“Kong, sir?” The soldier seemed confused but quickly shook it off. “I don’t know, sir. He and Lark were here earlier to question August Cleary, but they left.”
Now the general was confused. “You said Godwin was dead. How did he die?”
“It looks like he was electrocuted, sir.”
In the years since he’d taken command of Black Bay and the Beasts, the general had gotten used to being surprised – those men and women loved to keep him on his toes – so he’d learned how to roll with it. This, though, was setting him back on his heels. On the one hand, he was relieved that Kong wasn’t involved, but on the other…What the fuck?
“Take me to him.”
“Yes, sir.”
They walked through the door that led to solitary confinement and down the long hallway to the last cell. Jackson opened it with his key and handed the general a flashlight. Clicking on the powerful beam, he stepped inside and immediately covered his nose to block out the stench. Amid a tangle of broken wires, the overhead light fixture dangled from the ceiling which was marked with a blackened starburst pattern. On the floor lay Terrence Godwin. His base-issued sweatshirt was burned away and the skin on Godwin’s chest was charred with branchlike lesions feathering out from the point of impact.
“How the hell did this even happen?”
“There was a brownout, sir,” Jackson replied. “I’m not sure what caused it and it only lasted a moment. I heard the prisoner yell, but I just thought he was acting up – he’d been yelling off and on since he’d been put in here. When I realized the security feed in his room was out I went to check on him.”
“The other prisoners?”
“All fine, sir. Whatever happened, it was isolated to this one cell.”
“And no one else was around? No one was messing with things?”
“No, sir.”
It was a goddamn mystery. He hated mysteries, especially ones that happened on his base. “I’ll get a team looking into it and send someone over to remove the body.”
“Yes, sir.”
Kong and Katherine were eating the breakfast they’d made together in their kitchen, laughing and feeding each other by hand, when the general showed up the next morning. Katherine took one look at General Davies’ stern countenance and stood.Leaving Kong with a sweet kiss, she excused herself, stating she needed to take a shower, giving him and his commanding officer privacy to talk.
The general got straight to the point. “Godwin’s dead.”
Kong blinked in surprise, sure he must have misheard. “What?”
“Electrocuted in his cell.” The older man shook his head. “I have a team looking into it, but it seems like there was some sort of fault in the system.”
Kong felt like his ears weren’t working properly – or maybe it was his brain – because all he could do was stupidly repeat, “What?”
General Davies reached out and placed his hand on Kong’s forearm, patting it twice. “It’s done, son. Terrence Godwin is dead.”
His faculties seemed to wake up all at once as a rush of emotions flooded him, nearly making him dizzy. Top-most in the mix was relief. Katherine would be safe. Women everywhere would be safe. Feeling like his stability might be a bit shaky, he reached out and grabbed the edge of the table for support.
A freak accident… For so long, Kong had wanted to be the hand of justice that delivered Godwin’s punishment but he couldn’t find it in him to be upset. Terrence Godwin was finally dead and Katherine was safe. That was all that mattered. He’d never been one for religion – not with the way he and the others had beencreated – but surely this was proof that there was some higher power watching over them.
“Are you okay, son?”
Kong nodded. He was. Truth be told, he was better than okay. He and Katherine were getting married.Thatwas what was important. They were going to be a family – first, a family of two, then when they were ready, their family would grow. Just the thought of it had his chest expanding with so much hope and love that he could barely contain it. “We’re getting married today.”
General Davies’ solemn expression melted into a warm, fatherly smile. “That’s great news. Here? Or are you two headed to the courthouse?”
“With your permission, sir, we’d like to do it here.”
The general, still smiling, gave him a firm clap on the arm. “Permission granted, soldier.”
“Thank you, sir.”
General Davies turned as if to leave but then halted and turned back. “You make me proud, Kong. You always have.” His face screwed up with a bit of a frown. “I don’t think I say that enough.”
