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“Ha, ha,” she says drily. “The Harwoods are missing. Before Lena Harwood was last seen by her neighbor, she texted and calledyou, Jamie King.”
This is what I get for having a personal cell phone, not just burners. But these days, it’s more suspiciousnotto have one. I nod. “She did.”
“Our records show you spoke for some time.”
“Maybe a few minutes,” I say, leaning down and adjusting Demon’s collar as if none of this matters to me but notoversellingit. That’s where most people would screw up.
“Would you mind telling us what was said?” Ramirez snaps.
“Lena was terrified because her mother had mentioned feeling uncomfortable around a possible cartel member at the casinos in Vegas the last time she spoke to her. His entire face was tattooed, apparently, and he was tall. She was babbling, in all honesty.”
O’Malley is eagerly writing this down. “What did the man look like? Any details? The names of the casinos?”
I give a basic description of Antonio, enough for it to be feasible for Lena to provide me with enough information quickly. “She didn’t mention any specific casinos. I’m sorry.”
“Why would she call you?” Ramirez asks. “You’re a stock trader, aren’t you? Move money around on a screen and make millions. It’s some gig.”
I don’t take the bait. I don’t give a damn about trading stocks, but if you can pay the right people, any money can seem legitimate. “I have a military background. I’d mentioned it to both Lena and her mother. Perhaps she thought I could help.”
“Hmm.” Ramirez nods, never taking her eyes off me. “But you didn’t call the police.”
I shake my head, confused.She’soverplayed her hand. “I assumed Lena would do that. I didn’t see it as my place.”
“Hmm.” She nods again. “There are also reports of a car pulling up outside the residence.”
They obviously didn’t get the plate, not yet, at least, but it wouldn’t help them anyway. None of my plates are registered in my name. It’s a risk, basically meaning I can never be pulled over, but cops tend to leave me alone. It helps that I never break the law when they’re watching.
I wait in silence. Most people break here. They feel a need to say something to save everybody from the awkwardness, but I wait until Ramirez snaps. “Do you know anything about that?”
Yeah, as if I’m going to answer that. “This has been a pleasure, but you’ve taken up enough of my time. I’m going to walk my dog now.”
Some people might be socially uncomfortable to walk away from the police, but they can do nothing as I lead Demon onto the street.
I can’t have Lena and Simone’s reappearance linked to me in any way. Even if they find Antonio’s body, nothing ties him to me. Unless somebody has video footage of me meeting with him, which is unlikely, I will be fine. Anyway, narcos don’t talk to the cops. We’ll have to come up with a cover story for them, something plausible. The cops won’t look too deeply if their stories are the same and they’re safe.
I stop on the corner of the block, looking up at the tower, knowing my woman is at the very top, and she can’t escape. She can’t go anywhere. She belongs tome. However, I can’t keep her there forever, not with the police getting suspicious.
Maybe I should call some cop friends, but that could make it worse. It would eliminate this current situation but alert them to my presence. So far, for years, I’ve had almost no dealings with them. I like the police. I don’t want to waste their time, but my best choice is to let Ramirez chase her tail until Lena and Simone are home.
I’m almost tempted to go out to the fair and clean up the body, but it was safer to leave it there. I was wearing gloves. I wasn’t anywhere near him. No DNA at the scene. No security footage. Hell, it’s not like I even pulled the trigger, though I’d never tell anybody about Russel, not for any price.
No, it’s better to leave it. Law enforcement isn’t going to break its back over one dead narco, a serial abuser, a sicko who preyed on women and children and terrified them in their own homes multiple times.
As Demon walks beside me, owning his portion of the sidewalk, I almost smile. It’s so wrong, but I feel it tugging at the corner of my lips.
Now Lena is right where she belongs—locked up with me. She’smine.
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Lena
I stand in front of the door, looking at the metal blocking it, sealing us in. I thought that was over. I thought I wasn’t his prisoner anymore, but the evidence is right there.
I don’t want Mom to see. She’ll panic. But what happens if she tries to leave? And why did he shut us in again? Is something wrong?
I return to the living room and sit on the couch, chewing on the sleeve of the sweater Jamie gave me. My mind is spinning so hard as I try to process everything, from the website to the kidnapping, both mine and Mom’s, to the possible lie Mom’s telling. Or Jamie is, and now I’m a prisoner again. Does part of me like it?
“Hungry?” Mom says breezily, walking into the room. She’s got her hair in a braid over her shoulder.
