Steele’s eyes shifted away again.“I guess I just had your number for some reason.”
“It is public, so I guess that’s a possibility.”Tanner took out his phone—his piece-of-junk flip phone—and laid it on the table.“It wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that I carry this type of phone, would it?”
Steele’s lips pursed and eyes narrowed.“What do you know?”
“What doyouknow?”
They stared each other down.
Steele finally shook his head, withdrawing into himself.“Nothing.I’m just a construction worker who gets to work outside with a hell of a view every day.Just counting my blessings.”
Tanner didn’t buy that horse manure for a second.“How did you know those men were coming for Bree?”he asked again.
But Steele wasn’t budging.“Like I said, I saw them, and they gave me a hinky feeling.”
Tanner decided to try a new line of questioning.“Deputy Kitchens said you tackled one of them?That’s how you got banged up.”
He shrugged.“Yeah, the guy was running after Bree.Least I could do was help out.”
“How do I knowyouweren’t the one chasing after Bree?You’ve certainly been making her uncomfortable for the last couple weeks.She says you’re watching her all the time.”
Steele sat up straighter.“If I was trying to hurt her, there were other times that would’ve been a damn sight more convenient than right after I just messaged you and told you she needed help.”
That, Tanner believed.He didn’t think Steele had been one of the guys after Bree.But he did think the man wanted something from her.Maybe Scott was right.Maybe Bree owed somebody money and this was about collecting.
“Did you know Bree before you came here, Steele?”
“I can promise you I had never heard of Bree Daniels before I set foot in Risk Peak.”Frustration grew inside Tanner.He didn’t think Steele was actually lying to him, he just wasn’t telling the whole truth.
Exactly how he often felt about Bree.
It was like the answers were right there in front of him, if he just knew what questions to ask.
“Are you or Bree involved with the mob?Does she owe someone money?Does it have something to do with the same people her cousin is mixed up with?”Tanner felt like he was throwing spaghetti against the wall, hoping something would stick.
“Mob?No.Money?I don’t think so.And I have no idea who Bree is, truly, so I don’t know who her cousin or any other family is.”
“Melissa Weathers.”
If he hadn’t been watching Steele so closely, he never would’ve seen it.Hell, he was looking directly at the man and almost didn’t see it.Steele didn’t startle, didn’t stiffen, but the air around him changed.
He knew Melissa.
Tanner leaned forward until he was nearly halfway over the narrow table.“You know Melissa, don’t you?Do you work for the people Melissa works for?Do you know what they’re up to?How to stop them?”
Whatever Steele had been feeling, he swallowed it fast.“I don’t work for anybody but Denny Hyde.And you know what?I’m tired.Either charge me and I’ll call an attorney, or I’m ready to go.You can’t hold me.”
It was true.And although they could hold him for a few more hours, if he was requesting counsel, he would be out of here in no time.
“We’re not going to charge you.”Tanner made one last appeal.“But tell me what’s going on so I can help.I can’t protect Bree if I don’t know what I’m up against.”
Steele stood, and Tanner thought he would leave without saying anything else, but when he got to the door, he turned back.“Get her—getthem—out of here.Out of this town, where no one can find them.Do it right now.Don’t wait.”
That was exactly what he’d planned on doing.
“Why?Who’s coming, Steele?”
“Someone way too big for you to fight.Just get them out while you can.”
