“No, but—”
“That should answer your question. Hailey’s a priority until otherwise ordered.”
“Just checking,” Jackson mutters. My head’s only half in the conversation. The other half is preparing a list of names.
Who, other than Hailey, could be dead? Whose murder am I being charged with?
It can’t be my girl. She’s alive. I don’t know how I know, but I do. Maybe because my heart’s still beating, which I bet wouldn’t be the case if hers weren’t. Or maybe it’s my naivety and hope clinging to the idea.
Dante always says hope dies last but... he also says it’s the mother of fools.
My eyes dart to the screens every few seconds, waiting for Jeremy. He doesn’t keep me waiting long. Before anyone can start their briefing, the show begins.
“Boss?” Nate says, glaring at the wall of monitors. “We have a problem here.” He motions toward the flatscreen showing live feed from the main entrance where five uniformed officers stand outside, arguing with Tony—the bouncer my cigarette narrowly missed.
Cops are always raidingDelta. They’re called in by partygoers spooked by seeing the lines of cocaine on silver trays, or the small bags brimming with colorful pills that waitresses sell alongside shots and drinks. Some call over a brawl, others when they’re denied entry. It’s the same story atBravo.
Normally, those raids are resolved with the cops spending an hour or so in Dante’s or my office, sipping top-shelf Bourbon and smoking finest Cuban cigars. That’s why they eagerly assemble in fucking legions whenever they get a call about our clubs.
Chicago’s finest dance to whatever tune Dante plays, so at first glance the police uniforms crowding the main entrance aren’t an issue. Nate could easily think this raid is irrelevant if not for one little detail.
He’s a perceptive guy. Everyone in this room is. It’s part of the fucking job. They all notice said little detail and it instantly becomes the main cause of concern lining everyone’s foreheads.
It’s not Chicago’s finest requesting access tonight. Other than Jeremy’s familiar face, the other four aren’t from around here... and that makes this raid unlike any other.
Jeremy stands back while the man I expected to see makes the blood in my veins flow faster. Vaughn’s front and center flashing his shiny badge and a sheet of paper in Tony’s face.
The arrest warrant for sure.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” Ryder mutters, watching Vaughn grow red in the face the longer Tony keeps him from crossing the threshold. “He’s out of his jurisdiction.”
“I assume that’s why Jeremy’s with him,” Nate says. “He has a warrant.” He pokes at the paper in Vaughn’s hand on the screen. “At least I think that’s a warrant.”
It sure is.
Tony finally caves, unhooking the red rope that keeps the line of partygoers at bay. He pulls it back, stepping aside, and lets five police officers enter the club.
“Boss,” his voice fills the office, coming from a speaker on Dante’s desk. “Cops. They’re here for Carter.”
Koby’s focused gaze cuts to me across the office. “You need to get out.”
I smirk internally. It’s good to know my men are all on the same page. Running would be a wise choice given what the warrant represents, but I’m not moving. The spring in Vaughn’s step and unwavering determination painting his face tell me Hailey’s alive.
Every bunched muscle in my body unwinds, the tension hissing out so fast my shoulders slump. I’m so relieved not even the fact Vaughn undeniably connected the dots and knows my identity can rattle me.
He linked Nash Wright and Carter Beckett, and then—I’m sure—tied me to Carter Willard. He must know I spent two months with his daughter at Lakeside. And if he knows, it meansHaileypainted a vivid picture of her time there, including her flashbacks, putting me on Vaughn’s radar.
He has her.
“Carter,” Koby urges, holding the office door open. “Come on, we need to move.”
“And fast,” Nate adds, still focused on the screens, eyes trailing the cops’ route through the crowd. “You have maybe three minutes. Move.”
I lift the glass to my lips, savoring how the amber liquid warms me up from the inside.
Now I’ve seen Vaughn’s determination and lack of agonizing grief, I could leave, but... he’s my only chance at finding outwheremy girl is. I want her back. If I play my cards right, he’ll tell me where he’s hiding her.
That’s an opportunity I can’t pass.
