The Blood King Conspiracy

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Kennedy Moore stood on the deck of the USS Lake Erie, gazing across the rolling expanse of turquoise water that separated their ship from the Stormbringer. A stiff breeze took her long black hair and made it flicker around her face.

Ben was beside her. “Wow,” he said, entranced for a moment. “You look like that woman from the movie — John Carter. The princess.”

“Is that good?” Kennedy’s thoughts were miles away.

Ben glanced around as if looking for Drake’s back up. “I’ll say,” then he went quiet. “Missing him?”

“Huh? Yes, of course.”

“Me too. And Hayden.”

“They didn’t have to go.” Kennedy sounded angry.

“Hayden did. Boudreau murdered most of her men. Her friends.”

“I guess so.”

Ben’s mobile rang. His attention diverted immediately and he turned away. “Karin? Hey, what’s up?”

Kennedy took the few minutes of privacy to drift away. The last week or so, since leaving York, had flashed by in a blur. If she was being truly honest with herself the last year had flashed by in a blur. She felt the skin at the corner of her eyes tighten as she envisioned Kaleb yet again, the haunter of her dreams, as dead as he was ever going to be but still very much alive in her mind.

And in the minds of his victim’s families.

A couple of them had kept in touch, probably through sympathy. Others hated her. The rest just didn’t care. Maybe they had moved on.

She needed to move on. The death of Kaleb should have given her some closure. Instead it closed only one door, leaving many others ajar. Her brief time with Drake had eased those worries. There had even been times when she could forget. But recently, it seemed, the darkness behind the doors was calling, beckoning to her with blood-soaked fingers.

Ben ended his call. “Karin wants to help,” he said with a worried look. “I’ve talked her out of it. For now.”

Kennedy, regardless of her mental state, couldn’t hide the sudden grin. “Just a small town girl… livin’ in a lonely world…”

Ben glared and looked bemused, but then actually burst out laughing. “You old bastards and your Dinorock,” he cackled. “I might actually give you that one.”

“She took the midnight train…”

Kennedy heard footsteps approaching quickly. Harrison came into view. “The assaults heading down below decks at a fast rate. Shouldn’t take too long now.”

Kennedy knitted her brow. “You really believe that?”

She didn’t see the men coming up behind Harrison. The men with their guns drawn.