The Veil
Page 81
But wasn’t there evidence to the contrary? “The insulation,” I quietly said, staring at the brick wall. “He must have had a friend. Another Sensitive, or a Paranormal.”
“Maybe,” Liam agreed. “I didn’t know the building was insulated until last night. Anyway, I had already begun to learn that not all Sensitives had to become dangerous. He wasn’t the only one I didn’t turn in. Containment didn’t know that I wasn’t turning Sensitives in, of course, because there was no incriminating evidence that any of them were actually Sensitives. But my handler didn’t like it. He believed, and apparently still believes, that I was disloyal to the city, to the country. He terminated my contract.”
The pieces fell into place. “Jack Broussard was your handler.”
He nodded. “He’s had it in for me since then.”
“Wait, so how did you become a bounty hunter? I mean, if Broussard had it in for you, and terminated your contract, how did you get Containment to pay your bounties?”
“Those family friends in PCC that I mentioned,” he said. “As you’ve seen, Broussard’s not especially worried about pissing people off. He hasn’t always towed the PCC line, so he has plenty of enemies inside and outside the agency. I had a good record, and there wasn’t any evidence your father was a Sensitive. He was extraordinarily careful.”
“If he was careful,” I said quietly, “how did you know?”
Liam looked at me. “I saw him one night. I was watching the store. The power was out, but I saw a flash of light.”
“Candles or something,” I suggested.
Liam shook his head. “There was a glow in the air, like a sphere of light. And when he moved, when he walked, it followed him. It only lasted for a few seconds. He was probably looking for something in the store, didn’t think about what he was doing.”
Something in my heart softened, warmed. “My father could make light?”
Liam nodded. “I get that wraiths are dangerous and any Sensitive can become one. And I saw the result of that. Gracie saw the result of that. But I don’t understand why Containment won’t help Sensitives. Why they won’t acknowledge it can be done. Ignoring it just feeds the problem, puts more monsters on the street.”
I flinched at the word.
Liam made a frustrated sound, ran his hands through his hair. “Damn, Claire. I’m sorry Broussard’s dragged you into this. I guess he does believe in the sins of the father.”
I nodded, walked back to the table on wobbling knees, sat down. I needed to pause, to think. I pressed my fingers against my eyes, like I could block out the world. Like I could change history altogether. But that was an impossible dream. A child’s dream. And I hadn’t been a child for a really long time.
I heard him move back toward me, felt the air change as he took his seat again. “Why did Broussard come to me now?” I asked, opening my eyes.
Liam shook his head. “I don’t know. Containment has seen us together twice, three times if anyone saw us at the Landreaus’ house. What did he ask you about?”
“He asked how well I knew you. He said you were obsessed with wraiths because of Gracie.”
“He’s not wrong.”
No, he wasn’t, I thought. “Broussard will be back. If he thinks he can use me to get to you, or vice versa, he won’t stop.”
“You’re probably right.”
Silence descended.
“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I should have been honest with you. I just—I didn’t want to hurt you. And if he hadn’t told you, I wasn’t sure I should be the one.”
“Maybe,” Liam agreed. “I didn’t know the building was insulated until last night. Anyway, I had already begun to learn that not all Sensitives had to become dangerous. He wasn’t the only one I didn’t turn in. Containment didn’t know that I wasn’t turning Sensitives in, of course, because there was no incriminating evidence that any of them were actually Sensitives. But my handler didn’t like it. He believed, and apparently still believes, that I was disloyal to the city, to the country. He terminated my contract.”
The pieces fell into place. “Jack Broussard was your handler.”
He nodded. “He’s had it in for me since then.”
“Wait, so how did you become a bounty hunter? I mean, if Broussard had it in for you, and terminated your contract, how did you get Containment to pay your bounties?”
“Those family friends in PCC that I mentioned,” he said. “As you’ve seen, Broussard’s not especially worried about pissing people off. He hasn’t always towed the PCC line, so he has plenty of enemies inside and outside the agency. I had a good record, and there wasn’t any evidence your father was a Sensitive. He was extraordinarily careful.”
“If he was careful,” I said quietly, “how did you know?”
Liam looked at me. “I saw him one night. I was watching the store. The power was out, but I saw a flash of light.”
“Candles or something,” I suggested.
Liam shook his head. “There was a glow in the air, like a sphere of light. And when he moved, when he walked, it followed him. It only lasted for a few seconds. He was probably looking for something in the store, didn’t think about what he was doing.”
Something in my heart softened, warmed. “My father could make light?”
Liam nodded. “I get that wraiths are dangerous and any Sensitive can become one. And I saw the result of that. Gracie saw the result of that. But I don’t understand why Containment won’t help Sensitives. Why they won’t acknowledge it can be done. Ignoring it just feeds the problem, puts more monsters on the street.”
I flinched at the word.
Liam made a frustrated sound, ran his hands through his hair. “Damn, Claire. I’m sorry Broussard’s dragged you into this. I guess he does believe in the sins of the father.”
I nodded, walked back to the table on wobbling knees, sat down. I needed to pause, to think. I pressed my fingers against my eyes, like I could block out the world. Like I could change history altogether. But that was an impossible dream. A child’s dream. And I hadn’t been a child for a really long time.
I heard him move back toward me, felt the air change as he took his seat again. “Why did Broussard come to me now?” I asked, opening my eyes.
Liam shook his head. “I don’t know. Containment has seen us together twice, three times if anyone saw us at the Landreaus’ house. What did he ask you about?”
“He asked how well I knew you. He said you were obsessed with wraiths because of Gracie.”
“He’s not wrong.”
No, he wasn’t, I thought. “Broussard will be back. If he thinks he can use me to get to you, or vice versa, he won’t stop.”
“You’re probably right.”
Silence descended.
“I’m sorry,” he said again. “I should have been honest with you. I just—I didn’t want to hurt you. And if he hadn’t told you, I wasn’t sure I should be the one.”
