Текст книги "Unlawful Justice"

Автор книги: K. Langston

Соавторы: K. C. Lynn
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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

CHAPTER 27

Grayson

The sound of Rosie, snorting and stomping, yanks me from my sleep. I blink twice, fully alert. Looking down I find Liv sleeping soundly next to me. I lie here for several seconds, listening carefully. When Rosie only seems to get more worked up I tentatively slide out from under Liv’s warm, naked body and reach for my jeans.

A loud thump coming from the side of the house has me reaching for the 9 mm in the bedside table.

“Liv, baby. Wake up.”

She stirs, lifting her head to look at me through sleepy eyes. “What is it?”

I throw her my shirt. “Put this on, quick.”

My hard tone prompts her immediately following the order. “What’s going on?”

“I think someone’s outside.”

“What?” she shrieks.

“Shhh.” I clap a hand over her mouth. “Stay here and don’t leave this room, not unless I tell you to. Understand?”

She nods, her eyes wide with fear.

“Everything will be okay. I promise.”

“Please be careful.”

I kiss her forehead. “I’ll be fine.”

Making sure all is clear I slip out into the small hallway, closing the bedroom door quietly behind me. I keep the lights off and move carefully through the dark living room to the front door. Reaching for the knob, I twist it slowly and ease it open to peek outside.

After a few quiet seconds, a shadow darts across the yard, heading from the main house toward the crops.

“Fuck!” I take chase, striking out on bare feet across the wet grass. “You fucked with the wrong house, asshole,” I yell, gaining on him. Thoughts of what he had planned for Walt or Liv fuels my speed.

I can hear his panicked grunts as I get closer. Once I have him in my grasp, I take him to the ground with crushing force. I flip him over, aiming the barrel of my gun right between his eyes. The bright moonlight lends enough light to see his face.

Fuck, he’s just a kid.

“Please don’t hurt me. I swear to God I don’t have anything on me. Don’t shoot.” Fear floods his face, making him look even younger.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“Br-Brandon. Brandon Gaines. I’m a student of Miss Bradshaw’s. I don’t want to hurt her. I swear!”

“Then what the hell are you doing out here in the middle of the night?”

“I was leaving a note for her. I need…I need to speak with her.”

“You ever hear of a phone?”

“I couldn’t. I had to—”

“I got your back, Grayson.” Walter moves into my peripheral vision, holding up his shotgun, aimed and ready.

Christ.

“Oh shit!” The kid looks ready to piss himself. “Please don’t shoot me.”

“It’s okay, Walt. I got him.” I start patting him down, making sure he doesn’t have a weapon. “See what happens when you sneak onto someone’s property in the middle of the night, kid,” I say, tucking my gun back in my jeans when I realize he’s clean.

“Yeah, boy, you trying to get yourself killed?” Walter asks, lowering the shotgun.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve thought it through more.”

“Yeah, you should have. You alone?”

“Yeah,” he replies, not looking me in the eye.

I fist the collar of his T-shirt in my hands, jerking his face closer to mine. “You better not be fucking lying to me.”

“I’m not. I swear.” He looks me dead in the eyes this time, and aside from fear I also see the truth. “The note’s tucked in the screen door.”

I look over at Walter. “Go check.”

He comes back a couple of minutes later with an envelope. He opens and reads it before telling me what’s in it. “Yeah, it’s for Livy, asking her to meet him tomorrow to talk.”

“What do you want with her?”

He watches me, his jaw tight with determination. “It’s between me and Miss Bradshaw. I don’t trust no cops.”

“Well, you do now, because no one gets to my girl without going through me first.”

“Look. I don’t want to hurt her. I’m…I’m trying to make things right.”

His response intrigues me, but I have a feeling he’s not going to talk without Liv. “Come on.” I drag him toward the guesthouse with Walter following close behind.

“Liv,” I shout once I step inside, flipping on the light. “Come out into the living room, will ya?”

The bedroom door opens slowly and she steps out cautiously in her robe, cell phone clutched tightly to her chest.

“It’s all right, baby. He says he’s a student of yours?”

Her tired eyes widen as she reaches the living room. “Brandon?”

“Hey, Miss Bradshaw.”

“What on earth are you doing here? Especially this late.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” At least he has the decency to look ashamed.

“Of course you didn’t.” She gasps as she steps closer, reaching out to touch the small cut on his face. “What happened? Are you all right?”

“Yeah. It happened when this guy tackled me to the ground like a sumo wrestler.”

The little fucker has the balls to jut his thumb in my direction and glare at me.

“That’s what you get for trespassing at three o’clock in the damn morning.”

“Yeah,” Walt chimes in, backing me up.

“All right, all right. That’s enough. All of you. Come on. Let’s clean you up.” She ushers the kid to the kitchen, settling him in one of the chairs before retrieving the first aid kit from the cabinet.

Walt puts away his gun before returning to the kitchen to take a seat next to the kid. It makes him uneasy and he scoots away, putting some more distance between them.

Liv soaks a cotton ball with alcohol before applying it to his scratch, making him flinch. “Shit.”

“Sorry, you don’t want it to get infected.” She finishes cleaning the small wound and puts a Band-Aid on it. “Now tell me, why are you here?”

He looks at Walt then shifts his eyes up to where I stand next to him with my arms crossed.

“Can we talk alone, please?” he asks, turning his attention back to Liv.

“No.” I answer before she can. Her eyes seek mine with a silent plea. I shake my head. “Not happening. Whatever he has to say he can say in front of me.”

“I told you, I don’t trust cops.”

“Too bad. I don’t trust anyone with my woman.”

Liv lays her hand on his arm. “Brandon, you can trust Grayson and my grandfather. They’re the good guys. I promise.”

He swallows hard and his eyes fall to the table in front of him. After what seems like a fucking eternity, he finally speaks. “I’m real sorry about what happened to you…about Reggie and them.”

Suspicion forms in my gut.

Liv’s face falls. “It’s okay, it wasn’t your fault.”

Dropping his head, he keeps his eyes averted, mumbling something beneath his breath.

“What’s that?” she prompts softly. The kid lifts his chin, tears tracking down his face. Her hand moves to his back. “Talk to me, Brandon. What’s going on?”

His jaw grinds as he tries to speak. “I tried to stop them, but I was too late. My call didn’t make it in time.” He completely breaks down, his body deflating as he lowers his head to his arms, that are resting on the table.

“Jesus, you’re the one who called in,” I say, as realization hits me like a sledgehammer to the chest. Both Liv and Walter’s eyes snap to me. Before I can stop myself, I reach for the kid and haul him out of the chair. “Tell us what you know,” I demand, my face only inches from his.

Liv jumps out of her chair, trying to get between us. “Grayson, stop it!”

“You knew they were going to do this to her, and you didn’t do a goddamn thing to stop it!”

“I tried, but I knew they would kill me. I had no one I could trust.”

“The cops, goddammit. You tell the police.”

“Wrong,” he roars back. “I can’t trust them. But you know what, I made the call anyway. I didn’t want this to happen. I never wanted anything to happen to her.”

“Grayson, I mean it, let him go now. You’re scaring him.”

I release him, collecting a step back. “No more stalling. Tell us what you know, right now.”

His brown eyes harbor an extreme amount of fear, edged with anger. I begin to worry he’s going to bolt but then he looks at Liv, his chest rising and falling harshly. “I’m sorry. So sorry,” he whispers.

Liv gently pushes him into his chair, keeping her hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay, Brandon. I promise. Just tell us what happened. From the beginning.”

He wipes his face with the back of his hand. “I hate Reggie, I’ve never liked him or his crew,” he starts. “When Jamal started hanging with them I warned him he was going to get into trouble, but he didn’t listen. He said he was family and Reggie was good to him. Once he made that first run for him all he saw was the money.”

“You saying he was running drugs for West?” I ask.

He nods. “Yeah, and by the time he realized I was right about Reggie he was in too deep. He eventually said he wanted out, that he didn’t wanna do it anymore, but Reggie told him he had to do one more run.” He shakes his head. “Jamal came to me that night, begging me to help him, said he didn’t wanna go alone with them. I didn’t want to. I even said no at first, but when I saw how scared he was I had to.”

“The last run. That was my house?” Liv whispers, hurt evident in her tone. “You were the other one with him?”

His gaze darts nervously to Walt before he drops his head in shame. “Yeah, but we didn’t know it was your place until it was too late. Reggie pulled up to the back where the fertilizer container was. Once they started siphoning, Reggie told Jamal to douse the barn with gas and light it up. For the first time, he stood up to him and said no. That’s when Reggie hit him and pulled his gun out. Told him to do it or he would kill him.” He lifts his head again, his face soaked with tears. “He didn’t wanna do it. He liked you a lot. He just…he was so scared. We both were, but now he’s dead. My best friend is gone and it’s partly my fault.”

Liv grabs him, her beautiful face twisting with agony as her own tears begin to fall. I spare a glance at Walt and see him wiping his own guilt-filled eyes.

“Everything has fallen apart since that night,” Brandon continues. “The whole damn town has gone crazy, and knowing I had a hand in all of this is eating me alive. I didn’t see any way out. But after what I saw today, I can’t do it anymore. I don’t care if they kill me.”

Liv gasps and leans back, gripping the kid by his shoulders. “No one is going to kill you,” she says firmly. “I won’t let that happen.”

“How can you say that after knowing everything you do?”

Her face softens. “Because I care about you. You made a bad choice, Brandon, but that doesn’t make you a bad person. We all make mistakes, but what matters is owning them and trying to do right by them. You coming to me now is very courageous. Besides, if you hadn’t made that phone call I would be dead right now, and for that I’m grateful.”

His head swivels with disbelief, shocked by her forgiveness.

“Why now?” I ask. “What did you see today that made you come forward?”

His eyes fall to the wood table in front of him, as unbearable silence rents the air around us. “There’s a video,” he whispers.

Blood rushes to my ears, my heart pounding through my chest. “Who has it?” I grind out, a dark rage surging through my blood.

“De’Shawn Miller.”

Liv’s hand flies to her mouth on a gasp. “No. Was he one of them?”

Sincere remorse washes over his face. “Yeah. There were four of them. Reggie, De’Shawn, and two other guys I don’t know very well. One of them is Reggie’s right-hand man. He’s been taking care of everything while he’s been locked up.”

I grab a pad of paper and a pen from a nearby drawer then slam it down in front of him. “You’re going to give us everything you know. I want names, where they live, and I want the location of West’s operation.”

He nods. “I’ll help you get the video, too. It’s on De’Shawn’s phone.” His eyes find Liv’s again, regret weighing heavily in his gaze. “You’ll never know how sorry I am. I never wanted this to happen. Never wanted you to get hurt.”

Her hand lands on his, her breath hitching as she tries to hold in her pain. “I know you didn’t. Everything will be okay. I promise. We’ll make sure Reggie pays for what he did, not only to me but Jamal, too. And Grayson will be with you every step of the way. He won’t let anything happen to you. Not by anyone. Right?” She looks over at me for reassurance.

“Right,” I agree, unable to deny her the request. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

I can tell he doesn’t quite believe me. “We’re not all bad, kid. Actually, most of us aren’t.”

He finds some sort of comfort in that. “Well, if Miss Bradshaw trusts you then I will, too.”

As he starts to write everything down, Liv excuses herself. Walt nods, giving me the go-ahead that he’s okay to look after the kid. I quickly follow, catching up to her just before she can enter the bathroom. Snagging her around the waist I spin her around, and pain slices through me when I see the torment in her eyes. The emotion she’s been holding back breaks free as I pull her against my chest. She sobs uncontrollably, her entire body trembling in despair.

“One of my students.” She cries. “One of my students did this to me.”

My throat burns like a motherfucker, her misery only adding to my unfiltered anger and pain. Taking her face in my hands, I drop my forehead on hers. “It’s going to be okay now. You hear me?” I grind out through clenched teeth. “We got them and every single one of them are going to pay for what they’ve done to you.”

Her small fingers circle my wrist, clenching tightly against my skin. “Promise me,” she chokes. “Promise me you won’t let anything happen to Brandon. He’s scared.”

I trail my lips across her wet cheek, bringing my mouth to her ear. “I promise, Liv, I’ll take care of him. I’m going to make this right if it’s the last goddamn thing I do.”

CHAPTER 28

Olivia

I’m in the middle of making Terrell’s wristband, trying to keep myself busy while I wait for Grayson to return from the station. It’s already late afternoon. He’s been there for hours, far longer than I thought he would be and it has me worried about Brandon. I’ve been having a hard time focusing on anything else. I can’t stop thinking about everything he said. Finding out De’Shawn Miller was one of the men who violated me, and even went as far as videotaping it, has left me overwhelmed with emotions.

I’ve been on the verge of tears all day. The thought of someone recording what was done to me is disturbing to think about, but I’m beyond grateful Brandon had the courage to come forward and tell me. Now we have the evidence to put everyone involved away, and it’s all thanks to Brandon being brave enough to stand up and do what was right.

I know Grayson is upset that he didn’t come forward sooner, but I understand why he was so scared, especially after knowing all I do about Prichard.

Despite Grayson’s opinion about why he waited so long, I know he will take care of him. He’ll make sure he’s treated fairly, something Brandon was very nervous about.

I sigh, sagging back in my chair, my focus on Terrell’s wristband non-existent.

Then there’s Jamal, knowing he was forced by Reggie to do things he clearly did not want to do has me feeling even more despair. His fear of his cousin cost him his life. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for him.

I can tell it’s killing Pap, too. I could see the burden of guilt in his eyes after Brandon told us everything. It breaks my heart to know he carries that with him, even though it wasn’t his fault.

A knock sounds at the door, pulling me from my miserable thoughts. I automatically assume it’s Tania, since we spoke earlier. I told her everything. She was just as stunned as I was but her response was a little more colorful than mine.

However, I’m not greeted by my best friend. My heart stalls in my chest when I open the door to find Mrs. Jenkins, Jamal’s mother. Anxiety rushes through me.

“Mrs. Jenkins,” I manage to say through my dry throat.

Her dark eyes soften. “Olivia. May I come in?”

The thought frightens me, especially after our last encounter, but I could never be rude and turn her away. Her eyes don’t seem to be filled with as much resentment as before.

“Yes, of course. Come in.” I step aside and close the screen door as she enters.

Awkward silence settles over us as she walks further inside, spinning around once she reaches the living room.

“Can I get you something to drink?” I offer, attempting to ease the thick tension.

She shakes her. “No, that’s all right. I won’t be long, but I had to come talk to you, about what happened with my boy.”

Pain strikes her face at the mention of Jamal, and it has my heart clenching tight.

“First, I want to apologize about the way I treated you at the cemetery that day. I was irrational and heartbroken over my son’s death. And at that time I blamed you and your grandfather.”

“It really was a mistake,” I whisper. “We—”

She holds her hand up to ward off whatever I’m about to say. “I know that now. It doesn’t make it hurt any less though.”

I nod with understanding. I’m heartbroken over it, so I can only imagine how she must feel.

“I know the whole story now, about Reggie and all.” Her watery eyes turn hard. “Brandon’s parents brought him by after they left the station. He wanted to apologize and explain…everything. I’m still in shock. Not about what Reggie was capable of but that my boy got caught up with him. Jamal made some bad decisions, but he wasn’t a bad person.” Her voice trails off into a choked whisper as tears begin streaking down her face.

“I know that. I know in my heart who Jamal was. He was a bright young man with a promising future ahead of him. His actions that night do not define him in my eyes, and it never will.”

She nods, her tears coming faster, and it sends the ones I’ve been holding back to break free.

With a hitch of her breath she composes herself as best she can. “I’m awful sorry about what Reggie did to you. I hope you know when I sat behind him in that courtroom it was because I really thought he was innocent.” Her words have my throat growing painfully tight. “It sickens me to know just how wrong I was and what a monster he really is. Not only did my son die by his hands, but he’s inflicted so much more pain on others and you.”

“Yes, he’s hurt a lot of people. But I’m confident he will pay for what he’s done. All of them will.”

Wiping her eyes she nods, silence settling between us once more.

“Well, that’s all I really wanted to say. To let you know how sorry I am.”

I walk her the few steps to the door then put a hand on her arm to stop her from leaving. “Thank you. I appreciate that. And I’m sorry, too. Jamal didn’t deserve what happened to him. I want you to know I miss him very much. He was one of my best students, and I’ll never forget him.”

“Thank you.” The words are expelled on a grieving sob, completely shattering my fragile heart. I’m about to offer a comforting hug but she leaves before I can get my arms around her.

After closing the door, I fall onto the couch and cry, burying my face in the throw pillow. My chest aches, devastation staking its claim. There’s so much pain.

So much heartache.

All because of one human being.

Once I get myself under control, I sit in the heavy silence, trying to absorb everything. It’s so hard not to lose hope in moments like this, but I have to remain strong.

The ringing of my phone drowns out the thoughts running through my head. I quickly reach for it, praying it’s Grayson, desperately needing to hear his voice now more than ever. Looking at the name displayed, I see it’s Tania.

Wiping my drying tears away, I answer, “Hey, what’s up?”

“Olivia!”

I freeze, my veins filling with ice-cold dread when I hear the sheer panic laced in her voice. “Tania. What is it? What’s wrong?”

“You have to come to the hospital, quick,” she cries. “It’s T, they got him. The motherfuckers got him.” She’s screaming and crying so loud I can barely understand her.

She doesn’t elaborate on who they are, but I have my own suspicions. And I pray to God I’m wrong. “All right, hang tight. I’m grabbing Pap and we’re on our way.”

“Okay, just hurry, please. They…” she pauses, “they hurt him bad, Liv. I’m so scared.”

Oh God.

Hanging up, I slip on my shoes and run as fast as I can to the field to grab Pap. My heart pounds and my stomach twists. He has to be okay. He has to. I can’t lose anyone else, and I sure as hell know Tania can’t lose him either.

It would kill her.

CHAPTER 29

Grayson

“You sure you can handle this, Taylor? Maybe you should—”

“Just fucking play it.” I grit.

Henderson redirects his attention back to the computer, pressing play. Wilkinson and Dixon stand next to me as we all focus on the screen ahead.

It’s been hours since I brought Brandon in to make his statement. He’s already been released back into his parents’s custody and a warrant was put out for the arrest of De’Shawn Miller and the others he implicated. I urged Henderson to cut the kid some slack. Not only because Liv practically begged me to but also because it was the right thing to do.

Yes, he should be punished for breaking into someone’s property, and although I’m still angry that he didn’t come forward sooner, I know he didn’t want that to happen to Liv. Brandon and Jamal were just two kids who were afraid to say no to West.

Henderson agreed and promised to work something out that would be more beneficial than jail time.

That was good enough for me.

Brandon gave us the exact location of not only the others but also West’s drug operation.

It took everything I had not to go with them and arrest the others. Instead, I paced a hole in the floor of the station for three solid hours. I’d been trying to get ahold of Terrell, to let him know what’s going on, but I couldn’t reach him. I have no idea where the fuck he is.

Finally, the others were brought in about half an hour ago. It took every ounce of self-control I owned not to unleash the fury I’ve been keeping locked up since last night, especially after holding Liv as she cried herself to sleep.

That’s when Henderson showed up to watch the video. Without Larson, thank Christ.

I snap out of my thoughts as the monitor comes to life. The images are dark at first, nothing more than muffled sounds and lots of grunting, but then sunlight bounces off the screen before the camera tilts down, zooming into focus. Her screams are what rip open my goddamn chest first, clawing and tearing at me until I can hardly breathe. Her voice is raw, completely shredded by her desperate cries for help.

“Hold her legs.”

“Hurry up, man, I want another turn.”

My fists curl in on themselves as I try to prevent myself from destroying the laptop. The red haze of rage is blinding when the camera scans each of their faces. Each one laughing and smiling while my woman lies on the ground, destroyed by their vengeance and hate.

Henderson quickly stops the video. “I’ve seen enough, the rest isn’t necessary.”

I know he’s doing it more for my sake than his. I walk to the other side of the room, pressing my palms to the cool wall, but it doesn’t do shit to chill my heated body. My head hangs heavily between my arms, eyes closed, trying to block out the images in my head.

A hand clamps my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We got ’em. Justice has prevailed, son,” Dixon says, but his words do nothing to ease this unbelievable force building inside of me.

Henderson may put them all away for a very long time but it doesn’t seem like enough. They deserve to feel every ounce of pain Liv did and then some. And I wish for nothing more than to be the one who delivers it.

I shake my head, trying to suppress the violent urge. I need to get out of here and calm down before I barge into the interrogation rooms and kill every single one of those fuckers for what they did.

Without a goodbye, I head out of the station, climbing into my truck and slamming the door. My mind is still locked down in a fit of turmoil when I pull into the cemetery, but the closer I get to his gravesite, the more my anger subsides. Sharp pain infiltrates my chest. The same as it always does each time I come here, which is why I don’t come often. But I need this more than ever right now.

Kneeling down, I take a seat next to his marker.

James Alan Taylor

Beloved husband, father, and servant.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 34:14

I expel a heavy breath, and for the first few minutes I just sit, trying to collect my thoughts until I can’t take the silence any longer.

“You told me if I sought the truth I’d find justice.” I start, my throat raw with grief. “Well, I did that, Dad. We got them all. But at what cost? A kid is dead. Liv was raped, beaten, and almost suffered the same fate. Half the town has gone fucking crazy. So…where’s the justice in that? Anything those boys get will never be enough, not with all the pain they’ve caused. So how do I just move on, how do I move on after knowing what they did to her, especially when I know their punishment won’t be enough?”

I’m left with silence, not that I expected him to answer back, but I had hoped being here would give me some sort of guidance. There’s a tight, uneasy feeling in my gut, gnawing at me, like this is far from over. Is it just from feeling like those assholes deserve harsher punishment or is it something more?

Time is as vague as my thoughts, passing by in a storm of uncertainty and confusion. I’m not sure how long I’ve been here but it’s completely dark now.

I finally get up and head to my truck, knowing I need to get to Liv and tell her about what happened today. I feel like shit I waited so long, but I needed to calm down before I saw her.

As I open my door I hear the shrill sound of my phone and realize I left it in my vehicle. “Taylor,” I answer, not even bothering to check the caller ID.

“Grayson, where are you? I’ve been calling you for hours.”

My back stiffens when I hear the panic and raw pain in her voice. “Liv, what’s wrong?” At the sound of her sobs I put the truck in gear and haul ass. “Baby, talk to me. Are you hurt?”

“No. It’s Terrell. You need to come to the hospital, quick.”

I don’t waste time asking why, the urgency in her voice tells me whatever it is it’s fucking bad. I peel out of the parking lot, hitting the gas harder when I make it out onto the street. “I’m on my way. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Hang tight.”

I walk through the doors of the hospital ten minutes later and head straight to the waiting room but there’s no one there.

“Deputy Taylor,” Nurse Fisher calls my name. I’ve known her as long as I can remember. She and my mother have been friends for years, and she was one of many who worked on my father after the accident.

I clear my throat, trying to eliminate the panic threatening to choke me. “Hey, Dina. I’m looking for Terrell. Liv called and told me he was here.”

Her expression pinches with sadness as her lip trembles. “Come. His sister and Olivia are with him now. We finally got ahold of the Johnsons, they’re on their away.”

I follow after her, my stomach churning with every passing step. I’m met with agonizing sobs as I enter the room. Tania lies over Terrell’s chest, blocking him from my view as she cries uncontrollably. Liv hugs her back, burying her face next to hers, tears of sorrow staining her face. Walt stands in the corner, his expression hard yet tormented, and I finally realize it’s far worse than I thought.

Dread sinks in my gut like an anvil. The weight of it almost too much to carry. “What happened?” My voice comes out shaky and gruff, terrified of the answer.

Both Liv and Tania lift their heads. The anguish on both their faces sends me in motion, but I come to an abrupt halt when I get a look at Terrell. He’s almost unrecognizable, his face a battered, swollen mess. All I can do is stare at him as he lies there, completely lifeless, even though the beeping machines prove otherwise.

“Who the fuck did this?” I ask through clenched teeth, the intense ache in my chest making it difficult to breathe.

“It was those masked cowards.” Tania grits through another pained sob. “I called him all morning and he never answered or returned my call. I know he doesn’t like to answer his phone when he’s working out but he always calls me back. So I tried again later this afternoon and still nothing. So I finally went to his place and found him out in the backyard, barely conscious and unable to move.” Liv rubs her back as she begins to cry harder. “Who knows how long he had been there for.”

Blood roars in my ears, whispering words of bitterness and rage. “How do you know it was them?”

“Because he told me before he passed out,” she says painfully. “He said I was to only tell you and no one else.”

“What did he say?”

She shakes her head, trying to compose herself enough to speak. “I couldn’t make out much. He said something about a compound. They have a compound, and then he whispered two names.”

My heart thrums viciously in my chest, relentlessly anticipating her answer. “Who?”

She sniffles, replacing the pain and sadness with deep, dark hatred. “Prichard and Larson.”

I stand there, overwhelmed and fueled by the knowledge. It swirls with my earlier rage, transforming into something so powerful, so indescribable, it shreds every ounce of control I have left.

I look over and point at Walt. “Do not leave their side.”

At his nod I leave the room, my blood pumping so violently I don’t hear Liv yelling my name until she grabs my arm. “Grayson, wait, where are you going?” I spin on her fast, making her flinch. The terrified look on her face has me pulling her against me. “Please don’t leave.” She sobs against my chest.

“I have to, Liv.”

“No, you don’t. It’s the middle of the night. Call Sheriff Dixon. Let him take care of this.”

I shake my head, my eyes trained and focused on the exit. “Terrell told her to tell me and no one else for a reason.”

“Grayson, please, I—”

“Will you listen to me?” I shout before I can stop myself. Leaning down, I bring my forehead to hers and lower my voice. “They went too fucking far this time, Liv, and they need to be stopped. I have to be the one to do it. Who knows who they’ll hurt next. I can’t let that happen.”

“What are you going to do?” she asks fearfully.

“I’m going to find the truth then deliver fucking justice.”

Her shoulders tremble from her stifled sobs and it rips me apart.

“It’ll be okay, baby. Just stay close with Tania and Walt. I’ll be back soon.”

After a hard kiss to her forehead, I walk out of the hospital and into the brisk night air. The breeze does nothing to cool my heated blood. I only have one thought in mind as I get into my truck.