Flame (Steel Brothers Saga 20)

“They’re cutting back my hours at work,” she said.

“What’s that mean?” I asked.

“It means she won’t be working as much,” Dale explained.

“That’s great!” I gave Mommy a hug. “Then you’ll be here more.”

She smiled. “Yes, I will be, and I love the fact that I’ll be spending more time with you two.”

She didn’t look happy, though, despite her smile. What was wrong?

“The thing is,” she said, “we won’t have enough money to keep you in daycare.”

“So?” Dale said. “I hate it, anyway.”

“I know, honey, and now you’re such a big boy, I was thinking you two could stay alone after school.”

“I vote for that,” Dale said.

“Me too!” I said. I didn’t care one way or the other, but if Mommy and Dale said it was okay, I was okay too.

“That means you’ll both need these.” She pulled two shiny golden keys out of her purse. “They open the front door.”

“Can’t we just use the garage code?” Dale asked.

Mommy shook her head. “You can, but it’s old and it doesn’t always work. I want you to have these keys so I know you can get inside.” She placed a key into each of our little palms.

I gazed down at mine proudly. My own key! “Can I try it out?”

Mommy laughed. “You’re so funny, Donny. Of course you can! Go right ahead!”

“Okay! Lock me out!” I scrambled across the living room and out the front door.

Once I heard Mommy lock the door, I slid my key into the hole and turned. Except it didn’t turn. I knocked on the door. “It doesn’t work!”

“Try again,” Mommy said through the door. “Put the key all the way in, and then pull it out just a tiny bit and then turn it.”

I followed her instructions, and that time it worked! I turned the key and opened the door.

“Good job!” Mommy kissed the top of my head.

Dale just shook his head and rolled his eyes.

I stuck out my tongue at him.

That was the day I got my own key.

Today, I’m late coming home because I was talking in class and Mrs. Jones kept me after. Dale didn’t wait for me. He’s already home, so I don’t need my key. The door’s already unlocked.

Except that’s weird.

Mommy always said to keep it locked when we were home by ourselves. When we let ourselves in, we always lock it back up right away.

I push the door open and—

Someone grabs me.

“Dale!” I shriek.

“Shut up, you little cocksucker,” a low voice says.

I don’t know what he means. “Where’s Dale?”

“I said shut up!”

Then a blow to my head that brings tears to my eyes. “Dale! Dale, help me!”

But Dale can’t help me.

No one can.

Chapter Forty-Two

Callie

Donny’s eyes are glossed over, his cheeks pale.

“Baby, what’s the matter?”

He walks out of the elevator and leans against the wall. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“I am. I just had a— I’m not sure what you’d call it. I remembered something from a long time ago.”

“A flashback? A repressed memory?”

“Not repressed. It’s not like I’d forgotten it. It’s just something I never think about. I guess it was a flashback.”

My own problems melt away in this moment. All I want to do is help Donny. Ease the pain of whatever’s troubling him.

It’s like I’m back in a damned cage!

God, those words. What has this beautiful man been through?

“Let’s sit down.”

“I’m fine, Callie.”

“You’re not fine. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

He shakes his head. “I’ll be fine. This is a good thing. I thought I’d lost something important, but Dale to the rescue once again.”

“Once again? What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Geez.”

“Come on.” I take his arm and lead him into the sitting area of the hotel lobby. I’m thankful no one else is there so Donny and I can speak freely. “Sit.”

“Callie…”

“Come on. What will it hurt to sit for a moment and collect yourself?”

He sits. “I don’t need to collect myself.”

“Though you did sit down.” I take a seat beside him. “Talk.”

He exhales. “I thought I’d lost an important document. The thing I got out of the safe-deposit box this morning.”

“And?” I figured as much from listening to his side of the phone call with Dale, but I want Donny to open up to me.

“I did lose it, but I took a photo of it earlier when I was talking to Dale. But… Oh, shit.”

“What?”

“The original is out there, flying around in the breeze. I have to find it. I don’t want that information to fall into the wrong hands.”

“Donny, what’s on the paper? Why would it fall into the wrong hands? No one’s looking for a lone piece of paper flying around in the wind. It’s probably on the ground somewhere right now, being trampled by everyone going to lunch.”

“You’re right. You’re right.” He stands. “Still, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.”

“All right. If it’ll make you feel better.” I rise as well. “Tell me what we’re looking for.”