Page 10 of Deadly Forever

“Did the gunmen shoot anybody?” James asked, surprised.

“No,” Hicks replied. “They hit three jewelry stores that we know of … and wandered into at least three other stores. So far we don’t have a motive.” He leaned over and lifted the mask off the dead gunman in the center of the floor, letting loose with a low whistle when he caught sight of the face beneath.

“What is it?” Grady asked, looking around Sophie’s shoulder so he could get a gander at what had Hicks so worked up. “I … holy crap. Is that a teenager?”

James’ heart sank to his stomach at the words, and when he risked a glance at the body on the floor he realized he was looking at a boy instead of a man. “What? No.”

Mandy gripped James tighter, her heart going out to him. “It wasn’t your fault,” she whispered, kissing his cheek. “You couldn’t have known. I talked to him. I thought he was older, too.”

“It’s definitely not your fault,” Hicks said, although he looked shaken. “He was a threat to your wife and everyone else in this store. It’s just … I didn’t realize we were dealing with kids. I guess that explains why this entire thing was so messed up and makes absolutely no sense.”

James didn’t look convinced, but he faked a small smile for Mandy’s benefit as he pulled his head back. “What about the others? Were they teenagers, too?”

Hicks shrugged. “We haven’t looked yet. I guess that’s the first thing we need to find out.”

“And the second is why this happened,” James said, resting his hand on Mandy’s hip. “I don’t understand why these kids gave up their entire future for … nothing.”

“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t mind figuring that out either,” Hick said. “First things first, though. We need to question everyone here on the record and then clear out this place for the forensic team.”

“Yeah, first things first,” James intoned, although his heart wasn’t really behind the statement. He’d just killed a young man who couldn’t be more than eighteen years old. How did that even happen?