“Police came by the estate this afternoon and said they found drugs at the factory on Poplar Street.”
“Shit. That’s serious.”
“Tell me about it. Get your ass out of bed and meet me there.”
“All right, on my way.”
I pulled into the factory parking lot for the third time in a week. The lack of cars struck me as odd. It was midafternoon, the lunchtime shutdown was long past. This place should have been bustling with activity, but now it seemed abandoned. I got out of the car and walked toward the entrance as I caught sight of the manager just inside the door. He looked flustered, his face white as a sheet as he sprinted toward me.
“Mr. Keller, I’m so sorry. I tried calling you several times.” He stammered over his words and looked like a kid who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“Save it. What’s going on?” I held up my hand, silencing him as I surveyed the eerily quiet warehouse. The machines were silent, and there were hardly any employees in sight. “Why is no one working?”
“Uh, well, after the incident, we sent everyone home,” he explained nervously.
“The police filled me in on the drugs. Why didn’t you call me as soon as they were found?”
“I did try, sir. Several times, actually.”
I realized that amidst the chaos with Liza’s kidnap, then Maximus, I hadn’t even noticed the missed calls. “Fine, let’s talk in your office.”
He led me to the same cramped office where we’d reviewed the security footage after the fire, and offered me a seat, which I declined. Instead, I paced the floor, my anger mounting with every step.
“A building inspector came in this morning,” he began, fiddling with some paperwork on his desk. “He said he was here to inspect the building and equipment because a client was interested in purchasing the factory. But now… I’m not sure if he was who he said he was.”
“Get to the point,” I snapped. “Why do you think that?”
“Because he’s the one who found the drugs taped underneath some of the production lines,” he stammered, hands shaking, “And after he left, I realized he never left his name.”
Rage bubbled up inside me as I clenched my fists tightly. “We don’t deal in drugs. How could this have fucking happened?” I roared.
Just then, Bryce knocked on the office door. Instead of motioning for him to come in, I stormed past him without a word. My rage was threatening to consume me, but I couldn’t let it. There was too much at stake. Who the fuck was this inspector?
“Ty, wait up!” Bryce called, running to catch up with me. “What the hell is going on?”
“Get in my car,” I barked, jaw clenched. “I’ll explain on the way to the police station.”
Bryce followed me without another word, and we both got into my black SUV. The engine roared to life as I hit the gas, speeding down the road toward our destination. I kept one hand on the steering wheel and raked the other through my hair as I filled Bryce in.
“Drugs, huh?” he said, trying to lighten the mood with a smirk. It took every ounce of my self-control not to punch himright then. He was just making an attempt at joking around, but this wasn’t the time for humor.
“This isn’t a fucking joke, Bryce,” I growled through gritted teeth. “If we can’t clear our name, we’re all in a ton of shit. There were drugs strapped to the assembly lines.”
“Shit,” he muttered, his playful demeanor dropping instantly. The severity of the circumstance dawned on him as he ran his hand down his face. “We’re fucked.”
“Not if I can help it. I have to answer the police’s questions and try to explain the situation.” I cleared my throat and turned onto the street that housed the police station. “The question is, will they believe me?”
We skidded into the station parking lot, tires screeching against the pavement. I didn’t bother waiting for Bryce as I marched past the front desk receptionist and straight to the lead detective—the same one I’d given Cecily’s phone to just weeks before.
I simmered with unbridled anger and stormed through the building, no one daring to approach me. I entered the detective’s office unannounced.
The man rose up from behind his desk. “Mr. Keller, I’ve been expecting you.” If I wasn’t mistaken, a smirk flashed across his face as if he’d been waiting for this moment. It was unusual for a human to throw his authority over an alpha shifter. This was one of the first times my position meant nothing, and there was not a damn thing I could do about it other than hope my reputation stood for something and beg for understanding.
“Detective,” I said with a curt nod.
Bryce followed me in, closing the door behind him. He took a seat next to me, staying silent and letting me take the lead. When the detective opened his mouth to speak, I held up a hand, stopping him mid-sentence.
“Surely you know the reputation my family has here in Presley Acres,” I began. “None of my companies have ever had drugs on their premises. All potential employees undergo a thorough background check before they are hired, and we also conduct random drug tests.”
