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My eyes widened. "How are you doingthat?"
They exchanged looks before Bellamy spoke up. "The facility allows outside contractors to come in for things like artistic therapy," he answered. It didn't surprise me much when he continued. "I'll be going in as one of those contractors as an assistant teacher for arttherapy.”
"You're planning on asking around and trying to find any evidence of them selling to the residents," Texas said. Though it wasn’t a question, Bellamy stillnodded.
"What about what Texas and Grayson found?" Marv asked before looking to me. "Harlow actually discovered something when she met with Erika's advisortoday."
All eyes turned to me. Once, I might have shrunk down, but I had been with these guys long enough that I was comfortable sitting forward and meeting their gazes. "Erika planned on taking a break from the university," I relay. "She knew she'd be leaving." And, that, I still didn’tunderstand.
Knix frowned but nodded my way. “Good work. We’re getting more information atleast.”
“When do you and Bellamy start?” Texas asked, leaning forward. “Do you think I could get in as a security or ITguy?”
“Not this time,” Marv said. “They would recognize you as one of the detectives that looked at the videofootage.”
“Dang it.” Texas slumped back against my legs again before tipping his head back to look up at me. “At least I get to stay here with you, SpiderPrincess.”
I rolled my eyes before reaching forward to tousle his hair. “In yourdreams.”
He grinned wickedly. “You’re right. In fact, that makes me tired right now.” He stood abruptly and lifted me from the couch. I squealed as he swung me around in his arms. “Let’s go to bed and make those dreams come true,” he suggested with alaugh.
“Put her down,” Knix ordered. Both of us blinked at the darkness of his tone and Texas quickly deposited me back on thecouch.
“Sorry, boss, I was just trying to lighten themood.”
Knix sighed, "I know, Tex, and normally I would appreciate that. But this has gotten a little bit more serious than a couple of missing persons. Let'sfocus."
"Shouldn't we actually go to the police now?" I asked. I looked around the room, frowning. It seemed obvious now that we were in over our heads. It was one thing to take on jobs for Iris. It was another to go looking for people we cared about. And then it was something completely different to involve ourselves with possible drugdealers.
"That would be the best option," Knix said, nodding. "And we would like to, but things aren't thatsimple."
"Why?" Marv asked, sounding just as confused as Iwas.
“Because Alex already went to them and the police can’t do anything,” Bellamy confessed. All eyes turned tohim.
That didn’t make any sense. “What do you mean they can’t doanything?”
“They’ve been trying to get something on H. B. Holdings for several months, but there is no evidence of any connections to drugs,” Knixexplained.
“Then how do you know they do?” Texas looked just as confused as me. Where were we going wrong? There was still so much that hadn’t beenexplained.
Knix held his hands up placatingly. “There has been speculation for years, but no substantial evidence. They work in the healthcare industry, so it’s only natural that they have access to medical grade drugs. There have been reports of those drugs disappearing or some of their drugs not working—to which a lot of people appeared to have had their pills swapped out for sugar pills or othersubstitutes.”
“Okay.” I nodded, looking down at my lap before glancing to Marv. “Do you still have that puzzledrawing?”
He blinked before nodding and pulled out the folded-up piece of paper from his pocket. I took it from him and unfolded it, laying it down and smoothing the edges on my lap. “Does anyone have a pen?” I held my hand out and a moment later, someone handed meone.
“What’s this?” Knix asked. At the same time, Bellamy shifted closer and peered over my shoulder as I scribbled some newnotes.
“It’s something Marv came up with,” I said. “I’m trying to figure out how all of our puzzle piecesconnect.”
I stared at the paper, noting the things we haddiscovered:
Josh ismissing.
Erika ismissing.
Erika prearranged herbreak.
