4. Gage

4

GAGE

G age followed Brett through the hospital hallway, fighting the itch in his fingers to ball into fists. His enemy was within striking distance, and he couldn't do a thing about it.

When they'd walked far enough from Thea's room, Brett rounded on him. "Who did this to her?"

"I don't know. I'm looking at suspect number one."

"That's not a good enough answer," Brett said.

Gage scoffed. "Take it or leave it. Truth is, I didn't know Thea was in town. When Emerson told me she thought…"

Shoot. Emerson should have told him the second Thea stepped into town. She shouldn't have told Thea about their mom in the first place.

"Don't stop there," Brett said. "Spit it out."

"Was it one of the Pattons?" Gage carefully asked. He was showing his cards, but he wasn't going to find any answers if he didn't help put the pieces together.

Brett wasn't the one who hurt Thea, but there was a good chance his family had been in on it. If Brett killed their dad to protect Thea…

Brett rubbed his hand over the scruff on his jaw. "Very unlikely. With my dad dead and my uncle in prison, the others are too lazy or drugged up to care about the Howards. That leaves your side. Who do you think did this?"

"I don't have to tell you anything," Gage said.

"Listen, I don't know what you think you know, but I didn't kill your dad. This doesn't extend to the rest of my family, but I am not capable of murder. End of story."

Gage lifted the baseball cap off his head to run his hand through his hair. "Emerson said Thea came to town hoping to see Mom. She got another diagnosis. It's in the lungs this time, and the docs said she won't see next Christmas without a miracle."

Brett stared off down the hallway and slumped against the wall. "I'm sorry."

"You and me both. Mom never deserved any of this." After all Thea had lost, losing their mom was going to be just one more injustice.

"But who did this to her?" Brett pointed down the hall toward Thea's room.

Gage planted his feet shoulder-width apart. How much could he share in order to get the information he needed? "I'm pretty sure I know who it was."

Brett's fists clenched at his sides. "Care to share with the class?"

"Nope."

"Tommy, Bruce, and Cain?" Brett asked.

Man, it was a good guess. The one Gage had been considering the most. "I'm not telling you what I think."

"You don't have to. I can make my own assumptions. I'm assuming it's them, but what do they have against her? She's their family. I thought their fight was with me."

Gage stared at Brett. He needed answers, and not just about what was happening to Thea right now. "What happened that night?"

"I thought we were talking about Thea. Someone just beat her to a pulp, and you want to chat about ancient history?"

"Just tell me. The answer is relevant."

Brett held up his hands, emphasizing every word. "I didn't kill your dad. I was trying to stop Mark from killing him."

Mark Patton was the one who'd been found guilty of killing Gage and Thea's dad, but Brett had also been a prime suspect for a while too.

While Brett would have wanted to get rid of Gage and Thea's dad to keep him from hurting Thea again, Mark had reason to want their dad dead too. Gage's uncle Bruce killed Mark's brother, Brett and Jess's dad. Two equally strong motives.

But Gage knew the truth. He'd heard it from Brett's mouth. "Wrong answer. I overheard you after the trial."

Brett's eyes narrowed, and his chin tilted slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"You told your sister you did it. You admitted it. You did it, and you got away with it. Thea might have hated our dad, but she'll never forgive you. She swore up and down you were different, but you're just like the rest of us."

"That's bogus. I didn't do it, and I never admitted to it."

The pressure in Gage's chest was building again. They were all liars, but denial in the face of the truth was a whole other level of deception.

"You said the bullets hit their target just like they were meant to. Your sister tried to shut you up because the people around could hear you. You said it was true. Now, tell me you didn't mean to kill my dad that night."

"I didn't mean to kill your dad because I didn't kill your dad. I hated your dad. He abused Thea and your mom. I hated him, but I didn't kill him."

This conversation wasn't getting them anywhere. "Fine. I didn't expect you to admit it."

"I didn't do it!" Brett shouted.

Gage jerked his head to the right, then left. They were in a crowded hospital hallway discussing guilt and innocence like the outcome mattered. "Keep your voice down, idiot."

"I'm not an idiot or a murderer. I was there that night because I knew Mark was there to kill your dad. I was trying to stop him."

Gage scoffed. This was rich. What a spin on the story.

"It's true. Abusive or not, Thea wouldn't wish her dad or anyone else dead. She's not like the Howards."

"Or the Pattons," Gage added.

"Fair enough. She's good down to her bones. At least, she was. I don't have a clue who she is now. She up and left like everyone else when the fingers started pointing at me. She knew me better than that."

Brett was right about one thing. Thea wasn't like the rest of them. Gage hated their dad too. He'd spent many nights contemplating how he could do it himself.

But it would have broken Thea's heart. He'd found ways to protect her as soon as he was old enough to defend them, but their dad found ways to hide it.

Something in Brett's voice was sincere, but Gage ignored it. He couldn't fall for this guy's lies again.

Gage looked to the right, then left before crossing his arms over his chest. "So, you're saying you weren't there that night to kill my dad?"

Brett threw his head back against the wall. "No, I wasn't there to kill your dad. I was there because someone has to put an end to this. Unfortunately, I got there too late, and then I was prime suspect number two right behind my uncle Mark."

Gage twisted his lips, chewing on the problem. There had to be a solution. "Why can't Tommy and Mark have it out with each other?"

"Because if they're going down, they're taking everyone with them."

"How did you know Thea was hurt?" Gage asked.

"Whoever did this to her pushed her out of a truck into the church parking lot. I was at a wedding."

Gage pointed at Brett's collar. "I was wondering about the nice getup. Looks like you won't be wearing that again."

Brett looked down at the ruined shirt. Thea's blood covered the one pristine white. "Absolutely not. I'll be burning this as soon as I get home."

The fire in Gage's blood was dying. He could hear his own thoughts again, and the red around his vision was clearing. "You brought her here?"

"There were two paramedics there for the wedding. They took care of her until the ambulance arrived. Then I rode here with her. I'm not leaving her. They'll come back to finish what they started. "

"They went after her because she defended you back then. Mom and I convinced her to leave. She promised she'd never come back, and as far as I know, this is the first time she's broken that promise."

Brett's eyes widened. "She defended me? Of course she would! We were together. She knew me back then, and it shouldn't have been a question, but I wish she hadn't said anything."

"I overheard you."

"You didn't overhear me confessing. Yes, I always hated how your dad treated Thea and her mom, but I didn't pull the trigger or help in any way."

"Your fingerprints were all over the gun, man."

Brett threw his hand in the air. "I picked it up before Mark took it. I tried to hide it from him, but he found it. I'm fairly certain he hoped to pin it on me with that piece of evidence. I sent my own uncle to prison. Got him life without parole."

"You could have been saving your own skin," Gage pointed out.

"Whose side are you on?" Brett shouted.

"I don't know!"

Well, that truth just slipped out. Brett most likely hadn't done this to Thea, but he was the reason both families hated her. He could have walked away when he had the chance and kept her safe.

Brett chuckled. Gage tried to hide his own grin by rubbing a hand over his mouth .

"Are we on the same side?" Brett asked.

Gage shook his head. "I plead the fifth."

"You know what they did to Thea is inexcusable."

"That we can agree on. Trust me, they won't get away with it." Gage would have to bide his time, but someone would pay, even if it was his own kin.

Brett extended a hand, giving Gage a stare down. "I'm not saying this is a truce, but if anyone tries to hurt Thea again, they'll have to go through me first."

Gage pressed his lips together and stared at the offered hand. Taking up with Brett almost got Thea killed, and Gage was trying to save her, not get her into any more hot water. "I'll do anything for Thea. I'm not sure I want to partner up with you though."

Brett laughed. "I'm your only choice. I'm so caught up in this, I'll never get out."

Great, so Gage wouldn't be getting rid of Brett the easy way. "I'm also not sure I can trust you."

"Same."

Gage studied the hand still hanging in the air between them. "Maybe we can make a deal."

Brett pulled his hand back and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm listening."

Gage studied every movement Brett made, searching for any deception. It was a risk to even give him this chance, but how else would he get Thea the protection she needed? "You keep her safe, and I'll make sure they pay for what they did to her. Sound like a plan?"

Brett was silent for too long. This meeting needed to wrap up before anyone saw them together.

Gage extended his hand, forcing Brett to commit. "I'll do anything for Thea. What about you?"

"Deal." Brett clasped Gage's hand and gave it a threatening squeeze.

Good. Gage needed to know he wasn't trusting his sister's life to a pansy who couldn't shake hands like a man.

Gage glanced back toward Thea's room, scratching the scruff on his jaw. "They might come here. They'll claim they want to see her ‘cause they're family."

Brett's smirk was wild and unhinged. "Not on my watch."

"How long can you stay?"

"As long as it takes."

"You'll have to leave at some point."

"Nope. Jess can bring whatever we need, and I have a few friends who can stand watch if I absolutely need help."

Gage scoffed. "You have friends?"

Brett threw his hands out at his sides. "I'm a very friendly guy! Not that you ever cared about getting on my good side."

Scanning the halls for anyone who might be watching, Gage asked, "Can you trust them? And they can't be Pattons."

"I trust them with my life."

Gage turned back to Brett, giving him a once-over. "I have to get to work. I'll be back this evening."

"Where are you working now?"

"Beau Lawrence's shop." That was one of Gage's jobs and the only one he would be sharing with Brett.

Brett rubbed the back of his head. "The ranch is in the off-season, and there are enough of us who stuck around to handle things that need to be done."

Gage glanced around again. Someone would be here soon to check on Thea–a Howard–and Gage couldn't be caught chatting with Brett. "Let me give you my number. Only use it if you have to, but keep me posted about her."

Brett saved the number, and Gage hesitated. Leaving Thea felt wrong, but if anything Brett said was true, then it was best if he wasn't around.

Gage stalked down the hospital hallway. Every inch of his skin tingled with the need to act, but his hands were tied. He couldn't pop off and blow his cover before he found out what his family was planning.

A beautiful young woman rounded the corner and headed straight toward him. Long, straight hair fell behind her shoulders, framing striking green eyes. Her dark brows were pinched together, and her thin lips formed a straight line, but the expression was forced. She carried a small bouquet of flowers close to her chest.

The woman walked right by him without even a glance his way, but he turned to follow her as she passed. She had to be visiting someone. Nothing about life was fair if someone who looked so innocent and sweet had to endure hard times when people like his family got to run around making everyone else's lives miserable.

Gage stepped into the elevator and hit the button for the ground floor. He was a Howard through and through. He'd been riding along on family "errands" since he was four and leading them since he was sixteen. Running moonshine, selling stolen car parts, and dealing black market guns. He'd had his dirty hands in all of it. His family always had his back.

Until now.

The tides were turning. They'd hurt Thea, and that was a mistake that couldn't be forgiven.

When Gage stepped out of the hospital, he was walking away from Brett and Thea, ready to rearrange the hierarchy. Gage would be on the winning side, and heaven help anyone who stood against him.