I wanted Carson to learn how to protect himself without and with using a weapon. It was how my dad taught me and my brothers. In his words, you won’t always have access to a weapon and if your hands didn’t get the job done then you were finished.
Carson was tall for his age, I was six two and he was just below my chest. From what I remember from pictures I’d seen in the past, his dad was tall and it was clear he took after him. He was a lean kid though, one thing he needed to work on also was building muscle. He struggled under my hold at first, flailing his arms and attempting to wiggle his way out of my grip.
“All you’re gonna do is tired yourself out,” I grunted, tightening my hold.
Carson had the same fight and flight sense his sister did. I could tell he had some training, but instead of fighting like Cashlynn was accustomed to, he chose the flight method. He’d never had to learn to stand up on his own and face his own battles.
“You’re a smart kid, Carson, but when put in a position to defend yourself, you shut down and panic. Keep your cool and eliminate the threat,” I coached.
It took a couple minutes for Carson to calm down. His breathing grew heavier.
One of his hands came back, striking me in the face, before his leg shifted into mine, causing me to lose balance and fall back. I was proud of the move. What caught me off guard was when he pulled a knife out of his pocket and put it to my neck, close to where the stitches were.
I grinned.
“Looks like your sister isn’t the only one who enjoys a knife as the weapon of choice.”
“She told me to always be prepared and never leave home without it.”
Nodding, I pushed myself up when he removed the knife. “Good advice, you never know how things will turn out. When it comes to a threat, take them out before they can get you, by any means necessary.”
I ran my hand over my head and looked around my basement. The room I’d had his sister locked in was next door. This one I often used for training when I stayed here.
“A’right. Enough of that, let’s put the gloves on,” I stated and moved to the shelves on the wall. I wasn’t sparing Carson. I was determined to toughen him.
____
“Where are we?” Carson asked as we climbed out of the back of the truck.
“My brother Emmet’s office,” I announced as we walked toward the single door. We were done with training for the day. Over time Carson had got more comfortable and more fluid with his movements. He liked to think of himself as weak and when I first met him, I thought the same thing. But after working with him a few times before and then today, I learned he was far from weak. A little timid but it was clear he was trained the same as his sister. His movements were quick and persistent; he just lacked confidence.
An uncertain look flashed on his face. He looked around hesitantly. “Why are we here?”
Pausing, I looked down at my brother-in-law. “Many people underestimate Emmet because he’s smart and quiet. He doesn’t say much, instead he sits back and observes those around him. I haven’t seen a security system or computer he can’t hack.” I glanced toward the building and tilted my head to the side, observing it. It was a single floor, metal, industrial-style building. The faint smell of salt water and fish from the shipyard not too far up the street filled my nose via the light breeze. The faint sound of a ship’s horn sounded.
I looked back at Carson with a serious expression. “What people don’t know is Emmet is probably the deadliest of us all.” Carson’s eyes widened. He knew what went on around him so there was no need to sugarcoat anything. “Many people thought it was Ezra because he was loud and loved to torture and play games with his victims, but in reality, Emmet is the one I wouldn’t want to meet in an dark alley. Normally he stayed back, unless it was necessary. After me he had the best shot out of all of us. You remind me a lot of my brother, maybe not as intelligent, but when it comes to your instincts I can see the kill drive inside of you.”
Not bothering to wait for Carson’s reply, I continued toward the building. We walked down the small hall that led to the back where Emmet’s office was. Pushing the door open, I stepped inside, and just as I expected Emmet, was hidden behind the multiple monitors on his desk.
“E!” I called out to gain his attention. Most of the time he got so lost in what he was doing that he tuned out everything else around him. “Emmet!” It took a few seconds but Emmet soon popped his head around the monitors.
“I need to talk to you.” He stared at me with a blank face. He shifted his attention to Carson briefly before dismissing him and gazing back at me.
“What are you doing here?” he questioned.
“I need a favor.” I walked to his desk. I waved for Carson to follow me.
“What?”
“Let Carson shadow you today.”
Emmet’s brows furrowed. “Why would I do that?”
“He’s good with computers and I think he can be an asset, just needs the right training. You’re tech savvy and?—”
“I’m not a teacher.”
One corner of my mouth lifted. “No, but I’m sure you can still teach him a few things. Even if it’s with your PI stuff. Cashlynn mentioned he liked mystery stuff, right kid?” I glanced at Carson who seemed surprised I addressed him. He bobbed his head and examined the room.
