Parrish was still dressed in the clothes he had worn the day before. Other than an automatic and a stag-handled skinning knife lying on the table next to him, he appeared unarmed. Donovan considered his options, including slitting Parrish’s throat, but he regretfully abandoned that in favor of pocketing the revolver and picking up the remote, stepping across the room from the couch, and pressing the mute button-his eyes on Parrish all the while.
As the voices abruptly stopped, Parrish awakened, grabbed the knife, and moved to a sitting position. Faster than Donovan had anticipated but far too slow had Donovan been intent on harming him.
Parrish sat wild-eyed for a moment, and Donovan read exhaustion in his confusion. Of course. He had expected to have Kai-young, able-bodied, and devoted-available to assist him in his plans. Perhaps he had planned that Quinn and Donovan would be here as well, and now all of that had changed.
“You’re back,” Parrish said, setting down the knife. He rubbed his hands over his face and stretched. “Tell me that you’re the one who has my gun.”
Donovan held it up, then put it back in his pocket.
“I’ve been listening to the news reports,” Parrish said with a yawn. “Do you think there’s a chance that this story of Quinn’s will fly?”
Donovan shrugged. “I wouldn’t bet against Quinn’s ability to be convincing.”
Parrish smiled slightly, then shook his head. “No. It won’t work.”
“It will be hard for anyone to prove anything against him.”
“The story is weak, but that isn’t why it won’t work. It won’t work because Quinn is weak.”
Donovan didn’t reply.
“You think I’m wrong?”
“No.”
Parrish laughed, then fell into a brooding silence.
“We’ll have to leave,” he said.
“We?”
“Of course. They’re already looking for you, you know.”
“They have precious little to go on. They don’t even know my name.”
“Oh, I don’t think that’s going to be true for long.”
Donovan said nothing, but the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.
“Tell me, did you enjoy playing the hero?” Parrish asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You did, I have no doubt of it. It’s in your nature, isn’t it? War hero, right?”
“Now I know why I don’t know what you’re talking about-you don’t know yourself.”
Parrish’s mouth thinned into a harsh line. “I don’t like to be spoken to in just that tone, Donovan.”
“I was not a war hero,” he said, keeping his voice calm and low.
“Have it your way,” Parrish said. “But if not in war, then in the mean streets of Las Piernas, certainly. For instance, rescuing damsels in distress in cafés.”
Donovan hid his surprise as he studied Parrish’s smug look, all the while thinking furiously. “The ‘mean streets of Las Piernas’ seem to be teeming with your bastards,” he said. “Is Roderick another one?”
“No. Merely one of the Moths. But I’m rather disappointed that you didn’t already figure out he was there because I provided him for you.”
“An unnecessary risk on your part. I would have won her trust by telling her the story of the girl.”
“Admit that Roderick helped.”
He stayed silent.
Parrish lifted a shoulder. “Donovan, you really must accept your heritage. Your fate. You can’t escape it by pretending that you belong to the rest of the world. You belong to me, my son. To me. The rest of the world will never come close to understanding you the way I do.” He paused, then said, “I would hate to find it necessary to have Roderick talk about you to the police.”
Donovan stood and walked over to Parrish, towering over him. Parrish stared up at him coolly. Donovan’s own stare grew colder still. “You’ve never intended to tell me where to find the girl, have you?”
“Now, now. I was told you have no real interest in her. By you, if I recall correctly.”
“Admittedly, I’m no more capable of being a father than you are.”
“But my dear Donovan, I am your father.”
“No, like me, you provided a gamete and the rest was just nature taking its course. Nothing more.”
“You think I don’t understand you? No, I’ve always known about your nature, your impulses.”
“You don’t understand me. And you don’t know me.”
“You think I’ve ignored you until now? No. I always knew what was happening in your life, Donovan.”
Donovan moved away in disgust. “Then you definitely don’t deserve to be known as my father.”
“Angry with me for not protecting you?”
“No. Where’d you learn your psychology? Afternoon talk shows?”
Parrish smiled. “Let’s not be at odds, Donovan. We both have more pressing concerns. The truth is, I had hoped to let you go on your way until Kai and Quinn decided to play with guns. Help me relocate and I’ll disappear with Kai. I’ll tell you exactly where I’ve been keeping the girl and her grandmother, and you-and I’m sure this will delight you-you can play the hero once again.”
“And Kai’s mother?”
“I’m afraid my plans for her will have to be altered. Kai will have difficulty functioning without her, but I’ll be sure to help him make the transition.”
“Just how does she help him to function?”
“Fueling his rage, of course. But that’s just one aspect of their rather complex relationship. He knows it humiliates her to have him touch her as intimately as he must to care for her. She provides an object of prolonged revenge. Exquisite, really, for one as young as Kai.”
“They did let you watch talk shows in prison.”
Parrish didn’t rise to the bait. He seemed to be waiting for something, and Donovan had a good idea of what it was, but he wasn’t going to gratify him.
Parrish smiled. “You never really were interested in fucking Irene, were you?”
“Not if you were going to provide an audience, no. Otherwise-Perhaps it’s the effect of hunting her over those weeks and months, but I do find I have some interest there.”
“I believe you’re lying to me, but I won’t make anything of it just now.” Parrish stood. “Let’s see how Kai is doing, shall we? And return my weapon to me, please. I’d like to make sure he doesn’t come near any firearms anytime soon.”
Kai was awake but did not stir from his bed as Parrish and Donovan entered his room. Donovan thought he looked pale. When he tried to sit up straighter in the bed, he moved his injured arm, now in a sling, and cried out sharply.
Donovan exchanged a glance with Parrish, who only smiled and said, “He’ll be all right. He just needs a little time to heal. When we’re away from here, I’ll arrange for him to see a doctor.”
“Who changed the bandage and made the sling?”
“Irene,” Kai said. “She’s taking care of Mom, too.”
“Kai,” Parrish said, “we’re going to have to leave this place.”
“Good,” he said. “I’m bored with it. And Quinn is going to talk.”
Parrish smiled. “I believe you’re right about that.”
“Sorry I didn’t kill him.”
“You made him suffer,” Donovan said. “As revenge, suffering lasts longer than death.”
Kai cheered up. “That’s true.”
“I’m afraid we’re going to have to go soon,” Parrish said.
“Okay. I won’t be able to do much, I don’t think, but I’ll try. Donovan will have to help you get my mom into the van.”
“I don’t think it will be wise to use the van.”
“There’s no other way to take her.”
“Exactly. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“You aren’t going to kill her!”
“No.”