Page 25 of Live for Me

“Who?” I demanded. “Tell me his name.”

Was I crying? Why did my voice sound like that? Shrieky and high-pitched. Crazy.

I watched my hand reach out to grab his jaw to force him to look me in the eyes, but it felt like something else was controlling my movements.

“His name,” I repeated.

“Evans.”

I let go of his face and backed away again. I turned right around and left that room to see if I’d be able to breathe any easier once I found my way back outside.

CHAPTER TWELVE

utah

“Well, that sure complicates things,” Indy said in my ear while I watched Memphis fly from this room.

“Did we know there was a skin trade element to this?” I asked as quietly as I could.

“Probably should have,” Indy replied. “He’s in everything else. I don’t know why I didn’t think to look into that possibility as well.”

“The fuck am I supposed to do with this guy now?” I whispered and tried to look out the windows to see if I could find where Memphis ended up. “Can you call her? Make sure she’s alright. I can’t see her from here.”

“Who would’ve guessed he actually did have a frustratingly good reason for not investigating the murder of a child? I probably wouldn’t think too hard about it either if my own kids were on the line. Give me a second. I’ll call her.”

But really.

What was I supposed to do about this guy?

He had a damn good reason for choosing the route that he did.

Didn’t undo the way that his choices toppled New Jersey’s life into absolute shambles. Definitely didn’t undo the way that it still affected him, and Memphis by association. Knowing that he had a good reason for his own world didn’t change the fact that it destroyed other lives.

And I already cared very deeply for one of the lives affected by his decisions.

“She’s not answering, hoss. Tried it twice,” Indy said.

I let out a heavy breath and looked back at the detective. He was still taped very thoroughly to that chair, still handcuffed, with both ankles likely broken. He wasn’t going anywhere. I tossed the golf club back across the room in his direction to get his attention when it clattered across the floor.

“Don’t move,” I said, before chuckling at how amusing I found myself.

“You’re leaving me here?!”

“If you really want me to decide right now, I’ll be shooting you before I walk out that door. It’s very much in your best interest that I just leave you here.”

He was quiet after that while I went out to search for Memphis.

“She’s somewhere right around your truck,” Indy said. “Or her phone is.”

“Don’t say it like that. Like she’s not wherever her phone is. The fuck is wrong with you?”

“You’re the only people out there, Utah. Calm down,” he said and chuckled that time.

She was sitting on the edge of the tailgate, chewing the fresh polish right off her nails.

“Memphis.”

The way that she jumped at her name suggested that she hadn’t even heard me coming. The black streaks down either side of her face ripped my heart right out.

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