Chapter Fourteen Bree #4
“I wanted to see if I could derail you, so I sent the letters. I thought the one I sent Sophia would really mess with you.” He laughed.
“I knew it was only a matter of time before young Jeremy would snap. He was obsessed with that girl, but she wanted nothing from him. So, in order to have a little fun, I got hold of his number and sent a few anonymous texts. I included some photos of her flirting with other men. As I expected, he snapped, and voilà.” He waved his hand like he held a wand.
Brad’s sudden intense expression caught my attention.
I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t risk Ford closing up.
“So, you’re saying Jeremy killed Sophia, and you had nothing to do with it?”
“Well, I wasn’t the one that killed her. I just gave a little nudge, if you will.” He looked pleased with himself. “It was all so easy.”
“So her death had no connection to the murder of the other two women at the nightclub? That was just you playing Jeremy and screwing with us.” I was incredulous. “And that was fun for you?”
He touched his injured lip and looked down. “Yes, well, it was until it wasn’t.” He looked up at me. “I crossed a line and paid for it.”
“Paid?” Damn him and his twisted answers.
Ford leaned back in his chair and rested a hand on his lap while he tapped the table with his other fingers.
“It’s so frustrating, isn’t it? Being so close to the answer that’s been staring you in the face all along?
” His voice was conversational, as if we had all day.
“You know, now that I say it out loud, I suppose the two of you must be quite familiar with that feeling. Am I right?”
I felt a cold sensation wash over me. I knew he referred to the Barbed Wire Killer, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. I remained deadpan.
“You haven’t even scratched the surface of this entire thing. So many foxes.” He smiled, then he suddenly turned to look to the right as if someone was there. I looked where he looked and then—
It happened fast. Ford pulled a gun and put it to his own forehead. Brad yelled “Gun!” and shoved me to the floor.
“Don’t do it, Ford!” Brad yelled as he pointed his weapon at the man. My heart pounded; this could go sideways in a hundred different ways.
Bang! Bang! I felt something heavy fall on top of me, and my ears rang. The acrid smell of sulfur filled my nostrils. Fear filled me as I scrambled out from under Brad’s body. He must have thrown himself on top of me. Oh my god! Had he been hit? What had happened?
“Brad, Brad! Are you okay?” I desperately needed to know he was all right.
“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Brad lifted me off the floor in one quick moment and checked me over. His hands were everywhere. “Are you hurt?”
“No. Jesus, that was scary.” My words sounded far away. God, how I hated guns. I put my hands to either side of my cheeks and slapped myself in hopes it would help clear the panic I’d felt that Brad had been shot. I saw Ford’s bloody head.
I couldn’t believe how quick Brad’s reflexes were. I hadn’t even seen Ford go for his gun. A second later, SWAT stormed the greenhouse and cleared the scene while my heart was still wedged in my throat.
“C’mon.” Brad pulled me to my feet and whisked me outside.
“The asshole shot himself!” He shook his head in disbelief at Kennedy and Cap as they rushed up. “I tried to wing him, to stop him. Dammit! Now we won’t get any answers.” He smacked his leg in disgust.
He walked me right to a squad car and sat me inside and closed the door. He turned his back as he spoke to the guys. I couldn’t hear anything, and the damn car doors wouldn’t open from the inside, so I couldn’t get out. I wondered if that was Brad’s intent. What is he up to?
Once the guys left, he opened the door and bent down. “You okay?”
“I am.” I really wasn’t, but I was good at tucking away the things that scared me. “What was that all about?” I pointed to Cap and Kennedy.
He looked away. “Nothing.” I wanted to push, but I could see he was still reeling from what happened. “Brad, you asked Ford about someone named Rodger Gumbo. Who is that?”
He started to fill me in about how Gumbo was driving the truck and how he was texting someone named Savage.
“I’m not sure how he was connected to everything, but I’m still working on that.
He’s been in and out of surgeries. The doctors said it doesn’t look good.
The chances of us getting anything from him are slim to none.
I’d be surprised if he made it another day. ”
“Wow, okay.” I still couldn’t believe Brad had a full-out chase and made it out unharmed. “I asked Kennedy how you guys found Ford’s address. Lucky break.”
“It really was.” He shrugged, then looked over his shoulder at someone. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Good, you should go home. You’re putting your head through a lot lately.”
“I’m fine.” I wished he’d stop worrying.
“Look, I’ve got something to deal with. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Brad.” I snagged his hand so he’d stay put. “Why do I feel like you’re hiding something from me?” I didn’t miss the way he lifted his chest. I’d seen kids do it when they were about to lie. “Oh shit, Brad, what’s going on?”
“It’s nothing. Go home, Bree. That’s an order.” He leaned in and kissed the top of my head, then turned away.