This made no sense. Not that I was hubristic enough to believe I’d figured everything out. But I’d put all the pieces together—and they’d fit. Not a single loose thread.
What if you’re wrong? What if Gerard and Marlon aren’t at the top of the food chain? What if they’re acting on someone else’s behalf? What if—
I tried to shut down that line of thinking. Everything. I’d turned over every single thing I could to the cops. Well, everything that wouldn’t reveal sources and methods. The cop who’d sat with me yesterday, Corporal Colton Pritchard, hadn’t been all that impressed. But he’d also reluctantly admitted they didn’t have what I had. I’d given him eighteen hours to arrest whoever he wanted—but that I was going public at noon today. And, as promised, I had.
I shot a text off to Spring.
—You know who’s been arrested yet? —
—Colton won’t say. Seth and Dorrie aren’t answering my calls either. —
Seth was a constable and so maybe not read in? Corporal Dorrie Duhamel was Colton’s partner. So maybe she wastooread in?
—Doesn’t help that Colton’s your ex-brother-in-law. —
—You think? —
I was trying to think of something clever when her next message arrived.
—RCMP Mission just announced a press conference at ten am. —
I urgently needed to be sure they’ddone their part.—We’ll both be there. —
—Bet your ass. I’m going home. —
I checked the time. After eight.
—Shit. Sorry. Yes—go. —
—Later. Good job. —
I rubbed my forehead.
“Ulysses?”
“What? Shit. Sorry. I was texting Spring.”
“You look exhausted.”
The rot in Mission City goes deeper than you know.I sighed. “I am. Look, I have to run back to the city for a few things. I’ll only be gone an hour or two.”Damn. I need to text Spring to let her know what I’m doing. Because I can’t tell Finn.
“You don’t have to come back.” Finn’s voice was soft.
“Do you not want me to come back?” Mine was a little sharper than I intended.
“Of course I want you to come back. But if you’re too tired to make the drive, I’ll understand.”
I waved him off. “All good. I promise I’ll be back.” I rose and headed his way. I took his empty plate and my still mostly full one to the kitchen. “I’ll eat this when I get back.”
“And this can’t wait until tomorrow?”
“Uh, no. I’ve got a press conference first thing in the morning. This needs to be settled before that.”
“Okay.” He sighed.
Do you really have to leave him? Isn’t there another way?
I pondered that.
