Sandra's hand stilled on her cup. For the first time since they'd sat down, something cracked behind her eyes. Not guilt exactly. Sandra wasn't built for guilt. But something close. Fear, maybe. Or the dim awareness that her choices had consequences beyond herself.
“Bobby came home, didn’t he?” Peyton’s voice was hollow. She could see it clearly, as if she'd been there. “Was he alone?”
Sandra drained her glass, her hands shaking so badly she had to hold the cup with both hands. Peyton reached over and ripped it from her grasp. The plastic cup flew across the room and slammed into the wall. “Was he alone?” she demanded.
“No.” Unexpected tears welled in her eyes. “Marvis was with him. Lilia took one look at them and went white as a sheet. She threw me out of the car and took off. They followed her.”
Peyton had no doubt they did. Lilia had been terrified. For herself. For Grace.
And for Peyton.
She’d told Sandra her plan. To go to Peyton for help. But once the Iron Serpents were on her tail, she hadn’t wanted tolead them straight to Peyton, so she called instead and set up the meeting at the train depot.
All this time... Her aunt knew everything, and she’d hidden it. Peyton gritted her teeth, her hands balling into fists. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this days ago?”
“Because Bobby would’ve killed me if I had! He warned me not to say a word.” Tears spilled over Sandra’s cheeks. “I told you what I could! And I paid for it!” She waved her injured wrist before sagging against the chair, broken and deflated. “This isn’t my fault.”
“Where did she go?” Peyton didn’t recognize her own voice. It was cold and hard. “If she needed to hide, where would she go?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where, Aunt Sandra?” Her voice rose again as she towered over her aunt. “For the love of God, if you have ever had one ounce of motherly instinct, now is the time to find it. Where would Lilia go if she was scared and needed to hide?”
Sandra shook her head, dissolving into sobs. “I don’t know.” She placed her hands over her face and started rocking. “This isn’t my fault. This isn’t my fault.”
The words rang hollow. Sandra could’ve done right by her daughter, but she’d chosen her boyfriend and her addiction over Lilia. Again. It was a vicious cycle.
And suddenly Peyton was weary. She wanted to lie down and weep. Because she believed her aunt was telling the truth. When Lilia ran away from Cade the first time, she went to a women’s shelter in Austin. The second time…she’d called Peyton.
Within half a heartbeat, her aunt shifted from sadness to rage. She ripped her hands away from her face and practically fell out of the chair to fetch the plastic cup. “You should’ve protected her, Princess Peyton! This is all your fault.”
The door to the interrogation room opened, and Dawson entered. As Sandra poured herself another drink and continued to fling accusations and insults, he wrapped an arm around Peyton’s waist and led her from the room. The noise of the bullpen was barely audible. It was as if she’d stuffed cotton in her ears. Dawson steered her into a conference room and shut the door. Then his arms came around her. Strong, solid, dependable.
Peyton clung to him. “Marvis saw her.” The realization sank in like sharp claws. “Cade doesn’t have her. We suspected it. He told us so. But now we know for sure. It’s Marvis. He has her.”
“Every law enforcement officer in the state is looking for Marvis. We’ll find him.”
But would it be in time to save her cousin’s life?
Or were they already too late?
TWENTY-ONE
Darkness pressed around Dawson as he slipped around the edge of the barn on a perimeter check. The scent of freshly cut grass mixed with the promise of rain. Clouds hid the moonlight, but it didn’t matter. He could’ve navigated it in his sleep.
A twig snapped. Dawson whirled toward the sound, his fingers flying to his weapon.
Walker Montgomery stepped out of the shadows. Dressed in black tactical pants and jacket, the former Navy SEAL blended in with the night. An AR-15 was slung across his chest. “Don’t shoot me, Detective.”
“Might want to announce yourself.”
A grin lifted the corners of his mouth. “Why do you think I stepped on the twig?”
Dawson chuckled, letting his posture relax. He hadn’t needed to do the perimeter check, not with members of the Special Forces acting as bodyguards. But the interview with Sandra had left him edgy and restless. Plus he had to check on the horses. His mom and dad were visiting his sister, her husband, and the twins a few hours away. They’d probably spend the night.Thunderstorms were moving in, and his dad’s eyesight wasn’t as good as it used to be.
“Any sign of trouble?” Dawson asked.
“No. Nathan’s covering the north side of the property. We check in regularly, and he’ll alert me if there’s an issue.” Walker checked his watch. “We change shifts at 2300. Jason and Logan will take over.”
