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  Tad forced a smile to play it off. “Sorry, I’m okay. I just need more coffee or some sleep. I had fun today. I’ll see you around.”

  He felt a sinking feeling as he went to his car, and even though he knew it was against the rules, he considered telling Bay. He was in a fine mess and didn’t see any way out of it.

  He couldn’t believe his big chance was coming at the wrong time. How could everything be falling apart and falling into place, all at once? It wasn’t fair.

  He had to come up with a plan. He wasn’t a killer, at least, not the mastermind type who could plan out something like a murder and carry through with it, much less do it on a whim. He knew if he had any chance of having a future, he couldn’t get caught, so making it look accidental was his best bet. He couldn’t remember talking to his uncle in forever, and so on his way home, he headed over to the old house to see if he still lived there.

  The front of the house looked the same, though a little more run down, and the neighbors didn’t seem to be the same people who had lived there years ago. Considering what he was up to, it might just be for the best. There wouldn’t be anyone to recognize him.

  He parked out front and knocked on the door, his heart thumping, not knowing if his uncle would be glad to see him or not. Just when he thought no one was going to come to the door, he heard the locks and the knob turning.

  The door opened a crack, and then Uncle Roddy stuck his nose out. “Tad?”

  “Yeah, I thought I’d come by to say hello and see how you are.” His uncle hadn’t changed too much in the past ten years. His hair still hung down his back, and he had the same kind eyes. Tad could barely stand to look at him.

  “Come on in. I was just finishing up some lunch if you’re hungry.” He stepped aside, and Tad went up the steps and into the house. The place looked the same, too, for the most part.

  “No, I’m good, thanks. So, how have you been?”

  “I’ve been good. How’s your sister? You two getting along okay?”

  “Yeah, she’s fine. I’m crashing at her place these days.”

  His uncle looked up and scratched his beard. “Did you need some cash?”

  “No, thanks. I actually just left work.” He wondered what kind of task his uncle would want him to perform and for how much. “You still up to the same old tricks?”

  “Have to pay the rent.” He went over and sat at the table where he’d fixed himself some eggs and bacon. “Did you need to talk?”

  “No, I’m good. I just wondered how you’re doing.”

  There was a knock on the door, and before Uncle Roddy could stand from the table, a young boy, who Tad thought must be around the age of fourteen, came walking into the house. “Hey, Roddy, is that your new car in the street? That thing is lit.” When he saw Tad, his eyes widened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize anyone was here.” The boy had the same coloring as Tad and the same shape he’d had at that age, so much that they could have been brothers.

  Tad’s stomach turned. Uncle Roddy had found himself a new victim.

  11

  Tad

  Tad stood there looking at the boy with his mouth gaping.

  The young boy carried a new skateboard, wore shiny new sneakers, and a hat that looked like he hadn’t had it too long.

  Tad remembered the days when his uncle’s hush money had bought him the same kind of things, and he couldn’t help but wonder just how close the two had become. Did he have an arrangement with the kid like he’d had with him, or was it something innocent? Or much worse?”

  Anger sent his blood pumping, and he turned to stare at the wall. “It’s my car, but hey, I was just leaving.” He shook his head and turned to head for the door. Uncle Roddy got to his feet, and the boy, who suddenly looked like he had done something wrong, sat at the table.

  Roddy followed him out to the yard. “Why did you come, and what did you expect to find?”

  “One day, you’re going to get caught, you know.” Tad paced the area out front where the grass had died near the walkway.

  The older man tucked in his shirttail and raised his chin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Tad let out a breath of frustration. “Of course, you don’t. Cut the bullshit, old man. I’m here to tell you that it’s going to catch up with you.”

  Roddy stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Are you threatening me? Is this why you’ve come back; to try and blackmail me? Look around. I’m not getting rich off your old photos. Hell, I don’t even have them anymore.”

  Tad knew that was a lie. He didn’t want to get into how his photos that had been sold online would be around forever. “There should have never been any photos. You took advantage of me when I was just a kid.”

  “I treated you like a son.” He turned to glance at the neighbors to see if anyone was looking his way. “I let you in on my thing, so you wouldn’t be stuck out. It was obvious you didn’t have anyone that gave a shit about you. You loved the attention; ate it up in fact.”

  “A son? You’d do that to a son?” Tad shook his head. “It took me a long time to realize it, but you’re not any better than my old man.”

  “Don’t sit and act like I forced you. You loved showing off as long as you had an audience on the other side.”

  “I was already in too deep when I realized what the pictures were being used for, and it’s not like you’d have let me stop. When I wanted to, you all but made me keep going, and if Mama hadn’t gotten remarried, you’d have still had me doing God knows what in front of that camera.”

  “You sure seemed to like it. And you liked spending the money, too.”

  “How much were you getting? Don’t even act like it was split fairly, and let’s not forget that what little you threw my way, you stole right back to buy better equipment.”

  “Is that it? You want your fucking money back? I bet if I offered you enough, you’d go in that basement and put on a fucking show. I know you like it. You can fool yourself, Tad, but you can’t fool me. I hear you’re modeling. Still showing off. I know you worked as an escort, too. You like those old women using your cock? Didn’t think I knew about that, did you? I even know that you got a nice little addiction going for you. I may not have done much, son, but at least I kept your fucking nose clean.”

  “Son? You’re a real piece of work.” Roddy could spin it however he wanted, but Tad knew the truth. Nothing was going to change his mind. “That kid lives around here?” Tad knew that one day, some angry parents were going to knock down his fucking door, and then the police would be called. All of his ugly past would be revealed, as well as his darkest secrets.

  “Down the street, around the block.” He gave a shrug. “Does it matter? He came to me, just like you did.”

  “I came to live with you, and you lured me, and I bet you lured him, too.” He looked over to see the old lawn mower was still parked beside the house next to his bike. “Did you teach him all about lawnmowers, too?”

  His eyes narrowed. Tad had never noticed how evil the man could look. “He knows what he’s doing.”

  “Just like I did, right?”

  Roddy hitched up his pants and squared his shoulders. “You can play the victim all you want, but I know the truth. I never laid a hand on you.”

  “Because I was blood, right? But it didn’t stop you from thinking about it; from looking at me, wanting me. You think I didn’t know what you were doing down there while reviewing the pictures? The kid in there, he isn’t blood. So, tell me, Uncle Roddy, do you keep your hands off him, or do you just pay him more?”

  The old man’s lip curled. “You made your decisions, boy. Before you go thinking you’re going to turn me in, let me remind you that I have enough on you to ruin any kind of life you think you want. You knew the game. Now, unless you’re ready to get back at it, get the fuck out of here.”

  Tad couldn’t believe his Uncle’s gall. “Get back at it? What are you proposing?”

  He threw his thumb out toward the h
ouse. “He’s not opposed to a partner, and I pay a lot better than I used to. So, if you’re ever interested and you want to lose that chip on your shoulder, stop on by.”

  Tad didn’t know why he was so surprised. “You’ve got some fucking nerve, old man. Some fucking nerve.”

  Roddy turned and walked into the house, and Tad stood in the yard a moment, unable to believe the ups and downs of his day.

  He had wanted to see if his uncle had changed any, and he hoped that he had. Before the visit, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to kill the old man, but now, he realized that the world. or at least the old neighborhood, would be a much better place without a monster like Uncle Roddy in it.

  Maybe killing him would be the right thing to do somehow. Now, all he had to do was figure out how.

  Part of him wanted to storm into the house that very moment and beat him to death, but he knew that wasn’t the way. He needed a plan, and his anger was good. With the anger raging in him, he might be able to complete the task after all.

  He headed out to the car, and as he pulled away, he looked up to the house to see the young boy standing in the door, watching him.

  He thought about ways to pull it off. He knew his uncle was never too far from a gun and wondered if he could catch him off guard.

  He played out the scenario in his mind. He’d wait until after his next modeling gig and give him a call. After making sure he was alone, Tad might offer to come over and earn a little extra cash on the basement couch. He would have to ask for something private; something where the young boy would not be involved and not be around to witness it or be a liability.

  Then, once he had his uncle good and comfortable with the situation, he could walk to put his clothes back on and go for his gun. Part of him felt it would be appropriate to shoot him while he was behind the camera—twisted justice, for a twisted man—but he needed to make sure that any film of himself, still or moving, was erased, and not a trace could be found.

  Then he’d stage the area like a suicide and take any evidence of his past that he could find.

  He liked the sound of it, but he couldn’t believe he was actually planning a murder. How had his life come to this again? All he had was hope that this worked out, and he could move on with his life in modeling, and that things would be better for him from here on out.

  There had to be a silver lining, but God help him, he knew the chances of it weren’t likely. He was going to get himself in trouble for murder and spend the rest of his life behind bars. It was twisted justice in itself; payment for what he’d done when he was just a kid all those years ago.

  Tad had walked into the millhouse that night, along with the others, and even though he’d gotten a little weak-hearted, he’d followed right along with what Bay had wanted.

  That brand on his arm had represented loyalty to the group, and Bay had taught him and the others that one weak link could ruin everything.

  Bay’s group was organized in a way where there were consequences for those who didn’t fall in line, and no one wanted to be the kid who fucked everything up.

  “You’re next, Tad.” The girl was still writhing on the millstone when Bay passed him the knife. “Make your mark.”

  “Can’t we shut her up?” Seth held his ears, and a few of the others nodded in agreement.

  Bay kicked the girl in the side. “Shut up.” She went quiet for a moment, and Tad had stepped forward, the knife trembling in his hand.

  As soon as he knelt down and put the knife to her back, she fought against her restraints and nearly knocked him back. Then she shifted about, writhing and twitching, so he could hardly make a cut.

  “Knock her out!” one of the others yelled. “She won’t feel it, then.”

  Bay pushed Tad aside and grabbed the girl’s hair. He pulled her head back and covered it with a torn piece of cloth, and then he slammed it hard on the stone. “There, that should shut the bitch up.”

  Tad’s hand trembled even more then. He didn’t want to hurt the girl, but he thought if he could just make his mark quickly, then the suffering would end a lot faster. He wasn’t sure why the girl had agreed to such a thing, but he knew that he’d done much worse to be accepted. It didn’t sink in until later that the girl hadn’t done it willingly. To him, it was all a game, a bunch of guys hanging around listening to Bay playing God, but he never thought the guy would take it that far.

  “Shit, she’s not breathing,” Darek said after the ritual was complete. The guy had been in a daze, watching the events unfold since he’d made the first mark.

  Bay gave a primal shout. “Carpe Fortuna, friends! The future is ours, and it’s going to be amazing.”

  Tad sighed. Eleven years later, his life was a fucking mess, and he certainly hadn’t made a fortune. “Carpe Fortuna, my ass.” He turned on the radio and drove the rest of the way home trying to avoid the voices inside his head which were calling him back to his past.

  12

  Darek

  Bay had sent Darek the information for his hotel room as promised. He wondered if the guy had asked for him to be treated like a special guest, especially when the sexy blonde not only checked him in but personally escorted him to his room.

  The girl, who was in her early twenties, with light brown hair and the sexiest smile he’d seen since Lizzy, opened his door and then walked inside before giving him the key. “I hope you’ll find this accommodating, and if you need anything, I’m Amber. And I do mean, anything, at all.” She looked him up and down, and Darek smiled and walked into the room, staying between her and the door.

  He wondered just how accommodating the young lady would be. “Are you this friendly with all your guests?”

  “Mr. Collins says you should be treated as if you’re in the presidential suite, even though you’re not. That you’re a very important man who might need special attention.” She remained straight-faced as Darek smiled.

  “Did he tell you that I’m a detective with the NYPD?”

  Amber’s expression faded, but only a bit. “No, sir. But I would imagine a detective needs special attention now and then, as well. The choice is yours.” She gave him a wink and turned and walked to the door. “I’m sure you know where to find me, detective.” She pulled the door, and he shook his head.

  Part of him wanted to take advantage of the special treatment, but the other part knew Bay was testing him. He never did anything nice without an agenda.

  He walked around and unpacked his things, hoping he wouldn’t have to be there any longer than necessary. Sometimes, divorces dragged out, but he wished that his lawyer, Bay “The Slayer” Collins would work a miracle.

  He looked out at the rush-hour traffic and was thankful he didn’t have to get out in it right away, and he had a little time to rest before going to meet with Tad.

  Bay might not like the fact that the two were meeting without him, but what he had to talk to Tad about was very personal. He wouldn’t want anyone knowing the kind of things he’d seen Tad doing if he were him, and Darek couldn’t believe he’d been abused. It had to be maybe a year or two before he met the guy because he was so much smaller and prepubescent on the video, but there was no mistaking who the skinny little shit was. Tad’s looks were very distinct, and he hadn’t changed that much before Darek met him.

  What a mess. Just when he was starting to think things couldn’t possibly point to one of the guys, the video reared his ugly head. The question was, was this Tad’s way of admitting he’d done it and why, or was this someone’s warning that Tad was next?

  While he waited for someone to identify the boy or the man who was behind the camera, he’d simply ask Tad and see if there was any way he would turn him over. He hoped to hell he would, and then he could check him out before anyone else caught wind.

  He doubted that Tad was using the murders as some kind of signature or to make a statement, but somewhere in the back of Darek’s mind, he couldn’t help but fear that theory blowing up in his face.

  He fi
nished unpacking his shit and changed out of his suit into something more comfortable. Then he headed to Bakes for dinner with hopes that his favorite host would be working.

  Bakes was a little busier than usual, and Tad’s charm was cranked to a level Darek had never seen it. When the guy turned and saw him, his smile faded.

  “Detective.” He looked past Darek as if he might see someone else.

  “I’ve come alone. What time are you off?”

  “I work the late shift.” Tad’s tone was clipped, and he seemed to be scrambling for something else to do to keep him too busy to talk.

  “Hey, I’ve got some delicate information, something I’m sure you’re going to need to know. So, you can get me a private table and take five, or you can meet me someplace after.”

  “Lewis is already on my back. I’m closing this place down, so if you’d like to be seated, then maybe I could join you when it slows down.”

  “I’ll hang out in the bar, then.”

  “That might be your best bet.” He gave Darek a cold stare as he turned to go to the bar. Something was up with the guy. He’d never been so keyed up over Darek’s drop in visits. He had to wonder if Bay had said something to Tad or warned him not to talk to anyone.

  Darek sat and watched him for the next couple of hours from the bar while he sipped drinks and talked to a few ladies and the bartender, who, as it turned out, spotted Darek as a cop right away.

  “You’re new. What brings you in?” The guy slung a rag over his shoulder and then leaned up to the bar.

  “Just waiting for a friend.”

  He turned and looked at the front desk and grinned. “Boyfriend?”

  “No. Are you telling me he’s gay?” Darek looked at Tad and then turned his attention back to the bartender, who was laughing.