Page 20 of Out to Find Freedom

But was it her real one?

That was the problem. I didn’t think it was, because when I got into work, I looked up the people around my house and didn’t find anyone by the name of Emmie.

Where was she, then?

I goddamn hated puzzles because I wanted to solve them. Yet I had a feeling I needed or wanted to take my time with this one. I had to find out more about the woman.

Picking up my phone, I shot off,What’re you doing?

There wasn’t an answer right away or even an hour later. I bloody checked again and again. Maybe she worked and couldn’t reply.

“Hey, Warden, did you get the fax from Tom yet?” Violet asked. She was my boss, but she treated her employees like we were all on the same level. Didn’t think I would work for a woman in a private investigating office, yet there I was. I’d started out life in the army, fucking hated it. So I saved, delisted, and got my degree in criminal justice with a certificate in security operations and investigative services. Worked for a joint in Melbourne. Couldn’t stand the owner—he thought his shit didn’t stink. I moved to the country, was going to take a bouncer job until, to my goddamn shock, I saw an ad for an investigator. Didn’t think a small town would need a firm, but after being around for four years, I knew Violet had a name for herself. Clients came from all around Australia asking for help. Though, since Violet had gotten back into the fold with her brother, the local president of the Hawks MC, it seemed our time got even busier, as well as our usual workload.

“Not yet,” I called.

I heard her chair squeak and looked over to see her leaning back in it with her eyes on me. “You checked recently? Because I haven’t seen you check anything but your phone for the last hour.”

Shit.

“Nope,” I said, then rolled my chair back to check the fax machine. Fucking hell, it was sitting there, and it said he’d sent it an hour ago.

“You good?”

“Yep.” I read over the file, knowing Violet was still looking at me. Thank Christ, Tom sent me something I could follow up. Standing, I pocketed my phone. I grabbed my gun from my locked drawer and slipped it into the back of my jeans. I’d fucking forgotten my holster in the car. “Gonna run out. Tom got the report in from toxicology. She had been doped up to the max. Headin’ to the club she was last at. Asked about her, but never questioned them about drugs happenin’ in the area.”

Violet shot me a chin lift. “Keep your head in the game.” Yeah, she knew my mind was elsewhere that morning.

“Will do. When Zara gets back, tell her to keep my lunch warm in the oven.”

She snorted. “Can’t have your precious lunch go to waste.”

Narrowing my eyes, I told her, “Not when it’s from Seymore’s. And if you or Butch fuckin’ even think of eatin’ it, I’ll kill you.”

“You threaten, and yet it never happens.”

“It will this day.”

She waved me off and went back to whatever she’d been doing on the computer. I made my way out to my Hilux ute. The mother of the girl who’d been at the club even when she was underage had contacted Vi’s office to look into it. She felt the cops weren’t doing enough, and she wanted the men to pay for what they’d done to her girl. Not only had she been drugged, but they raped her, then dumped her body in a back alley. It’d been the previous night I’d found out her case wasn’t the only one, and this shit had been going on for fucking years. It was no wonder the mum, Mrs Henson, felt the cops wouldn’t get the answers she wanted. I just damn hoped I could get them for her.

The club wasn’t far. I knew it’d be open because during the day, people could get pub meals there. Walking in, I headed straight to the bar. Two barmen were behind the counter. One was taking meal orders, the other drinks. Since I wasn’t eating, I waited for the other.

When he made his way towards me, I took in his name tag. Terry.

He nodded. “Hey, man. What can I get you?”

“Name’s Warden. I work for an investigation firm. Hired by the mother of the young girl who got taken from here over a month ago. Know the police have gone through the videos, interviewed people. What I want to know is if anyone workin’ here knows about the high percentage of drugs in the area.”

“Look, man, you’re asking the wrong person. I only work the day shift, and I can honestly say I haven’t seen any dealings here. The man you need is the manager. He can get you a list of the night staff. They’re the better ones to question.”

“Okay, where can I find the manager?”

“He’s on holidays for another two weeks.”

Fucking hell.

“Then who’s in charge until he gets back?”

“Phillip at the register there. But he’s a lazy fuck. Made sure he only works days, never comes in at night. That’s what I heard from Shanti.”

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