neither of us knew it was your sister. Our target was supposed to be another girl and some friend of hers. We choose girls who won’t be missed.”

“My uncle’s warehouse.” Eli’s face drains of color. “You’re trafficking children at my uncle’s warehouse.”

Dalton looks ashamed for the first time. “After that first run, we went home to find money deposited into our bank accounts. The following year, he contacted us again. We said we’d work for him if he destroyed the evidence of what we’d done.”

“Do you have any proof to back this up? Who the fuck do you work for?” I grind out.

“I can’t tell you that. I won’t. Just fucking kill me.”

“Okay.” Shrugging, I pull the trigger. Twice.

“Fucking hell, Tessa!” Eli exclaims, an exasperated look on his face.

“What?”

Dalton lies unconscious before us, his dark hair hiding his face, his body still. The only sound is the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

“I didn’t kill him. I just wanted to scare him a little.”

And it worked. I gesture toward him, noting the urine running down his legs. Disgusting. What a pathetic pussy. He can use his fists on women and kidnap children without a second thought, but he can’t handle shit when it’s dished back at him.

I meet Eli’s gaze. “You didn’t really think I left a bullet in the revolver, did you?”

“Yes.” Annoyance flashes across Eli’s face. “Yes, I did.”

“He’d be too lucky to get off that easy.”

When Eli continues to scowl at me, I wrap my arms around his waist. His body loosens, and he returns the embrace, relaxing into me.

“None of this makes sense.” Eli rests his head on top of mine. “Why was my sister murdered when none of the other girls were found dead?”

“I don’t know. But we’re going to find out what happened to her. I promise you.” And I mean every word. I won’t stop until we have all the answers.

A few minutes later, Dalton stirs again with a groan.

“Please, let me go. I’ll turn myself in. I’ll disappear. Whatever you want,” he pleads.

“What we want is to know who is behind all of this,” Eli grits out. “And why my sister was murdered.”

“I r-really don’t know why she was killed, Eli. I swear. The girls are usually just gone. Never heard from again.”

Feigning boredom, I shrug. “Well, if that’s all you’ve got, I don’t see what use you are anymore.”

I pick a dagger from the wall and aim it at him like a dartboard. Dalton screams as the dagger impales his right leg. “My safe. Look in my safe! You’ll find financial records from the account that deposits our payments. I’m sure you’ll find something there.”

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