Page 19 of Cruel Salvation

Chapter6

“I don’t like this, Naz.”

The urge to take his hand and reassure him that all would be okay was almost overwhelming, but after letting down her guard and falling asleep on him earlier, she’d shoved that wall back up and was focused on her task.

Lotus couldn’t say that hearing him talk about his regrets over Carter hadn’t affected her, it had affected her too much. Showing her a side of Damon Cavendish that she suspected he didn’t allow many people to witness. Which was exactly why she needed to keep him at arm’s length. He could break down her walls like a jackhammer through marshmallow if he tried, and she couldn’t let him.

“You don’t have to stay.” She winced at her sharp delivery but lifted her chin, determined to double down on her bitch routine.

“I know that, but enough people have left you, Nazareli, and I won’t be one more. I’m not going anywhere so get that through your beautiful, thick skull and stop trying to push me away.”

Thankfully she didn’t have to respond to that as they got to the outer perimeter of the scene. This wasn’t a huge plant, but it could cause a lot of problems if it went up. Fire crews were on the scene but in a holding position until police had cleared it as safe.

Approaching a man who looked to be in charge, she flashed her fake ID at him. “You in charge?”

“Yes. I’m Detective Radnor.”

Lotus nodded. “Update me.”

“We arrived shortly after eleven pm when reports of shots being fired at the plant were reported.”

“Reported by who?”

Detective Radnor frowned. “Anonymous. Why?”

Lotus shrugged. “Just wondered. Go on.”

“As of right now, we can’t find any signs of a shooter. I have my men searching the buildings to the west, which have the best line of sight.”

“Any sightings of Dorsey or Jones?”

“No, but their vehicle was found three miles from here.”

“Thanks.”

Damon had stayed quiet this entire time and she wondered if he was pissed off with her. Sneaking a glance at him, she saw his jaw flex and had the urge to take a bite out of him and shook herself. What the fuck was wrong with her thinking about sex when she was working a scene? She was definitely going soft.

“We need to poke around, see if we can find anything,” she told him.

“What are we looking for?”

“Footprints, shell casings, anything that might help us figure out an end game or what made him flip.”

“You think more is at play here than him just snapping?”

She watched the fire crew work to extinguish the fire and considered his question. “Yes, I do. Simon was doing well, and this makes no sense.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Is it possible someone else is controlling his behaviour again?”

Lotus flinched like she’d been slapped, not even wanting to consider that. If that were the case, it meant more of the drug she thought they’d eradicated was out there. “We destroyed every last drop.”

“Is a drug ever truly destroyed once a recipe or formula or whatever you call it is out there?”

God, what he was saying made sense but that would mean someone inside the network was doing this and more people were at risk. A shudder ran through her, and nausea worked its way up her throat. A firm hand landed on her back, a gentle stroking movement meant to soothe.