Page 54 of Explode
“You ready?” I asked, although it’s not like she had much choice inthe matter.
If she didn’t do what I had asked her to do, I would have pulled theplug on the funds keeping Kendra and her family safe. Riley wouldn’t risk it though, she really was too good for me and this life.
But it was too late for her now, she was a part of me as much as Iwas a part of her, and I’d make damn sure we were never separated again.
“Yeah,” she replied solemnly, unstrapping her seatbelt.
“Anything you want to go over first?” I asked, making sure she wasconfident she remembered all the information Ash and I had briefed her on before we left the cabin.
“I’ve got it, Kai. I’m not stupid.”
“I never said you were, baby,” I replied, giving her a charming smilethat earned me a scowl in response.
The three of us got out of the car and walked silently to the rundownblue house where Leonard was. No doubt the man was getting himself ready for an evening at the local bingo hall. He ought to spend less time wasting money on bingo, and more time fixing his house up.
Every single window at the front of the property was damaged insome way, be that a smashed glass pane or boarded up completely. Evidently, Leonard wasn’t overly concerned about his safety if he was happy to live like this.
Apollo resources had spentweeksmonitoring Leonard’s movements,making sure he wasn’t linked to Thorne in any way. We needed to make sure it would be safe to approach him.
I wasn’t holding out much hope of gaining information from him. It hadbeen seventeen years since the Brown’s house had burned down, and even longer from when they fostered Thorne, or as he would have been known by then, Michael Tucker.
Still, it was good sense to cover the basics, even the slightest hint ofintel could prove useful in bringing the cunt down. And I wasn’t just going to bring him down.
I was going to destroy him.
Reaching the house, Riley hesitated for all of a second before sheopened the gate and walked up the path that ran through the overgrown garden. As we approached the front door that looked like it would open with the slightest nudge, both Ash and I scanned the area, making sure there was no threat.
Riley knocked loudly on the door, and it didn’t take long for the oldman to open it. Leonard was in his late sixties, but years of smoking and drinking had weathered his skin, making him appear years older than his actual age. Dark spots marred his face, the whites of his eyes were tinged with yellow, and his dirty clothes reeked of cigarettes.
A kind smile crossed his face when he saw Riley, before a look ofcaution took over when his eyes landed on both Ash and me standing protectively behind her.
“Erm….how…how can I help you, miss?” he said, fixing his attentionto Riley.
“Are you Mr. Jenkins?” she said, warmth in her tone.
“Yes, who are you?” he replied, his eyes darting to Ash and me again.
“My name’s Claire, I was hoping you’d be able to help me with someinformation about my brother, I believe he used to live next door to you. He was fostered by Carol and Anthony Brown years ago,” Riley said, the lie rolling easily off her tongue.
She’d been against pretending to be John Anderson’s sister when Itold her who we were going to see, but she also knew the risk if we revealed who we really were.
“Oh,” Leonard replied, his tone turning from wary to jovial. “Yes, Iremember the Browns well. Please come inside.”
Without giving us a chance to protest, he turned and walked down thehallway. Riley twisted to look at me, her brow raised in question, but I gave her a nod and gently nudged her back to follow. She had nothing to fear. Not that I thought for a second Leonard would cause us problems, but he’d be dead if he even tried to lift a finger toward her.
The house reeked of stale cigarettes, and the interior was in need ofa makeover more than the outside was. Wallpaper was falling from the walls, the carpet was threadbare, and when he led us into the living room, the sofas were moth-eaten and covered in stains.
Riley grimaced at the seat Leonard offered her but quicklycomposing herself, she smiled and sat down with Ash and me flanking her sides.
“Who, erm, who are these?” Leonard asked, his eyes once againturning cautious as he took in the size of the two of us.
“Oh, sorry. This is my fiancè, James,” she said, resting her hand onAsh’s thigh and instantly pissing me off.
The little minx would pay for that.
Ash stiffened momentarily, but not wanting to blow our cover, he wentalong by placing his hand on top of hers.
He’d also pay for that.
