Page 80 of Reaper and Ruin

I could practically feel the heat from the steam coming out of her ears.

“If that asshole back there is the guy who killed Toby, who also potentially has Nyah, I’m not going to sit here and comb my fucking hair. Somebody give me a gun!”

There was so much wild anger in her voice that I instantly passed mine back to her.

In the rearview mirror, she blinked at me, like she hadn’t really expected her little outburst to work. But then she mouthed, “Thank you.”

I nodded. “There’s a spare in the glove box, Levi.”

He reached for the dashboard and found said spare weapon, checked it for me, then passed it over.

I clutched it with one hand, spinning the steering wheel with the heel of the other, turning us down a side street with less traffic. I needed to double-check this guy behind us was actually following us and not just a shit-ass driver.

I glanced over my shoulder, peering through the back window.

The van turned as well.

I slammed my foot on the brake. “Vi, open your door but do not get out.”

I didn’t wait for her to reply, just trusted she would listen.

Levi and I both opened our doors in unison, sliding out, guns pointed behind us, using the doors Violet and X opened as shields.

The van skidded to a stop in a screech of tires.

A man sat behind the wheel, his eyes huge when he noticed the guns pointed in his direction. He very slowly raised his hands.

“It’s the gardener from Nyah’s parents’ place,” Violet called from inside the car.

I glanced at Levi over the top of the car.

He shrugged, then turned his attention back to the guy in the van. “Get out.”

The man nodded nervously and very slowly opened his door. I braced myself for sudden gunshots or the back door sliding open and a small army of thugs flowing out.

But none of that happened. The gardener, easily identified now that I was paying attention to his beige overalls and the logoembroidered into his hat, just got out and shut the door, though he eyed me and Levi warily. “You were asking about Nyah. I heard you speaking to the Matishs’ security team. They won’t take a meeting with you.”

“No shit, Sherlock,” I muttered. But louder, I said, “Security already made that much clear. What’s not is why you’re chasing us down.”

“I can tell you where you can find Nyah’s parents.”

I raised an eyebrow but lowered the gun. This guy wasn’t going to hurt anyone. “Why would you?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Because she was my friend. She’s the best of them, you know? They’re horrible people.”

“Why work for them then?” Levi asked.

The man raised his shoulder. “Because they pay three times as much as any other job I could get around here. I normally just keep my head down and try to blend in with the bushes.”

“So why stick your neck out now?”

“If they’ve done something to Nyah, I want to help. I was glad when she said she was running. But I knew at some point they’d drag her back. She knew it too.”

Violet stepped out of the car, which didn’t exactly please me, but even I could admit this situation wasn’t as dangerous as I’d first thought it was going to be. “Have you seen any sign that they have her?”

He shook his head. “But they have other properties. Businesses. A hundred places across the city they could have stashed her in.” He swallowed thickly. “Your best bet is to try talking to her brother. Unlike her parents, he actually cares about her.”

That was worth a shot. “Know where we might find him?”