Crystal Mac: A prologue novella to Captive Series Book 3 HELL'S HILLTOP by J. A. Dennam Read Free Book Online Page B

and arms standing on end. “What do you mean gone?”
    “Austin went downstairs to check on our prisoners and all he found was River’s body. His throat was cut.”
    Dread opened an instant sinkhole deep in his middle. “So… Rafferty escaped.”
    “Nobody knows how, but Derek thinks it was Crystal.”
    He ran a hand over his freshly shaved head in an attempt to quell that sense of failure. After all, Crystal had slipped away under his watch. “Could Rafferty still be in the house?”
    “We’ve pretty much ruled that out, but I wanted to w arn you just in case.”
    On the off-chance Rafferty knew where he and Mel lived, the man just might carry out one of the many threats he’d spewed earlier. “I’ll keep my eyes open.”
    “We want you to come back here. It’s better if we’re all together since Derek is the only one who can tell if Rafferty’s close.”
    It took a ghost to sense a ghost.
    “I’m not your brother’s favorite person right now,” he said grimly. “I think I’ll take my chances with the half-dead ghost.”
    “Don’t do that, Mac. Don’t underestimate Rafferty, he’s a tough bastard.”
    Something he’d proven the night before after surviving Austin’s legendary fists of fury. “I won’t. Promise.”
    A deep sigh echoed on the other end of the line. “Will you at least call in the morning?”
    It was morning. “Sure, Monkey. Be careful.”
    “Okay. Love you.”
    “Love you, too.”
    Mac disconnected the call and swung his legs to the floor.
    “That was so damned beautiful.”
    Shock washed down his body as Crystal’s voice reached him from the direction of the kitchen. He slowly got to his feet, rounded the counter that divided the two rooms. There she was, a black heap curled in the corner… a mere shadow in the dim light he’d left on above the stovetop. An empty box of graham crackers lay by her feet, indicating she’d been there a while.
    “Do y ou always wear sweatpants to bed?” she asked softly.
    “I sleep in the living room,” he explained, as if her sudden appearance didn’t mean big changes on his horizon.
    Crystal slowly rose to a stand. With her hands tucked in her sleeves, hugging her torso, she looked fragile. Vulnerable.
    “How long have you been here?” he demanded, unsure of her mood.
    “I snuck in when you were in the shower.”
    He bent, picked up the empty box and crushed it in his fist. “Why did you leave me in the lurch like that?”
    “I had… unfinished business,” she replied wearily.
    “Yeah, I heard.”
    “I didn’t free Rafferty.”
    Of course. With her keen sense of hearing, she’d heard Danny’s side of the conversation as well. “After all the shit you’ve pulled, why should I believe you?”
    Her hands came out of her sleeves and she walked toward him. “Because I was busy with other stuff.”
    A clear bag of pills landed on the counter. Mac scanned the contents and scoffed, “A year’s worth of prenatal vitamins?”
    “You know what it is.”
    “I know what you want me to think it is.”
    “So, take one and find ou t for yourself.” She closed the distance between them, turned her face up to look him square in the eye. “Go ahead. If you’re right, you’ll enjoy really strong nails. But, if I’m right… every nerve ending in your body will start to come alive. You’ll be quicker on your feet. Think more clearly. Walk through your apartment with your eyes closed and not run into anything. Hear what the Spanish-speaking couple in apartment 4-C is watching on TV.” She inhaled deeply, cocked her head. “Notice that the smell of garlic never really goes away.”
    They’d had spaghetti four days ago. Mac stayed put, stood his ground while she came one intimate step closer.
    “And you’ll know how to tell when someone’s lying.” Her fingers skimmed over the same burns on his chest she’d touched before. “Read their body language and sense what move they’ll make next.” She placed a light kiss over one