Page 51 of Protected by the Sinner (The Sinner’s Touch #2)

New Orleans

Two Days Later

“So that’s what you guys want to do? If it were up to me, I’d kill them all,” says Ethan, my brother-in-law’s best friend and business partner.

We’re gathered at the headquarters of my companies in New Orleans. I moved my main office here so I can stay close to Amber. As her pregnancy progresses, she doesn’t want to travel anymore.

Besides, we still haven’t caught Tobias, the damn cult leader. I’m not leaving my wife’s side until he’s gone. I’ll only leave New Orleans without her if it’s absolutely necessary, and even then, I’ll leave an army behind.

“We need to spare at least one,” I say, “to keep the promise I made to Amber that we’d expose them.”

“Which one?” Amos asks.

“The senator would be the logical choice,” I conclude, “because his death would draw a lot of attention. But on the other hand, he has political power and probably people in the justice system on his payroll. So it’s better to go with one of the businessmen.”

“The CEO from Texas or the one from Arizona?”

“The Texan. I’d take special pleasure in seeing him publicly humiliated.”

“Why?” my brother-in-law asks.

“Because Josiah Wiley is the father of a bastard who’s got unfinished business with a friend of mine. In this case, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The pedophile hiding behind a family-man image has a rapist for a son. We’ll send him to prison to pay for the sins of the other five.”

“And the rest of them? Do we take them out all at once?”

“Yes. We’ll stick to the original plan,” I say. “Are you sure you don’t need my men?”

Ethan is the one who answers. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Beau, but we’ve been doing this for years. We need to coordinate these hits carefully to avoid mistakes. I know you could pull it off too, but Amos doesn’t want to risk his nephew growing up without a father.”

Three days later

“Beau?”

“Yeah?”

“Was it you guys who did this?”

I take the phone Amber’s holding. It’s showing a news website.

Texan steel industry businessman accused of pedophilia in secret cult

A supposedly honorable businessman and family man, Josiah Wiley, was arrested this afternoon at his company headquarters, charged with being part of the cult ‘Children of the Six Enlightened.’ In this cult, girls—ages fifteen to eighteen—were called wives of the six elders.

According to the police column of our newspaper, the young women were subjected to psychological and physical abuse.

The names of the other cult members have not been released, but the leader, Tobias Cohen, is missing.

Somehow, the girls were freed a few days ago and are now in the care of the Texas state government.

Women’s rights organizations around the world have issued statements of support for the victims.

Some accuse local law enforcement of ignoring reports made years ago...

“It was you guys, wasn’t it?”

I nod.

“And the other men?”

“Don’t ask me that, Amber. I can’t answer without implicating you.”

“It doesn’t matter. I know you did what had to be done.” She climbs onto the bed and rests her head on my chest. “But there’s still one left,” she says, referring to her father.

“All the trash has been taken out,” Amos says on the other end of the line.

I know it means they’re all dead, except Tobias, who’s still missing, and Josiah, who was arrested.

“Yeah, but there’s still one bag left, and I’m taking that one to the dump myself.”

“Not alone, Beau. I want to be there.”

There’s no way I could deny him that. Their father stole part of all three siblings’ lives. Amos has the right to his vengeance.