I could hardly help on the investigation, but maybe I could help gather some facts. I scrolled through my contacts and put a call in to Detective Louis Carson, one of the Chicago homicide detectives I’d called to ask about Tyler and the guys when I’d first rolled into town.
“Hey Watson,” he said. “You still in our fair city?”
“I am,” I said. “And I have a favor.” I told him about Emily and about wanting to help Sapphire and asked him if there was anything more I could pass on to her.
“I know a bit about that case,” he said. “I can give you some info, but you need to keep it to yourself. Chief wanted a tight wrap on this case, and he hasn’t yet authorized release of the details. Should be soon, though, and you can tell your girl.”
“I’ll keep quiet until you say,” I promised, then listened as he told me about how she’d been found in an abandoned warehouse—that was public knowledge—and that she’d been the victim of torture.
“Not sexual, as far as we can tell. But starved and beaten. Some sick fuck did a number on her.”
“Shit.”
“I know. We’re hoping we don’t have a serial killer on our hands.”
“Anything useful from forensics?”
“Adhesive residue and POE oil,” he said, spelling out the last for me. “That’s the angle we’re working now, but both are pretty damn common.”
I thanked him and we chatted some more until I hit my exit, then I said goodbye and pulled into the Starbucks that was just a few doors down the street. I’d done the same the last two times I’d come, and when the barista knew I wanted a venti nonfat latte before I even asked, I realized I was feeling like a regular.
I bought a scone for later and took it and my coffee back to the car, then continued on to the club. I was about to pull behind the building to park when I saw the back door open and Tyler step out—and Michelle was with him.
I pulled over and watched as they got into Tyler’s Buick and pulled out onto the road. And then, though I felt prickles of guilt for doing it, I followed them.
Despite what I knew about Michelle, I wasn’t expecting them to lead me to a love nest. On the contrary, because of what I knew about Michelle—including Tyler’s comment that first day in his office that he wanted to use her for some project—I had a feeling I was about to see the kind of thing I really didn’t want to see—proof that Tyler Sharp wasn’t anywhere close to squeaky clean.
The thought almost made me turn back around.
But I couldn’t. I needed to keep going. I needed to see.
They pulled up at The Drake, and as I took a spot on the opposite side of the street, the valet opened the car for Michelle. She got out, looking classy in a red business suit with a straight skirt. I waited for Tyler to get out, but he continued on, pulling back into traffic.
I frowned, and was about to follow, when I noticed the white van two spots in front of me with a BAS sticker in the back window.
Okay, then.
Apparently I’d stumbled on a BAS Security operation. And I figured I might as well pop in and see what they were up to.
I was about to get out of the car to do just that when my phone rang, the caller ID showing that it was Kevin. I considered ignoring the call, but succumbed to curiosity and answered.
“I keep hoping to hear from you.”
“Kevin, I told you. You’re chasing rainbows. These are good guys. Trust me.”
“No,” Kevin said. “It’s there. Those three don’t operate clean. Everything they touch snakes back to dirty. Smuggling, forgery, extortion, you name it. Did you know they supposedly run a private security company? But I’ll be damned if that’s not just a front for them to gather intel.”
I glanced out my window at the BAS van and frowned. “Jesus, Kevin. Do you have even a shred of evidence that isn’t completely circumstantial?”
“I know what I know,” Kevin said.
“Yeah, well, I don’t.” I ended the call, too frustrated and distracted to let it linger.
Once again, I glanced over toward The Drake, and then to the van in front of me.
I thought of Tyler and hoped I hadn’t been a fool to let him shatter my walls and slide in through the cracks. But even as I hoped, I couldn’t forget what Kevin had said—everything they touch snakes back to dirty.
And I couldn’t help but think that Tyler had touched me.
I’d told Kevin the absolute truth—I had nothing on these men. But while that was true, it wasn’t the whole truth.
The whole truth was that I hadn’t looked because, dammit, I was afraid of what I might see. And if I saw, would I lie? As I’d lied last night to the detective?
Shit. Who was I?
I’d been closing my eyes where before I would have been poking a flashlight into shadows.
That had to stop now. If for no other reason than I was falling in love with Tyler. And I had to know if the man I loved was dirty.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I got out of the car and marched to the van. I drew in a breath, grabbed the sliding door handle, and tugged.
Inside, Cole whipped around to look at me, then slammed his palm down on a console, making a row of five video monitors go to black.
But it didn’t matter—I’d already seen. Michelle, in full dominatrix regalia, holding a whip over a man I recognized from the Chicago papers. Alderman Brian Bentley, decked out in a ballgag and cuffs.
“Sloane, wait—”
I slammed the door, cutting off Cole’s plea. Then I ran for my car. I heard the van open, heard him call for me again. I didn’t care. I started the car, slid into traffic, and floored it.
I cranked the music up loud, and hoped that the beat would drown out my thoughts, but it wasn’t working. My thoughts were filled with Kevin’s accusations and with the images I’d seen in that van. Extortion, I assumed. Bribery. What had Evan called it? A protection plan?
God. What they hell were they into?
And what the hell was I doing?
A year ago, a month ago, hell, a week ago, I’d be calling the local PD. Now I wasn’t sure what to do.
I was twisted around because of love—but didn’t that make me as guilty as they were?
I didn’t know. All I knew was that Tyler filled my head, bigger and bolder than even the music my dad sent me.
Tyler, who had held me, teased me, touched me, fucked me. Whose heart had beat in time with mine.
I thought about his humor. About his compassion.