Page 134 of Irreversible

“Once I interviewed the father and we traced other disappearances to the same ring, I was able to get in while keeping your name out of it. And now, with the guy still outthere, it’s helpful if you can trail him as covertly as possible. Let him think you died back there.”

And there’s the plan. “Fuck, I guess you really are my hero.”

“The only time the name Isaac has come up was with Everly Cross, and since you’d already mentioned her, I made sure I was the one on her interviews so I could find out how much she knew. Turns out, it was next to nothing.”

I rub my overgrown beard, anxious for a shave. Honestly, I told her more than I’ve told anyone—I just didn’t give her anything that could be easily traced. Thank God.

Regret softens his eyes. “She’s pretty upset. Kept insisting that she didn’t make you up. That we must have missed getting someone out of the building. I hated lying to her.”

For a split second, I feel a twinge of guilt…until I remember the way she said Jasper’s name.

She has a husband, dumbass. What did you think was going to happen?

Since I haven’t been coherent enough before now, I give him the rundown on everything I gathered about Vincent and his mind games, and the details of what went on in that building.

Then, with an ache in my chest, I tell him about Sara.

He’s quiet after I tell him about the video. Horrified. Apologetic. We sit there in silence for a while.

In mourning.

An incoming call breaks it. He answers, leaning back in the chair. “Hey, Mom… Yeah, I’m with him now.” He moves the phone to his chin. “My mother says she’s glad you’re okay, and she’ll send some of her turtle brownies with me next time.” He mouthssorrywith a shrug.

I laugh quietly. Guess he’s not hiding me from everyone. Setting all mama’s boy jokes aside, the woman’s brownies really are the best, and she’s a steel trap when it comes to secrets. I can respect that.

“Wait.” Tanner hops to his feet, tension entering his voice. “She’s inourtown? Where did you hear this?” Wide-eyed, he paces the floor. “I’ll see what I can find out, but unless something has changed, she’s not going to be happy about it.”

He looks up, catching my raised eyebrow, and answers it with a frustrated shake of his head.

“Don’t worry, Mom. It’s not you she hates. I’ll find out what I can and come by later. Isaac says hi, and he’ll take a double batch of brownies. Love you, too.” Shoving the phone in his pocket, he exhales harshly. “Fuck me.”

“Everything okay with the family?” I push the eggs to the far corner of the small table. The smell is killing me.

“The family is fine. I guess Shay is back in town.”

“Oh, shit. Finally came back to kick your ass after all these years?”

“Not funny. My mother was heartbroken. Wants me to check on her.”

I don’t see that going well. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do.”

“I’d love to, but you don’t exist, remember? And the sooner you get better, the sooner you can go after the bastard.”

A smile spreads as the implication sinks in. I was always going to go after Vincent, but I wasn’t sure whether I’d have Tanner’s support. “Frankly, I thought you’d tell me to leave it to the Feds.”

“But we both know you won’t.” He packs the papers back into the briefcase, exchanging them for a laptop, which he sets on the end of the bed. “Might as well embrace it. This way, I can help you. If you want to go about it officially, or need funding, Imightbe able to hire you as a subcontractor due to your expertise. But then you’d be on the books, and there would be questions.”

“I have a good amount of savings. I’d rather do it on my own until we’re forced to cross that bridge.”

“I figured as much.” He nods toward the laptop. “There’s a file on there, containing the details I’ve compiled on Vincent’s operation and everything else I’ve found. I might be able to get you some extra cash. Just don’t go dark on me, okay? I can’t do that again.”

“Sure.”

The look he gives me is dubious. “Try not to get me fired,” he adds. “And if you trust the girl, I can let her in on it.”

“I don’t.”

But Tanner is like a dog hunting a bone. He senses one buried in the vicinity, and he doesn’t let up. “She’s scheduled to come down to the station when she’s out of the hospital. I could tell her the minimum.”

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