Page 24

“There’s something I wanted to ask you,” he murmurs after a moment, kicking at a pebble on the ground in front of him.

“What?”

“Tell me about that night.”

I scowl. “That night?”

“You know,” he urges with a nod and raised brows. “That night.”

Memories from years ago flash through my mind and I shake my head as I back away from him. “No. You already know what happened. There’s no use going over it all again and again.”

“Maybe you were wrong. Maybe you misunderstood the situation.”

“Misunderstood? No, there was no misunderstanding what I saw, Clay, and I’m not going to apologize for protecting you from seeing it, too.”

“I was just a kid and you ruined my life.”

“I ruined your life?” I whisper, looking around to make sure no one is listening to us. I can’t believe he would even say that. “I saved you that night.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “Oh, Saint Lucas, you’re so full of shit. You know what… now that I think about it, maybe she’s not even really dead.”

“Jesus, how many drugs are you on right now?”

He throws himself on a park bench. “That’s not an answer. We never should have left.”

I shake my head and sit down next to him. “Clay. Leaving was our only option. Why is that so fucking hard for you to believe?”

“I am fucking done with this,” he says as he stands. “Just leave me alone, Luke. I don’t want to see you and I sure as hell don’t need anymore of your help.” He turns and walks away from me. I follow after him.

“Rodriguez called me this morning for you, asshole, and don’t think for one goddamn second that I believe you won’t call again the next time you’re in trouble.”

He turns toward me, walking backward with his hands up. “It was a mistake. Just forget about it.”

“Clay!” I yell, stopping as he turns away from me and crosses the street without looking back. I sink onto the bench and drop my head into my hands. What the fuck is going on with him? He’s always had questions about that night but to go as far as to say that I ruined his life when all I was trying to do was protect him… I don’t know what to do with him anymore.

The door to the police station slams open and Rodriguez stomps down the stairs, his head down as he clutches a file to his chest. Fuck. He really shouldn’t be back at work already and I worry he’s going to lose it if he keeps obsessing over Laney’s case. He needs to find her killer and we all understand that but this isn’t healthy. Grabbing my phone, I dial Moose’s number and press the phone to my ear as I watch Rodriguez throw himself behind the wheel of his car and beat his fists against the steering wheel.

“What’s up, brother?”

“Hey. You doing anything today?”

There’s a pause on the line. “I was gonna go watch some fireworks but I can change plans. What’s up?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” I hear a woman shriek in the background and I wince.

“Sorry, dude. I can call someone else.”

“Naw, don’t worry about her. It’s not serious and she’ll get over it the next time she wants some dick.”

I laugh as I shake my head. “Yeah, okay. Listen, you mind checking up on Rodriguez later today? I’m at the station to bail Clay out and he’s not looking good.”

“You got it, man. How’s Clay?”

With a sigh, I run my hand over my face. “A pain in my goddamn ass.”

“Sorry.”

“Not your fault. Rodriguez is leaving the station now and I don’t know if he’s going back to the clubhouse or his place but I think someone needs to be with him.”