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“How long has she been gone?” Butch’s question is directed at Becca.
“Three weeks. She called me once, but couldn’t tell me where she was.” She points at Maddox. “I gave him the number she called me from.”
Butch’s eyes flash to Maddox, moving over where his arm’s wrapped tightly around me, before sliding back to Becca. “And you’re sure Trevor Hawthorne is who has her?”
“I’m sure Trevor is responsible for her disappearance, but I don’t know who has her now.” Her voice breaks a little. “She could be states away.” Her chin wobbles. “Or five minutes from where we are now for all I know.” She reaches out to grab Butch’s hand. “That’s why we need your help. I tried to make the police understand she wasn’t a runaway, but they wouldn’t listen. You can explain it to them. Make them look for her.”
Butch’s eyes drop as he leans back in his seat, scrubbing one hand over his face. “Fuck.”
I pull out the chair next to him and sit down. “What’s that mean? What’s wrong?”
“Are you ready to order?” The waitress wedges herself in beside Maddox, oblivious to the tone at the table.
“Give us a few minutes.” Maddox sends her away before turning to Butch. “Are you saying you can’t help us?”
“I’m saying I’m not sure there’s anyone at that station who will help you.” He glances around, assessing gaze raking over Owen and Luca with suspicion before going back to Maddox. “There’s a reason no one’s looking into this, and I’m not sure me being involved will do you any good.” He sighs. “It might actually hurt your odds.”
“It’s because no one wants to touch Trevor.” I want to cry. Want to scream. Want to find some way to get all this frustration and guilt out of my body.
“What?” Butch seems genuinely confused. “No.” He shakes his head. “Trevor’s not the issue.” He drapes his arm across the back of Becca’s chair. “This is way bigger than some pissant state senator.”
“Wait.” I shake my head like it will reorganize my scattered thoughts. “Trevor isn’t in charge of this thing?”
Butch snorts. “Trevor’s a dumbass they’re using as a wall they can hide behind.” He shifts in his seat. “And from what I was able to find before they shut me down, he’s who they plan to throw under the bus if everything goes south.”
“You keep saying they.” Maddox slides into the seat beside me. “Who’sthey?”
“If I knew that, we’d be on our way to find Becca’s sister right now.” Butch shakes his head, one hand fisting tight as his jawclenches. “Whoever they are, the number of cops they have in their pocket is pretty fucking high.”
I deflate like a balloon. I came into this hoping we were closing in on the end. That a resolution was in sight. I thought Butch would know who could help us take Trevor down and find Becca’s sister.
Maddox exchanges looks with Luca and Owen, unspoken words passing between them. I don’t have to hear it to know what they’re thinking.
Apparently neither does Becca, because she lifts her shoulders in a shrug. “I guess that means we have to find her ourselves and kill everyone who gets in the way.”
Part of me expects Butch to argue with her. To explain murder is against the law and vigilante justice isn’t the way to handle this.
Instead he straightens, hard gaze meeting Maddox’s. “She’s right. The cops aren’t going to help. The corruption in the Memphis PD runs deep. I tried to show them, but they didn't want to see it. Makes me think it goes higher than I thought.” He offers Luca and Owen a look. “If you want to save Becca’s sister, you’re going to have to handle it carefully and discreetly, because there’s no way to know who’s involved.”
“You know part of who’s involved.” Maddox studies Butch with an appraising gaze. “Can probably make some educated guesses based on your years working undercover.”
Butch tips his head in a nod. “Probably.”
“Do you think you can stand on both sides of the law for a little while?” Maddox asks.
Butch laughs, the sound almost bitter. “Man, I’ve been standing on both sides of the law for years.”
TWENTY-ONE
MADDOX
“THAT WAS CRAZY.” Audrey widens her eyes at me as she sets her purse on the desk in our hotel room. “I totally didn’t expect it to be Butch meeting us at the restaurant.”
“That makes two of us.” Not for a single second did I think I’d recognize the man Pierce found for us to speak with.
In spite of what we’ve learned about the Memphis PD, not for a single second did I expect that man to tell us taking the lawful route to deal with Trevor probably wouldn’t be an option, but here we are.
And I’m not mad about it. I’m also not mad at the rest of what he told us. Because now there’s nothing stopping me from doing what I’ve wanted to do nearly this whole time.