“She wouldn’t do that,” Rory said over Sadie’s words.
“If you do, I’ll see you go down for aiding and abetting your brother. I will find every speck of dirt on you and use it against you both personally and legally.”
Sadie stepped around Rory. “Hey. You don’t need to threaten me. I’d never do anything to jeopardize your brother’s life.”
“Not even to save Connor?”
“As your brother already pointed out, nothing will save Connor from what he’s done. I am not helping him anymore.”
“Is that right?” Cooke eyed Sadie.
“That’s right. You want to nail Connor, I won’t be the hammer that strikes the blow, and I won’t stand in the way.”
“So after all these years of you saving his ass, you’re out?”
Sadie held up her hands, showing the agent the scars around her wrists and on her arms. She pulled the hem of her shirt up and showed him the marks across her torso and the scar on her ribs.
Stunned she’d do such a thing, Rory stared at her, shocked. “Sadie.” He tugged her shirt down for her.
“I’ve learned my lesson.”
“Well, if it’s any consolation, the charges against your brother are far less severe than the charges against Derek for what he did to you.”
“That doesn’t really ease the fact that I have to live with knowing my brother turned his back on me when I needed him the most.”
“Then you understand why I’m here. I would never turn my back on Beck.”
“Beck?”
“Trigger. If he trusted you with that message, despite not knowing if you’d betray him for your brother, then he’s desperate to get out.”
“Why doesn’t he just come in?” Rory asked.
“He’d never jeopardize a case we’ve been working on for over a year. People are depending on him finishing this job. The lives he’ll save if we get this crap off the streets and put these people behind bars . . .”
Sadie got it. “You’re not worried about those lives, you’re worried about his.”
“I’m always worried about his, but what he did, giving you that message . . . it was reckless.”
“No, it wasn’t. He saw in me exactly what I saw in him. Resignation. Those guys are not going to stop, or think about what they’re doing. They’re reckless. That’s what makes Trig . . . Beck nervous. That’s why he wants out.
“I’ve watched my brother this past year, and especially these last weeks spiral downward into desperation. For his next fix, to make the big score, and to save his life. I’m sure Derek’s experience tells him exactly what I know and have seen, desperate people do stupid things. Add in a sick sadist and it’s a recipe for disaster. There’s something about Derek that’s just pure evil. I don’t know how else to say it. He likes hurting people. Even when there’s every reason to walk away—like you’re stealing a herd of cattle and the owner is coming after you—he doesn’t care and has to feed that need to hurt someone. He could have just left me out there in the middle of nowhere without my clothes or my horse, but instead he indulged that dark side. It’s not the first time either. No telling what Beck has witnessed and stood by helpless to do anything or be caught out for who he really is.”
Cooke shook his head and stared off in the distance again. “You said he didn’t look good.”
“Physically he seemed fine. You guys have an uncanny resemblance. He’s leaner than you, but it’s what I saw in his eyes—that’s not quite right, it’s what he let me see, so he could determine I was on his side. He’s tired of the game. Tired in a way that goes so deep he’s having trouble believing and living the lies.”
“Which is why I need your help to end this. Beck won’t come in until he finishes this case.”
“I told you—”
“I don’t give a fuck that you want to keep your hands clean.” Cooke took a menacing step forward, then caught himself when Rory glared. “If you truly believe Beck can’t live the lies, then he’s dead. Dead. Do you get it?”
“I understand you’re upset, Agent Cooke.”
“Caden,” he bit out, trying to rein in his temper and be civil.
“Caden, there’s nothing I can do. I don’t know where my brother is. He’s not answering my calls.”
“You’ve got a number for him?”
“He swaps out his burner phone every couple of days. They’re not as stupid as you think. They know the cops are after them and using traceable phones will only get them caught.”