Damaged Intentions (Abby Mullen Thrillers) by Mike Omer

Author:Mike Omer [Omer, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2022-03-21T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 33

Caterpillar stared at his phone in disbelief.

He’d opened the cell phone’s browser, navigating to the Watcher forum. Skimming the forum’s threads about the Columbus High incident, his eyes landed on a short subject line: High school shooting—classic hoax.

The member suggested in his thread that the entire thing was fake—a collaboration between the police and the media to cast the Watchers in a bad light. A few other Watchers seemed to be intrigued with the idea, pointing out that it had been done before.

Hitting reply, Caterpillar furiously typed, Are you saying that I’m in on the hoax? I’m on the third floor of the building, looking down at the damn cops. If you don’t believe me, come over, join the party.

He had to get the entire Watcher community and the public on his side. He needed proof about the trafficking. But they had found nothing in the school’s paperwork. Alma was meticulously going through every file cabinet, with nothing to show for it. Where was it?

Or maybe the real question was, Who was it? The Circle had to have someone in the school’s administration. Someone they could manipulate, whom they could use. Someone weak who would be easy to bully or bribe.

He eyed the principal, who was slumped against the wall. The perfect candidate.

Grabbing his gun, he marched over to the man. He aimed the barrel at the principal’s temple.

“Who approached you?” he snarled.

The principal flinched, edging away from the weapon. “What?”

“Someone approached you. They wanted you to cooperate with their child-trafficking operation. Who was it?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Please, I—”

“Whoever it was, they aren’t here. I am. I’m going to count to five, and if you don’t give me a name, I’ll shoot. One.”

“I’m begging you, no one approached me for anything! I’m the school’s principal. I would never—”

“Two.”

“Don’t shoot me, please, you’re making a big mistake.”

“Three.”

The man whimpered, raising his hand, as if it could protect him from the bullet.

“Caterpillar, that’s enough,” Alma said, voice trembling.

“Four.”

“What will you gain by shooting him?”

It was one of the girls. Samantha. The one who’d bandaged Carlos. She looked at him, her eyes pleading. The question made him hesitate.

“Stay out of it,” he said. “It’s none of your concern.”

“I’m just saying, what will you gain? It won’t help those poor kids, right?”

“He’s been working with some very bad people,” Caterpillar said, his teeth clenched. “Who did things you can’t even imagine.”

“How do you know that he worked with them?”

“Because it makes perfect sense.”

“It sounds like you aren’t sure,” the girl said slowly.

“I’m sure,” Caterpillar said after a short pause.

“And suppose he did. What will shooting him gain?”

Who gains? The constant question that they always asked. The truth was, he wouldn’t gain. He would lose his chance to force a confession from the principal. It would look bad. It might make the police storm inside. They’d have one less hostage.

He lowered his gun.

Hatter let out a snort. “Didn’t think you had the balls, anyway.”

Caterpillar whirled on the man. “You know I do.

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