Liam cussed as big as an elephant. He would have curbed the urge if Blake and Clem were in the room with him, but both were sitting in his office a few doors down, Price with them, until Liam finished up. Until he was in the same space again, he let his anger flare.
“They chased down a woman and her child at night in the middle of nowhere. While one of them was holding.” Liam shook his head. “They could be heaven-picked saints before this, and it wouldn’t change how much I want to wring their necks. They didn’t give you any idea why they went after Blake?”
Darius shook his head now.
“Ray just repeated what he’d already told you when you were handcuffing him in the field,” he said. “‘We got the wrong car. We thought it was our friend’s and wanted to mess around.’”
Liam snorted at the direct quote. The older one, who he’d find out later was Ray, had been the one to spout that nonsense.
“Do you believe that?” he asked Darius.
The detective didn’t nod but also didn’t shake his head.
“Considering I couldn’t get them to tell me what friend they thought it was, I’m thinking they aren’t being truthful about it. I can’t say for sure yet since I didn’t get much else from them before they were hollering for a lawyer.” He flipped his wrist over to see the face of his watch. “It’s too late to talk to them tonight. I’ll have to wait until the morning. You want to be in there with me?”
Liam wanted nothing more than to get the truth from the cousins. He gave the detective a reserved “Yes” but could still feel himself boiling.
From the time their phone call had cut out to seeing both cars stopped in the field, Liam had felt utterly helpless. When he’d gotten close enough to see that the men were outside of the car staring at Blake? He’d felt worry replace it.
When he’d seen the gun that Ray had been holding? Anger had come into play.
When he’d heard that baby girl crying for all she was worth after they had secured Ray and Chase in handcuffs? Liam had seen absolute red.
He wanted the cousins to explain themselves.
If they were lying, he wanted to know why.
And he wanted to know the absolute truth so he could make sure it would never happen again.
“I’ll be back first thing in the morning,” Liam added before they parted ways. “Don’t start without me.”
Darius said he wouldn’t and left.
Next was Liam’s office. He took a beat before entering, checking his anger at the door. At least, any traces of it. He was glad for the chance. As soon as he walked through the door, all eyes were on him.
All eyes that were awake.
Clem was fast asleep against Blake, both sitting on the love seat against the far wall. Price was cleaning up food wrappers from their fast-food supper. Not that the adults had eaten all that much. Clem, however, had stopped crying at the sight of chicken nuggets. Liam wasn’t experienced with little kids, but he thought that was less of an age thing and more of a comfort thing.
She’d just been through a lot and had been scared and confused.
Just like the woman currently giving him a wide-eyed stare.
Liam lowered his voice and motioned to the door.
“If you’re ready, I’ll take you two home now.”
Blake looked like she wanted to ask every question she had right then and there, but Clem shifted against her. That look turned to acceptance.
“I just finished my statement, so we’re good to go.”
She started to stand. It was an effort with the sleeping girl in her arms. The same sight had met him when he had finally been able to check on them after Ray and Chase were dealt with. Clem was glued to her aunt and her aunt wasn’t complaining.
That didn’t mean she didn’t need help.
Liam stood in front of them and leaned over, arms outstretched.
“Let me carry her to the truck,” he said.
