“Cody,” I whisper. “That’s Cody.”
“Oh my God.” Molly grabs my arm. “Mags, what the hell is going on?”
I can’t answer. Can’t speak. Can only watch as they take him inside, his eyes burning into mine until he disappears through the doors of the police department. Not just because I don’t want to talk to her, but because I really have no clear idea what the fuck has happened this morning.
This is your fault.
You’ll pay for this.
The words echo in my head, and despite the warmth of The Café, I’ve never felt colder.
“I don’t know, I have no idea why he’s being perp walked with all of them.”
Molly sucks in a breath. “Is that Levi? And Dakota? Why in the fuck are they being arrested?”
Sure enough, there they are, both with their hands behind their backs, being walked with the rest of them. Now this, I know, is because they’ve been working the undercover operation. If I’ve learned anything from watching TV shows, it’s that they have to make it look real. But Molly doesn’t know about the operation. “I have no idea, this all seems so crazy. What do you say we shelve this lunch for now, and we’ll figure out what the hell is going on?”
She nods. “Yeah, I’m gonna call my mom. I’ll see you later.”
When Molly leaves, I immediately head down the sidewalk to where my SUV is parked. I get in, and with one hand I’m texting Shelby. With the other, I’m turning the wheel, pointing it toward the direction of Shelby’s office.
Once I get there, she’s standing outside. “I heard what happened,” she says. “I’m already making calls to see what we can do to move this along quickly. I don’t want you to get caught in whatever it is he’s involved in.”
“Thank you,” I reach out, hugging her tightly. “I have no idea what’s going on, but I’m terrified. What if they ask me about this?”
“Then you call me, Magnolia. We’re in this together. I have some more calls to make, but I want you to go home and relax as much as you can.”
I don’t know if I’m going to be able to, but I can’t wait for Levi to hold me in his arms. There’s no telling how long it’s going to take, but I’m anxiously waiting for him to be released.
But I go home, and I do some work, trying to keep my mind off of what the hell happened in Laurel Springs today.
Chapter 27
Levi
They keep me at the jail for hours. Hours of sitting in a holding cell, hours of pretending to be worried, hours of waiting for them to release me.
Finally, around six p.m., Director Drake himself comes to get me.
“Good work, Harrison,” he says quietly as he walks me out. “You and Dakota both. This is going to shut down one of the biggest illegal breeding operations we’ve seen in years.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Go home. Get some rest. We’ll debrief tomorrow.”
I nod, but as I’m walking out of the police department, I see my dad’s truck in the parking lot. Caleb Harrison is leaning against it, arms crossed, waiting for me. He’s got this look on his face that says he’s unhappy that I haven’t kept him in the loop, but at the same time he knows that I have to keep things a secret in the grand scheme of things.
“Hey, son,” he says, pushing off the truck and walking toward me.
“Hey, Dad.” I meet him in the middle.
He pulls me into a hug, and I hold on tight, suddenly feeling about twelve years old again. “Come over for dinner tonight,” he says when he lets go. “You shouldn’t be alone after what went down today.”
I shake my head. “I’m not gonna be alone. I appreciate it, Dad, but I’m good.”
He studies my face, and I can see the question in those eyes. “You’re not alone, huh? Magnolia.”
It’s not a question.
