This… this was everything, and now that he knew she felt the same way he did, he was going to make sure they had forever together. He would also figure out where the fuck her ex-husband was and keep him far, far away from Harlowe, no matter what it took.
Chapter Nineteen
Back at HQ, Jake Malone and Avery Hill prepared to interrogate Asher and Brecken Mayfield. They’d start with the son, while the father sat in the cooler, hopefully worrying about what the kid might tell them.
Phillips, the officer who’d taken them to Central Booking, appeared in the doorway to Malone’s office. “Asher is downstairs in lockup. Brecken is in interview one.”
“Anyone asking for a lawyer?” Jake asked.
“Not to me.”
“And they’ve been read their rights?”
“Twice.”
“Excellent, thanks, Phillips.”
“No problem, sir.”
“Any word from the USA’s Office?” Malone asked.
“AUSA Charity Miller is here.”
“Let’s go have a chat with Brecken,” Malone said to Hill. “I’ll take the lead.”
“I’m with you, Cap.”
Though it went against everything his team believed in to “enjoy” working with Feds, Jake liked Agent Hill and appreciated that he knew when to defer to them. He found AUSA Miller in the hallway by the interrogation rooms, checking her phone.
She looked up when she saw them coming. “I heard one is a juvenile.”
“Yes, he’s fifteen, but we believe he was an integral player in whatever game his father is playing.”
“Proceed with caution,” she said. “Read him his rights again and make sure he understands them.”
“Will do,” Jake said, while he bit back the urge to remind her that he’d been doing this since before she was born.
They burst into the room, scaring the shit out of the kid. Good. He should be scared, Jake thought as he activated the recording device.
“I’m Captain Jake Malone, and FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Avery Hill is also here with Brecken Mayfield.”
Brecken Mayfield was a handsome kid with wavy dark hair and brown eyes that should have attracted a lot of female attention. He had broad shoulders and the muscular chest of an athlete.
“Wh-why is the FBI here?”
“Because when kids go missing, it’s all hands on deck,” Jake said.
“I didn’t… I didn’t do anything.”
“Let’s start at the beginning, Brecken.” Jake recited the Miranda rights, outlining Brecken’s right to remain silent and to request counsel. “Do you understand your rights in this matter?”
“Yes, I already told the other officer that I understand, but like I told him, I didn’t do anything. I don’t know why I’m here.”
“Where’s Luna Ahern?” Avery asked.
“Who?”
Jake put printouts of the texts between Brecken, Ethan and Tomas on the table that showed Brecken knew exactly who she was.
