Corrupt by J L Terra

Author:J L Terra [Terra, J L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JL Terra
Published: 2019-09-06T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Spencer, WV. Thursday. 09:17 EDT

Keys were still in the ignition. The officer with his log book, long gone. Daire and Mei had come outside and were now searching the grounds. For him.

Ben watched the windows and doors of the house. The cops had left. The bodies of the men he’d killed taken away by the coroner. Ben turned the key and left before Elaine had the chance to look out the window and see him drive away in the feds’ SUV. His head still hurt from that shot to his eye.

He tapped the wheel with his thumb as he drove. As much as he wanted to go this alone, he needed answers.

Mei’s phone was in the cup holder. Don’t think about anything. He couldn’t let any errant thoughts in. Not right now. But too much had happened in the past week for him to act like nothing was wrong. He felt like he’d been torn apart, and didn’t know how to put himself back together.

Would she know?

He scrolled through Mei’s contacts and dialed the number she’d labeled Mom.

The voice that answered was shaken. “Mei?”

Ben had to swallow before he said, “No. It’s me.”

She said nothing. Ben listened to the hum of the road stretched out before him.

“I saw you,” Ben said. “They drugged me, and I remembered. I remembered everything.” He sucked in a breath. Gripped the steering wheel so hard he was probably leaving grooves. “I was in your house. I touched your father before he even realized I—”

“Don’t.”

Tears filled his eyes. “You never hated me the way those people do, the ones who kidnapped me. I wronged them, the way I wronged you.” He’d known something was different though. “I destroyed someone they love, and they captured me.”

“I know.” Taya sighed.

She’d given up her job. “You went missing.”

“For you.” She paused. “Where’s Mei? Why do you have her phone?”

Ben shook his head at the abrupt shift in the conversation. “She’s with Daire. Where are you?”

“Why?” Her voice hitched, and he heard a low moan of pain. “Why do you want to know where I am?”

“I always want to know where you are.” Didn’t she know that? “You’re hurt.” It was in her voice. He didn’t ask what had happened. “Tell me where.”

She was quiet for a minute then, “Why does it matter?”

“Just tell me.” She needed him, probably about as much as he needed her right now. “I’ll come to you. We can figure this out…together.”

She was quiet for a second then said, “There’s nothing to figure out.”

“Just tell me where you are. Please.”

Quiet flooded the line. Brought with it everything Ben didn’t want to remember. It ended with Elaine and that gun pointed at him. The ripping, tearing. That rush of heat. Healing.

His stomach churned. What am I?

Finally, she gave him an address. Cascade, Idaho.

“I can be there by this afternoon, but I have to dump Mei’s phone. Remy will use it to find me.”

She said, “That’s a good thing. They’re your friends.”

“They can’t help me.”

“Why do you think I can?”

“That’s what we do, isn’t it?”

She was silent.

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