“I fell asleep right after I got home.”
The Chief leaned back. “One of Hayden’s neighbors called the station last night to report sounds of struggle from his apartment. When the police arrived, there were signs of a fight but no trace of Hayden. We didn’t find fingerprints.”
Did they know he’d gone to see Amanda and decided he had crossed the line?
Still somewhat composed, I said, “Okay, so we know he’s been kidnapped. What do we do now?”
He shook his head. “Do you think I have any idea how to bring him back?”
“You do. The same people who told you to drop this investigation know where they’ve taken him.”
“You and I both know they’re untouchable. Besides, those orders trickled down the chain without involving specific names.” He rubbed his face. “Damn you, Jonah. I did everything I could to protect Hayden, while you pressured him behind my back.”
I opened my mouth to defend myself because I had also wanted Hayden to stop, but what was the point? I’d been working alongside him.
“Tell me everything about your investigation. Maybe there’s something we can use before it’s too late.”
Too late.My pulse continued to escalate, my fragile calm cracking like glass beneath a boot. I began to stand. “I need to use the bathroom.”
“Sit your ass down and start talking.”
I reluctantly sank back into my seat. “We… we wanted to gather information so that Hayden could go to the FBI with the help of his aunt. I spoke with my former agent, who’s also Nick’s agent, and she… she…” I began to scratch my arm, trying to relieve some of the heat that started growing beneath my skin. “Agatha said she had nothing to do with Nick’s disappearance, but I… I could tell that she was lying. She sent someone to threaten me, and I told him I wouldn’t ask any more questions.” I scratched harder, the heat beginning to fade. “There was someone named Bo who worked for The Society when I was there. We found his address, but his wife said he disappeared with another woman. Then I—”
“Jonah—”
“I remembered Amanda Tulip who also worked there. Hayden found out that she’d been locked up in an asylum. He wanted to go see her alone, and I—”
“Jonah, you’re bleeding.”
“What?” I looked down at my bloody arm. “Shit.”
“Go get yourself sorted. Take your time.”
I hurried to the bathroom, where I washed away the blood and covered the scratches with band-aids. I couldn’t afford to fall apart, though all I wanted was to pass out and wake up to a different reality. Still lightheaded, I returned to the living room and sat back down. While I’d been gone, the Chief had placed a glass of water on the table. I picked it up and drank.
“Do you know anything else about Hayden’s visit with Amanda?” I asked, forcing myself to meet his eyes, knowing he must have found me pathetic. “She may be the last person who saw him.”
“I spoke with her psychiatrist. He said not to believe a word coming out of her mouth. She claimed that Hayden tried to rape her, but it seems she says that about everyone.”
I rubbed my face. “Okay, so what’s next?”
“I’ll go visit your former agent if you think she has something to do with this. I’ll make it clear that I don’t care about any secret organization, only about a missing detective.”
I dared to hope that a visit from a police chief would carry more weight than a visit from me, but it was impossible to know with someone like Agatha.
“What can I do to help?” I asked.
“Keep your head down and let me know if anyone tries contacting you. Do you think they might be interested in a switch?”
“A switch?”
“Letting Hayden go and taking you instead.”
“Do you think they have any problem taking me whenever they want?”
“Then why didn’t they?”
“I don’t know.”
