Page 78 of This Time I'm Keeping You
“He’s saying what he needs to, Nicky,” Billy said in a calm voice.“We have to shock this guy into talking.”
“Now, Mr.Denton, I believe one of my officers searched your phone, and found a flight to Utah, that you were planning to take tomorrow to meet with Malcolm Davy.It’s also my belief this meeting was to discuss your continued harassment of Poppy Sylvester, which, let me be clear—” Benowitz leaned in so his face was close to Denton’s.“—has destroyed her life for no other reason than Malcolm Davy is fixated with her.She turned him down, and he didn’t like that.His campaign has been thorough and forced her into hiding, which hasn’t been easy considering what her career is.”
“It’s him who planned all this, not me.”They were the first words Denton had spoken.
“Maybe not, but you aided Malcolm Davy by trashing her apartment and then sending those disgusting piñatas to her at the League Hotel.You also entered Nicholas Atherton’s house?—”
“I-I would never touch her,” Denton interrupted Benowitz.
“Is Malcolm Davy someone you trust, Brad?I hope you don’t mind me calling you that, but I feel you need a friend, and I’d like to help you out.I have a son your age.”
“And now he’s softening him up after hitting him with the facts,” Billy said.
Denton nodded.
“My son, Peter, he’s a good guy but can do some dumb shit.”
“He has four daughters,” Billy said.
“Here’s what I’m going to do for you, Brad.I’m willing to fight to make the prosecutors go easy on you if you tell me where Davy has Poppy Sylvester.”
Denton jerked in his chair.
“By that reaction, my guess is you didn’t know he had her.Kidnapped her a while ago,” Benowitz said.
“I didn’t know Malcolm was here.I was going to meet him in Utah tomorrow.”
“Maybe he’s not your friend then,” Chief Benowitz said.“Because if he was, surely you’d know what his movements are?”
“He is my friend!”The words sounded desperate to Nick.
“Remember what I told you, Brad.You’ll be going down as an accessory if anything happens to her.Tell me where I can find Miss Sylvester, and I’ll fight for you.But if you don’t, there will be nothing I can do.”
Benowitz sat back and looked at Brad Denton.The clock in the interview room ticked as long, tense seconds passed in silence.
Nick stared at the back of the man who could help him find Poppy.He wanted to smash a fist on the window, but his family would stop him before he reached it.
“He rented a place here when Poppy Sylvester came to live in Brook,” Denton finally said.“It’s where he wanted to take her when he finally got her.”
“Address?”Benowitz said, picking up his pen.
Seconds later, Nick was sprinting out of the room behind Billy with his family on his heels.
We’re coming, Poppy.Be strong.
Chapter31
Poppy had spent the drive with her face pressed into the floor of the van, her cheek rubbing on the rough mat when the car turned or hit a rut.She was then carried up some stairs and left in a room with the door locked.
There was a sofa that had four bright yellow pillows placed an equal distance apart.A low table held four magazines with glossy covers stacked one on top of the other neatly.The bed she sat on the edge of had a thick, quilted dark blue comforter and four matching pillows.Everything in the room was perfect and soulless.
Nick’s house slid into her head, with its built-for-comfort sofa and beds, and the clutter that he’d assured her he needed.She wanted to see it again.Wanted to live her life there with him.
Her hands were still bound, and she was wondering how the hell she was getting out of this.
Anger was holding the fear at bay for now, but she knew that wouldn’t last when she saw Malcolm Davy.He’d tormented her, but he’d kept his distance, but now she had a feeling things would be different.
Poppy looked around for anything that she could use as a weapon.She had to believe that Nick would find her, so she needed to stay alive until he could.
