Page 38 of Taken by the Lawman

“I understand he’s your friend—”

“He could have easily been set up too.”

“I see your point. What’s our next step? Are you going to tell him what we found out?”

“Not yet. Before we divulge any of this, I want to make sure what we’re accusing a man of. This could rip apart one, or both, of their lives. I have to say I’ve never much cared for politicians and worried about their benefit but throwing accusations around could hurt a lot of people.”

She nodded. “I agree.”

He needed to get something off his chest. “Max realizes the risk of bringing me in to investigate. If he was guilty of anything, he would allow Annie’s death to be ruled as an overdose. He’s my friend, but I’d never cover up anything for him, and he knows that as well as you should.”

Staring at the road ahead, he felt Kiersten’s warm touch on his elbow. He snapped his gaze around and she was looking at him. “I know you and you wouldn’t cover up a murder, or evidence, for your friend. I’m only pointing out the facts.”

Swallowing hard, he pulled over to the side of the road. “When he was younger, Max was a shy boy, never good with the ladies but sharp he was. He excelled in all his classes in the military, even helped me on occasion. More than occasionally. We bunked together. It took him two years to finally open up and tell me about his childhood. His mom was shot in a drive-by and after that his father was always gone working and keeping the stool warm at the local bar. One late night while he was studying for a test, because even then he was a book worm, he heard a noise and realized the apartment was being broken into. He ran but didn’t get away. He was severely beaten, but thankfully left alive. It took him a year before he got full use of his legs again and another six before he was brave enough to look at people in the eye, only to lose his father a few months later to a heart attack. Max wanted to change the world. I felt the same, but he chose politics and I chose law enforcement.” He investigated her gaze, holding it. “A man doesn’t risk losing everything when he’s lost everything before. Max has goals, and although he got sidetracked in an affair that might have screwed up his future reaching them, but we know that Annie was hired to seduce him and betray him. Everyone has their weaknesses and so does Max. He cared for that girl and he wouldn’t hurt her.”

“Well, let’s hope we catch the killer soon and get more answers.”

He pulled back out on the road. “In the meantime, we must be patient. The killer will slip.”

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