Page 57 of Crow's Haven
Ronnie’s face goes pale with shock. Cassie’s words hang heavy between us.
“After everything I’ve done for you in the past. I can’t believe you’d turn on us,” Ronnie says in disbelief.
Cassie snaps back, “Maybe I just don’t believe her like you do.”
Ronnie’s breath hitches as she presses the phone tighter. “Don’t you dare say that. You’ve known her as long as I have. You said we were doing the right thing by protecting her until we could prove her innocent.”
Cassie’s reply is cold and final. “I changed my mind. This could come back on me. I’m not harboring a child killer.”
Ronnie glances at me. I can see the devastation written across her face. Her voice cracks, “You’ve been my friend since grade school. You promised you’d always stand by me. You know Sharon, you know she’d never do what they’re accusing her of!”
Cassie’s next words shock us all. “I’ve already called the tip line. They know where to find her. It’s too late to save her, let the police do their job. If she’s innocent, then she’s got nothing to worry about.”
The line goes dead. Ronnie’s knees buckle and I step forward to catch her with one arm.
She shoves me away, regaining her balance. “Don’t worry about me. I’m going to give you the information you need to save my cousin. You say you love her, prove it. You’re her last hope.”
“I won’t let her down,” I say, determined to make that statement true.
She texts me the apartment address and the door code. “You go to the back of the building and look for the sign that says laundry. The room is all the way in the back at the end of a hallway. She should be there, she texted earlier to say she’d arrived in Hartford. I was going to check on her later today. I told her not to go anywhere in the meantime.”
“Got it,” I nod, already moving.
“Go now,” Ronnie urges.
We don’t waste a second. The address isn’t far from Ronnie’s house and we’re there in ten minutes. I only hope we get there before the cops start sniffing around. That’s if Cassie really called the tip line—she might have been bluffing—though considering the reward for information, I doubt it. I skid my bike to a stop behind the laundry room, tires crunching on cracked asphalt. My club brothers fan out behind me, engines idling low to avoid attention. The sun glints off chrome as the heat bears down.
I yank off my helmet, hook it over the handlebars, and dismount. Every second matters. Cassie’s betrayal means the cops could be on their way.
“Stay here,” I bark over my shoulder. “Watch for uniforms. I’ll fetch Sharon.”
Rigs growls, “Hurry up. You’re out of time, brother.”
I sprint to the door, punch in the code, and shove it open. It creaks like it’s been waiting years for this moment. The scent of detergent lingers in the air. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead. Washers and dryers line both walls.
My boots hit the linoleum like gunfire. My heart’s pounding. I’ve never needed to move faster.
At the back of the corridor, I spot the door that is slightly ajar. I kick it wide and storm inside.
Sharon is standing there, pale and trembling. Relief and fury collide in my chest. Relief that I found her before the cops, but fury at myself for doubting her for a second.
I step forward, my voice low and strained. “Look, I’m sorry about how I reacted. You didn’t deserve that. But right now, we’ve gotta get the hell outta here.”
Her wide eyes lock onto mine, and for a single heartbeat, it’s just us. There are no cops, no brothers waiting outside. Just her and me, standing face to face. And one last chance to make this right.
“Ronnie called and told me to be ready to move because I’m not safe here anymore.”
“Cassie called the fucking tip line,” I snap, raw urgency in my voice. “She gave up your location.”
Her face drains of color. “She what?” The words crack with emotion.
I swallow hard, forcing calm into my tone. “They know where to look. We’ve got minutes, maybe less, before the authorities show up. You have to come with me.”
She nods, looking shellshocked. “Yeah, I get that. Thanks for coming.”
I step forward, still keyed up. “You got everything you need?”
“I don’t have any luggage.”
