Page 45 of Corpse Roads

It’s the first time I’ve heard Harlow raise her wispy voice. Wiping her mouth, she pins me with a devastated look. I suddenly regret pushing too soon.

“She’s dead. Laura’s gone.”

“How do you know?”

“I… watched him carve her into pieces. She died a long time ago. You won’t ever find her.”

Distraught tears are streaming down her cheeks, leaking pain and suffering that I can’t take away. It only adds to the simmering anger that’s kept me awake since we took on this fucking case.

“Who killed Laura? Tell me.”

“I c-c-can’t,” she stammers.

“Why not?”

“He will k-kill all of you.”

Leighton chooses that moment to reappear, plastering on a cheery smile that I’d love to wipe off with my fist. We haul Harlow up, her featherlight body balanced between us.

“Let’s go home,” I decide, unlocking the car. “This was a bad idea. It’s too much for you.”

Harlow yanks her hand from mine. “No, I want to do this. My life... it’s not little. It can’t be little.”

I have no idea what she means. Leighton seems to understand and offers her a smile.

“You got it, Goldilocks. Come on, let’s get you out of those sweats before you give Enzo an aneurysm. He’s the jealous type.”

He traps her in place with his arms braced on either side of the trolley. It’s another invasion of her personal space, but Harlow doesn’t seem to mind the closeness right now.

In fact, I’d argue her body is craving the familiarity of human touch while she’s so lost and afraid. Blowing out a breath, she forces herself to calm down. Fuck if it doesn’t take my breath away.

Letting them head inside, I retrieve my phone from the pocket of my leather jacket and hit Hunter’s name. He answers on the second ring.

“Rodriguez.”

“Hey, I’ve got something.”

“Talk to me.”

My sigh rattles down the line. “Whitcomb is already dead.”

“Where did you get that from?”

“Harlow.”

Hunter hollers at someone in the background, ordering them to clear the room. He should be in an intelligence meeting about our upcoming narcotics raid right about now.

We’ve been playing cat and mouse with a large crime syndicate for several months. The next two weeks will be crucial as we wrap the case up. When he comes back on the line, his voice is bleak.

“Not exactly unexpected. Did she witness it?”

“I think so. Richards needs to be there to take her full statement. I’m worried about how Harlow will react.”

“If Whitcomb’s dead and Harlow escaped, this son of a bitch will be out there right now, stalking his next victim.”

“She’s not ready,” I reply softly.

“Fuck, Enz. We have the government breathing down our necks and more resources invested in this than I care to admit. I need results.”

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