Page 16 of T-Bone
“You find something?”
“I did,” she replied and handed me a photo of a painting. “Turn it over.”
I did and found an address to a small town about two hours from Steel City. “Could be a safe house.” How the fuck would Ashley have access to a safe house, though?
“That’s what I was thinking too, but her life didn’t lend itself to safe houses, at least not that I’ve been able to find. Speaking of,” she looked up and glanced around the room.“Where’s the rest of my stuff?” She twisted her body around and grabbed the laptop before I could answer—again—and pointed to the screen. “No interaction with law enforcement before her death and even if she was an informant there would besomeindication.”
“Such as?” My tone was sarcastic, but I genuinely wanted to know.
“Extra payments to her known bank accounts. Regular holes in her schedule. Her name would appear somewhere, even as a witness in police paperwork. Unless it was the Feds,” she said as if she just realized that fact. “Shit, that’s another thread to unravel later.”
I listened as she talked, absorbed the information that spilled from her lips.
“So we definitely need to go to that address and see what we find,” she tapped the paper still clutched in my hands. “Shiloh Basin. There’s not much information about it online, but it’s a lead we have to follow. I think it might be important.”
I smiled. “Or you justwantit to be important.”
“And you don’t?” her gaze slid to me with a knowing smile.
“Not as badly as you do. I want the truth about who killed Ashley. Pike deserves answers.”
“He does,” she agreed easily. “Ashley deserves justice, however that comes about.”
“So you’re in favor of vigilante justice?”
She nodded. “If legal justice doesn’t get the job done, especially thanks to corruption, hell yeah.” Her gaze darted away quickly. “I’m not sure Red Rock PD is interested in finding out what really happened.”
“Thankfully you and me are interested.”
She gave me a small smile. “Yep.” Faith stood abruptly and spun in a circle as she took in the papers one more time. “If you tell me where my bags are so I can grab them, we can get on the road.”
I let out a bark of laughter. “Tonight? I don’t think so.”
She stopped and gaped at me like I was being unreasonable.
“It’s been a long fucking day, Faith. I’ve been in a fire and a fight, and I need to get some goddamn sleep. So do you.”
Her brows knitted and her eyes narrowed at me before she opened her mouth to give me a piece of her mind, except only a yawn escaped.
I didn’t bother hiding my smile.
“Yeah okay, fine. First thing in the morning we leave for Shiloh Basin.” It wasn’t a question. “I guess I’m sleeping here tonight?”
“Yeah. I’ll be crashing in another room since you’re here.”
She shook her head. “I’m not taking your room.” Her tone was incredulous, as if she’d committed some sin.
“I’m giving it to you for tonight, but don’t worry, this is where I stay when I don’t make it back to my place. You’re fine Faith.”
She watched me for a long minute as if trying to process my words. “Okay, I’ll stay here, then. Thank you, T-Bone.” The sincerity in her words hit me uncomfortably as I got to my feet.
“See you in the morning.” I walked out of the room that now smelled like her, and headed to one of the spare rooms for the night. The shower and my dreams were full of a sexybrunette former cop with the kind of curves that made a man remember why it was so fucking goodto bea man.
Chapter Eleven
Faith
“Oh yeah,” I moaned and closed my eyes. “I really needed that.” I liked coffee any way I could get it, even the bitter stuff offered at police precincts all over the country. As long as it was hot and black, I’d take it, but this place T-Bone had stopped at on our way to Shiloh Basin? The coffee was magnificent, full-bodied and flavorful, and strong enough that I felt the jolt of caffeine instantly.
