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I don’t want to think about what I’ll lose when it’s time to own my confession. But I’ll never be able to live with myself if Sadie were punished for committing an act she only carried out to ensure that monster never hurt me or anyone else again.
“I would,” I answer honestly. “Sadie did it for me. I owe her at least that much.”
He accepts my answer with a kiss to my brow. His hand cups the back of my head as he places his lips to my forehead. Then there’s very little talk between us; only the softly uttered avows in the dark as we devote the rest of our energy to touching and tangling, caressing and exploring each other.
Now that Quinn feels confident he’s effectively claimed every inch of me, he spends the remaining hours of the night sealing that claim.
18
Worthy
Quinn
An hour before the morning shift change, I’m inside the walls of the ACPD. I walk the hallways. Chug lukewarm, bitter coffee. Take note of every person.
By the time I reach the tech department, I’m sufficiently caffeinated and clearheaded. I awoke with a groggy sense of purpose this morning. And the harder I tried to ignore it, the more an idea took root, persistent in its hold over my mind.
It might’ve just been the aftereffects of passionate love making—and if ever confronted, I might even cop to that. More than enough good men have been brought down by their dicks. It’s not the best excuse, but it’s a believable one.
Only it’s not the reason for why I pat Tommy on the shoulder and say, “Emily down in homicide said she has that thing ready for you.”
At first, his face draws together in confusion, then he nods assuredly. “Oh, right. That thing. Damn.” He glances around at his station. “I still have ten minutes to go before Rodney’s in. I can’t leave my station unmonitored.”
It’s a well known fact in the tech department that Tommy has it bad for Detective Emily. I don’t know if she has any evidence for him to run or not, but it was worth a shot. Seems he’ll take any morsel she offers him with high hopes. And with just the right push, I can send him running right to her.
“I got this,” I say, smile tight. “I’m not on duty until six.”
He glances around one more time, debating. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“No. Go ahead before she leaves for the morning.”
He’s quick to take me up on my offer after that. Right there. The proof that even the best of men fall victim to their dicks.
Soon as he’s gone, I check the time on my phone. There’s a five minute delay in the security surveillance for the changeover. One small gap in the tech department when the cameras aren’t recording. I discovered it while investigating Avery’s abduction in the lab. And I’m using that blackout period…now.
I settle in behind his desk and pull up to the keyboard. The techs are still running a search on the print the crime lab sent up. Chances are, Price Wells won’t turn up. I doubt he has a record, or is in any database across the country. He was meticulous. He covered himself every step of the way up until his last moments.
I could let it go. Let the print be logged as useless evidence. Fulfilling Wells’ legacy, “UNKNOWN” stamped on the evidence label. But the Alpha didn’t place his print on one of the vics just to torment Avery. He did so with the distinct purpose of keeping her under his thumb; to manipulate her; the threat to expose her ties to Wells always ready to be executed.
I didn’t pull the trigger.
But I can sever the chain of evidence.
I locate the search and, with my hand hovering over the button, hit halt. I breathe through the tightness in my chest as I insert a USB drive and make quick work of erasing the print and replacing it with one I scanned from my department.
Ryland Maddox.
Turns out, Maddox had a few unpaid parking tickets back in college. He was brought in on a warrant back then and printed. He’s also the Alpha’s personal lawyer. The one who wormed his way into Lark and Gannet at the Alpha’s bidding. He orchestrated the auction. He got the two perps who stole the van and kidnapped Avery out on bond, and he may even get them all the way off on that bogus claim with the support of the Alpha behind him. If anyone deserves to be tied to the Alpha Omega criminal network, it’s him. I can live with that.
I once asked myself how far I would go to protect Avery.
I have my answer.
All the way if I have to.
Two partners at Lark and Gannet have proven to be corrupt. Wells and Maddox. There’s a few more that need further investigation. Caleb Mason—who seems to have disappeared—Mike Gannet, and Chase Larkin.
Larkin gets a slight pass for now. I’ll give him credit for stepping up to do the right thing. He helped stop the sell of trafficked sex slaves. I figure ridding Maddox from Larkin’s law firm makes us about square.
