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“Did you find proof that Hudson was guilty of Mary Fontenot’s murder?”Eb asked, voice darkening with intensity.
Memphis’s focus slid to him.“You and your sister have vastly different personalities.”
“Stands to reason.We’re vastly different people.”
“Siblings often are.”Memphis settled back against the couch a bit more.“Family, oh, family can be such an interesting biological trick.All those genes, spinning around and around.Always fascinates me to see what traits are inherited and which ones aren’t.Marley and I actually have this friend—” He broke off.Beetled his brows at Naomi.“Have you met his sister Marley?”
She shook her head.
“You’ll like her,” Memphis assured her.“Everyone usually does.I mean, she thawed the cold, cold heart of Declan Flynn, so that has to tell you the woman has skills.Seriously, though, she’s a great profiler.Total asset to the team.Hate that business that she had to endure with Sebastian Glass.Fucking demented SOB.”
Sebastian Glass.The name rang a very distant bell for Naomi.
“He was on death row,” Memphis continued blithely.“He liked to cut up his victims.Break them.You might know him better asBroken Glass.That’s what the press called him.Because by the time he was done carving up his victims, they looked like they were?—”
“You’ve painted enough of a visual, thanks,” Eb cut in tightly.“Don’t really like to talk about the bastard who tried to murder my sister, if you don’t mind.”
Her mouth dropped open.Broken Glass.Yes, yes, she knew the story.The guy had been a real-life monster.Movies were being made about him.And the thing was…
He’d recently died.A brutal end in prison.He’d been attacked in the prison yard.Beaten.Stabbed with a shiv by the other inmates.
Eb stalked closer to her but stopped when he seemed to catch himself.
“I like connecting dots,” Memphis suddenly admitted.
“Someone give the man a cookie.”Eb did not seem impressed.
Naomi’s stomach growled.Damn.Shecouldgo for a cookie.How long had it been since she’d eaten?
“Funny thing about you, Eb, is that you have some glaring holes in your past.”Memphis exhaled on a long sigh.“Big holes.”
She forgot about the cookie.
“Holes happen when you work for the government.”Eb didn’t seem concerned.“Sort of a need-to-know lifestyle that you live.”
“Right.But there is one hole in particular that I don’t think is related to that CIA life of yours.After your sister’s attack, you seemed to vanish completely.No trace of you at all.Obviously, you were working an undercover mission, but just where was that mission?Some far distant country?Or…perhaps somewhere closer to home?”
Eb stiffened.“It doesn’t matter.That particular mission wasn’t successful.”
What was happening?“Could you two stop talking in code?If you have something to say, spit it out.”They were giving her a headache.And Hunter wasn’t speaking.Just listening intently.Was he as clueless as she was?
Memphis waited a beat, then, “Let’s just say that I believe Eb has a long history of seeking vengeance.Going to extremes in order to get that vengeance.Maybe when I leave, he can tell you more about Glass.And what it’s like to spend months in a maximum-security lockup.”
Okay, her goosebumps got way, way worse.“Why would Eb know what maximum security is like?”
“Because I spent time there.”Eb’s voice held no emotion.“This isn’t relevant.Can you get back on track?”
Might not be relevant, but it certainly was terrifying.Eb had been in a maximum-security lockup?Why?“What did you do?”she breathed.
His eyes blazed.“Nothing.”Grim.“But sometimes, to stop a killer, you have to become one.”
Broken Glass had been killed in a prison riot.Stabbed with a shiv.And…Eb had beeninprison.
“Did you kill him?”The question burst from her.
“No.”Hunter’s quiet response.So, yeah, he did know what was happening.Not so clueless.“Something that I think still pisses Eb off to this day.Eb really hates it when his prey gets away from him.Or, worse, when someone takes that prey away.All that time wasted…”
Her temples throbbed.“I don’t understand—what does this have to do with?—”