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“Distraction maybe?” Peppermint suggests. “If we’re ass deep in murders and watching our own backs, we’re not interfering in his money-making activities.”
“It’s more than that, though.” I begin to pace. “I think you’re right, but the killing is also a scare tactic. He wants to instill as much fear into us as possible and he thinks that murdering people close to us achieves that.”
“It doesn’t,” Peppermint says vehemently. “It only makes me want to work harder to find him.”
“Agreed.”
“But that still brings us back to the Bend family,” Malachi says. “What the fuck is their connection?”
“As soon as we get back to the apartment, I’ll start digging.” I address Harlow. “Can you spare Story? She’s good with computers and maybe together we’ll find something faster.”
“Yeah, whatever you need. Do you want her to meet you there tonight, or is tomorrow morning okay?”
“Send her tomorrow,” Malachi responds before I can even open my mouth. “I’ve secured a house for you, so we’ll move you there in the morning. You’ll have a lot more space to work. There’s no sense in doing anything major tonight just to pack it all up and move it in a few hours.”
“Okay.” I look at Peppermint. “You ready to head out?”
“In a bit. I need to go down and check on the family, make sure they don’t need anything.”
“Tahiti and Fiona are with them and so is Nate,” Harlow says. “You don’t have to do anything more.”
“I know.”
Harlow stares at Peppermint, hard. “Are you sure?”
“It’s what I do, Har. I know what they’re going through better than anyone.” Peppermint rests her hand on Harlow’s shoulder. “I’ll be fine.”
“I’ll go with you,” I say.
Peppermint glances at me and nods. “Thanks. Appreciate it.”
“Why don’t we leave them to it and get home?” Malachi suggests to Harlow. “I need to hold you for a while.”
Harlow rolls her eyes but leans into Malachi and wraps her arms around him. “Sounds good to me.”
“We’ll be at the apartment around seven,” Malachi says as he guides Harlow out the door. Peppermint and I follow as we’re all heading downstairs. “We can help you move whatever shit you have to the new house.”
“Perfect. See you then.”
We part ways at the bottom of the steps. Peppermint leads me to the elevator that will take us to the underground level of the casino. We ride down in silence and when the doors slide open, she takes a deep breath before stepping out and then another before opening the door to enter the area dedicated to their rescue efforts.
The four family members are sharing two cots: mother and daughter on one and father and son on the other. Emotion clogs my throat at the sight. They’re hooked up to IVs, but they couldn’t bear to be separated more than they had to be.
“Hey, Pep,” Nate greets. “They all just fell asleep. I’m guessing they haven’t had much of that in the last few days.”
“You wouldn’t sleep either if you were kept where they were,” she snaps.
“No, of course not.”
“Sorry,” Peppermint says with a sad smile. “I’m on edge.”
“We all are,” I reassure her. I rest my hand on the small of her back and she sways slightly. “They’re sleeping, Pep. There’s nothing more for you to do here.”
Peppermint walks away from me to cross the room to where Tahiti and Fiona are sitting at a table.
“How’s the chest?” Nate asks.
“Starting to get itchy.”
