Sticking my phone back into my front pocket, I shrug my shoulders. “No idea. I just got here.”
As he comes closer, I notice his jaw ticking ferociously. “Don’t fuck with me, boy.” His fingers tangle around the collar of my shirt and he pulls me so close that I can smell the stench of bourbon roll off his tongue. “Tell me where my daughter and that nitwit, Talon, are, right fucking now.”
Attempting to shove his hands off me, I fail. “I told you, I just got here. I have no idea where Marni and Talon are.”
My words only provoke his anger further. He pulls me closer and for a moment it feels like my feet have left the ground. “The cops were snooping around my warehouse this afternoon. I want proof that this is all laid to rest. That this boy's body won’t surface on my front porch.”
“What kind of proof are we supposed to give you?” I ask him. How are we supposed to prove that Josh’s body is laid to rest, someplace it will never be found, when we don't even know where the hell it is?
When he finally releases his grip on me, I brush off my shirt. His demeanor changes. Shifting from erratic to unusually mellow. “I wanna know what the hell you guys did with Josh. This needs to end right fucking now.”
I could tell him that we have no idea, but there’s a good chance he’d kill me right here and now. He’d probably get away with it, too. “He’s buried. No one will find him.”
His chin tips up and his eyes narrow in on me. “Where?”
Fucking A. Where the hell are those guys? I can’t believe I have to deal with this shit right now. Sweat drips down my back as I rack my brain, trying to come up with something that will appease this man. Lake Ruin? With his car? No, that would just make him more anxious. The car has already been found. They’ve had divers searching ever since. “Briarwood,” I spit out, without even giving it a second thought. “He’s buried in the basement of Briarwood.” That’s where he should be, anyway.
Cocking a brow, he questions me further. “Briarwood? As in that old Asylum off Highway 55? Why the hell did you guys bury him there? That’s Talon’s property. Jesus Christ, are you guys trying to get us all locked up for life?”
“No one will find him. He’s underneath a slab of cement. We’re good. It’s over. You’ll never even be considered a suspect.”
“Is it? Because what happens when they find new evidence that I don’t know about? They found his car. Got a tip that he could be at the warehouse, fortunately that was a dead end. But what’s next? Search parties are out day and night.” He shakes his head. “I won’t rest until I see for myself.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. “Let me talk to the others and I’ll give you a call.”
“If the cops start investigating me and I lose everything….” he pauses, “doesn’t matter. You’ve got forty-eight hours to bring me to him, and once you do, I’m taking control. I’ll get rid of that fucking body for good. I have to leave for a business trip in two days and I’ll be gone for three weeks. I want this shit settled before I go. Rally together, have a little heart-to-heart, I don’t fucking care. But I’m taking matters into my own hands like I should have in the first place.” His hand sweeps through the air as he turns back toward his SUV. “Forty-eight hours, or I’m coming for all four of you. And I’ll be taking my daughter with me.”
I stand frozen until he pulls away. I’m pretty sure I held my breath for those entire sixty seconds. Once his taillights fade into the distance, I throw my face into my hands. “Fuck,” I shout, kicking the toe of my shoe into the cement. This is a damn mess. It’s not enough that Josh’s car is being torn apart for evidence. That the entire fucking town has been searching for him day and night, meaning he could turn up at any moment. But now, we’ve got Anderson fucking Thorn on our asses.
When I pull my phone back out to call Talon, an unknown number flashes on the screen. Hitting ignore, I end the call. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message or text me like a normal person. Then I shoot Talon and Tommy a group text.
Me: Shit just hit the fan. We need to meet up. Where the hell are you guys?
As soon as I hit send, a voicemail comes through. I hit play.
“Lars, it’s Willa. Can we meet up and talk? It’s important. Please call me back.”
4
It looks like Christmas threw up on Redwood as I drive through the small town. The sun is beginning to set and every lead the guys followed turned up a dead end. With no daylight, there is no way we are finding Josh tonight—if we ever find him. We only have one option left, and they aren’t gonna like it one bit, but we have no choice. We have to get on Zed’s good side.
Pulling up to Briarwood, I see Tommy’s car. When I get out, I can immediately smell the burning wood. Of course. I’m hashing it out with Anderson and these guys are back here having a bonfire and partying it up. Rage consumes me as I walk around the dilapidated building. “Are you fucking kidding me? This is what you call being productive?” I stalk toward Talon as all my blood rushes to my face. “Do you have any idea what I just dealt with? Of course you don’t because you assholes left me.” I look around from face to face, and I’m taken aback by a familiar one. “What the hell is she doing here?” I gesture toward Madison with my eyes on Talon.
“Hey, brother. Good to see you, too,” Madison says as she tips back a can of seltzer wine.
Nervousness washes over me and I’m not sure I can take much more tonight. Part of me wonders if I need to just pack up my shit and run far away. I’ve dug myself so damn deep that I have no idea how I’ll ever make it out of this a free man. “I was just telling your friends that it would be nice if we could all get to know each other better. I’ve been in Redwood for almost a year and I’ve never even hung out with you guys.”
Snatching a can of beer from Tommy, I look over at Madison and grin. “Yeah, that’s because you’re stuck up and we prefer to distance ourselves from fake bitches. Now if you don’t mind, I need to talk to my friends. Go back to the mall, or maybe the plastic surgeon who fucked up your nose.”
Her hand slaps to her chest. “Ouch. That might hurt if I had a heart.” The imposter smile she was wearing quickly diminishes and a snark glare washes over her face. I’ve gotta get her out of here before she says something stupid. I wouldn’t put it past her to tell these guys that she knows the truth. Even if she doesn’t have proof, her statement would point a lot of fingers at us. Slamming the beer in my hand, I toss the can beside the blazing fire and stalk toward Madison.
Grabbing her by arm, I pull her away from everyone. “What the hell are you up to now?” I whisper-yell.
“Nothing. Just wanted to hang out with you all. That’s not a problem, is it?”
“How did you even know they were here?” I ask with my fingers still tangled around her forearm.
Her shoulders waggle. “I followed them from town. Is that a problem?”
My phone sounds in my pocket and Madison’s eyes shoot to it. “Are you gonna get that?”
“Later.”