Chapter Forty-seven

THE HEAVY METAL OF the weapon kicked back and out of my hand. The hallway smelled as if fireworks had just gone off. I hadn’t expected such a sharp reaction so fast, and I also expected Dad to go down. He didn’t. He remained standing. Then I saw them, the two bullets motionless, frozen, hanging in front of him as if they were on thin strands of invisible wire. I swore in astonishment. Another laugh rang inside my head as the two rounds fell harmlessly to the ground.

Dean struggled at his restraint, beating his feet against the wall, trying to free himself. Dad moved toward me.

Suddenly I noticed an object behind his back. Its edge gleamed in the flashlight’s beam. It was Dean’s wood-chopping ax. He must have found it outside.

I tried to stall him the best I could.

“What did you mean, you knew them all?” I asked almost too quickly, not wanting to know what he was going to do with the ax.

Dad spoke inside my head. All the minds you have read. I know them all.

“How?” I countered, turning my fear to anger.

Well, from you, of course. The “S” sound slithered out. Dad pressed his hand to his chest. This is not your father, Nolan.

I’d already made that deduction, but I had to keep him talking and figure out a way to get Dean down and escape.

Moving his hand from his chest to his forehead, he said, Go ahead. Take a look inside. The “K” sound was emphasized this time.

Dean made a sound from his hold on the wall, and I knew he disagreed with the tease.

Dad licked his lips, his eyes narrowing at me. Go ahead. Look deep into these eyes.

He moved closer, and I could smell that aftershave. It curled my senses and put goose bumps on my arms.

Then, before I knew it, I was inside Dad’s head.