Simon Says Die

clearly saw the man you were with and he never spoke?”
    â€œI wasn’t with him.” She spoke very slowly and clearly as if she thought he’d suddenly developed a problem with his hearing. “He grabbed me. I didn’t go willingly.”
    â€œNo bruises. No scratches.”
    Her mouth fell open. “You think I wanted to go with him? That I’m making all of this up?”
    â€œMrs. McKinley,” Hamilton spoke up. “We have photos of you, or a woman matching your description, and your car, at a motel with some man. We’re just trying to put all the known facts together and figure out what happened.”
    She frowned and rubbed the side of her head as if she was developing a headache. “I don’t understand any of this. I was never at a motel.”
    â€œWhy did he let you go?” Pierce asked.
    Her eyes flashed with annoyance. “I. Don’t. Know.” Her eyes widened as if she’d just thought of something. She grabbed Logan’s arm. “Mom, Amanda—he had pictures of them. That has to be some kind of a threat. You need to—”
    He patted her hand. “Already done. Special Agent Tessa James made the necessary phone calls as soon as you told us about the photographs. They’re safe.”
    She nodded with relief and relaxed against him.
    â€œIf Damon was your abductor,” Pierce continued, “wouldn’t he have asked for money?”
    She crossed her arms. “I don’t know what game Damon is playing. I can’t speak for what he should, or shouldn’t, have done.”
    â€œIf he hadn’t faked his death, he would have had plenty of money,” Pierce said. “Especially after your father died. Why would he fake his death?”
    â€œI don’t know. Why don’t you go find Damon and ask him instead of grilling me?”
    Logan kissed the top of his sister’s head and stood. He looked directly at Pierce. “Basement. Now.” His voice was deathly quiet. He headed toward the back hall to the basement entrance, not bothering to turn and see if Pierce would follow.
    P IERCE CLOSED THE door behind him and headed down the basement stairs. When he reached the concrete floor, he didn’t even have time to duck.
    Logan slammed his fist into his jaw. “That’s for not protecting my sister.”
    Pierce stumbled back a few steps, his jaw throbbing.
    Logan stepped forward and slammed his fist into Pierce’s stomach, doubling him over. “And that’s for being an ass. What the hell were you doing upstairs, treating her like a criminal?”
    Pierce gritted his teeth and lunged forward, slamming his fist into the side of Logan’s thick skull. Logan spun around, staggered, but kept his feet underneath him. “That,” Pierce growled, “is for playing matchmaker and interfering with my life.”
    He ran forward and punched Logan again, slamming him up against the wall. Logan let out a vicious stream of curses and threw himself at Pierce. He wrapped his arms around Pierce’s chest in a crushing grip, and they both went crashing to the floor.
    Sharp, fiery pain shot through Pierce’s chest. He gasped and twisted in Logan’s hold, breaking away from him and throwing an uppercut to his jaw.
    Logan’s head snapped back, and Pierce smacked him in the side of his head with his elbow. They both grappled for control, falling to the floor, rolling and twisting as they fought to get in more punches. They knocked over a lamp, its light bulb exploding into a hundred jagged pieces that tinkled across the concrete.
    They broke apart and staggered to their feet. Pierce blocked one of Logan’s punches and took one of his own, spinning Logan around. Logan pushed off the wall and slammed his fist into Pierce’s bruised ribs.
    The pain was immediate, intense. Hot fire slashing through his chest. He doubled over, turning his injured side away as Logan rushed him.
    Pierce grunted as he slammed against the wall.
    Suddenly Logan let go, straightening and staggering back several feet. His chest heaved as he gulped deep breaths of air. “You’ve gone soft. That was way too easy.”
    Pierce threw a few choice curses at his friend. “I did pretty good considering I got shot a couple of days ago. I’d have had you on the ground again if you hadn’t sucker punched me in my bruised ribs.”
    Logan raised a brow. “That’s explains