Page 100 of Fighting Conviction

Jaybird grumbled on the other end, obviously unconvinced. But he didn’t know Ellie like Devil did.

“Directions to the park, somebody?” Phoenix prompted. “I haven’t been on a swing in fifteen years.”

“Already sent the location to the SUV GPS system,” Snake replied.

“Turn right in… two miles,” a robotic female voice commanded over the speaker. “With traffic, you will reach your destination in… twenty minutes.”

“Twenty minutes? Goddamnit.” Devil scrubbed his beard. A lot could happen in twenty minutes. “Snake, do we know if she’s at the park exactly or are you still pinpointing her location?”

“It keeps narrowing down to that location… oh, wait. I read it wrong—”

“What thef—”

Snake cut Jaybird off. “You’re going to the Hatcher Gardens Neighborhood, approximately one klick from the park.”

Devil grimaced at the update. “Why the hell would she be there?”

“Remember, this is only Virginia’s location,” Snake answered. “They might not be together.”

“They’re together,” Devil said before muttering to himself. “They have to be.”

“We’ll find her.” Hawk’s declaration was said with such conviction it felt like a command to the universe. Devil didn’t usually believe in that shit, but if it would listen to anyone, it would be Hawk.

Hawk leaned forward between Phoenix and Devil in the front. “Who lives in the neighborhood. Do we know anybody there?”

Everyone answered Hawk’s question in the negative before Snake spoke. “Well, we know they were likely at that party. Naomi and I looked up every single person on the guest list. I’ll cross reference the locations we have for them.”

“Good idea,” Hawk said. “Is there any other way we can figure out ASAP who lives there?”

“Not quickly enough,” Snake groaned. “Fuck, from my files no one who was invited to the party lives in Hatcher Gardens Neighborhood.”

“Makes sense,” Phoenix grumbled. “That neighborhood’s like a shit place now, right? The party only had rich jackasses and high school girls there.”

“Can you drive any faster?” Devil’s temper was electric on his skin and he tried to calm it down before he lashed out. “This town is an inch wide on a map, it shouldn’t take us this fucking long to get across it.”

“Dude, chill. You heard the lady, it’s Friday night traffic. What do you want from me? We’re already farther than the bitch said we’d be.”

Devil huffed and leaned back in the seat, studying his phone like it had all the answers.

If Ellie wasn’t with Virginia, if this was a wild-goose chase, he didn’t have any other ideas. What if he couldn’t find her this time?

No. I can’t lose her.

Devil closed his eyes and tried to think of anything useful, but all he saw was her smile. How she lit up every room like the goddamn sun.

He’d shut everything out years ago. His world had been dark for too long, but Ellie made him realize how much better life could be if he let the light in.

“If I lose her…” he whispered.

“I know, man. I know.” Hawk clapped him on the shoulder.

“So… it’s like that, huh?” Jaybird growled over the speaker and Devil shook his head.

Fuck, guess everyone knows now.

“Dude, so not the time.” Phoenix groaned.

“No, I want to know. It’s my sister and I need to know why Devil’s getting to call the shots.” There was silence before Jaybird sighed on the line. “Are you in love with her?”