Page 20 of Bones
“Mac, I didn’t?—”
“You didn’t what? You didn’t think it was important to tell me Juck fuckin’brandedher like an animal?”
“It wasn’t my story to tell.” Trey sounded angry. “I thought you of all people would understand that.”
The silence crackled with emotion.
“Hebrandedher?” someone else finally asked.
“Burned a big ‘J’ right into her chest,” Griz growled.
“I doubt that’s all he did,” Trey said darkly.
“Fuckin bastard.”
“I think he’s dead.”
“Good.”
“You met him once, right?”
“Yeah me and Griz.”
I couldn’t tell who was speaking anymore, but I didn’t dare open my eyes or move.
“Hated him from the moment I laid eyes on him. We didn’t see her, though.”
“Yeah, well, he woulda kept her hidden I bet.”
“Didn’t the Reapers deal in slaves?”
“Mostly.” I recognized Mac’s voice. “The slavers hired them to deliver people purchased by warlords. But they also scavenged and bartered anything worth something and you could hire them to do just about anything so long as you were willing to pay for it.”
“Was it the Reapers who tracked down that woman who ran away from the warlord near Salt?”
“You mean hunted her down and tortured her before turning her over half-dead? Yeah. That was them.”
I had to clamp down on the memories that suddenly surged through my mind. The sound of the woman’s screams, me breaking down and begging Juck to stop, the beating I received for daring to question his decisions.
“What did Madame say?”
“That she’s our responsibility.”
“Oh great,” someone said sarcastically.
I cracked my eyes open just enough so I could see who was talking, hating that I couldn’t keep track.
“Another fucking test?” Griz frowned.
“It’s my fault.” Pain filled Trey’s voice.
“Trey, don’t,” Mac said. “She’s just pissed we actually delivered.”
“What she did last night—” Trey started.
“I know,” Mac cut him off.
“Mac, I can’t—” Trey tried again.
