Black Listed(26)

They were compulsive gamblers. It wasn’t the money they sought from the con. It was the rush. The high. They kept just enough so they didn’t starve and always had a roof over their heads. Millions of dollars were stolen and lives ruined because her parents had a gambling addiction they had no intention of ever overcoming.

One of her brothers, Mitch, had been the same way. He loved the thrill of a con and felt no remorse for taking others’ hard-earned money. He’d also been cruel, often beating her black and blue for fun.

But the brother standing in front of her waiting for his hug had been her lifeline. He’d bandaged her knee after she’d fallen off her bike. Had made her dinner when her parents had forgotten to feed her. Had comforted her when she had nightmares.

Asa was the only reason she hadn’t left her family sooner. He’d always made it better. Until he no longer could.

She eyed him warily, but she couldn’t stay away any longer. She hurled herself into him and wrapped her arms around him. “I can’t believe you’re here,” she said shakily, suddenly realizing her entire body was trembling.

Her gaze jumped to her small bookshelf, where she kept her special copy of Charles Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities.

“I’m here. As soon as I saw your photo, I knew I had to see you. Let you know everything that’s happened.”

She pulled back, suddenly both curious and cautious. “What’s happened? Is Dad finally in prison where he belongs?”

A slow smile broke out on his face. “No. Even better.” He took her hand and squeezed. “He’s dead. He ain’t ever going to lay a hand on you again.”

She stood there, unable to say or do anything.

Her father was dead.

The man had made her life a living hell after her mother had died, his abuse escalating to the point that she thought he would actually kill her one night. Intense relief flooded her, filling her with a light buzzing sensation. Not that there weren’t several other people who wanted her dead or behind bars. But knowing her father could never manipulate her into doing his bidding again brought tears of joy to her eyes.

“What happened?” she asked, gesturing to a chair as an invitation for him to sit.

Along with her desk, she had a small round glass table where she occasionally sat with clients.

He plopped down in the chair, slouching to the side and kicking out his long legs. He did a quick perusal of the room, and then he nodded as if impressed by what he saw. “Heart attack. He and Mitch were casing a building, and dear old Pops just keeled over and died. Mitch didn’t find no pulse or nothing when he checked. He couldn’t carry him back to the car, so he left him. Sure he was bagged and tagged as a John Doe. County probably cremated his ass. Fitting, right?” His lips curled in disgust. “Don’t worry. He’s burning in hell for his sins right now.”

She thought about Sawyer and his inability to forgive himself for his alleged sins. If there was no forgiveness for him, was she doomed as well?

“And what about us? Will we burn in hell for our sins?”

Her brother had the audacity to appear confused, as if he had no idea what she was talking about. “What sins do you think you’ve committed?”

“The same as all of us Hunts. Lying, stealing, cheating.”

Her past weighed heavily on her shoulders. There was no absolution for her. No going to church to confess her sins to the priest. No forgiveness from those she had transgressed against. No way to escape the guilt that plagued her day in and day out.

Asa leaned across the table and held her hands. “Do you regret it?”

“Yes,” she answered without hesitation. “That’s not who I am anymore.”

“You were never one of us, Annie,” he said softly.

His old nickname for her brought back memories of all the times they’d snuck away from their parents to go fishing down by the creek or get ice cream cones in town. They’d spent days exploring every time they moved to a new city, riding their bikes through woods and taking long walks together. Unless they were given explicit permission from their parents to make friends, they only had each other for company. Usually the only friends they were allowed to have were the kids of the target, and it was difficult to let yourself become close with someone you’d eventually betray.

Until Sawyer, she’d always been able to stay detached from her marks. But she’d given him everything she had.

Except the truth.

And once again, it would tear them apart.

But was she truly different from her family? What differentiated them, when they’d all destroyed so many lives? Her guilt?

She leaned forward across the table. “Did you feel bad for lying to all those people?”