Disturbance

TWENTY-SEVEN

Kai sat in the darkness in a corner of his mother’s room. She was awake. He knew this because she was not breathing the way she breathed when she was asleep. And she was restless, making the small amount of movement she could. He hoped she wouldn’t try talking to him. She knew better than to make those awful, meaningless sounds when he was near. He had her so well trained, he could do what he needed to do without really thinking about her. He had bigger problems on his mind.

The lights in the room were out, but a soft glow came from the display of what looked like a clock radio. He had plugged earphones into a jack on the instrument’s side and was now listening to a conversation being held downstairs. Donovan may have scorned Quinn’s surveillance system, but Kai thought Donovan might have been more impressed if he had known about Kai’s own little system. Of course, he wasn’t going to tell Donovan about it. Or any of the others. But he was especially glad that his two-faced, backstabbing, know-it-all half brother Quinn had no idea about it. His dad should have entrusted a real electronics expert-Kai-to set up security. Quinn didn’t know everything there was to know.

For example, Quinn didn’t know that Kai had placed listening devices in every room of this place.

He had been uneasy when Quinn showed up again so soon after his last visit, and just before their next big event. Quinn was supposed to be in Las Piernas, making sure Donovan was obeying orders. Kai thought that was ridiculous. Who was Quinn to ensure Donovan was obedient? Quinn was the one who was disobedient, or he wouldn’t be here right now.

In contrast, when their father had whispered to Kai, asking for some time alone with Quinn, Kai had immediately left the room, saying, “I have to take care of Mom. Just call me if you need me.”

Before he’d reached the top of the stairs, he could hear Quinn making a remark he doubtless intended Kai to hear.

“I don’t know why you don’t just kill that crippled-up bitch.”

“No,” Parrish had said coldly, “you don’t.”

Kai had smiled to himself and continued on to her room. He knew Quinn’s repulsion would keep him away from Violet Loudon’s room, and Kai’s setup would be safe from at least one pair of prying eyes.

Listening on the earphones now, he could hear Quinn talking to their father.

Urging Parrish to abandon Kai.

“… I’m telling you, he’s going to be the ruin of everything! Look, I’ve got the money you need to go anywhere in the world. Let’s leave Kai and that hideous woman here and take off. I can keep you safe.”

“Don’t you think Kai might say something to the authorities if he was left here to fend for himself?”

With hardly a moment’s pause, Quinn said, “You’re right. So we kill them both.”

There was a silence, then Parrish said, “Quinn, what do you suppose is happening in Las Piernas right now?”

“You mean, our plan?”

“No. The mood of the town.”

“On edge. Terrified, many of them.” There was a pause before Quinn added, “I see what you mean.”

“I was certain you would. You wouldn’t really want to question my judgment, I’m sure.”

“Of course not.”

“The legend of Nicholas Parrish and sons can only be enhanced by that fear. While I could have wished for Kai to have more time to exercise his talents in Las Piernas, and for our plans to have proceeded at the pace we had hoped for, I am nevertheless proud of my sons. There is nothing to lead the police from Las Piernas to this place. Nothing at all.”

“You’re right.”

“You didn’t think this out, Quinn. That’s unlike you. But I suppose you were only concerned for my safety.”

“Yes,” Quinn said. “You understand perfectly.”

“Now, I’m going to ask Kai to join us again, and I hope you will be able to control yourself when he returns.”

Kai didn’t wait to hear Quinn’s response. He disconnected the headset and turned off the receiver. He quickly checked on his mother, smiled at her panicked expression, and reached beneath her bed. He retrieved the automatic he had hidden there, assured himself that it was fully loaded and ready to be used, and replaced it as he heard his father call to him. It was one of several weapons he had cached around the house, and he was more certain than ever that he would be making use of at least one of them.

“Coming!” he called back and hurried from the room.

He reached the bottom of the stairs just as Nicholas Parrish’s cell phone rang. As far as Kai knew, only three people had that number, and two of them were staring at each other in dislike.

Parrish listened, hung up without speaking to the caller, then turned to his sons. “Your older brother is efficient,” he said. “We’re about to have company.”