Page 46 of Rear View

Xavier

I veered into a spot in the courthouse’s lot. My Jeep tires chirped when I jerked to a stop. Grabbing the bag I’d packed, I jumped out, then climbed the stairs to the main entrance two at a time.

My gut hardened, the memory of the last time I’d been there flashing across my mind. The weight of my past crushed me, getting heavier by the goddamn second. Ryah needed to know, but, Christ, she already had one criminal pounding her door. What would she say when she learned about me?

I shoved the thought back. I needed to focus. Needed to find the asshole scaring my girl, ’cause there was only one kind of justice he deserved. And I was bloodthirsty for it.

He had to be someone with access to her.

Someone she knew, ’cause the guy had no other reason to disguise his voice unless he figured she’d recognize it.

Jesus, Ryah’d looked so damn scared. Like I’d walk away ’cause she was too much trouble.

If anything, I’d only hunkered deeper. I couldn’t give a shit about myself.

She was what mattered, and I was with her.

The girl was everything. Knowing she wanted me too— loved me…

she was more than I deserved. But she was mine. And that asshole would never have her.

I needed to talk to someone—someone who might have answers.

Pushing through the doors, I was hit with that too-familiar pine-and-chemicals scent. The checkerboard floors were duller than before, but still in decent shape.

The security guard to my right waved me over. “This way.”

I set my phone and keys in a bin, then dropped it and my bag on the airport-security-style conveyor belt.

They screened everything while I stepped through the metal detector.

The guard nodded the all clear, so I grabbed my stuff and aimed for the elevators that lined the back wall.

Scanning the board with the names and floors of all the folks who worked there, I spotted the one I needed.

“Office of the Crown Prosecutor, Juan Castillo.”

I pressed for the fifth floor, my leg bouncing while the thing climbed, slow as hell. For-goddamn-ever later, the doors dinged and slid open. Striding out, I stalked to the receptionist’s desk ten feet ahead.

A young blonde sat there, her long, sparkly nails clacking against the keys when I closed in.

She glanced up, eyes tracking over my injuries for less than a second before a bright blush burned her cheeks. “How can I help you, Mr. Bosch?”

I fought the frown building across my face. Didn’t think I’d ever get used to strangers knowing who I was. “I need to talk to Castillo.”

“Oh. I believe he’s in a meeting right now.” She clicked something on her computer. “Yes, it shows here he is.” Her brows pinched as if she were confused. “Were you supposed to have an appointment?”

“No appointment.”

“I see. Well, I apologize, Mr. Bosch, but he only sees people by appointment. I can set one for you now, if you’d like?”

Nah. Not gonna fly.

I peered around, scanning the glass-walled offices toward the periphery before I fixed on one in the back left corner. Juan sat behind a big-ass desk, looking official as he talked with a group of people clustered across from him.

Tapping the wood with my hand, I told her, “All good.” Veering around the counter, I aimed Castillo’s way.

“Mr. Bosch,” the woman called. “Mr. Bosch, you can’t go back there!”

I went back there.

Heads turned, following my progress. Some stood like they thought they should do something but didn’t make a move.

“Mr. Bosch, I’ll be forced to call security. Mr. Bosch! ”

Rapping Castillo’s door, I locked my stare with his.

His eyes went wide, and he blinked hard, confused. A second later, he stood.

Popping the door halfway open, I told him, “We need to talk.”

He strode closer and leaned in, keeping his voice low. “What’s wrong? Is it your father?”

I shook my head, sharp.

The receptionist scurried up to Castillo, her breathing heavy as her gaze darted between us. “I’m sorry, Juan. I told him he couldn’t—”

“It’s fine, Tandy. Mr. Bosch is always welcome.” He gave her a nod, then pushed his door wider, inviting me in. Turning to the others in the room, he said, “We’ll need to reschedule this for later.”

They rose, grabbed their documents and electronics, said their goodbyes and left. No one questioned him. Complained. Nothin’. A sign of power. Respect.

When the door closed, sealing us in alone, Castillo strode around his desk, took a seat, then linked his hands over his stomach. “What brings you here?”

The room was clean. Sparse. Silver-framed pictures lined the top of the waist-high bookcase to the right, a diploma from U of E displayed beside them.

Books on criminal codes and law filled the shelves.

His desk had a thin-screened computer and keyboard.

The place had a decent view of the city, looking out through the buildings, instead of down on them.

I rolled my shoulders. “My girl’s got a problem.”

“What kind of problem?”

“The stalker kind.” I dropped my bag down in front of him and pulled out the stacks of paper I’d printed off that morning.

He inclined his head as his stare tracked over everything I’d laid out. “What’s all this?”

I set a hip on his desk. “Evidence.”

He took from the top of the pile with Ryah’s own notes and started in. Flipping through page after page, he scanned them. An hour ticked by before he lowered everything and looked up. “This is comprehensive.” His stare flicked to me. “You help her with it?”

“Nah. My girl’s just smart.”

Leaning forward, he picked up the first of the emails. His eyes flicked over the message, and he stiffened. “Jesus.” He placed it aside and examined the stack again, his gaze focused. “Are they all like this?”

“Pretty much.”

“And she has no clue who it could be? No scorned exes? Failed friendships? Former employers, landlords or business deals that went bad?”

“Nothin’. Guy’s never given himself away.” Pulling out my phone, I clicked on a voicemail and played it.

“Ryah Jaaaane,” the prick said, some kinda digital modifier messing with his voice.

“I’m watching, Ryah Jane.” I clicked the next one.

“I can’t wait to taste that sweet little cunt, Ryah Jane.

” My fist locked tight when I clicked one after that.

“Fuck with me again, Ryah Jane, and next time it’ll be worse.

” Then the more recent ones. “Did I say you could leave, Ryah Jane?” “I know you’re with him, Ryah Jane. ” “DID I SAY YOU COULD FUCKING LEAVE!”

Castillo stared into the distance, his expression hard. “And he made good on the threat.” The words were low. To himself. “What’d the police say when she went to them?”

I folded my arms over my chest, my grip digging into my biceps. “What d’you think?”

His mouth pinched. “A judge won’t issue a warrant without probable cause. And based on all this,” he flicked a finger toward his desk and added, “it’s not enough.”

My blood got hot. Boiling goddamn hot. “Not enough ?” I said through my teeth. “The guy beat her unconscious. Threatened to fuckin’ rape her.”

He raised his hands. “I know. I get it. It’s bullshit. But the system can’t penalize a phantom. It needs a name. Which means you’ve got to figure out what you do know. Does the guy have patterns? What sets him off with her? What doesn’t? What is it he wants?”

“He wants her.”

“Yes, but that can’t be all.”

I lifted a brow and angled forward. “What’re you thinkin’?”

“She doesn’t know who he is, so she can’t recognize him. He could walk right up to her, and she’d never know it. He’d have the element of surprise. If it was just her he wanted, he could have her.”

Fuck me. The thought of that had bile burning the back of my throat. “She’s careful.”

“I have no doubt. But she’s still vulnerable.” He shifted to lower his leg. “He got to her before. He’s obviously calculated. If he really wanted, he could do it again.”

My gut dropped. “He went to her place the other day.”

He inclined his head like I’d just made his point for him. “And stood across the road.” He patted his knee, his eyes narrowed in thought. “He’s getting something else out of this.”

The same things my dad got. “Power? Control?”

“Tops on the list, yes.”

“So, he gets off on havin’ her scared.”

“It makes sense.” He scanned the documents again.

“Your best option is to figure out his method. What’s her routine?

Where does she spend her time? And who does she spend it with?

Whoever this is, he’s obviously good with tech.

Judging what he knows, he’s either close enough in her circle to get information, or he’s hacking her devices. ”

My fists clenched so hard, my skin creaked, ’cause he’d done at least one of those. “She needs a phone, Juan.” Christ. The thought of her without it…

“Get her a new one. A burner. She shouldn’t tell anyone but her emergency contacts that she has it. Get something basic. No camera. Just text and call.”

“And the one she’s got now?”

“Keep it. This guy will notice if it’s gone. The chances a young woman her age wouldn’t have something, especially if she’s being stalked, isn’t realistic. He’ll either get pissed or suspicious. It could push him to act again.”

If it’d been happening to me, I’d have played that card to flush the asshole out. But it wasn’t, so I’d never take that gamble.

Castillo tapped the evidence with the tip of his nail. “Whoever this is, Xavier, they’re careful. He knows what he’s doing. He went from emails, to texts, to calls, to an attack. His behavior’s escalated over time. He is capable of more.”

My spine locked up. “You think it’ll get worse?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Psychology’s not my expertise, but I’ve seen these cases on the back end for years. My guess is, yes.”

I pushed up and stalked the space, dragging a hand along the back of my neck and through my hair. “What if I brought her public? The more eyes on her, the harder it’ll be for him to get to her?”

“Maybe. Or it could just tick him off. Make him feel like he’s losing that control.” He scratched his chin. “What about moving?”

I’d considered it. Take her and get the hell outta Edgewater. I hated the idea of running. Preferred to face stuff head-on, but for her, I’d do it, no questions asked. Only issue was… “My face is out there. We’ll be easy to track.”

He inclined his head.

So catching the guy was priority one. I didn’t want Ryah looking over her shoulder the rest of her life, wondering if he was coming. Terrified of every stranger’s face.

I leaned a shoulder against the wall and crossed my legs at the ankles. “I can’t let anything happen to her, Castillo. I fuckin’ can’t.”

He wrung his hands. “Look, I’ll take it to a judge. See if we get lucky. But don’t hold your breath.”

I stared down at my feet, hands flexing over and over. Lifting my head slowly, I pinned him with my stare. “Don’t let the fuckin’ system fail her too.”

Standing, he came around the desk. “It will, Xavier.” He walked to the closest chair and sat on its arm, facing me.

“From the court’s perspective, she doesn’t know who he is.

They can’t just grant warrants to do en masse searches.

Never mind that no one can prove all of these events are the same guy, which means they legally can’t be linked. ”

“So, protect him before he hurts her, and if she’s still breathin’ on the other side of it, put her through hell again to show he’s the one that did it, yeah?” I looked away. “It’s the shit with my old man all over.” The muscles along my forearms corded. “The hell are the options, then?”

“She’s exercised them already.” His grip on the chair tightened. “Does she have the original emails?”

“Yeah. Saved it all.”

“Good. Unless this guy messes up and reveals himself, don’t expect much on this end.”

“’Cause the system ain’t built to preempt.” I thumped the side of my fist against the wall.

“It’s not,” he agreed. “But if there was someone you knew who could say, fight fire with fire, they might use those emails to trace an IP address. Get a name.” He eyed me and arched a knowing brow.

“You could use it to figure out the link between this guy and her. You’d have a person to be suspicious of.

A name to bring forward. From there, we might have a chance. ”

Fight fire with fire. Recruit someone who also knew their way around a computer. My lip arced up. Now Castillo was fuckin’ talking. “If only I knew someone like that.”

He grinned, ’cause it was the closest to a confirmation he’d ever gotten from me.

Tipping his head at the documents, he said, “Leave this stuff with me, and if anyone asks, we never had this conversation. You’re not a juvenile anymore and your career puts a spotlight directly on your head.

If something happens and you’re caught, I can’t make any promises on how it’ll shake out. ”

Story of my goddamn life.

I popped a shoulder. “Get caught doin’ what, Castillo?” I turned to face him as I backed toward the door. “Got somewhere else I need to be, now. See you around.”

Offering him a salute, I left, pulling out my phone before I dialed Alec. If I found this guy first, there wouldn’t be anything left of him for the system to handle, but one step at a time. I had a Mr. Sean Hawkins to find.