Page 82 of Mountain Freedom
This time, Allison and I were the ones exchanging looks. “Okay. Thanks,” I finally said.
“Good. ’Cause I don’t want you staying here or even in Jackson’s apartment,” Greg said flatly. “This guy has eyes on you, and he could be dangerous. Get what you need. Miller and I will be outside waiting.”
While Allison went upstairsto pack some fresh clothes, I stepped out to talk to Greg and Miller. But they went quiet the moment I joined them. It burned like acid, even though I knew they were completely in the right. This wasn’t my case. It couldn’t be.
But I also couldn’t stay away.
“What are we thinking?” I asked.
Greg gave me a look of empathy this time. He, too, had once been on the outside of a case involving the woman he loved. He knew what it was like.
“I don’t know what to think,” he confessed. “But you know we’re going to track down every lead we can. Miller’s going tofind out where Mike is right now, and we’re going to dig back into all the other people you and I talked about before we thought it was Russell.”
I stared off at the trees. “Maybe itwasRussell.”
Greg cocked his head. “How do you figure?”
“We’re fairly certain Russell was here, right? And that he was targeting Allison to get to me.”
“Right. That’s where the evidence pointed.”
“One of Russell’s favorite games was to manipulate people. I mean, you know what he went to prison for.”
Greg nodded. “Yep. Convincing his friends to play Russian roulette. Guy died, it looked like a suicide, and Russell almost got away with it.”
“Exactly. Sometimes Russell likes—liked—to get someone else to accomplish his end game.” I thought it over more and more. “Mike’s always been an ass, but Allison wouldn’t have dated him if he treated her like this before. If Russell did his research and found Mike, he may have manipulated him into this kind of anger and possessiveness. Or…if it isn’t Mike, Russell may have manipulated someone else.”
Greg glanced at Miller. “You’ve still got Russell’s cell phone, right? Double-check to see if there’s a connection to Mike there. In fact, get me a list of everyone he was talking to in the weeks before his death.”
Miller nodded. “On it.” He walked off to make a call.
“You never told me what the update was on Russell,” I said.
Greg cleared his throat. “The report’s back from the crime lab. We’ve got an official cause of death. Looks like we were right about an accidental overdose. He died of fentanyl poisoning.”
The news wasn’t surprising. Fentanyl was dirt cheap and nearly one hundred times stronger than morphine. And since drug producers had started lacing their products with it, it was also the cause of nearly 70% of drug overdoses.
“Are you going after his supplier?”
“Yeah.” Greg nodded. He stuck a hand on my shoulder. “But right now, Allison’s my top priority.”
“What can I do?” I asked, sticking my hands in my pockets. I felt completely helpless, being unable to do what I normally did.
“Stick with Allison like glue. Come stay with me and Janet, even though I know it sucks to leave your own place as a grown man—especially in the beginning of a new relationship.” A hint of a smile crossed his face.
“I love her,” I confessed. “I haven’t told her that yet, but…”
“We’re going to find out who’s behind this, Jackson. We’ll get him.”
I nodded. “I’m trusting you.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Allison
I shoved clothes into a bag,not even bothering to think through whether or not they would be appropriate for the next few days. I couldn’t believe this was happening.
Mike had been in my home without me. Had taken my underwear and cut it up for his disgusting threat. Had watched as Jackson and I had kissed in the lake.
