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“I keep a lot of stuff on that phone. Screenshots. Text messages. Phone numbers for high-ranking Silver Stallions we did business with,” Stuart says. “But I need protection, man. I need witness protection. They’re killers!”

“They can’t get to you in here.”

His fear is palpable. “No, you don’t understand. Cops don’t deter them. They’ll kill anybody they think betrayed them or could betray them. They’ll kill Billy Jade, too. They’re not in the habit of leaving loose ends, not with the amount of product they move all over the state,” Stuart adds. “Rumor has it they’re close to doing out-of-state exports too. They’re muscling in on some other gang’s turf, taking over the interstate routes, paying offstaties… it’s big, man, huge. I can give you useful stuff, but you gotta keep me alive!”

“You’d better not be lying or buying yourself time,” I warn him.

Tyler gets up. “Keep him here. I’ll go to the convenience store and check it out.” He turns to look at Stuart. “Where did you hide the phone?”

“Behind the cigarette display. It’s in a lone Marlboro red box at the far back.”

“Look at that,” I chuckle. “It’s a shame you made me bring Tyler in when you could’ve just told us, saved your broken nose.”

“I’m gonna sue your asses,” Stuart threatens.

Tyler grabs him by the throat, squeezing so hard his eyes bulge out of their sockets. “You forget the camera is still off,” Tyler growls then roughly releases him.

Stuart wheezes and coughs, choking briefly on his own blood, but he finally gets the message. I’m not a fan of Tyler’s methods, but they work.

“We’ll be here,” I tell Tyler. “Waiting for you to confirm once you find the phone.”

“Will do,” Tyler replies and heads out.

Lucas returns, a deep frown pulling his brows together as soon as he sees Stuart’s bloodied face. “Dammit.”

“Camera’s still off,” I say.

“Take him back to his cell. I’ll turn it back on.”

“Lucas—”

“I know,” he cuts me off. “We do what we have to. I get it.”

Stuart gives him a scared look. “I fell down the stairs.”

I’d laugh if it was a different situation. It’s amazing what violence can achieve when all you want is a peaceful, non-violent resolution.

At least we have a solid, workable lead now.

The Silver Stallions are definitely involved—heavily.

Lucas decidesto further the conversation with Stuart instead of having me take him back to his cell. I step out of the interview room, hoping Tyler returns soon with that burner phone.

We’ll need Tassia to go through it. She has proven herself remarkably adept at identifying codes and patterns in speech that help paint a clearer picture. We may not have names yet, but we have details that are bringing us closer.

“Deputy O’Malley,” a familiar voice greets me.

Sherry, Lucas’s assistant, is behind her desk. I wasn’t looking forward to her return, truth be told, but I muster a smile, nonetheless. “Sherry, welcome back. How was your holiday?”

“Oh, it was wonderful! My boyfriend took me to Mexico!” she exclaims.

A petite blonde with blue eyes and a bright smile, Sherry was Lucas’s brief foray into a relationship when we first got back from the service. It didn’t work out, but he chose to keep her on as his assistant because she was so competent at her job.

“I’m glad to hear that. I hope he’s treating you well.”

“Better than anyone else ever did,” she replies with a slight edge.

It’s been a few years, and Sherry still hasn’t gotten over Lucas ending their brief fling, though she tries to pretend she has.