Page 72 of Locke 2

“She was an alcoholic,” I cut in. “She didn’t look high when she came around, just drunk.”

“Yeah, well I’m telling you that ain’t all she was on,” Jem returned. “She owed money to the landlord, to her sister, and even her druggie boyfriend before she allegedly split.”

“Did he see her leave?” Locke asked.

“No, but he said the neighbours said she left in a van.”

“I need you to question them next. Bring Conor with you.”

“Question them about when she left?”

“Everything.”

“Alright, I’ll do that first thing in the morning, but I ain’t doing it with Conor.” He began to scratch at his chest. “He bothers me.”

Locke stared at Jem for a long moment. “Jem.”

“He’s so fucking judgy now,” Jem explained.

“You feel judged?”

“I do.”

Locke continued “Anyway, you guys will check out the neighbours and I want to dig a bit into the landlord. He screams ex-convict. I’ll have the drug dealer questioned by my boys.”

“Any hits from them?”

“They haven’t stopped, but they need a better description of the vehicle. Too many hits on a vague description of a truck. Or a van.”

“Van?”

“Kali got conflicting stories from the neighbour.”

Jem twisted his head back to look at me. “You already spoke to a neighbour?”

I nodded and quickly filled him in on what went down. I made sure to include the conversation I had at recess with the son. Jem’s face contorted to confusion. It was exactly the look I needed to see. It didn’t sit right to him either, and it especially triggered a response when I mentioned the neighbour’s little boy.

“Locke,” whispered Jem. His voice was strained…and off. I watched his face, trying to read what the look he was giving Locke meant.

Locke returned the look. “I know.”

“This is like before.”

“Yeah.”

“What about the cops…”

“Already on it.”

“I wouldn’t be.” Jem shook his head slowly. “I don’t trust them.”

My brows pinched together as I tried to understand. I didn’t want to disrupt them, though. I knew enough from Conor and Charlotte when they’d told me all about the Hole. My eyes ached as I looked at Locke, feeling my heart climb my throat. All this time I was envisioning Lenny and Aurora helpless, what about Locke?

“It’s hard to imagine him helpless,” Aurora explained from next to me. “He’s always in control. Why would you even think of him as a helpless little boy?”

I should have.

I looked away from the guys, peering once more at the saturated teddy bear. I turned my light to it. It was a Christmas teddy bear with fuzzy white hair and a red outfit with a gold trim. I felt my lips twitch, muttering, “Santa Claus really is a sweetheart.”

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