Page 47 of One Cry Too Loud
“I can imagine. You know I never liked him. He was always so self absorbed. Everything seemed to always be about him.” Duncan shrugged. “I don’t know where he is now, but I can’t imagine that’s changed too much. Usually, when people are selfish like that, time only makes it worse.”
“I get the feeling you might be right,” Holly said.
“I do hope you’re thinking of stopping by home while you’re here. I’m sure your mother would love to see you,” Duncan said.
“I’m not sure that’s true, Duncan, but it sure is nice to see you,” she replied.
“You as well, my love,” Duncan said. “I’m afraid I’m in a hurry right now, but I hope we can see each other again while you’re in town.”
“I would love that, but I’m not sure that’ll work out,” Holly said.
“Have faith, sweet girl. I think you’d be surprised how many things can work out if you just let it.” The older man leaned in and gave her another hug. He tipped his hat to Kat and I, and in a flash, he was gone, walking right past us.
“So, I guess not everyone in Dorset dislikes you,” Kat said, looking over at Holly.
“He’s a sweet man. He always has been,” Holly said. “He was my tutor when I was a child. Honestly, he’s responsible for a lot of my interests. I owe a lot to him.”
“I thought you said you met him on a forum board,” I said.
“I didn’t meet Duncan there,” Holly answered. “But he did introduce me to the forum board where I met Joe.” She sighed. “Duncan never liked him. Even then, he thought Joe was trouble.” She looked at the traffic as we prepared to cross the street on the way to Holly’s parents’ house. “Maybe I should have listened to him back then. If I did, maybe-”
“Holly.” Another voice sounded from behind us. We turned around again. This time, though, it wasn’t an older, kindly man who met us. It was a younger man who met our gaze, a man who stole Holly’s breath.
“Hello Holly,” he said, taking a deep breath as he walked toward us.
She fidgeted, and the Englishwoman’s voice was a lilted whisper as she answered. “Hello Joe.”
CHAPTER 31
My entire body tensed as I began to understand what was going on. This man, the man standing in front of us at the crosswalk, was none other than Joe. He was Holly’s first love, the father of her child, and very likely the computer terrorist known as Nefarious.
My hand went for my gun, settling on the holster. I didn’t pull it out though. We were in public, surrounded by people, and in a foreign country. This was trouble I didn’t need. More than that, it was probably the reason Joe ambushed us here in this first place. On this very crowded street, with innocent people passing us by the second, our options were limited.
“I should shoot you where you stand,” Kat said, her teeth ground together and her face as red as the setting Florida sun.
Joe’s eyes flickered over to her. “Are you-are you talking to me?”
“Do you see the gun on my hip, Joe?” Kat asked, keeping her eyes pinned on the man. “Do you see the gun on the hip of the man standing next to me? I’m not sure why you did this. I’m not sure why you came out into the open like this, but now that you have, I promise you that this is over. There’s nothing you can do. There’s nowhere left to run, no computer screen to hidebehind, and no weird ass old vaults to trap people in. This ends with you going to jail and us getting that little girl back. So, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll step into the alley over there, and you’ll do it quietly. Otherwise, I’m not above pulling out my gun.”
Joe stood there for a long moment, his eyes moving from one of us to the next. It was like he was trying to calculate his next move, trying to figure out what would be in his best interest.
“Okay,” he finally whispered. “I’m going to do what you ask. Just don’t shoot me okay?”
“Walk,” Kat said.
Joe did as the woman asked, walking slowly, cautiously into the alleyway. He turned when Kat told him to, settling beside a set of large green dumpsters that were filled with something that wafted rancid scents through the air. It was in stark contrast to the amazing aromas I enjoyed when first walking into Dorset. Still, looking at the man in front of us, it was very clear that smells weren’t the most rancid things here today.
“I think your friend might be drunk, Holly,” Joe said, his voice shaking, his hands trembling. Was he-was he afraid?
“Where is she, Joe?” Holly asked, tears welling up in her troubled eyes. “Where is Cindy?”
“Cindy?” He asked, more resigned than curious. “You’re after Cindy.” He shook his head. “You could have told me, you know. I know I wasn’t fair to you when you got arrested. I know I left you holding the bag, and that wasn’t fair of me, but I was young. I was young and terrified of what was happening to you. Still, you could have told me that I had a daughter.”
“Is that what this is about?” I asked. “You’re angry that Holly didn’t tell you she had a baby?”
“Of course, I’m angry!” Joe shouted. “Wouldn’t you be angry? Wouldn’t you be devastated to find out that there was apiece of you out there somewhere that you never knew existed? That you had been lied to about it?”
“You hurt me, Joe!” Holly answered angrily. “You destroyed my life, and I didn’t want you doing the same thing for our daughter. That was why I didn’t tell you. It’s why I didn’t want you to ever find out.”
