When You Were Mine (Stone Lake 2)

“Me? Fuck, no. I had my taste of ice box Luna years ago. I didn’t like it then and trust me when I tell you I get a lot better now.”

“Then, what is all this about? Why are you torturing my family, if it has nothing to do with me?”

“Oh, I didn’t say it didn’t have anything to do with you. It’s quite the opposite, Luna. It has everything to do with you. Back then, when we were in high school, you thought you ruled the world. You honestly thought your shit didn’t stink, didn’t you, Luna? You just rolled in and expected everyone to bow at your feet. Yet, you were too good to give me the time of day. You thought you were too good for any of us, but that didn’t stop you from rolling in the mud with the town bad boy. You really got off slumming it, didn’t you?”

“Larry—”

“And at the first sign of trouble, when your boy toy had the law breathing down his neck, what did you do?”

“I don’t understand what any of this—”

“You decided to offer up an innocent man. You let him take the fall for your lover,” Larry sneers.

“Oh my God! Is that what all this is about? Are you seriously trying to destroy my life because Darren Oakes got caught and sent to jail?”

“You think you know everything,” Larry laughs, and the sound is almost borderline manic, sending chills down my spine. I knew Larry wasn’t a good guy, but I never realized that he was also insane.

“I know that you’ve given up a damn good life for Darren. I hope it was worth it, Larry, because, when Gavin catches up with me and he will, your life will be over. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you can join Oakes in jail when this is over.”

“You don’t get it yet, do you, Luna? Darren Oakes didn’t do a damn thing. He was actually innocent. Of course, now he’s not anything—except dead,” he laughs.

That’s when Larry moves, and I see Darren lying on the floor dead. His face covered in blood missing his eyes. I turn away, the scene is so gross that my stomach turns, and I have to swallow down the bile that rises.

“Why? Why did you kill him? If you were helping him all this time, what changed?”

“I wasn’t helping Darren.” Larry shakes his head. “God, how do you walk around by yourself being so stupid? Darren was just a scapegoat. If he was alive, I’m sure he’d thank you for that. After all, you’re the one that gave us the idea. You offered him up to the police all those years ago. Hell, it only seemed right that we offer him up again this time for the same crime.”

“We?” I ask, fear beginning to take a hold of me again. Then again, I’m not sure it ever left.

“We,” Larry says with a dark smile, stressing the word and he seems way too proud of himself.

“Hello, Luna. It’s been a long time.”

Larry’s right, I had no idea. Disbelief pours through me. It’s worse than I ever imagined. The Devil has my son and I walked into hell without protection…

Gavin

“So, what’s the plan?” Kingston turns to me.

“You’re giving me the lead here?” I ask, surprised. I was planning on taking it anyway, but I didn’t think he’d willingly give up control.

“If it was my son there’s not a damn man alive that could hold me back, Lodge. I’m not about to waste my time trying with you.”

“In that case, I don’t really have a plan. I’m going in first, hopefully I distract Oakes enough to give you time to come in and get my family out safe.”

“That’s a shit plan,” Dern says, and I hear the mumbling around me, agreeing with him.

“Let’s move in closer. You, me, and Dern will take lead, my men will follow behind and hit the main room on my signal, once we find Luna and Joshua.”

“And Junie.”

“And Junie,” he agrees.

I rub the back of my neck, trying to sort through my thoughts.

“Do we have any idea what’s left of this damn place?”

“The gym is still mostly intact. I suspect that’s where they are centered. There’s only one entrance and it’s through a partially collapsed cement blocked wall that used to be a hallway. There’s a stage area that’s attached to the gym and I’d say that’s still intact also. Last time my men ran off some vagrants there was also a partial classroom attached but it had no real ceiling, so I doubt they’re using that.”

“The men stay out in the hall entrance, hiding behind rubble where it collapsed. I don’t want them any closer. If this goes south, I need them to be able to storm in immediately, and I don’t want them detected beforehand,” I order.