“Uh, Sarah,” Emma began.

“Mitch, Mitch . . . Jax tried to kill you, so you want him to pay just as much as you want Murphy to pay. If this is about Jax, if he’s what first pulled you to the city, then you studied him.” Her temples were pounding as she kept trying to get into the mindset of this killer. “I was a bonus. You found me, through Jax. And you decided it was time to act. You’ve been here, though, biding your time. Jax drew you. He took what was yours. So you . . .”

“Does she always do this?” Carlos asked.

Sarah’s hand dropped to her side. “You take what belongs to Jax.” She whirled toward Carlos and Emma. “Mitch framed him because he wanted to make sure everyone thought Jax was a killer. He destroyed Jax’s home because he wanted to take it away from him.” Her gaze flew to the door. “We should get everyone out of here. If he wants to hurt Jax, he’ll take this place, too—”

“It’s my bar now,” Carlos reminded her as he stepped in front of that door, barring her path. “And, hell, Jax has plenty of property in this town. If the guy wants to take things away from Jax, he’s got tons of options.”

A cold fist had closed around Sarah’s heart. “A building that’s secluded. No close neighbors. One that wouldn’t attract attention.”

Carlos nodded. “Yeah, yeah . . . there’s a place like that in the Quarter. On Tibideaux Street. He buys houses, fixes them up. He’s always trying to fix things . . .”

To make up for his past.

“But he hadn’t started on this one yet. He met you and everything else fell away.” He shook his head. “He’s got that one . . . and another, closer to Slidell. An antebellum place in the swamp. Guy thought he could turn that snake hole into something special.”

Her phone was ringing again. She shoved it to her ear. “Gabe, what did you find out?”

“Mitch Fontaine did two tours of duty in the military. Want to know his specialty back then?”

“Explosives,” Sarah whispered.

“He got out, had scrapes with the law, and vanished for a long time.”

Yes, she was sure he had.

“But then he turned up years ago, got busted for assault and drug running. He wound up in Biton Penitentiary—”

Biton? “With Murphy.” And it all made sense.

“The guy went dark after he got out. Slipped parole and no one has seen him since. According to the report, his parole officer figured he was dead.”

“I think that happened a lot.” She shoved back her hair when it tried to fall forward. “Look, Jax has two houses that are sitting empty right now. We need to check them out.”

“You think the perp is keeping Jax at his own place?”

“Why not? He wants to hurt Jax . . . why not kill him in his own home?”

Gabe swore. “All right, let’s hit them.”

“Emma and I will go to the one in the Quarter,” Sarah said, thinking quickly.

“I’m coming!” Carlos said immediately. “There is no damn way you’re leaving me behind. If Jax is in danger, I’m there.”

Her gaze met his. She read the steely determination in his stare. “Carlos is coming with us.” They might need him because Sarah had no idea what they’d find when they arrived.

Carlos’s shoulders straightened. “Damn straight I am. Jax is my friend. I owe him.”

“Carlos, give me the addresses for the two houses.”

He rattled them off and she immediately told Gabe the locations “You take a team to the house near the swamp, and I’ll cover the one on Tibideaux Street. We split up and we find him faster . . .”

“No, Sarah,” Gabe argued, “we need to stick together. With your father on the loose—”

“I told you, Jax is my priority.” Not her father. “I need your help, Gabe. I need the team.”

“Dammit . . .” His rough sigh carried over the line. “Get Dean. You and Emma need more backup and that guy will kill me if Emma rushes into danger without him at her side.”

Sarah slanted a glance over at Emma. The other woman was already on the phone. “He’ll be there with us,” Sarah said.

“Be careful,” Gabe told her.

“You too,” Sarah whispered. The gun was a cold weight against her.

HE SAW SARAH rush from the bar. Run as if she were escaping hell.

Or rushing straight into the fire.

Two others were with her—a man and a dark-haired woman.

Sarah didn’t even bother to glance around before she jumped into the car and sped away.

He shook his head. He’d taught her so much better than that. Sarah was taking too many risks. Risks for no reason. “I told you, Sarah,” Murphy whispered, “you should stay away from him.” But Sarah hadn’t listened. He’d been afraid of that. Especially when he saw the way she looked at Jax Fontaine.

Did Sarah even realize all that she’d given away to him during that little visit at the prison? She used to control her emotions so much better.

If he’d realized her weakness, then others would, too.

Like the bastard who was trying to hurt his baby girl.

Your mistake.

He cranked his car. The car he’d stolen twenty minutes ago. Then he pulled onto the street. It was rather good to be back in action again.

Now, if he could just get his hands on a really sharp knife . . .

Chapter 17

I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU FUCKED HER,” MITCH SAID. He’d wiped the blood off the knife. Now he held that gleaming edge up, letting the light from the lanterns bounce off it. There was no electricity in the old home, because Jax hadn’t connected the power yet.

Jax recognized the house. He’d had plans for this place. Those plans sure hadn’t included dying there.

“I mean, I get that Sarah is hot. A nice piece of ass, but you knew who she was.” He laughed then. “Oh, wait, you didn’t know everything about her father, did you? You didn’t know that he was the one who—”

“I know he killed my parents,” Jax rasped. “He told me.”

Mitch looked momentarily surprised. “You . . . talked to Murphy?” What could have been fear cracked in his voice. The emotion was mirrored in the flash of his eyes.

I guess we’re all afraid of something . . . or someone. “That’s where Sarah and I went . . . you know, when you were busy dropping a body in my house.”

Mitch smiled. “Did you nearly shit a brick when you saw him? That one was too good. I almost didn’t blow the house because it was such a good way to tie you to old Ron’s murder . . . but then I realized, hey, his DNA will still be there. The cops will find some pieces of him left. And you got to lose out on that fancy-ass house that you never should’ve had.” Mitch stalked toward him, that knife gripped tightly in his left hand. “I like the fire. It’s a pretty bitch when it burns.”

Mitch was insane. He’d always been, Jax just knew it now.

Mitch leaned toward him. “Murphy lied to you.”

Jax tilted his head back as he stared up at the guy.

“Oh, he killed your old man, all right . . . sliced him apart. But he didn’t kill your mother. Your mother, sweet, stupid Charlene, was with you all along.”

“No,” Jax said. That wasn’t possible. The guy was jerking him around. Playing mind games, just like Murphy.

“I killed her.” Mitch smiled.

“You’re fucking lying! Charlene wasn’t—”

“She was so afraid Murphy would come after her. She dyed her hair, changed her whole life . . . said that the woman she’d been died. That she was someone new.” His laughter was mocking. “She even used to tell you that she was someone new, that she was different. Made you repeat that shit with her over and over again.” His eyes gleamed. “In case you didn’t know it, your mom was crazy. Murphy’s attack did that to her . . . she never got over it.”

Your old life is over . . . He could see Charlene in his mind. Staring at him, with tears in her eyes. But I promise, I’ll protect you. I’ll be with you. It won’t be like it was before.