I realized then that the predator had already struck its first blow, but I just hadn’t felt the bite.

Chapter 26

CAIN

I wiped the grease off my hands as I stared under the hood of the 1980 Cadillac Coupe Deville. It had a nice candy apple red paint job. I could picture Abel driving this car, his head bopping along to the latest one-hit wonder. I’d never tell my brother this, but there were times I envied his freedom. Not that I didn’t have freedom, but I envied his ability to let go and do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

On the other hand, that exact trait was also what I needed to keep under control. I had kept it and Abel in line for so long that it felt like just another breath in my day, but I hated the lack of self-control. Yet, it didn’t stop the spark of jealousy from being there.

Sunshine was quickly becoming the one thing I wanted to throw out my rule book for, and I wasn’t sure how this would end for her. I’d never kept someone longer than a few days, and that was only to see how long they could handle extreme pain.

The gate buzzed, and I looked up at the camera to see Margaret Lawson and another FBI agent sitting at the end of the driveway. Well, now, today just got a lot more interesting.

Walking to the far corner of the garage, I undid the straps that held my gun, complete with a silencer. I checked the clip and set it in the hidden holster, but I didn’t do up the straps. The buzz sounded again, and I walked over to the two-way speaker and pressed the button.

“Hiya, what can I do for you,” I asked.

“We are canvassing the area to see if any of the residents have seen anything suspicious.” Margaret’s voice crackled through the speaker.

“I’m not sure how I can help ya, but you’re free to come on in.”

I flipped the switch and watched the gates slowly open. Grabbing the remote and pressing a few buttons on my security set up, the channel switched to a restoration show, and the television in my workroom where Kirby was would now be on. She would get to see how close her mother was to help and how it wouldn’t matter.

Picking up the torque wrench, I leaned into the Cadillac and pretended to tighten what I’d already worked on as the black car pulled up and stopped. All agents were the same. They thought they looked cool in their crisp suits and blackout sunglasses, and they all had the same arrogance. A thrill traveled through me, knowing I’d gotten to Kirby before all the personality was squeezed out of her body by these lifeless and annoying shells of humanity. They were worse than the sheep. They were the herders.