“We’re not bonding here, numbnuts.” Malloy sat back, his gaze thoughtful.
Interesting. Were there wedding bells in the cop’s future? Denver took another drink. He liked Malloy, and he hated bringing danger to the cop’s door. Especially with Tina there. “What’s the intel?”
“According to my people, three known gangbangers are dead from bullet wounds, three more from the explosion. Four taken to the hospital—all in serious condition but not critical,” Malloy said, his expression turning pissed again.
Those guys must’ve been outside when he pressed the button. “I wonder what happened,” Denver mused.
“If I search your bag, will I find the gun that killed those first three?” Malloy asked.
“No,” Denver returned honestly. He’d have one of Jory’s men take care of it.
“Good.” Malloy poured them both another glass. “Why is there a gang after you? These guys run drugs and guns. That’s not your gig.”
Denver took another sip of the good stuff. “They’re protecting somebody who has something I want. As much as I’d love your help, I can’t tell you anything more than that.” He couldn’t tell Malloy the full truth or the cop would have to call it in. Denver had to find the baby himself.
“So you’re planning on doing something illegal,” Malloy muttered, shaking his head. He’d cut his hair short, so it didn’t move. But somehow even his hair seemed to bristle at Denver.
“I hope not,” Denver said. He wasn’t sure if taking the baby from Richie was illegal. “I’m doing the right thing. I promise.”
Malloy scratched his elbow. “Did you see the press conference Sheriff Cobb had in North Carolina?”
Denver closed his eyes and then reopened them. Oh shit. This was going to go south and fast. “Yeah.”
“Did you kill the kid and Cobb’s brother years ago?”
Might as well give Malloy all of it. He seemed like a fair guy, and so far he’d worked with them. “Cobb’s brother killed the little kid, tried to pin it on me, rushed my brothers, and they hit him with bats in self-defense.” Denver let all the words out in a rush. “I started the fire that burned down that hellhole.”
“Fuck.” Malloy tipped back his head and drank his entire glass. “What am I supposed to do with that?”
Denver swirled his glass around. “I don’t know. It’s the truth.” Why was the cop even giving him a chance? “Didn’t Sheriff Cobb contact you a few weeks ago?”
“Yeah. He visited here for a lunch meeting with me.”
Denver stilled. He looked up, shock filling him. “You met with Cobb.”
“A week ago Tuesday,” Malloy confirmed, his gaze hardening even more. “I didn’t like him. Jerk thinks he’s too smooth and everyone else is too dumb. Asked me a bunch of questions about you guys and the Copper Killer case.”
They’d solved that case and put down a serial killer. Denver swallowed. “What did you tell him?”
Malloy’s smile was fierce. “Nothin’. He thought I was a dumb hick cop, and I acted like one. My instincts are good.”
Maybe, maybe not. The cop was a good guy who’d decided to trust Denver, and that might be a mistake. “I have a target on my back, and I don’t want somebody to hit you instead of me,” Denver said.
“Agreed,” Malloy said. “But if the shooter is illegal, I take him down.”
That was not how it was going to happen. Cobb wouldn’t go quietly, and Madison would always somehow find funding to continue her experiments. There was only one way to stop them, and it sure wasn’t the legal way. “Of course,” Denver said smoothly. “If I had one iota of proof against Cobb for anything, I’d turn it over.”
“Why do I feel like I never get the whole story from you guys?” Malloy snapped.
Because Malloy was smart, without question. Denver just shrugged. “Your hick cop act works for only so long. You’re not stupid.”
“No.” Malloy leaned back and opened what looked like a junk drawer to remove a bright purple file folder. He nudged it toward Denver.
Denver stared at the innocuous folder for a moment and then flipped it open to see a picture and background check on Noni. Man, Malloy had run that fast. Just how good were his connections, anyway? He must’ve taken her driver’s license from the pack before Denver had gotten it out of the entryway. “She’s clean, Malloy.”
“Sure is.” Malloy reached out one beefy hand and tapped his finger on the picture. “Why is that woman with you running from shooting gang members? She has no ties to drugs, guns, or gangs. You wouldn’t take a girlfriend into a fight with you. Not your style.”
“Girlfriend?” Denver kept his gaze placid. “Says who?”
