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Chapter Twenty Five
"You don't seem like you're in a good mood. How's the interrogation going so far?" Ken asked me the day after I went to see Jack. Since I was a suspect in the Jackson Wolfe case, I was temporarily suspended. The stealing of a surgical knife and sleeping with the enemy was enough to put me on the officials shit list. I poured milk into the bowl of cornflakes and added some freshly cut strawberries.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you're mocking me." I settled down on the table in my PJ's. Ken had just walked out of the steaming bathroom, shirtless. He had something that looked like claw marks across his shoulder blade. "How did you get that?"
"Someone brought a feral cat in the clinic a few days back," Ken said, brushing it off like that was nothing. He was prone to get abused by non-cooperative animals, the kind that looked cute as a button until they barred their teeth and clawed your face.
"They have no reason to suspect you. You've told them the truth."
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Jack In The Box Chapter Twenty Six
"If your brother is dead, then who is that man in the asylum?" I asked."It can't be Ezra. I...I was there with him when our car crashed. I was the only one who survived...unless...""Unless what?""Unless he didn't really die and was in hiding for a long time." Jack said."Do you think he killed all those people?"I knew I'd voiced Jack's concern because he went silent on the other end. A beat later, he said. "I have to go. I'll talk to you later. If that man pretending to be me is in fact, Ezra, you need to be very careful. If they call me vicious, then it's only because they haven't met my brother yet. Alert the authorities and for godsake, Riley, don't go alone in his room again."I didn't mention the part where I kissed him. I realized that bit could wait."I promise, I won't." I assured him."This makes things more complicated.""But—."Before I could say another word, Jack hung up on me.He rea
Jack In The Box Chapter Twenty Seven
"What revenge?" I asked."My parent's marriage was more of a business deal between two partners. Our grandfathers were associates who decided that marrying my parents was good for the business. I think my father was quite smitten with my mother. Her, not so much but they still ended up getting married."I waited for him to go on. He continued. "She didn't conceive us until after ten years of their marriage. They were trying for a baby for a long time until there was a miracle.""My father found it suspicious when she was pregnant. There was probably a DNA test or something, I'm not entirely sure about the details but my father found out Ezra and I weren't his.""What do you mean?""After a few years into the marriage, my mother was having an affair with her former lover, the one she'd initially wanted to marry. She loved that man and couldn't forget him. Antonio Ruiz. We called him Uncle Tony. He was also my father's friend. We were an outcome of l
Jack In The Box Chapter Twenty Eight
I waited to see if there was a punch line, some clue to see if he'd made a crack but Jack's expressions remained the same. He wasn't laughing; in fact, his face remained stoic. With a lot of people, I could easily figure out what they were thinking but with Jack, I always encountered a brick wall. I could only see what he decided to show me."I can't decide if that's a joke or if you're serious," I said."I'm not really in a mood for jokes lately. So far I've been telling you the truth.""You're telling me you killed three people and enjoyed doing it." I waited; my blood was turning to ice.A few seconds passed, he was still holding me and staring intently at me. I pulled away and started to scramble off the bed when Jack caught my hand and pulled me back into his arms. My bare front rubbed against his chest. His other hand went into my hair; his mouth was hot on my neck. "Stop it." I pushed my palms against his chest, but he was so strong and didn't even
Jack In The Box Chapter Twenty Nine
Ken was standing in the doorway, dressed in scrubs, giving me a weird look. "What are you doing, standing there so awkwardly?" I had to remain calm. "I was just making breakfast." I said, and then a little louder, "KENNETH, if you were going to come home EARLY, why didn't you call me? I would have made breakfast ready!" "Why are you screaming at the top of your lungs? I'm right here and I can hear you just fine." He said, obviously irritated from a twenty-hour shift. "Well, thought you were going to fall asleep any minute. Just making sure you're awake." I said. He eyed the half-eaten plate of eggs on the table. "Sometimes you act really strange, Riley, do you know that?" I tried not to take offense to that. "How would you like your eggs?" "Scrambled, if you can. And thanks. I'll just go get a shower first. I smell like a fucking animal farm." He said, slipping off his coat and then stripping out of the blue uniform t-
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty
As soon as I heard Maddy's name, I texted Ken to let him know what was going on and rushed quickly to the hospital. The entire drive I began thinking, what if Maddy was dead in a gruesome way? Would I be able to come out of the trauma?When I arrived at the hospital, the receptionist told me she was admitted due to having injuries. Maddy was propped against the bed, connected to the IV, a large bandage on her neck. Her eyes were tear-stricken and she looked exhausted. I was so relieved to see her alive, I went to sit in the chair beside her bed."Maddy, what happened?" I asked.She appeared to be in some kind of a shock. "I was attacked." She choked out a reply.Maddy stared at the distance as if she saw something that didn't exist. "I was just going to get some medication for a patient. It was dark in the room so I switched on the lights and when I went to the cabinet, someone hit me from behind. When I regained consciousness, the man was dragging me by
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty One
"Here are the rules of this game." Ezra declared. "I'm going to let you run and hide. You can try and escape from the hospital if you want. If you get down to the ground floor and tell anyone, games over and Maddy's throat will be cut." "No! Please!" I shrieked. "If you manage to get out of the hospital, you win. If I find you, well, you lose. And you'll do exactly as I tell you to. I think that's fair game." "We can get you the help you need, Ezra," I said. "Please don't hurt anyone." "Run as fast as you can, Riley," Ezra said. "I'll give you a two-minute head-start." He was standing in the passageway in a relaxed manner. The chain that he was restrained with earlier was dangling on the floor. Blood dripping down his arm. The lights above had almost gone out, leaving only a dim light on that left a silver shadow on his face. It was a scary image. I climbed to my feet and took off in the opposite direction, I ran all the way to
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty Two
"You're an FBI agent?" I gave him an incredulous look."Yes, ma'am," Ezra said.I looked at Flint and Scott, trying to see if there was any hidden joke in this but they appeared to be serious."Maybe you're lying to me," I said.Ezra reached for the back pocket of his jeans and produced a badge. He let me inspect it for a minute. "Maybe the badge is fake too."He chuckled. "Agent Flint and Scott would vouch for me. If that's not enough, I can try to get in touch with the Bureau head in Virginia which may take some time."I stared at him for a good few seconds deciding that my rage had overpowered the relief of being alive and not having to die at the hands of a psychotic murderer. "I would have died of heart-attack; did that possibility ever cross you,Agent Wolfe?""I apologize for that," Ezra said giving me a smile, not having even a twinge of remorse."I need answers starting with why you are in Woodville's imp
Jack In The Box Chapter Thirty Three
One of the two brothers could die and I needed to do something. I tried to look in the car for a key, in case Ezra had left it in the car console and forgotten to take it with him but of course, he was smart, he wouldn't make such a juvenile mistake.I leaned towards the car door and brought my restrained hands to the car lock. I flipped the lock and it gave away easily. I threw the door open and flung myself out on my feet. The clouds began hiding behind the mountains. I walked towards the barn slowly and opened the door to it.I let myself inside the barn and closed the door behind me. I stayed hidden behind a stack of hay. The place was creepy and smelled of cattle. Standing there amid the dusty old junk were the twins. Ezra was facing Jack, who had his side facing towards me."You look like a dead man walking," Ezra said to Jack."Why, Ez, thanks for the compliment. You don't look bad yourself." Jack said in a voice that was almost good-natured. Jack'
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