Giggling, Remi gets up from her perch on the chair and scoops Elijah up. “Come on, little man. Let’s go take care of you before your aunt Rella passes out from the fumes.” She blows a kiss against his cheek as she leaves the room.
“Phew,” Rella says, getting up from the floor and sitting down on the couch. “That boy’s poop is strong.”
“Tell me about it,” Trouble remarks. “At least you haven’t had it sprayed in your face.” Rella chokes out a laugh. “I had his diaper off one day, changing him, when he decided to pass gas. That shit, and I mean that literally, sprayed everywhere. I just thank God my mouth was closed.”
Rella tosses her head back and lets out a loud laugh. The sound is magical and mesmerizing all at once.
“That’s really fuckin’ gross,” JW comments from across the room.
“That’s an understatement. Being a doctor, I’ve seen and done a lot of shit, but having feces on my face has never been one of them. I can handle a lot, but that had even me gagging.”
Rella giggles and tucks her feet under her on the couch. “But it’s got to be worth it.”
Trouble smiles. “It’s definitely worth it. I’d get shit on every day forever, and it would still be worth it.”
“You’re never going to believe the news I just received,” Judge says, walking into the room after leaving a few minutes prior to answer his phone.
“What?” I ask. I sit up straighter, unease making my body stiff.
“Apparently, Sierra was a mouthy bitch, not just a psychotic one. During one of her spa trips in San Antonio, she ran her mouth to the woman who was giving her a massage, saying she knew who killed those people the night of the raid. The masseuse thought she was lying because she didn’t remember seeing anything about people being murdered that night, so she didn’t say anything. Then a couple of days ago, she came across an old article when she was cleaning out her parents’ attic and realized she was wrong.”
“Damn,” JW mutters, straightening from the wall he was reclining against. “Did she give a name?”
“No, but she gave enough details the authorities never released. Stuff only someone who was there would know. Or stuff someone who was there told her.”
“Gary.”
“Who’s Gary?” Rella asks in a low voice.
Gary Watters was a bastard who sexually and physically abused his children, Brittney and Jacob, for years. A little over a year ago, his crimes came to light and he received the Expiration Penalty, a penalty designed specifically for people like him. Rage still fills me every time I think about what he put those kids through.
“A Malus citizen who was abusing his two children,” Trouble answers.
She sinks lower into the couch. “And what happened to him?”
Trouble sits forward, elbows on his knees, and clasps his hands together. He frowns, contemplating how to answer. I do it for him.
“He’s dead.”
Her eyes dart to mine. “How?”
“Emo,” Trouble warns, but I ignore him.
Rella’s part of this town. She has the right to know. And I have no doubt she can handle the answers.
“Shot. Four times. Heart, between the eyes, base of spine, and groin.”
“Goddamn it,” Judge mutters, turning away and raking his hand through his hair.
I keep my eyes on Rella, waiting for her to do or say something. It takes a several moments before she doe
s.
“How did he hurt them? His children.”
“Raped them both. Repeatedly, for years. She was ten and her brother was four when he was caught.”
Sadness lurks in her green eyes, but that’s not the only emotion. Rage sits right beside it. Her lips form a flat line and her jaw twitches.