Hammer’s game changer had been the friendship that Trudy formed with Fat Louise when they lived next door to each other. It had been the catalyst that had drawn the girls together and cemented when Sex Piston had been attacked and nearly killed on the school bus in middle school. The incident forged the friendship into the group of five, who would kick anyone’s ass that messed with them. Even then, Hammer underestimated that the women would discuss the secrets they’d been told repeatedly not to.
While Hammer maintained his distance from Trudy, he hadn’t Killyama. Both Jonas and Hammer had taken active roles in her life.
It was when the girls were arrested for fighting at a Dairy Queen with bitches from another high school that Trudy recognized Hammer from the day they’d been rescued. From then on, Hammer’s well-laid plan had gone downhill. Both girls had figured out Hammer’s goal was to protect them—Killyama from her father, Tim Cooper, and Trudy from Allerton. That was when they brought Sex Piston, Fat Louise, and Crazy Bitch into their secrets, making a pact to defend each other to their deaths.
Fat Louise had come up with the idea that if Hammer put them close enough to watch them both, then it made sense he had done the same for Evangeline. When confronted, Hammer denied it, but none of them had believed him. When that failed, they had gone out to local gatherings giving Trudy the chance to find her sister.
It wasn’t until after starting a fight at a local soccer match that Hammer caved and told Trudy the truth.
“You have to stop, T.A.”
“We were never meant to be separated this long!”
“It’s not safe enough.”
“When is it going to be?”
“Only Evangeline can answer that question.”
“What if she never remembers?”
“I don’t know what you want me to tell you.”
“I want the truth!”
Trudy told her that it was only when all the girls had broken into tears that Hammer relented.
“I don’t believe Allerton thinks Evangeline is dead.”
“He has to… Nothing has happened to me. If he thought that, then why hasn’t he come after me?”
“He could be waiting for you to lead him to her. I don’t want to take the chance, do you?”
“He’s not watching,” Trudy argued. “You’re being anal, like you are over everything!”
“You think you girls are ready to take on the big shots? Killyama, did you think your father could take care of himself?”
“Of course. He was the leader that gave you your position. I might have hated him, but he could kick ass.”
“Not enough to prevent himself or his wife from being killed.”
Trudy had said that it was one of the scariest moments of her life when Hammer had told them.
Killyama retorted, “It was a murder/suicide.”
“It was made to look that way. Whoever it was, was that good. It wasn’t fucking suicide. His wife didn’t kill him. She knew he had Peyton on the side, and she didn’t care.”
“If that’s true, why hasn’t any of the other team members been targeted who were there that day?”
“Because, Killyama, Tim didn’t break. Even though he knew they were going to die. If he didn’t give them the information, he didn’t break. He had a safeguard that was supposed to go off if something happened to him unexpectedly. It didn’t go off. I think Tim knew someone was trying to find Evangeline.”
“Fine, Hammer, but I need to know my sister is happy, that she doesn’t need me.”
Sex Piston had told her what had finally swayed Hammer. “Your sister cried like a fucking baby, until he gave in.”
“She’s happy; I’m sure of it, Trudy. Evangeline misses you. She asks all the time how you’re doing, but she doesn’t need you.”
“How do you know?” Trudy asked, not taking his word for it.
“She calls me all the fucking time. Evangeline calls to tell me how much she misses you and asks how you’re doing. And every time she calls, I ask if she needs anything and she always tells me no.”
“Is she close to us? Like Killyama and I are?”
“No.”
Trudy had told her later that she always believed he’d lied when he told her no.
“Can I see a picture of her? I want to see what she looks like now.”
“No, it isn’t possible. What if you do see her and want to talk to her?”
“So, she is close?”
Caught in a trap of his own making, Hammer remained silent.
“Just show me one picture, and we’ll get off your back, and I won’t ask again until you say it’s okay? Please?”
When the girls had joined in the request, Hammer caved. “I’ll see what I can do, but if I do, you won’t be able to keep it.”
“Anything, I just want to see what she looks like. Does she look like me?”
“I have no idea. I haven’t seen her. I’ve only talked to her on the phone.”