“No…” When Kane’s finger slides over the trigger, Graham convulses against his restraints. “Anywoman! I won’t touch any woman ever again.”
“How can we believe you?” I pick up a long-bladed knife that looks like it might belong in a tackle box, step forward, and shoulder Kane away.
It’s my turn.
“How will we know, Graham? Raping pricks so rarely tell the truth.”
“I promise.” Snot runs along his bruised face until it drips off his chin. “I promise. I’ll leave town. You won’t ever see me again. I won’t call Laine anymore.”
“So you can go off to another town, find another pretty girl, perhaps a set of twins, and you get to send someone else to their death?”
“No!” His eyes wheel around. “I won’t. I promise.”
I step back to the table and pick up the torch. Switching it on, and clicking the red button, I turn back to Graham with the blue flame warming the air ahead of me.
I hold the blade of my knife in the flame and watch it turn red.
“What…” He shakes his head and tries to back up. “What are you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna to make it so every woman you ever meet knows what you are. I’m gonna to tell the truth for you.” I glance to Kane and Spence, who back up until they rest against the wall. They appear at ease, but their weapons and clicking jaws say they’re ready to jump in.
“I don’t believe a damn thing you say, Greg. And I ain’t inclined to take your word for shit. So…” I lower the flame and close up the bullet hole Kane left behind.
Graham’s screams reach a whole new decibel. His pale body convulses, and his head slams against the timber frame as he throws it back. When the stench of cooking flesh reaches my nostrils, I stop and watch his skin bubble. I meet his eyes, the pupils just tiny pinpricks. “You were bleedin’, brother. Gotta close that up before you get an infection.”
“Please stop.” Blood slides over his lip and onto his chin. He speaks with a lisp, like he bit his tongue. “Please let me go. I need to go to the hospital.”
“No. You won’t be stepping into a hospital tonight. You can’t, because then you’ll have to explain you’re a rapist prick. Not sure how you’ll spin that. Plus, Laine’s brother works there, and I assure you, he won’t help you.”
“Please let me go. I think I’m dying.” His words garble together. “Please let me go.”
I turn to the back wall. “You guys think he’s dying?”
“Nope.” Spence slowly turns the wrench in his hand. “He’s got loads of blood left in him, and you closed up that wound on his thigh.” He lifts his chin toward Kane. “He ever tell you how we met?”
I shake my head.
“We met through a mutual appreciation for upholding the law. And I don’t mean in the courts, or during a years long procedural investigation. I mean, we both have a problem with fuckers hurting people, so we learned how to bring ‘em close to death, but we didn’t let them die. Dying is easy. It’s too kind. What we do is reform bullies, and when they can’t be reformed, we tear them apart till life is so much worse than death.”
“What if one kicks the bucket before you’re ready?”
Kane flashes a sadistic grin that sends chills right to my bones. “It’s amazing what a set of jumper cables can achieve when you know what you’re doing. And after the first few times, you learn how to perfect it. How to time it. You even learn how to do it without leaving burn marks.”
“Mostly,” Spence adds. “Those marks are testy. We got something like… I dunno.” He looks to Kane. “Like a twenty-percent success rate on leaving them without burns? Something like that.”
Graham sobs behind me. “Please don’t do this. I don’t want any more.”
I turn with my reddened blade and meet his eyes. “How many times did Laine tell you that same thing?”
“No, she–”
I bring the flame to his exposed nipple and watch the skin char. “Try again!” I shout over his screams. “And don’t fucking lie to me!”
“Stop!”
“How many times?”
“I don’t know!” Vomit dribbles out the side of his mouth. “I don’t know! I’m sorry. I didn’t listen to her.”