“Trace, Andy Huley is brother to Fred Huley, one of the dirty cops working in Roman’s unit. None of this—not you coming here, not meeting Ronny and suspecting her of being in cahoots with your father—none of it is coincidence. I need you to think about the night you heard that rumor, Trace.”
What? I told Jared I don’t know who it was that was speaking. I’d come out of the bathroom and hidden behind a curtain when I spotted Timothy headed upstairs.
Hearing that little piece of gossip was pure happenstance and something I took great delight in hearing. As a Ronny antagonist, I’d been tickled to come here and blow her plans right out of the water, I’ll tell you.
But I never saw who it was that was speaking. Hell, I didn’t even get to hear the other person’s voice before they moved on and I could creep away and escape to the back gardens.
“I already went over this, Jace. I was hiding behind a curtain when I heard someone talking about it. That’s all I know. Sorry.”
“Shit. Miah, go chase your brother down and do something before he loses his temper. Wyatt, I think it’s time for you to put a call in to Senator Dobson and tell him what the hell is going on down here. Tell him that Melissa is in deep and missing, whatever you have to to get him involved.”
That’s all he says before the two of them spring into action and start following orders. I’m left sitting beside him, wondering what the heck is going on around here.
They know something, something they aren’t telling me, and as smart as I am I can’t figure out what it was that got Jared hopping like that.
“He’s pissed because he’s into her and she’s like semi-engaged, is he?” I ask when Miah and Wyatt are gone moments later.
Jace just sighs and rubs at his shoulder, wincing at the pain.
“No. This is worse, I think, and if I’m right, I hope he doesn’t love Paulie Hayes as much as I think he does,” he says, taking my hand in his.
“Paulie?”
“Not yet, babe. I’ll tell you when I know more.”
***
Jace
By the time Miah, Wyatt, and I find Jared, it’s almost dark outside and the air is still oppressively hot. I left Trace at home doing some linen folding stuff with Ma and the other women and came out searching for Jared when Miah couldn’t track him down and he wasn’t answering his cell phone.
I should have known to look here first, but I’d been hoping this was the last place he’d come since he only ever comes here when he’s really upset about something.
That’s rare for a guy like Jared who usually just shrugs stuff off and keeps doing his job with no emotion or care for himself.
Now we’re at the creek off Farmer’s Road and walking toward the shoreline where Jared stands smoking a cigarette like a man breathing his last.
Since the guy stopped this shit like five years ago, I’m not too sure I want to approach him if he’s pissed enough to start the habit again.
“You losers can go home and leave me be. I’m fine,” he snarls, dragging deeply again and blowing out a thick cloud of smoke.
“No can do, bro. We’re here, so tell us what the heck is wrong,” Miah demands, getting closer to Jared than I would at this point.
Must be a twin thing, because instead of seeing the guy go nuts on Miah, I see his shoulders sag and hear him sigh dejectedly.
“I’ve been looking into each of the cops, trying to piece something together because this shit is just taking too long, and I found out that Huley is definitely a bad cop who has not only his little brother involved in whatever he’s doing, but half the family. He knows he’s being watched, so things have been real quiet lately. Until yesterday when he left his house with a package and came out of the mall without it.”
Huh.
“I need more than that,” I say, slapping the cigarette out of his hand when he goes to take another drag.
He just growls and lights another.
“That package must have been really important for him to have left his house for anywhere but the station and the grocery store, so I followed and kept watch. Only I never got to see him make an exchange or meet anyone because he never saw anyone. He was empty-handed when he came out, so I knew he met with someone and passed it off.”
Okay.
“Paulie was at the mall. Why do you think I even bothered to keep an eye on the guy?”
“Oh shit.”
“Yeah. I saw her exit a few minutes before he did and she was carrying a huge shopping bag and some smaller packets from the Design Emporium.”
“You can’t really believe—”
“I do, Miah. It all makes sense to me now. I’ve been asking myself why Paulie would even think of getting us information and why she’s been so eager to help when she’s Ronny’s best friend. I’ve been wondering what she does all day when she goes to visit Cleo and what she can possibly see in spending days with an old, chair-ridden woman.”