Avery poured herself a cup of coffee, the rich scent filling the small kitchen. The warmth seeped into her hands, grounding her. On the counter beside Jackson’s laptop, a small box sat open. Inside were a few pastries.
Jackson caught her looking and gave a faint shrug. “Sorry it’s not a better breakfast. I keep mostly frozen stuff around here.”
She smiled, the first genuine one since this whole ordeal had started. “I’m not about to complain about the menu. I’m beyond thankful you’re keeping me safe.”
He met her eyes for a second before looking back at the laptop. “You’re welcome.”
She took a seat across from him, breaking off a piece of pastry. “Any updates?”
“Nothing on Mick,” he said right off. “Noah’s inside man tried to check on him, but he couldn’t find him. No sign of him anywhere.”
Avery’s chest tightened. “You think he’s dead?”
Jackson’s jaw shifted slightly, a muscle ticking there. “I think it’s possible. If they killed him, they’ve already started the next part of their plan.”
She looked down at her coffee, her voice barely a whisper. “Planting evidence. Framing me.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “I’ve already alerted Noah and Sheriff Chase to that possibility. They’re watching for anything that links back to you.”
Avery set her mug down, the sound too loud in the still room. “If they’ve already planted something, what happens when the police find it? I’ll be arrested. I’ll be pulled out of hiding.”
“That’s probably what they want,” Jackson said. “If you’re arrested or even brought in for questioning, you’d have to come out into the open. It’d make it easier for them to get to you.”
Avery’s stomach turned. So either she stayed hidden or came out and got killed. Not exactly stellar choices.
Jackson leaned back in his chair, his coffee mug turning slowly in his hand. “There’s one more thing,” he said. “SheriffChase finally got through the Brotherhood’s legal wrangling. Charlotte, Darian, and Mick are all scheduled to come in for questioning later today.”
Avery straightened, her pulse quickening. “Good. Maybe we’ll finally hear what they have to say.”
He gave a small nod. “Maybe.”
She stared down into her coffee, watching the steam rise in thin curls. “I’m not holding my breath. Without evidence, there’s only so much the sheriff can do.”
Jackson didn’t argue. His silence said enough.
Avery looked up at him again. “Charlotte and Darian won’t tell her anything. They’re too smart for that. They’ll lie, twist the story, make it sound like I’m the one who’s unstable. And if Mick’s still alive, I don’t know what he’ll say either.”
“He’s a wildcard,” Jackson said quietly. “If he really was trying to warn us, he’s already in danger. If he was lying, this questioning might flush him out.”
Avery took another sip of coffee, trying to ignore the knot in her stomach. “I just want to know the truth. Even if it hurts.”
Jackson’s gaze held hers for a moment, steady and certain. “You will,” he said. “One way or another.”
She nodded, but the unease in her chest didn’t ease. The Brotherhood was too good at slipping through cracks. And without evidence, the sheriff wouldn’t be able to hold them for long.
“I’ve been thinking about how to handle all of this,” she said.
He watched her closely, waiting.
“We can’t stay hidden forever,” she went on. “And I can’t trust the authorities to keep me safe. The Brotherhood’s always been a step ahead of the system. The only way to stop them is to get evidence that’ll shut them down for good.”
Jackson nodded slowly. “Easier said than done.”
“I know,” she agreed. “But we have to start somewhere. And I think I know where that is.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”
“Warren,” she said. “If I can get him to admit he sold me out to the Brotherhood, that’ll give Sheriff Chase something to build on. Even if it’s circumstantial, it’s a link between him and Darian, and that might be enough to open up an investigation.”
