Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 81285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“You didn’t go through with it. You walked away when it would’ve been easier to stay.”
“I still feel bad, and I’m really, really sorry.” She glanced down at the ground as she muttered, “I just want this to be over.”
“So do I,” I answered quietly. “That's why I need you to talk to Shep. I need you to tell him everything that’s gone down from the very first meeting with Davis.”
“Lila Kate is the one you should be talking to. She knows more about this than anyone.”
“Call her. Tell her I’ll have one of my boys there in ten to pick her up.”
“Wait.” Her eyes widened. “We’re doing this now?”
“The sooner the better.”
“If you say so.”
Without any further arguments, she pulled her phone out of her back pocket and started calling her sister. I used the opportunity to lift my hand and motion across the lot, catching the attention of Smitty, one of the younger prospects. He came over, and he asked for no explanation when I told him to go over to the bar where Lila Kate worked and pick her up. He simply nodded and was on his way.
Presley ended her call and turned to me. “She’s getting someone to cover her shift.”
I nodded, then reached down and took her hand in mine. I didn’t overthink it. It just felt like the thing to do, and she didn’t resist. I led her inside and down the hall. My mind was already running through all the worst-case scenarios, and while none of them were good, Davis had already shown his hand.
There was no way in hell I was about to let him play another round.
I filled Shep in on everything that Presley had told me, and after he’d had a moment to process everything, he caught my eye and motioned his head toward the back corner. I followed him over, and once we were out of earshot, he leaned in and asked, “You thinking what I think you’re thinking?”
“I am.”
“Damn. This shit with your brother just keeps getting better and better.”
“I don’t wanna jump to conclusions.” I glanced back over at Presley as I told him, “I need you to find out what’s what.”
“That’s going to take some time.”
“That’s the one thing we don’t have.”
“The money’s due tonight?”
“Afraid so.”
“Damn.” Shep studied me for a moment, then nodded. “Alright. Let’s get this shit done.”
We went back to the desk, and Presley stiffened like she was bracing for impact. Hoping to ease her mind, I placed my hand on her shoulder and said, “It’s going to be okay. We’re going to figure this thing out.”
“Okay.”
Her expression softened, but the worry in her eyes remained.
We hadn’t gotten far when Smitty walked in with Lila Kate. Unlike her sister, Lila was all bright-eyed and smiling like she’d just walked into a party instead of an interrogation. She stepped over to Presley and whispered, “What’s going on? Did you get you know who the money?”
“No. Not yet.” Presley’s eyes flickered over to me. “We’re trying to figure some things out.”
“Oh, shit. You told him?”
“Yeah, I didn’t have much choice in the matter.”
I pointed to the chair next to Presley and demanded, “Sit.”
She huffed but dropped into the chair beside her sister. “What exactly are you trying to figure out?”
“We need to know about Davis and the delivery he set up for you.”
“What exactly do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
She cocked her brow. “And how far back do you want this everything to go?”
“As far as it needs to.”
“Okay. But it’s been a minute. I might be a little foggy on the details.”
With that, she crossed her arms and started filling us in on everything. She told us how Davis started coming into the bar a few weeks prior and seemed decent enough. They went to the same high school and knew lots of the same people, and he always left an okay tip.
Things seemed to go downhill from there.
“Get to the part where he offered to help you out.”
Shep and I shared a glance when she started telling us about his offering her two grand to make a simple delivery across town. We both knew that shit didn’t add up, so Shep asked, “You got the address where you took the delivery?”
“Yeah, I have it saved in my phone.”
“I’m going to need the exact day and time you arrived.”
She nodded, then grabbed her phone from her purse. Seconds later, she said, “I was supposed to meet someone at the corner of Lexington and Main on the 19th at eight-thirty. But when I got there, there was no one around. So, I got out of my car, and that’s when I got attacked. Guy showed up out of nowhere.”
Shep started typing away at his computer, and moments later, he had the street cameras pulled up. It took him some time to get to the exact time and location, but when he did, he announced, “I’ve got it.”