Turner sits in silence, and for a moment, I think he might slip into the blackness of his mind, but instead, the expression fades, replaced by curiosity. “Why did he kill them?”
I run my fingers along the leather of my chair. “I don’t know. It’s something he hasn’t talked about. The kid has a past, and it’s a complicated one.”
“I get it.”
“I know you do.” I push myself to a standing position. “Which is why you’re going to help me keep an eye on him.”
“Where is he now?” Turner asks, following my lead and standing to his feet as well. “I haven’t seen him in a couple days.”
I give Turner a look. “Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures.”
Turner’s lips tug into a grin. “Oh fuck, he’s in the basement.”
“He is, but he’s got a bad case of claustrophobia, so it would be best if he could stay in the bunkhouse with you at the farm.”
“And you want me to babysit him,” Turner grimaces.
I hesitate, stopping by my front door. “I honestly don’t know. I’ve never ran this program under the guise that someonehasto stay. I don’t feel like forcing someone into this structure isefficient or worthwhile.” I run my fingers over the dark stubble along my jaw. There’s just as much gray as there is black now, but it is what it is.
I’m getting old.Forty-five is old.
According to Molly, anyway.
“So, why does hehaveto stay?” Turner presses as I open the front door and step out onto the front porch. The morning winter sun cooks my face in a way that seems to be pure irony with how cold it is. “Why can’t you just let him screw himself over?”
I blow out a breath. “That’s always been what I’d do, but Cade is… extenuating circumstances.”And damn good at getting rid of bodies when he applies himself.
“Like extremelyriskycircumstances,” Turner clarifies.
“You could be facing similar charges.” I close the door behind Turner, and then head down the steps. “There’s no judgment from me when it comes to whoever I’m tasked with helping.”
“And then employing,” Turner adds. “We become contractors for you, once you can trust us. Isn’t that how this works?”
“Yep,” I lead Turner to the basement entrance outside. “But I don’t know what will happen with him.” I gesture to the door as I dig out my keys. “He’s high profile, unreliable, and while he can be one of the most thorough when it comes to cleanups, I don’t know if I could ever cut him loose with a clear conscience.”
Turner narrows his eyes. “So why keep him?”
“If I can control him, maybe it would work for him to stay around and help me.”
Turner’s seeing straight through my bullshit. “Why are you keeping him?”
I pop the lock. “Because I have a good friend who’s trusted me with this.”
“And you’re saving his ass.”
“Something like that,” I mutter, shoving the lock in my jacket pocket and then swinging the latch. As soon as it opens, a body comes barreling out of the basement, nearly knocking me off my feet. I instantly react, pushing right through him and pinning him to the ground with a thud, warmth spraying in my face.
Turner is right beside me, coming in as backup. “What the fuck are you doing?” He shouts down at Cade’s face, which I suddenly realize is bleeding.
Shit. That’s what sprayed on my face.
“I told you I was claustrophobic,” Cade sneers up at us, his green eyes wild. “I can’t fucking be locked in that goddamn room. I need to be able to move for fuck’s sake.”
“It was eight hours,” I grit out. “You needed to sleep.”
“I can’t sleep when it’s like that.” He relaxes back, his head thudding back in the mud. “You gotta let me have room to breathe, Doc.”
“Doc?” Turner looks at me.
