"You're scaring me,Sheldon." She removed her blouse and then her jeans. He saw it, then--thefear. In her eyes. Making her fingers tremble. And the rush of supremacy shotthrough him, a burst of adrenaline that made his blood surge.
"Yeah? Well, maybe you shouldbe scared." Maybe he'd just fuck her hard and then he'd feel better. Hishands went to the button of his jeans.
She stood there in her bra andpanties. "I don't think I want to do this if you're in that kind ofmood." She was shaking now and pushed her hair off her face, fright makingher eyes dark.
Blood roared in his ears, his heartbanged like a drum and his vision narrowed to Cecelia, standing therehalf-naked, trying to challenge him, even though she was terrified. When hegrabbed her and forced her to the floor, twisting her wrists and making her cryout in pain, the exhilaration was incredible. The power and her pain combinedto give him a high like he'd never experienced.
The next day, Cecelia's roommate hadfound her stabbed to death on her bed and her car keys stolen from her purse.
Sheldon smiled at the memories, thenglanced at his watch. He was near Brawley. He should go see his folks, butdamn, he was still pissed off they hadn't told him about his sons. Never mindthat they'd just found out themselves. Never mind that they had no fucking ideawhere he was, so they couldn't tell him.
He needed to take a leak, so hepulled into a gas station. He needed gas, too, but, hell, his wallet was nearlyempty. He eyed the self-serve pumps and checked for security cameras. None.He grinned.
After he used the bathroom and spenthis last few bucks on a can of soda and a bag of chips, he filled up his tank,then jumped into the stolen car and pulled away.
He laughed the next five miles downthe highway.
That job at the saloon hadn't beenbad. He'd made some tips, but too bad they'd actually expected him to work. Hepopped the top on the soda and gulped some down, the sweet fizz stinging histhroat. He didn't mind work. Sometimes. He just wanted to work when he feltlike working. His job at that ranch had been the best gig he'd ever had.
He saw a sign for the ChocolateMountains, which reminded him of the first person he'd ever killed.
He still was kind of surprised athow easy it had been to kill the old man. Ed shouldn't have tried to stop him.He should have just let him take the stuff and go, and then he wouldn't havehad to do that. Sheldon shrugged as he drove, remembering. Holding the gun atEd and seeing the fear in his eyes had given him quite a rush. Quite a rush.
But he knew he couldn't kill himright there, so he'd tied the old guy up, taken his car and driven them up tothe old man's cabin in the Chocolate Mountains. Tied him to a chair. He feltlike a god when he'd pointed that loaded gun at Ed's head and seen the terrorthere. He grinned again. He'd felt powerful. He'd never felt a rush of powerlike that in his life. The only other time he'd ever felt anything close tothat was when he'd forced Teresa to do things to him that she didn't wantto...when he'd hit her or tied her up to make her cooperate. She'd had thatterror in her eyes, too, that used to turn him on and make him feel strong andin control. Just thinking about it sent a thrill through him again.
Too bad Teresa had taken off. They'dgotten married young, but the marriage hadn't lasted long. He didn't know she'dgone to El Paso and gotten married again. Whore.
He finished the cola and tossed theempty can onto the floor of the passenger seat. She'd had his sons, let anotherman be their father, and never even told him. Teresa should pay for that. Yeah.
Wanda Barnes was home and so was herson Peter, two years older than Sheldon. Peter was a convicted criminal, too,in and out of jail, probably dangerous, but he'd never murdered anyone.
"We ain't seen him," Petertold Trey. He folded his arms across his chest and tipped his chin up.
Wanda's eyes shifted back and forthbetween them as she twisted her fingers together. She shook her head inagreement. "But he called me again," she told Trey, earning a dirtylook from Peter. "A few weeks ago."
"Mama!"
"He said he didn't do nothin'wrong," she told Peter. She turned back to Trey, her faded blonde hairstreaked with grey, her thin face looking far older than he knew her to be."And I believe him. I'm worried about him."
"If you're worried about him,you should tell him to turn himself in," Trey advised her gently."Otherwise, something really bad could happen to him." He held hergaze as he said it.
"I know. I've seen all thestuff on the news." Her voice trembled. "They'll kill him."
Trey nodded slowly. "You toldhim about his sons, didn't you?"
She shot him a nervous but defiantglance. "Yeah. He deserved to know he's a father."
"You ever think he might try tosee them? That he might be angry at Teresa for not telling him about them allthese years?"
She gripped the fingers of one handwith the other. "You think he might hurt them?"
Trey shrugged. "Sheldon has aproblem controlling his anger, doesn't he." He said it like a statement,not a question, but she nodded slowly and put a hand to her mouth.
"Someone should tellTeresa."
Trey nodded. "I don't know forsure if that's where he's going, but it's sure possible." He gave her acard. "Will you call me if he shows up here?"
She took the card, but Peter grabbedit away from her and ripped it in half. "You're a cop. You're not tryingto help Sheldon. Quit trying to make her think you are."
"Sheldon has killed a lot ofpeople," Trey
