'Every day since she was a teenager,' Lilah said. 'Avery called about them the other day, wondering if I had any idea what happened to her mother's journals. I mentioned the call to Matt.'
Cherry took over. 'Avery found the journals. Her mother wrote about The Seven. And Sallie Waguespack being pregnant. Somehow Matt found out and torched her house to destroy the evidence. And now, Gwen Lancaster's missing.'
Lilah moaned. 'That poor girl. I tried to warn her. I called…was going to meet her…try to convince her to go. Buddy overheard me…he kept me from…'
She dissolved into tears. Hunter looked at his sister, who continued. 'Dad checked out Gwen's room, found evidence that indicated foul play. He figured Matt…that if he had her, had her cell phone. That he'd retrieved Avery's messages.'
And now he had Avery. Hunter went cold with fear.
Silence fell between them. Cherry broke it. 'There's one more thing, Hunter. Matt knew about you and Avery. That you had become-romantically involved. He told Dad. He was in a rage. A cold rage. Dad was afraid for your life.'
'So he locked me up.'
'Yes. Until he could figure out what to do about Matt. How to protect him.'
'Protect Matt!' Hunter exploded. 'He's a murderer! He should be behind-'
'He's his son!' she returned, cutting him off. 'What was he supposed to do?'
'The right thing, dammit! People are dying!'
She fell silent. Lilah sobbed quietly. Hunter fought to get a grip on his emotions.
'What about Tom Lancaster?' he asked. 'And McDougal? How do they fit in?'
'Dad didn't know for sure.' She turned onto Highway 421. 'Matt was obsessed with The Seven, which could explain Lancaster. But McDougal, he didn't see a connection. There might be none.'
'What about Avery?' he demanded. 'Where is she?'
'Dad thought the old hunting cabin. The one Grandpa used.'
'You've called the authorities, right?' They didn't respond and he made a sound of disbelief. 'The sheriff? State police?'
'Buddy said we should keep it to ourselves. Keep it in the family.'
'Son of a bitch! Cell phone?' They shook their heads. 'How many guns do we have?'
'Just the one.'
'Shit. Fucking great.'
'But Buddy's here,' Lilah said. 'He'll-'
'He's in trouble. Or he would have called long before now.'
The women couldn't argue with that and they rode the rest of the way in silence. They turned onto No Name Road and moments later the access road that led to the cabin.
They reached it. Two cars sat out front-an unmarked sedan with a dome light on the dash and a CSPD cruiser.
'They're here,' Cherry said, voice quivering. She looked at Hunter. 'What now?'
He thought a moment. 'One of us should stay here, stand watch. Keep the car running in case we need to get out fast. Honk if there's trouble.'
Hunter and Cherry looked at their mother then at each other, silently acknowledging she was incapable of the responsibility.
'I'll do it,' Cherry offered. 'Mom can stay with me. You take the gun.'
Lilah tried to argue; Hunter cut her off. 'If there's gunfire, I don't want to be worrying about you instead of my own hide. Got that?'
'I agree,' Cherry said quickly. 'Absolutely.'
She handed him the gun, butt out. 'You know how to use one of these?'
He took it from her. Like his sister and brother, he had grown up handling a gun. It had been a while but some things you never forgot. He checked the chamber, saw that it carried a full round and snapped it shut. 'Yeah,' he answered. 'Point and shoot.'
He climbed out of the car. Weapon out, he crossed to the other vehicles and peered inside. They were empty.
He glanced back at Cherry and pointed toward the cabin. She nodded.
He made his way cautiously toward it. A traditional raised cabin, he climbed the three stairs to the front porch. Half-rotted, they creaked under his weight.
The cabin door was unlocked. He eased it open, then slipped through, pausing to listen.
It was silent. Too silent. The hair on his arms stood up. He inched across the main room, toward the kitchen. It proved empty. The small window above the sink stood open; flies buzzed around an overflowing garbage pail. He saw dirty dishes in the sink.
The cabin might be empty now, but it had been occupied recently. He swiveled, crossed to the bathroom. He found it as deserted as the other two rooms.
Only the bedroom remained. He made his way there, heart pounding. The first thing he saw was the bed, the nylon rope attached to the foot posts, the length coiled on the bare mattress.
Someone had been tied to the bed. The blood rushed from his head. He laid a hand on the doorjamb for support.
Not someone. Avery.
He shifted his gaze and froze. Peeking out from the far side of the bed was the toe of a boot. One he recognized-alligator hide, a deep green-hued black.
His father had worn those boots, made from the hide of a gator he'd caught, for twenty years.
Denial rose in him as he made his way into the room. Around the bed. His father lay facedown in a pool of blood, head twisted at an unnatural angle.
Hunter stumbled backward. Pivoting, he ran back through the cabin and onto the porch. His sister sat behind the wheel of the vehicle, door open. 'Cherry,' he shouted. 'Use Dad's radio, get an ambulance. Tell them an officer's down.'
She leaped out of the vehicle, alarmed. 'An officer? Dad or-'
'Do it, Cherry. Now!'
Without waiting for her to comply, he returned to his father's side. He knelt beside him, felt for a pulse. Found none.
At a sound from behind him, Hunter turned. Lilah stood in the doorway, eyes on her husband. A cry spilled past her lips, high and terrible.
Cherry came up behind her and stopped dead. 'Dad?' The color drained from her face. 'No.' She shook her head. 'No!'
Lilah made a move to go to her husband's side. Hunter jumped to his feet, caught her in his arms, stopping her. She fought him, pummeling him with her fists, cursing him.
He held her until the fight drained out of her. He met his sister's eyes. 'Help me get her outside.'
Cherry blinked. Her mouth moved. He saw that she trembled. She looked a hairbreadth from falling apart herself.
'Cherry,' he said softly, 'it's a crime scene. The police-'
'We know who did it.' Her voice shook. 'Matt killed Dad.'
His brother. His twin. A murderer capable of killing his own father.
And he had Avery.
'Where are they?' he demanded. 'Where's Matt taken Avery?'
His sister looked startled by his question. Confused. 'I don't… know. I don't-'
'Think, Cherry! They're on foot. Where could he have taken her?'
She shook her head, her gaze riveted to their father's still form 'There's nothing out here. Nothing. Just the-'
'Canning factory,' he finished for her. 'Cherry, help Mom to the car. Then call the sheriff's department and the state police. I'm going after them.'
