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“Why?”

“I don’t know. They told me to do random shit without giving me a reason. If I ask too many questions, they’d think I was being disloyal.”

“Who are they? Why are you working for them?”

Bruce paced around, tugging at his hair. “I needed money to pay off gambling debts. They helped me at first, but then it turned into a large amount of money I couldn’t pay back. So I started working for them, doing all kinds of shit. Drugs messed me up bad.”

I wanted to say so many things to him, but I needed answers. Insulting him—even though it was the truth—wouldn’t benefit me right now.

“You shouldn’t be a cop.”

“I didn’t want to be one!” He shot out one hand into the air. “I was fine working as a security guard, but they wanted me to work in the police department . . . maneuver stuff around.” He kicked a rock, and it flew into the brook.

“Drugs?” I asked.

He nodded. “Big money. I hear theyown some cartels.”

Money had a way of talking loudly. I had no doubt The Trogyn managed the cartels.

“Why the cabin? What’s in there?”

“They got intel that the drugs were at the campground, so they searched around.”

“But whythatspecific cabin?” He was hiding something.

“Something happened in that cabin before.”

I went on a hunch. “Does it have to do with Hank’s sister?”

Bruce’s body tensed, and he paced again.

“Think carefully before you answer,” I said. “Those people might be dangerous, but so am I.”

He braced a hand on the tree trunk and looked at me. “Who are you? Some kind of private investigator?”

“I’m a man on a quest to find out what happened to my girlfriend’s cabin. She could’ve died.” My lips thinned. “The way Hank cringes around you piqued my interest.You can say I’m a guy who likes to right some wrongs.”

Balance was needed in everything, including the human body. Equilibrium boosted the immunesystem, strengthening the person. When out of balance, diseases emerged.

I was not God, but I believed those who committed crimes should be punished.

Then you should look at yourself too.

I ignored my inner voice because I didn’t have time to argue with it.

Bruce stared at me for a while, probably trying to weigh if he could trust me. If I were him, I’d be doing the same thing.

“I want to stop working for them,” he blurted out. “But I can’t. They know too much about me and my family.”

“You should have thought about the families of those you’ve killed and raped. Start repenting by telling me the truth.”

His body sagged against the tree trunk, looking like a cornered creature. In some way he was, he had to choose a side now: me or The Trogyn.

“We have a common enemy, Bruce,” I said, trying to shed light on his dilemma. “This conversation will stay between us and these woods. Unless the trees and birds can talk, no one will know about what you tell me.”

He licked his lips and took in a deep inhale, followed by an exhale.

“Nikky Peterson stayed at Kiera’s cabin, right?”