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“That makes no sense. If they were Worthing’s men, they’d know we would shoot. Or you would shoot. You recognized them as Worthing’s men?”
I nodded. “I have a file on every single man who works for him. These guys are low on the hierarchy. They’re the guys who open the car doors, the restaurant doors. They’re the lookouts. Why would he send them to tail me? If they weren’t going to kill, then why did they approach?”
“What are you thinking?”
I shook my head, taking a drag from my drink. A long drag. I needed it. I barely felt the burn. “I thought it was Worthing who had killed Justin. He found out something, and that’s why he and Kelly were running and asking the 411 to hide them, but Nicolai Worthing wouldn’t have sent these guys to make a move how they did. It wasn’t thought out. It was lazy work. Careless.”
“You’re thinking we have another player?”
I shrugged. “I have no idea, and that pisses me off. I don’t like playing chess against someone I don’t even know is playing.”
A door opened above, then a stampede as someone was coming down the stairs. Jess arrived, holding up her phone. “Just got off the phone with a friend. All three of those men were texted orders from Jake’s phone.”
“What was the order?”
My own phone beeped, and I was getting the same information she just got.
I read my text out loud. “Find and tail Ashton Walden. Scare the shit out of him. It’s time we stepped up this fight.”
Another beep.
I continued, “Worthing was at the hospital when he sent the texts.”
Trace frowned, stepping over to stand beside Jess. His hand went to her shoulder, and he began rubbing her back. “Excuse me because I don’t have an enemy or work relationship with him, but that doesn’t seem like an order Detective Worthing would send out.”
He was right.
“The order would’ve gone through Nicolai, not Jake.” She was watching me intently. “Why was he at the hospital?”
“Hmmm?” I shook my head. “No idea.”
Trace snorted, turning to refill his drink.
“You asked to take over finding Kelly’s killer. Since then nothing has happened except Molly’s apartment was blown up.”
“Her door was blown up, and it was a small blast. Contained.”
Jess kept on as if I hadn’t spoken. “Her coworkers called me, worried out of their ever-loving minds because she’s gone and they have no idea where she is, and her cousin, a guy that I found out you also pay, is manning the bowling alley. Then seconds after I get a text from her that she’s fine, but she’ll explain later, Trace comes tearing through the room saying that you’ve been shot at. And then, you show up here with Molly in your arms. She’s terrified and covered in blood, and the only person who can help her is you because she freaked every time you tried to let me have her. Why is that?”
She was speaking through gritted teeth, her tone clipped.
I took a sip of my drink. Oh, screw it. I tossed the whole thing back, eyeing her. “To which one?”
Her eyes flashed. “What?”
“You had a lot of statements in there, but you’re asking me a clarifying question. I need to know which one to address first.”
Pure venom flashed before she reached for her gun.
Trace moved in, his hand covering hers before she could pull it from her holster. “Okay. Since I’m aware how close Jess is to actually shooting you, and because he’s my best friend and also business partner, I’m hoping we don’t get to that.” The last part was directed at her.
She scowled in response.
He sighed, moving toward me. “You asked to handle finding Kelly and Justin’s killer. We pulled back, giving you that freedom. But Molly’s involved, and Jess doesn’t want to lose a second friend. It’s time you brought us in on what’s going on.”
I was almost disappointed at how he was talking to me, all reasonable and sensical. “Would’ve been more fun if your woman brought the gun out.”
Now she growled.
Trace was fighting back a grin. “You already made the decision to bring us in on this when you brought Molly here.”
I was aware, but crossing to one of the leather couches, I still tossed Jess a smirk. “Maybe I just wanted to hand her off? Maybe I wanted Jess to babysit one more person?”
“You did not go there! That’s a crack about my mother. You fuck—”
“Okay.” Trace stepped in again, his back to me, and he used his hip to keep her in place. “He enjoys messing with you. You’re aware of this. You’re both aware of this. Maybe not indulge him, and he’ll get to the point.”
She was half snarling. “He’s such an asshole. Why do you have to be best friends with him?”
I was smiling because this was helping. Some of my tension about Molly was easing.
