Canvas & Keys

5. Now, You're Talkin' Crazy

By the time I'd outlined my timeline in my head, the helicopter was dropping lower toward the Scottish landscape, just northeast of the town of Kenmore. I sat back and gazed out the window. The sun still had a few hours before rising, but I could see the outline of the trees and hills before a small light appeared in the distance.

"We're coming here?" Flannery questioned, looking at the house in the distance.

Vince shrugged. "Ms. Lewis owes us plenty of favors...so we are taking up residency in her home for the next few weeks."

She snorted. "Wonder how well she's going to take this."

I didn't know who this Ms. Lewis was, but I definitely found out just a few minutes later.

It wasn't until we landed a couple hundred feet away from the small house that I noticed the dozen black cars and SUVs that formed a semi-circle in the lawn. More lights were visible through the partially closed curtains, but movement could be seen from one by the front door. The next moment, it opened and a woman who looked to be in her early twenties came storming out, long, light brown hair flying out behind her. She was in her pajamas, but the rage and hatred in her eyes looked like she should have had a gun in hand so she could take care of the man herself.

"Vince Peters, you son of a bitch!" she yelled. By her accent, she had to be from the London area. "You can't just have your people come barging into my house at two in the fucking morning!"

"Hello to you, too, Ms. Lewis," Vince simply said.

She wasn't finished yet, stomping right up to him before slapping him across the face.

Vince took it with a smile, turning his gaze back to her and staring for a split second before he shifted forward with impressive speed. His hand immediately wrapped around her neck, squeezing as he pulled her face close to his.

"How dare you, Kenna Lewis," he sneered. "Remember, if not for me, you would be serving several life sentences in multiple countries and dead in all of the others. And let's not forget about your father's upcoming expedition. You think he doesn't remember I'm the reason he's not in prison also? I'd hate to have to find a way for him to pay the price for his indiscretions. I've got the two of you in the palm of my hand. I'd hate to have to get rid of you permanently, especially when you're both so useful to me."

The woman looked at him with so much hatred it was astonishing, even to me. "We are not your puppets," she choked out.

"Oh, but you are, my dear," he laughed before throwing her down to the ground. She started rubbing her neck, trying to sit up. "Now, if you'd kindly get out of the way, we've got some business to attend to."

Vince had the nerve to step right over her, striding to the door of her house as she glared at him. She looked back at the other men with a sneer.

"Why don't you bastards make yourselves comfy in my house, too? Assholes, all of you..."

This Kenna Lewis hated anything Vince and Order, had the nerve to slap him, and had the mouth of a sailor...

I instantly liked her.

Only one of the three men followed after Vince. The other two went back to the helicopter and pulled Beau out. Still unconscious, one guy had hold of his legs, while the other held him under the arms with Beau's head leaning against his shoulder.

The woman – Kenna – looked at Flannery then and her façade dropped instantly. "Flannery? What the hell are you doing here?" she questioned, jumping up and rushing to her. Her eyes went to Beau as the two men passed with him. "And what the hell happened to him? Who is he, anyway?"