Before I could reply to that, Max spoke.
“I know you don’t want to talk to me, Ella, but I think we might be thinking the same thing in all of this.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You have five minutes.”
Looked like we were doing this on her doorstep as she made no move to invite us inside.
Max sighed but accepted her terms. “I think there’s more to Zane’s story than he’s letting on. I think he knows things that can help our investigation, helphim, probably, but something’s holding him back. Or someone,” he added.
For a long moment, Ella said nothing, just stared at Max. Then she cursed under her breath. “You’re right. On all counts. I know Zane did some unforgivable things, but I think there was more than Tombs threatening him. The Zane I know would’ve bent over backwards to set things right once Tombs was killed. I think he’s omitting details because he’s still scared.”
“And that’s why you’ve been uncooperative?”
She shrugged. “I’ve no interest in helping you incriminate him further when I’m trying to find some way to help him.”
“Have you found anything?” I cut in. “To help him?”
“No, not yet.” She narrowed her eyes as she looked at Max. “But I suspect you have, right?”
“Maybe. We’ve had some new evidence come to light.”
She rolled her eyes and looked about to slam the door in our faces, but Max stuck his hand out, stopping her. “What do you know about Zane’s half-sister?”
“Larissa?”
“Yes.”
“Why do you ask?”
“Would she have any reason to be in contact with Yates and his hunter group?”
I’m pretty sure Max couldn’t have shocked her more if he’d tried. But it didn’t last long, quickly replaced by a furious expression that had me stepping back as magic crackled in the air between us.
Max didn’t so much as flinch, and my opinion of him went up another notch.
Ella’s lip curled into a snarl Max would be proud of. “That fucker. I’m going to kill him when I get—”
“No.” Max growled,literallygrowled, and Ella’s mouth snapped shut. “I appreciate how you feel, Ella, but this is police business. Let us handle Yates. We don’t have proof of any wrongdoing yet, so don’t go doing anything rash and fuck it all up for us.” He grinned at her, all teeth. “I want to get that bastard as much as you do.”
“Make sure you do, Max.” Magic filled the air around her, so thick it was stifling. “If he is involved and you do nothing, then there won’t be much left of him after I’m done doing your job for you.”
“Noted.”
She went to close the door, then thought better of it. “If Larissa and her family need some place safe to stay for a while, bring them here. No one will get past me.”
I believed her. The power coming off her right then was insane.
“Thank you. I might just take you up on that.”
“See that you do.” She closed the door, leaving me and Max staring at each other.
He gestured to his car, and we walked back to it and climbed inside.
“Not that I’m trying to tell you how to talk to people, but was it wise to tell her that Yates was involved? She seemed really pissed off.”
“Do you blame her?”
“No, but what if she goes after Yates by herself?”
