Dom stared at me for long moments. “Take me to the drugs and then I’ll take you to your girl.”
“You think I’m stupid?” I spat. “The minute you see those drugs, you’ll kill me and then have her killed. Like I said, you’re not even going to lay eyes on that shit ‘til I lay eyes on her.”
“Fine. We’ll trade. You have thirty minutes. Get my stuff and bring it back here.”
“Is she here?” I asked, looking past him at the door leading into the house.
“No. But she will be.”
I was inclined to believe him because there was no way Slater would just be standing there if Julie was in that house.
“Thirty minutes.” I agreed and started walking to my car.
“Slater,” Dom ordered behind me. “Go with him. If he tries anything, anything at all, kill him.”
“You got it,” Slater replied as he followed me down the driveway.
I slammed into the Mustang and revved the engine. The sound of squealing tires and the scent of burning rubber filled the air as I sped away.
As soon as Dom’s house was out of sight, I slammed my fist into the dashboard. “What the fuck!”
“You took his shipment?” Slater asked.
“You fucking cold-cocked me in the face.” I looked at him.
“If I didn’t, it would have looked suspicious.”
“Whose side are you on?” I demanded, in no mood for shit.
“The good side.”
I wasn’t even sure what the good side was anymore. From where I sat, every angle of this case was a freaking clusterfuck.
“Did you know they were going to take Julie?”
“No. What the hell happened?”
“She found his shit,” I spat.
“And she’s connected to you.” Slater whistled through his teeth.
“If he hurts her…” My words trailed away because I couldn’t bring myself to finish the sentence.
“I’m sure she’s fine. For now,” Slater said, subdued.
I felt sick. Physically sick inside. I found the phone I used to call the department and punched the button for Watson. He answered on the first ring.
“We have a hostage situation. I have the drugs in my possession. Dom agreed to make a trade for the goods. We’re meeting in less than thirty minutes at his house. I need a team of men ready for a raid.”
“Who’s the hostage?” Watson said and then started barking orders to the people around him.
“It’s Julie,” I growled.
Watson paused. “Listen to me, Markson. Don’t do anything stupid.”
I barked a laugh. I was going to do what I damn well pleased.
“I suggest you get your team ready. Dom and some of the crew will be there, in possession of all their supply. He threatened to kill me. He admitted to killing another member of his crew. I have the location of the body. He kidnapped Julie. We have enough to put him away for life.”
If he makes it that long, I added silently.
“We’re moving now,” Watson said.
Before I could hang up, he called my name.
I didn’t say anything.
“Good work, Markson. Let’s get this case closed.”
I disconnected the call. There was nothing good about any of this.
The old Ford came into view. It was exactly where I left it. I pulled right up beside it and turned to Slater. “Can I trust you?”
His reply was to reach behind him and pull out a Glock, which he extended to me.
“You got one too?”
He lifted his shirt and showed me another identical gun sticking out of the waistband of his jeans. I took the gun he gave me and stuffed it in the waistband of my jeans.
The keys to the truck were right where I left them, and I fired up the engine and sped toward Dom’s house. I had just under fifteen minutes to get there, and I hoped this old truck could take the speed I was going to push it.
Slater followed close behind me the entire way. When I turned onto the street of Dom’s house, I noticed a new vehicle—black Dodge pickup truck parked in the center of the driveway. My pulse began to hammer and my eyelid began to twitch. I searched the lawn for signs of Julie, and when I didn’t see her, I looked at the truck, hoping to see some kind of movement within.
But everything outside was still.
That meant Julie was in that house. In there with a bunch of drug dealers and murderers. I parked the old Ford so close to the black truck that it rocked on its tires when my front fender bumped into it.
As Slater pulled in behind me, I walked toward the garage, which I noticed no longer had a car parked inside.
“Dom!” I yelled, not bothering to be quiet.
The door to the house opened and Dome came out, a few of his crew scattering out behind him like a bunch of ants. “You’re late,” he said.