7. Barrett
7
BARRETT
For days, I’d mulled over how to tell my brother what was happening with the men in the city. He fit the profile of the ones being taken, with the exception of living alone or being unhoused. My brother could be kidnapped when he left the apartment to go to work, run errands, pick up food, or whatever else he decided to do.
I’d tried in the past to teach him how to use a gun, but he didn’t want to learn. He did know some self-defense moves though. Marshall wasn’t about violence. He was love and light, and everything good. Everything someone would prey upon.
Today, I had to tell him, so he’d at least be more aware of his surroundings.
Shit happened in East Dremest I’d wished I’d never seen. I’d also been on both sides of crimes. The one where the cops were in charge, and I did my job by the book. And the one where I was taking men to a warehouse so Jordan could torture or kill them
“Hey, Mars,” I said, walking into the living room where he sat on the couch with the TV on.
“Yeah?” He didn’t look at me, too engrossed in the movie.
I stepped in front of the TV to get his attention. He didn’t get angry or ask me to move; that wasn’t my brother. He simply paused the movie and looked up at me, waiting for what I needed to tell him.
“Have you heard about what’s been happening in the city?”
“I need you to be more specific. I’m guessing it has to do with a crime of some sort, or you wouldn’t bring it up like this. If it was exciting, you would have told me instead of walking around trying to figure out how to approach the subject.”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “You caught that, did you?”
“I’m not a kid.”
Sighing, I sat beside him. “I know, and I’m sorry for treating you that way. I don’t want to upset you.”
“Is this about the kidnappings?”
“You heard about them?”
“I work in the mailroom of an office building. Do you have any idea how gossipy people are in there? I could probably tell you stuff you haven’t heard of.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“You’re worried I'll be next, aren’t you? Never mind, don’t answer that. I can tell you are.” Marshall turned so his leg bent and he fully faced me. “You can’t put me in a bubble, Barrett. I’m tougher than I look. I survived Mom and Dad for years after you left, and don’t even think about feeling guilty over that. We’ve been there, done that, and burned the shirt. My point is, every time I leave the apartment, I pay attention to what’s around me. I don’t walk down alleys or go into places that aren’t populated at night. I’ve mastered the don’t fuck with me look.” He gave it to me to prove his point. I had to admit, he had it down.
“If you were hurt or worse, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. And you can’t tell me I shouldn’t think that way. If you saw half the shit I did, you’d understand that’s not possible.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to. You haven’t gotten this far by looking on the bright side of life. I have to be able to live though. If it were up to you, I’d have a tracker on me. Wait, you didn’t already put one on me, did you?”
“I can track your phone, but you know about that.”
He nodded. “I do, just like I know where you are.” That was the one concession I’d made and one I’d waited to come back to bite me in the ass. He didn’t know anything about Jordan, and it should be kept that way. I didn’t think he tracked me often. He was too wrapped up in his painting when he was home or in TV when he was taking a break. At work, he was so busy he didn’t have time to bother with me.
“Promise me you’ll pay extra attention to your surroundings, and if you notice anything suspicious, call me or put me on speaker, just so I know you need me. I’ll come as fast as I can; if I can’t, someone else will.” I didn’t tell him who that would be because I still didn’t know. I couldn’t trust many at work. None I’d want to meet my brother. Which left the other side of my income, and fuck no, I didn’t want Jordan showing up. Although, if anyone could protect Marshall, it was Jordan and the men who guarded him.
Of course, that brought me to Reghan. Could I call and ask for his help? Would he rush to my brother’s side, no questions asked, if I did? And could I really do that, considering Reghan could be with Jordan when I called? Maybe he’d ask his brother to go to Marshall. Fuck if I knew.
I found the idea of Reghan being the one to come to Marshall’s rescue a comfort. There was no doubt in my mind that Reghan would protect my brother. There would be questions to answer afterward, like why I never mentioned my brother. Then again, it wasn’t as if Reghan and I had in-depth conversations.
If Marshall was in trouble, I didn’t care what kind of explaining I’d have to do afterward as long as my brother was safe.
“You’re trying to figure out who you could trust with me, aren't you?” Marshall asked.
“I can’t get anything by you.”
“You try but don’t succeed. Whoever the guy is you’re thinking about, the same one you always brood over—yet I’ve never heard a name or met—if you care about him and trust him, he’d help you.”
“I shouldn’t want him to. I need to keep him far away. Nothing good will come from inviting him into my life.”
Marshall reached over and put his hand on mine. “You have so many walls up, Barrett. You think by doing so, no one can hurt you, but how are you feeling now with those walls in place? It’s not good, is it? I hate seeing you so lonely. You go to work and come home. Day in and out, everything you do is for me and never for you. Go out. Have fun. You need to spend time on yourself, or all this emotion will stay bottled up. I want you to be happy.”
“I’ll be happy if you are.”
“You can’t take care of me when you haven’t taken care of yourself.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re deflecting. I’m good. You’re not. Work on that.” He turned to face the TV again and lifted the remote. “I’m going back to my movie. Either watch it with me or do something that has zero to do with work. Before you say it, yes, you’re always looking for people to help, and that’s fine. Just don’t forget about yourself.”
“Are you kicking me out of our apartment?”
“What’s that?” He leaned closer, eyes on the TV. “I couldn’t hear where you were going.”
I chuckled. “Fine, I’m leaving.” Where, who the hell knew?
Already dressed in jeans and a shirt, I stuffed my feet into a pair of comfortable sneakers. Along with my keys, wallet, and phones, I strapped a gun on before putting my coat over it. I always had to be prepared.
It was early afternoon on a Sunday, and I was off. I readily joined the foot traffic on the sidewalk, the brisk air making me pull my coat closer. I could have taken my car, but since I had no idea where I was going, I figured walking was easier. At least then, I could stop in stores or find a bite to eat without worrying about where to park my car.
My mind went over the case I had and if there were details I’d missed. I was sure there wasn’t, but the sheer fact I didn’t have a lead ate at me night and day. With Jordan’s people on it as well, I thought I would have heard from them. Then again, if I couldn’t find evidence in the dark recesses of East Dremest, did I think he could?
Always alert of who I was walking next to and vehicles pulling up to the curb, I was acutely aware of the black Lincoln Navigator that stopped beside me. It was one of Jordan’s. I kept walking. Whoever it was had obviously found me for a reason. My guess was it was one of the twins. One, I would behave like I shouldn’t in front of, a cocky asshole, when all I wanted was for him to fuck me until I couldn’t think anymore. The other, I’d have questions to answer.
Raiden fell into step beside me. Not many could tell the twins apart besides the scar on Raiden’s face. I knew them by their eyes. Sure, they were the same, but within their depths, there were very different emotions.
By the way he looked at me, Reghan could either kill me or eat me alive. Raiden was seconds from either throttling me or shoving me toward his brother. It varied by day.
I knew it was Raiden beside me by how he walked. Yeah, I was that tuned-in to Reghan. He was heavy-footed, or maybe that was around me. Every step packed a punch of anger and seemed to say the words he didn’t let leave his lips.
I’ll fucking crush you.
I want to choke the life out of you.
Why the fuck won’t you leave me alone?
Granted, I didn’t know if that was what the steps meant. They felt like it though.
Raiden walked lighter, with purpose. I half expected him to glide ahead, but he stayed by my side, eyes scanning the people around us. One hand in his pocket. The other hanging loosely by his side, waiting for the moment he’d have to pull out his weapon.
“Do you hate him?” he asked.
I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk that might as well been the size of a boulder. If it weren’t for Raiden reaching for my arm, I would have fallen very ungracefully. He released me just as quickly as he caught me.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, acting like nothing just happened.
“My brother. I can’t figure it out. All you do is piss him off. I know you want him. Is it to punish him or yourself?”
“He pisses me off too.”
“I know, but he tries to be nice. Why wouldn’t you let him that day in the café?”
My eyes narrowed. “Is that why you’re really here?”
“Lawson found something,” he said low. “Video. Seconds right before a guy was taken. A tall man wearing a hoodie to cover his hair and his face. The video also caught a limp.”
“You stopped to tell me the guy has a limp?”
“It’s better than nothing.”
“Do you know how many people limp though? You gave me nothing else.” I couldn't question every male in the city who had a limp and wore a hoodie and ask if they were involved in kidnappings.
“Gotta work with what you have.”
He veered off and turned around, returning the way we came. I didn’t bother doing the same. He’d be a measurable distance from me.
A limp and a hoodie.
Yeah, they were clues—small ones, but ones nonetheless.
I couldn’t tell if I was happy Raiden delivered it or pissed Reghan didn’t.