BLOOD TIES (Decklan Jennings Thriller Book 1) by Philip Duncan (book recommendations for young adults txt) 📕

of stress for over a month. It would make perfect sense for him to have side effects…like seeing things that weren’t really there.

“You seeing this, Teddy?” Decklan asked.

“Sure am, kid,” Teddy replied.

Decklan kept his gun aimed directly at Vladimir, as he inched closer to ask some questions and get some answers.

“What the hell happened here?” Decklan asked, as Vladimir sat there in a chair in the middle of the room.

Vladimir smiled. “I was wondering how long it would take you to find me.”

“Answer the fucking question!” Decklan yelled. “What the hell happened here?”

“What do you think happened here, Mr. Jennings?” Vladimir replied.

Decklan looked around at all of the bodies around the room. Vladimir’s men and the three girls were all dead, and he was sitting there smiling.

“You mean to tell me that you killed all of them?” Decklan said.

“They were no good to me alive, so why not kill them myself?” Vladimir replied. “When you have lived as long as I have and seen the things I have seen, you know when something is inevitable.”

“And what exactly is that?” Decklan asked, not sure what he was talking about.

“You, of course. I’m talking about you. After what my men did to your family and your friend, I knew it was only a matter of time before we ended up here.”

“So you did kill my family?”

“Not me directly, but yes, my men. You have already killed the ones personally responsible, so that leaves only me…and the big guy.”

“Who’s the big guy?” Decklan asked as he was trying to keep his anger contained.

“Contrary to popular belief, I’m not the mastermind behind this whole operation. I’m merely a pawn used for my particular skill set.”

Teddy finally chimed in. “What skill set is that exactly, asshole?”

“I have a way of getting things done, quickly and quietly without ever getting my own hands dirty, which means it’s nearly impossible to ever trace anything back to me. That’s why the big guy likes me…that is until you came along,” Vladimir replied, clapping in admiration for what Decklan had been able to accomplish.

“Who’s the big guy?” Decklan asked a second time.

“I will tell you. I promise. But I believe there is a part of this puzzle that you will find much more interesting than who my boss is,” Vladimir said.

Decklan looked confused. It seemed at this point there wasn't anything he could say that would be surprising, but what came out of Vladimir’s mouth next would change his world forever… again!

“You have been so hell-bent on chasing and killing me that you never stopped to ask yourself some important questions,” Vladimir said.

“Like what?” Decklan replied.

“I am sure you want to know why your family. Am I right?”

“Of course! I have been trying to figure that out since day one. I just assumed I pissed someone off at some point and they wanted revenge, or that my family was chosen at random and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Decklan answered.

“Do you believe things happen randomly, Mr. Jennings?”

“I think shitty things happen to good people every day and I believe bad people do bad things because that’s who they are,” Decklan answered.

“So you believe everything happens for a reason, then?”

“I guess I do.”

“Okay, great. You ever wondered how I knew you were at the docks that day?”

Decklan hesitated before answering.

“I assumed you had been following us,” Decklan finally said.

“And you’d be wrong in assuming that,” Vladimir said.

Decklan was starting to get lost. He couldn’t see where Vladimir was going with all of this.

“And how about the other night, at your house. Why did the cops never show up? Surely with all of that gunfire and noise blistering through the night air, someone would have heard it and called the police.”

Vladimir could see the gears turning in Decklan’s head, as he was desperately trying to connect the dots. Decklan looked down at the ground as he was quickly figuring out where Vladimir was going.

“You’re fucking lying!” Decklan snapped. “You’re just trying to save your own pathetic life!”

Teddy hadn’t figured out what Decklan and Vladimir both now knew.

“What’s he talking about, Decklan?” Teddy asked.

Vladimir was now laughing, but that was soon put to a stop as Decklan kicked him in the chest and off the chair.

“Tell him!” Vladimir said, sitting on the ground.

Decklan quickly turned and pointed his gun at Teddy. “Did you know?”

“Whoa, kid! What the hell are you doing? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Teddy said, dropping his gun and putting his hands up.

Vladimir began laughing again.

“Shut the hell up, you piece of shit!” Decklan yelled, staying fixed on Teddy.

With his hands still raised, Teddy said, “Just tell me what you’re talking about so we can get on the same page.”

“Parker!” Decklan replied.

“Your brother?” Teddy said, seeming clueless.

“Yes! What did he tell you? Did he tell you to kill me or make sure I didn’t make it back?” Decklan said.

“No, nothing like that! I had no idea, I swear,” Teddy replied.

Decklan took a moment to think. If Teddy was in on this, then surely he would have tried killing him back at his house or in the middle of the field where no one would ever know. He had been too helpful up to this point and hadn’t given Decklan any reason not to trust him. Decklan had to decide: believe Teddy and let him live, or think he was lying and pump him full of lead where he stood.

“You swear on your life?” Decklan asked.

“I swear, kid! I hadn’t talked to your brother in a couple of years until he called me up about you,” Teddy said. “If I knew anything, I would have told you as soon as possible.”

Decklan could hear the sincerity and shock in his voice, so he lowered his gun away from Teddy.

“I’m sorry, but I had to be sure,” Decklan said.

“I get it,” Teddy said, reaching back down for his rifle.

Decklan directed his attention back to Vladimir.

“So why did Parker help you? He’s my brother and the