Page 49 of Sinner's Storm
Sighing, I walked closer. “I need to find Remi. The only one who possibly knows where she’s at is Vladmir. I need him to get in touch with Remi and schedule a meeting.”
“Why?”
“Because Remi is the only one who can stop Reaper from killing me.”
“And what could you have possibly done to warrant Reaper’s justice?”
“I married a Golden Legacy today without his permission.”
Maxim whistle, getting to his feet.
Buttoning his jacket, the man stated, “Reaper is many things, but forgiving isn’t one of them. You know that, right?”
“I do. That’s why I need to speak with Remi. If she can help me sway Reaper, I might live to see my first anniversary.”
“Remi wants nothing to do with Reaper right now. What makes you think she will help you?”
“I don’t. I’m grasping at straws here, Maxim. I’ll make a deal with the fucking Devil myself if it keeps my family together.”
“You mean if it keeps you alive, because Reaper will not think twice before killing to protect the Golden Legacy. Both of them.”
“Yes. Fine. I admit it. I want to live and see my daughter grow up.”
“Remi is the daughter of my best friend. My goddaughter. I was the first to hold her when she took her first breath. We’re linked by blood. If it comes down to it, I will side with my family. So, tell me, Storm, what is stopping me from taking the both of them away from you right now?”
Glaring at the fucker, I sneered, “You are not taking my wife and daughter away from me without a fight.”
“Careful, Storm. It almost sounds as if you care for them.”
“I do care.”
Shaking his head, Maxim walked toward the door. Stopping next to me, he leaned close and whispered, “If you want Reaper to believe that bullshit, you better work on it.”
Chapter Eighteen
Robin
“I want this bastard caught!” Captain Davis shouted from behind his desk. I understood he was receiving heat from the brass and city hall, but there was only so much I could do. This bastard was good. He left nothing behind. No evidence, minus the trident that he burned into the bodies; a key piece of evidence we’d kept to ourselves. God, I hated to think what the media would do with that information. Fuckers would probably name the bastard, giving credence to his kills.
“Listen, Calloway, if another kid turns up, I’m not gonna have a choice. The mayor is already on my ass for not calling the FEDs. We’ve got four dead kids. The youngest is eight years old. The only reason I’ve been able to hold him off is because those kids were homeless. And before you say anything, I already fucking know that shouldn’t matter. Kids are kids. Doesn’t matter the demographics. Where are you with this shitstorm?”
“Right now, the only thing linking all four crimes is his calling card. If we consider where he leaves the bodies, I’d say the asshole is homeless himself. But something feels off about that.”
“Jesus, Calloway,” Norwich groaned. “Fuck your feelings. Everyone knows the sick bastard is homeless. We need to scour the camps. Have every patrol out, rounding up every homeless bum aged between twenty-five and forty. Haul their asses in and question them.”
Slowly turning to the annoying fuck, I gaped at him. “You can’t be fucking serious, Norwich. Do you know how many fucking homeless men fit that profile? Let alone how many homeless men are in this city. It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Plus, when the media finds out what we’re doing, they will go nuts. The public will panic, and we will have more murders on our hands. No one thinks twice if a homeless man dies. No one will care. It will be like The Purge. All-out war against the homeless. And then what?”
“At least we would be doing something besides sitting on our asses waiting for the next victim to show up!”
“You are a fucking dick, Norwich.”
“Enough,” Davis barked. “Hate to say this, Calloway, but Norwich has a fucking point. We need to do something, and if bringing in some homeless guys appeases the brass, then that’s what we’re gonna do.”
“You do that, Davis, and you will create a panic.”
“The public is already panicking,” Davis rebutted. “Norwich, you and Gregory get together and start rounding up the homeless around the latest kill sites. Bring them in, get what you can, then cut them loose. Anyone looks suspicious, hold them.”
“Captain—” I protested, as Norwich smiled, getting to his feet. Smarmy bastard.