“What’s his excuse now?”
“Cade Booker. He’s known about him all along. Dominic and Alex have been working for him for years.”
“Why didn’t he just tell us?” Joe demanded. “We’re strong. We’re financially independent. We could have dealt with Cade Booker.”
“He knew we didn’t remember,” I said. “He didn’t want to traumatize us.”
“Unbelievable.” Joe rubbed his forehead. “Un-fucking-believable. As if finding out our father faked his own death again isn’t traumatic.”
“The way he put it to me was that you and your siblings could take care of yourselves, but your mother couldn’t. His first loyalty was to protect her above all else.”
“Fucker,” Joe said again. “We could have protected her.”
Except that Brad took her from the facility without Joe’s or his siblings’ knowledge. But now probably wasn’t a good time to remind Joe of that.
“Where is he? How do I get in touch with him?” Joe demanded.
“I don’t know where he is. He wouldn’t give me that information.”
“Fucker!”
“Look, Joe, we’ve got more important shit to deal with. We have to find Booker.”
“I’ll bet the great Bradford Steel already knows where he is.”
Good point. Brad seemed to know everything. I didn’t agree with his methods, but he did stay on top of things.
“He probably knows where we are right now,” Joe continued. “Come on out, Dad! I know you’re here. Get your ass out here, and you’re going to answer to me!”
No response, of course. Brad Steel wasn’t here, not in Ted Morse’s condo.
“Come on. Let’s go deal with Ted,” I said. “We can’t keep him tied up forever.”
“I don’t know about that,” Joe said. “I hate the shithead.”
Yeah, Joe had a particular ax to grind with Ted. I got it.
“Come on.” I nodded to him.
We both walked back into the living area where Ted was still taped to the chair. I ripped the tape off his mouth without warning.
“Ow!”
“Get over it. Time for you to talk, Morse.”
“Not feeling real talkative.”
I pulled my gun out and pressed it to his forehead. “Feeling a little chattier now?”
Joe looked down, and I followed his gaze. Morse’s crotch was wet. He’d pissed himself.
Sure, he could play the tough guy, but his body didn’t lie.
“You’d better start talking now,” I said, “before the other end releases.”
“I told you. Cade Booker came to me.”
“Why? Why would he come to you?” I asked.