Page 51 of Shadowed With Fear

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“You could probably slice some of the skin off his upper arm, if you want this to last awhile,” Adam chimes in, surveying the guy tied up in the warehouse.

He’s still knocked out, head rolling back against his shoulders. I got here right as Henry and Adam were dragging him through the back entrance.

“I mean, yeah, if you want to play with your knives,” I turn to Henry, “But I could play with him for a bit before you get all slice and dicey.”

He shrugs, twirling the blade. “Don’t really matter to me. What’re we supposed to be finding out again?”

Adam pulls out his phone, concentration etched on his face. “Uhh, we’re supposed to be asking about the missing girls and the pickup place. B said Alex got a few hits on that van you chased,” he glances at me. “The van was found; plates were in the back along with blood and the girl’s phone and purse. Plates have this guy as the owner. He was already flagged for previous distribution, but he was seen at the fest with Jerry. So…”

“We think it’s connected?” I lean back against Brahm’s desk, arms folded in front of me.

I wasn’t expecting that. When I suggested it to B, I was mostly talking out of my ass just to give him some hope, but maybe I wasn’t far off.

“Yeah, I guess so. I don’t know. Suppose we’ll find out soon, huh?” Adam nods to the guy in the chair.

“You really fucked him up huh?” I chuckle looking him over.

Adam cracks a grin, lifting a shoulder in response. “He’s a big fucker dude. It was me and Henry here. We don’t really have a bug chance without a little extra sleep juice.”

Henry snorts from beside the guy, nudging his foot with his boot. “’A little extra’”, he mocks, and I laugh.

“So, fill me in. This guy— “

“Marcus,” Adam finishes.

“Marcus is definitely a supplier, or at least a runner. And his van was used in that abduction. Any word on the girl? Or the one from the fest?”

Henry shakes his head. “Alex hasn’t said anything to me. They’re dead or worse. For their sake, I hope it was quick and painless.”

We all nod in agreement. “So what? Trafficking? Is that what we’re looking at now? Two confirmed abductions, one possible that may have went wrong resulting in one dead girl, and Dahlia’s two assaults, which might be connected too?”

“Yeah,” Adam sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Sounds right. And we’re sure D’s attacks are connected with this?”

“I have a feeling. Both times the attackers wore ski masks. And the Fest is too coincidental not to be suspicious.”

Henry scoffs, kicking the guy harder causing him to groan. “Fucking East End. Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, huh?”

He glances up at us, that dark look in his eyes.

“It can always get worse.” Adam’s voice is solemn.

The thought sends a cold chill down my spine. The ice wrapping around each vertebrate.

One step forward.

The guy in the chair—Marcus—stirs. I straighten, tearing my hoodie off leaving me in my black long sleeve. My hands tighten around the brass knuckles clutched within them. Henry pockets his knife, opting instead for the crowbar Adam tossed his way.

“Gonna be a long night, boys.” I smirk over at them. Henry and Adam are pulling their masks over their faces. I look down at Marcus shifting in the chair, groan pouring from his mouth.

Long nights. Always with the long nights. But I would do this every night for the rest of my life if it meant I could protect this town. If I can protect Dahlia.

I pull the mask down, the eyes sitting directly over my own. The rush falls over me that I get every time I wear it.

Marcus’s eyes blink open, and we crowd around him. It takes a second for him to realize what is happening, and just like every time, his eyes widen, and he tries to pull back, but he can’t. He isn’t going anywhere.

“Morning, sunshine.” I chuckled, leaning down into his face. “You ready to face your demons?”