Residue (Jack Bishop Series Book 1) by Steve Diamond

Author:Steve Diamond [Diamond, Steve]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Primordial Press
Published: 2023-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Alex

Jack took off at a sprint. The jumble of thoughts coming off him in waves were all studies in terror. He was absolutely petrified of the “creature.” And he wasn’t only worried about it killing him. He was just as terrified it would kill her.

Jack was already too attached. I could use that, Alex thought, then felt immediate guilt. How else did she think he would react? If she’d been in his position, would she have acted any differently?

But Alex hadn’t been in his position. Ever. She’d been raised knowing exactly what was really going on in the world.

Still. In a way it was nice that someone cared. Not about her ability, but about her.

She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone. She scrolled through her contacts until she reached her father’s information. She hated talking to him. The phone rang once, and then he answered.

“What is it?” her father’s voice questioned. Not “Hello.” Never “Hello.”

“We’ve got another Hound.”

A brief moment of silence. “Is it neutralized?” Not “Are you okay?”

Alex gazed down at the still-squirming body of the Hound. It was a virtual twin of the one she had killed the night the Leech had been freed.

“It’s dead,” she lied. The lie felt good. It gave her control and kept her father from being controlling.

“Good. I’ll send a team to pick it up. Did anyone see?” Meaning “Did you screw up?”

Alex pulled the phone away from her ear and had to resist the impulse to throw it against the wall of the house next to her.

The Hound made a small growling sound. She cut it off with a foot pressed against its throat. Its arms weren’t able to move to do anything about it. Twenty 9mm rounds made sure of that.

“Alexandra, is there a reason you aren’t responding? Were there witnesses?”

“Negative. I was alone.”

“Doing what?”

“Following a hunch on the death of that family,” she replied.

“And?”

It was like an interrogation. Every conversation went like this. It had been so different with Jack’s dad. He’d always listened, and when he did ask questions it was always out of curiosity. Never a demand. With her father, Arthur Gaines, she only received demands.

“It was the Leech,” she said before she could stop herself.

A pause on the other end. “How did you arrive at this conclusion?”

She silently cursed herself. Why can’t I just keep my mouth shut? The conversation would already be over.

“Tracks were mistakenly identified as the girl who lived at the home. They were the same size as the Leech’s. The cause of death also suggests it. Plus the presence of a Hound suggests it was tracking the Leech.”

She was just throwing stuff out now. It might or might not be true, but it would end the conversation.

“Supposition.”

“Do you have any better ideas while you sit there in your chair?” she snapped. Alex closed her mouth with a click. What was she doing? Why did she bait him like this? It wouldn’t lead anywhere good.

“I’ll forgive your impertinence. You are, of course, doing everything you can.

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