Page 139 of Their Knotty Pack
Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse.
"The one Brody told me was turned away from the police station." I state, my tone dead. I want to punch something. Hit a wall. Throw everything off my desk and rage at the sky. We knew. She knew this was coming. When I called her personally two weeks ago, apologizing for the officers who turned her away, she was so angry she refused my help. Told me she didn't want a protection detail. I should have reached out again.
"Hunter," Bethany says carefully, in that tone that tells me she's been thinking about something. "I have a plan, and I want you to listen to it, not as my alpha, but as a detective."
"Didn't you just ask me to do the opposite of that before we called Wren's pack?" I grimace. "You have to pick one, bluebell."
She ignores me, turning to face me. "Gina is my…well, not my friend, but I know her. She's been through enough, she doesn't deserve this. She needs to get out as soon as possible. They've been trying to talk to me. Let me give them what they want. I can wear a wire, pretend I want in on their sick little game, and have them give me all these details."
I shake my head. "They won't believe you, Bethany. You have no reason to help them."
"I'll make one up," she says fiercely, "I'll tell them that I can use my job at Brody's firm to get them omega's information, and make a bunch of false promises. They're so full of themselves, they'll have no problem believing that I want them back."
She has apoint. But the thought of her being anywhere near those guys…
Bethany must see it on my face, because she has an answer for that too. "I'll meet them at The Alpha Lounge. I'll wear a wire, you can plant people that you trust to be in the dining area around me so that if anyone makes any moves…well, they won't. You guys will stop them."
I hate that she's making sense. I hate that I'm thinking about it.
"It's probably your best shot," Miles says from the doorway as Brody, Damien, and Kieran come into view behind him.
I'm reallynotobservant when I'm half asleep.
"As much as we all hate it," Brody adds, walking over to the desk and sitting in the chair opposite of us, "Bethany…well, she's the only one they might talk to, and you need a flat-out confession from them at this point."
"Do you guys feel the same way?" I ask Damien and Kieran.
"Doesn't really matter does it?" Kieran shrugs. "Does it drive me up the wall that the woman I love will be within grabbing distance of her ex-pack of assholes that are involved in a trafficking ring? Fuck yes it does. But…if we take precautions, and everything is under our control…then she isn't in any real danger."
Kieran doesn't seem to realize what he's just said, but Bethany sure did. Her mouth gapes open slightly. "Did you just call me…the woman you love?"
His cheeks flush. "Did I? I don't know if I—"
"You did." Miles grins.
"Heard it." Brody raises his hand.
"Me too," Damien snickers.
Kieran's gaze shoots to me, like he's daring me to agree with them. My answering smirk does the work for me, and he starts to babble as Bethany gets out of my lap and starts walking over to him. "I didn't mean it like—if you're not ready…you don't have to say anything right now—"
"Kieran." Her voice stops him mid-rant, and he looks at her quizzically. "Shut up."
Then she wraps her arms around his neck and stands on her tip-toes, and he still has to bend down to meet her kiss. "I love you too," she murmurs, kissing him once again. "But…you're right." She turns to face us, and Kieran's arms come around her waist from behind. "I won't be in any real danger. Not if we plan it right."
I clear my throat. "We can't…we can't trust anyone in my department right now. We're going to have to call in Titus for backup."
"So we're doing this?" Bethany asks, determination lacing her tone.
"Wait to call them until after I get the warrant signed," I warn her, "and I want to be in the room when you do. Also…let's see if either Noah or Ethan have alternatives to the traditional wire…they might want to check you."
"Got it." She nods, her mouth set in a tight line.
"The rest of you…try to get some more sleep. I'm going to have to compile all this evidence for the judge and convince her to sign a warrant without the Sergeant finding out about it."
Judge Caldwell looks at me from over her glasses, after reading over the file of evidence I've compiled. "You realize this is…unconventional. Don't you, detective?"
"I understand," I nod, my hands clasped behind my back, "but I don't feel that I can go to anyone else with this while still staying on the right side of the law. I don't know if Sergeant Wilks is compromised, I don't know how far up this goes, Your Honor."
