Page 68 of Sergeant's Christmas Siege

“What kind of consequences are we talking about here?” Kate asked her. “Because everybody in the family seems to be unduly fire-happy. You blow anything up lately?”

“You reap what you sow,” Liberty intoned, a lot like she was throwing down her version of a prayer. “You can count on that.”

“Again,” Templeton drawled. “That’s hitting me like a threat.”

“Oh, that’s what this is,” Russ said then. He let out a little laugh. Like a huff of satisfaction. “Someone threatened you, you got your panties in a twist, and your first thought was us. What that says to me is that you know what you did, no matter what lies you tell in court. You know that the first place to look is at the people you wronged.”

“The first place we’re looking is at the lowlifes and lunatics,” Templeton said conversationally. “So.”

“I don’t think I wronged any of you, Russ,” Kate said, and her voice was crisp now—possibly in an effort to keep Russ from doing something truly stupid like launching himself at Templeton. A quick and fun way to knock himself out, to Templeton’s way of thinking. “I’m interested, in a distant sort of way, in the psychology it takes to consider yourselves victims while supportingthe people who are responsible for the deaths of two individuals they called friends. Not to mention the outright murder of two men who were only doing their jobs. That takes some willful suspension of disbelief.” She made a show of looking around the room, from the ugly flag to the shrine to the Second Amendment. Then back at her cousins. “However, it’s clear to me that’s what the two of you are good at. I can’t imagine what you think you’re going to get out of re-creating the horror of that compound. I feel sorry for your children. But you’re right, you’re not breaking any laws. Not yet.”

“Let’s circle back to reaping and sowing,” Templeton suggested.

“That’s the beauty of this,” Liberty said then, her gaze like stone and her mouth twisted. “I don’t have to do anything to you, Kate. We’re just out here, living our lives the way we want. Lives you tried to take from us years ago.”

“It’s funny, though, that only one side took lives, and it isn’t me.”

“You’re filled with guilt and shame, and you should be,” Liberty continued, and her voice changed. It got... calm. In a creepy way that made Templeton’s neck itch. “You need to make us the enemy. When I think you know better, Katie. The only real enemy is you.”

“A merry Christmas to you, too, cousin,” Kate murmured, something like grief in her gaze, though she was still smiling.

Russ snorted. “Why am I not surprised that the family traitor is a capitalist?”

Kate shook her head. “You sound just like him.”

“I take that as a compliment,” Russ snarled. “Father Samuel is a great man. A true martyr for the cause. I’m honored to follow his example.”

Templeton restrained himself from pointing out that martyrs usually died.

“Does that mean you want to spend the rest of your lifein prison, too?” Kate was asking her cousin. “Because that can be arranged, Russ. Just give me an excuse.”

“It doesn’t matter where Father Samuel is,” Liberty said. “His messages are in here.”

And she tapped on her chest. Hard.

“When I check his visitor logs down there in Spring Creek, am I going to see your name?” Kate asked. She tilted her head slightly. “Or does he communicate directly into your heart?”

Her cousins looked at each other, then back at her. And when Liberty smiled again, it was... unsettling.

“Wedon’t turn our back on our family,” Liberty said. “It’s a privilege to be able to visit Father Samuel when we can. Will’s afraid to go. Just like he’s afraid to come here. I bet he didn’t mention that when he sent you here.”

“Never could choose a side,” Russ said derisively.

“I never thought we’d lay eyes on you again.” And Liberty’s voice was almost a singsong. Templeton’s neck itched again. More than before. “But Father Samuel knew different. He always promised that you’d return to face judgment.”

“I won’t be back again,” Kate assured her. “And if I am, Liberty, make no mistake. It will be to escort you to your own jail cell. If that’s not the judgment you’re looking for, my advice to you is to follow less in the footsteps of a crazy person.”

Liberty laughed. “He was right about you. Back then, and now. He was right about Will. He’s right abouteverything. Don’t you get tired of pretending otherwise?”

“He’s a creep,” Kate said softly. “An unhinged narcissist who preys on weak-minded people, Liberty. Like the children he groomed to be his willing accomplices. Like you.”

And that was how Templeton knew that all of this was getting to Kate, no matter how calm and collected she pretended to be.

Her words were like a lit match tossed down into apuddle of gasoline, and he had to think she knew they would be.

Liberty snarled in outrage. There was a shocked sound from the landing up above, but Templeton kept his gaze on the two men. It took approximately one second for Kate’s words to sink in, and then Russ moved.

He launched himself toward Kate like he planned to beat his feelings directly into her face.

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