CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
JAKE
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“We should get her outof there,” Cole says despite briefing him on the operation today, so I don’t know why he thinks that’s necessary.
He tried to get on the team.Josh said no.Then he side-eyed me, and I lifted my brows so fucking fast that he didn’t bother going there.This is why I left the force.There is no way he was going to sideline me.
Fuck that.
“She hasn’t been in danger before and won’t be today,” I tell Cole.“These kids are pulled off the street.Caylee is up at the office.Safe.”
“I don’t like it.”His voice is rough through the phone.“Ring me when it’s done.”
I promise, then hang up the phone.
Dread sinks into my gut, and I don’t know if it’s because I have a strong sense that Caylee is going to leave me.Or if it’s an instinct about the sting that’s about to go down.
Does Cole sense something also?
Knowing she’s right in the middle of it.Despite what I said about her being upstairs and ‘safe,’ no one ever is.Cole is right to be worried.
When Thomas spotted the email that sold Trinity Whitebrook on the sex trafficking market, including the date, the BHS team leaped into action.
In a few days, we’ve pulled an operation together to catch them in action.Hopefully.
We won’t have official support because, as Josh pointed out, we’d sourced the information illegally.Meaning it’s not able to be used as evidence or to get arrest warrants by the Feds.
“Who gives a fuck—we could save a young girl’s life,” Liam said when Agent Reed came into the office the next day.“Block your ears and take the information back to the office.”
You never heard anything, in other words.
It wouldn’t be the first time he’d been told that in his career, I’m sure of it.
“Or Thornton is setting you up.”Agent Reed rubbed his jaw, staring down at all the data we’d shared.
“Maybe.”Josh nodded.“Or maybe not.”
“No one here is willing to sit back and find out, Reed.Thomas has emailed you all the information, and while you might not be able to use it as evidence, information is information.”
He stared from face to face, then back at the incriminating email.
“You were asked to assist, and I don’t know by who but they’re responsible for whatever steps you take.Lawfully or not” —Reed ran a hand through his blond hair— “this information is valuable, but all it does it confirm Thornton is our player.Given time, we could follow his trail and find out who he’s selling these kids to.”
“Or we don’t, and another girl, and another, and another is taken,” I replied.
Reed lifted his head and studied me.
