“So how the fuck do you know about this?”
“Awhile back, me and some of the brothers were drinking and one of them mentioned his old lady was knocked up. Another brother said he’d better not let Stone know or he’d wind up like Randy and his missing kid. When I asked what the hell they were talking about, everyone got real quiet.”
I refrained from telling him what a fucking piece of shit he was and asked what I needed to ask. “Then what’re the rumors goin’ ’round?”
“I don’t know, like I said, no one talks about it.”
I wanted to reach through the phone and pound his apathetic face in. “And that doesn’t strike you as fucked-up?”
“A lot of shit strikes me as fucked-up, doesn’t mean I stick my nose in it.” A noise sounded in the background like breaking glass. “Shit, I gotta go.” Candle hung up.
I dialed André.
He answered on the first ring. “How’s the love nest?” He chuckled.
“Siren has a daughter that Stone took six months ago. She hasn’t seen her since.” I didn’t want to think about the kind of hell Siren had been dealing with all this time.
He instantly sobered. “Are you kidding me?”
“We gotta find her. She’s not even two years old.”
“Fuck, Doc. Kid extractions aren’t my specialty.”
“They are now.”
“Dios mios.” He sighed wearily. “All right, give me everything you’ve got.”
“I gotta talk to Siren. I’ll call you back in ten with a full report.”
“Roger that.” He sounded like the last thing in the world he wanted was my call back.
“Hey.”
“What?”
I blew a breath out. “Thanks.”
He let out a tired laugh. “Shut the fuck up. I’m hanging up before you start telling me you love me.”
I was strung so tight, I didn’t even smile. I walked back inside, trying hard as fuck to shut down my emotions before I talked to her, but she was gone. I checked the bathroom and the hallway—nothing. Unease was settling in when I heard a noise coming from the walk-in closet. I looked around the corner and found her on her knees going through her bag. “What are you doin’?”
She jumped. “I was just…” Her shoulders rose once then she stood and turned toward me with her hand outstretched. “Here.”
I looked down at the cell phone that was caked in dried blood as she held it in her trembling hand
“I took this off his…” She cleared her throat. “Off him. His call log might help. He said.” She paused and inhaled sharply. “Right before he died, he said he’d found her. Before I could ask him where she was, he…” She trailed off.
I studied her for a moment. “You got anythin’ else from that night?” I didn’t need her implicating herself in a murder.
As if she knew what I was thinking, she shook her head. “No, that’s it.”
I nodded but when I stepped forward to take the phone, she flinched then her face shut down.
I knew what that expression meant. I knew and now, more than ever, it pissed me the hell off. She’d lied to me. She’d kept her secret. She’d withheld the most important part of her and now she was shutting me out?
I lowered my voice to quiet demand. “Come here.”
Her eyes widened in alarm. “I don’t, I swear. I only took his phone.”
“I believe you. Come here.” I needed to know.
“Why?”
I watched her for any sign of a reaction but she didn’t move. “You want my help?”
“Yes.” Her hands twisted.
“Then come here.”
“You’re angry with me.”
“Furious.” Angry didn’t begin to cover it. And whatever I thought I was proving right now was only going to lead to shit. But I wanted to know what she thought would happen between us now.
She shifted her feet but she didn’t move in my direction. “I did come to you.”
“I’m not talkin’ ’bout when you came to my shop.” Just like Leigh, she was cutting me off. I could see it in her eyes.
She looked around the room like she was buying time. When her eyes came back to mine, there was determination. “What about Maddie?”
I gave her one more chance. “I told you I would find her. That’s not what I’m talkin’ ’bout.”
“I don’t understand.”
Yes, she did. “You want me, we’re gonna talk. You only want your kid back, André will find her.”
She stared at me and for once, her big blue eyes weren’t hiding her emotions. Grief, pain and something I stupidly mistook for yearning clouded her face as unshed tears welled. “Talon,” she whispered.