Captured

After reentering the highway Kaden resumed his silent drive, the car moving with traffic.

Still on the adrenaline high from the chase I fidgeted in my seat.

I thought about the people in that Yukon, wondering if they were dead or not.

Wondering how Dairy Queen was going to clean whatever blood was splattered all over the place.

And that thought led me to remember about the old room I was in and the dried blood that covered the walls.

“Kaden?”

“Mmm?” His eyes never left the road.

“Why was there blood on the walls in that room?”

“What room?”

I could tell his focus wasn’t on my question.

“The room in that cabin we just left. You know, the one where you took me after you kidnapped me?”

He blinked a few times then glanced at me, “Oh, that room.”

I sighed, “Yes, that room. Now why was there blood on the walls? Whose blood was it?”

He paused for such a long time that I thought he wasn’t going to answer.

Then his deep voice rumbled, “John Camon.”

I frowned, “Who?”

“He was a bank teller. Had a wife and three kids, the youngest only three months.”

“Had?”

Kaden nodded, “He died painfully in that room.”

I swallowed and looked away, hoping the passing landscape could block out the thought of his family living the rest of their lives without him.

“Why did he die?”

Kaden spared me another glance before exiting somewhere in Montana.

“Why do you think he died?”

I swallowed around the lump in my throat, “Did he do something bad? Like steal from the bank?”

Kaden shook his head, “No, he was a model citizen. Never stole a thing in his life, was faithful to his wife, and even donated to the ASPCA when he had extra money.”

“So why did he die?”

Kaden stopped at a red light, not speaking until he was able to move forward again and head into the mountains.

“Because, while he’s never done anything illegal, his family had. His brother owed money to a very powerful, corrupt group.”

I frowned again, “Someone killed him because his brother owes money? Why not go after the brother?”

“Because they had already killed him, but felt that death wasn’t enough payment.”

“So they killed John as well?”

“And his mother and father.”

My eyes widened as I stared at him, “They killed their whole family? What about John’s wife and kids?”

“They’re still alive, my people keeping them safe.”

“Who are your people?”

Kaden didn’t answer right away, making me nervous about what he was thinking.

“We’re a part of the government.”

“That’s all you’re going to tell me?”

“That’s all I can tell you.”

I sighed, “So you’re the good guys?”

“Mhmm.”

I looked out the windshield, watching as the snow covered mountains drew closer.

“Then who are the bad guys?”

~*~

Kaden wondered how to tell her about her father.

Would it be better to be blunt and tell her everything or should he try to be more sensitive and sugar coat it?

“The bad guys, as you so kindly put it, consider themselves as a kind of family.”

“Like a mob?” she whispered

“Sort of, but instead of being made up from an actually family, they have one man they all look up to, and a person has to be initiated in. They can’t just be born into the group.”

Kaden didn’t say anything else for a few minutes, letting her absorb what he just said.

“So you’re saying, if someone wants to join this group, they have to do something to prove themselves worthy?”

“Yes.”

“That’s horrible!”

Kaden nodded, turning onto a dirt road that led up the snowy mountain.

Kaden glanced over to Matty as she opened her mouth to speak.

“Who leads this group now?”

Kaden didn’t say anything, so Matty asked again, “Kaden, who’s leading this group.”

Kaden sighed, “You won’t like my answer.”

“There’s been a lot of things I don’t like that’s been happening since you’ve been in my life. Just tell me.”

“Are you sure?”

She sighed, “Yes, I’m sure.”

Kaden turned the vehicle’s wheel to follow the mountain road.

And when he still didn’t answer, Matty growled in frustration, “Kaden, just tell me already!”

“Your father.”

Matty frowned, “What? What about him?”

“He’s the one leading them, Matty. Your father is the one who murdered John Camon and his family.”