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CHAPTER THREE

Noel

Mason was the last to enter the living room. Shep and I had called for a vote, and it was going to be a hard sell. We knew Four was on board because he’d do anything for Lizzy, but I also believed this situation was really getting to him.

“Is this going to be like the last vote?” Matt asked as he sat beside Nick on the love seat. “Or the one before that? I’ve only been able to vote two times, and both were kind of…weird.”

“Was the last one weird, though?” Gabe sipped his water as he dropped into the wingback chair.

“It was to help a man who wanted you all to catch whoever was stealing his flock…a flock of hamsters, I would like to add. And it turned out to be three boys, all aged ten, who took them because they thought they should be free. I don’t even know how he became a client.”

“Not super weird, though. And just for the record, a group of hamsters is called a horde.” Nick shrugged, earning an eye roll from Matt. “And the person who referred him thought we were PIs—honest mistake.”

“Okay, how about the other one, then? The lady thought she was being watched from her home. Do you all remember what happened?” Matt made eye contact with everyone, waiting.

Nobody wanted to remember that. “No one was watching her. She wanted to make her boyfriend jealous. Her boyfriend, who happened to be a blow-up doll.”

Yeah, okay, that was weird. “We got paid, though, didn’t we?” I smiled.

“How about we don’t reminisce?” JJ chuckled. “Let’s see what my manly man and the other twin have to say. I have been waiting forever.”

“Other twin?” I gasped. “How am I other?”

“Just make this a good one, please.” Matt sighed, and Nick kissed his cheek.

“A woman came into the shop today who happens to be a friend of Lizzy’s,” I began. “It was Lizzy who asked us to hear her out—seems she knows a bit about what we do.” I eyed Four, who looked unapologetic.

“She’s my girlfriend. I don’t lie to her.”

“So, she just threw out to you one day, ‘Hey, Boo, I get some vibes that the Saints are immorally gray, and you must tell me what’s going on’?” JJ quirked a brow.

“No. She doesn’t talk like that.” Four cocked his head at me. “Can you tell them?”

Angel was leaning against the archway, a bored expression on his face. He was so over the blabbing, so I decided to get on with it.

“Right, so this girl, her name is Hazel, and her brother needs a safe place and protection.”

“Why?” Gabe asked.

Shep stepped forward. “Her brother is Phoenix Briar; you don’t recognize that name because the cops didn’t release it yet. But he’s The Broken-Doll Killer’s victim, the one that survived.”

The entire room fell silent, which was a feat in itself. Surprisingly it was Angel who spoke, and he was actually nice.

“What kind of shape is the kid in?”

“She said physically, he’s fine. Whatever happened, no one knows because he’s not talking much—only to her. And whenever he does speak, it’s to say things like ‘Nothing matters.’ He doesn’t think he’s worth all this, and he’s lost in his head.” Shep held his hands up. “There’s more to it, though.”

“Of course there is,” Mason muttered.

“The feds, police, and his psych team will need access to the house.”

“Hold up. So you’d want him staying here, where this insane killer might be trying to get to him, and while we try and keep him alive, we have all these strangers in and out?” Nick argued. “That’s got a lot of bad shit attached to it.”

“I know. It’s why I told Hazel there needed to be rules.

” I glanced at Shep, who nodded in encouragement.

“I told her the police could camp out at the edge of the property, only two in the house at a time to talk with Phoenix, and that I’d see if Aziza would head up the therapy part.

She’s aware of who we are, and she’s the best.”

“So no cops on the premises, and after questioning they leave the house?” JJ quirked a brow.

“She said she would make sure of it if we agreed.”

Nick pursed his lips. “ Mmhmm .”

“What mmhmm , what the hell is that?” I glared at him.

“You.” He swirled his finger at me. “You did something I’d do.”

“Oh, God. That could be a number of things, Nicholas. Be specific.” JJ snorted.

Nick gave him the finger without looking away from me. “You told her you’d convince us.”

“Why are you people like this?” Angel grunted. “You would absolutely do that, Noel.”

“Have you all forgotten Shep was with me?”

Everyone turned to him, and he was trying not to pay attention, but he was busted because it actually wasn’t me who’d made that promise.

“Fine. But it’s Lizzy, guys!” he argued.

“You!” Gabe admonished. “Of all the people.”

“Shut it,” Shep said.

“It’s not really Lizzy, though.” Angel moved deeper into the room.

“It’s her friend. If it were for Lizzy, I’d say of course, but what you’re bringing here is a lot.

Never mind the feds and cops—which is a clusterfuck if they don’t abide by our rules—but there’s a serial killer who got one of his toys taken and probably is going to want it back.

Have you all seen what he does to his victims? ”

“It’s been all over the news. Of course, we have.” JJ shrugged. “I like Marionette Maker better.”

“Wow.” Angel squeezed the bridge of his nose. “My point is, this is more than we like to take on.”

Four stood and walked closer to Angel. He was surprisingly imposing. He wasn’t a confrontational person, preferring to keep calm, and didn’t interject much in meetings. But it seemed he was about to.

“I’ve seen a lot, Angel, because I’ve done a lot.

I was a monster once, still am. You all helped me without knowing the details of all I’d done.

And trust me, you still don’t know the atrocities I’ve committed.

You saw me as a victim once, and I was, sure.

But I was also the predator. I didn’t know most of the time if the people I was killing deserved it, or what they did.

They pointed—I killed. And yet you’d stand up for me, beside me, with me if I needed it.

Phoenix has never hurt anyone. He was a dancer who brought joy to the world, and he deserves to be able to live without fear.

This monster you speak of takes his victims when they are alone.

Do you think if he comes here, he won’t be met with more than he can handle?

I hope he does walk through that door, because I’d happily break every bone in his body while he was still awake to feel it. ”

Holy shit. I stared wide-eyed at Four, who hadn’t raised his voice once. Angel was just as shocked, and I was sure everyone else in here was as well.

“Now.” Four turned and faced the room. “Let’s vote.”

It was unanimous.