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Authors: Brian J. Jarrett
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about Julie…how are they involved?”
Max told Vanessa about his meeting with Ruby and the details of what they discussed in the car.
“You shouldn’t get involved with anybody from that club,” Vanessa said. “You don’t know if you can trust her.”
Max hadn’t considered that. “I think she’s on the up and up.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Vanessa said. “If she’s involved with them, maybe even a part of whatever they’re up to then you’re putting yourself at risk by sharing anything with her.”
“Possibly. Or it’s possible she’s telling the truth.”
“I hope she is,” Vanessa said. “If not, we’re both already dead.”
* * *
Max pulled into his driveway and parked, his thoughts given over to Ruby and the details of the conversations they’d had. Vanessa had planted the seed of doubt about her and now Max found he couldn’t stop the questions that were growing from it. He replayed the conversation they’d had after their first meeting in The Hustle’s parking lot, searching for any indication that he might be getting the runaround.
Ruby had seemed genuinely concerned about her friend, but the more Max thought about it, the more possible it became that she might be hiding something. She’d been the one to make contact with him, letting herself into the car that night. However, she’d been forthcoming with information about Gabe and Julie.
Unless, of course, she’d been lying. That could change everything.
Max retrieved Josh’s letter from his pocket and read over it again as the engine cooled. Josh mentioned a cabin in his letter, but no one Max had spoken to thus far had said anything about a cabin. And, according to the letter, Josh had been convinced that Gabe knew about this cabin and two other things: the girls and the money .
The girls…more girls like Amanda? Could Vanessa be right about Gabe and Caldwell? Were they running some sort of human trafficking ring? But Gabe had gone to that flophouse with the awful basement, so wouldn’t he already know about “the girls”? In that scenario, what Josh said in his letter didn’t make sense. Were there other girls, girls that Gabe didn’t know about?
And the money…Max could only speculate.
Gabe Harris and a man named Caldwell had both been perceived by Josh as threats. It seemed the next logical step should be shining a spotlight on these two men, something beyond Max’s power. The police needed to get involved for that to happen and the DVD could be the catalyst for that. He’d take it to the cops right away and tell them everything he knew. Then he’d be rid of it. He was getting in over his head now; better to involve the pros and bow out before he screwed things up.
Max got out of the car and headed toward the door.
He froze when he found the lock busted and the door ajar.
Chapter Eighteen
Max opened the door slowly, his heart pounding as adrenaline flooded his system. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach and he swallowed hard. Something told him not to open the door, to just turn around and walk out. To go to the police and tell them everything now, while he still could.
But he had a sneaking suspicion. He had to know.
He stepped inside the house and found it had been thoroughly tossed. The recliner had been turned upside down, the couch cushions had been removed for someone to search beneath them. Every drawer in the kitchen had been opened, their contents rifled through.
Bypassing the mess in the living room, Max stepped slowly and carefully toward the master bedroom. Alarm bells rang in his head telling him again to leave, that the person or people who did this were very likely waiting inside for him, but he ignored them.
Again, he had to know.
Max stepped into the bedroom and looked around. The bed had been stripped, the mattress removed and leaned up against the wall. The closet door stood open, the contents spilling out and into the room. Shoeboxes opened, clothes torn from the rack
Max told Vanessa about his meeting with Ruby and the details of what they discussed in the car.
“You shouldn’t get involved with anybody from that club,” Vanessa said. “You don’t know if you can trust her.”
Max hadn’t considered that. “I think she’s on the up and up.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Vanessa said. “If she’s involved with them, maybe even a part of whatever they’re up to then you’re putting yourself at risk by sharing anything with her.”
“Possibly. Or it’s possible she’s telling the truth.”
“I hope she is,” Vanessa said. “If not, we’re both already dead.”
* * *
Max pulled into his driveway and parked, his thoughts given over to Ruby and the details of the conversations they’d had. Vanessa had planted the seed of doubt about her and now Max found he couldn’t stop the questions that were growing from it. He replayed the conversation they’d had after their first meeting in The Hustle’s parking lot, searching for any indication that he might be getting the runaround.
Ruby had seemed genuinely concerned about her friend, but the more Max thought about it, the more possible it became that she might be hiding something. She’d been the one to make contact with him, letting herself into the car that night. However, she’d been forthcoming with information about Gabe and Julie.
Unless, of course, she’d been lying. That could change everything.
Max retrieved Josh’s letter from his pocket and read over it again as the engine cooled. Josh mentioned a cabin in his letter, but no one Max had spoken to thus far had said anything about a cabin. And, according to the letter, Josh had been convinced that Gabe knew about this cabin and two other things: the girls and the money .
The girls…more girls like Amanda? Could Vanessa be right about Gabe and Caldwell? Were they running some sort of human trafficking ring? But Gabe had gone to that flophouse with the awful basement, so wouldn’t he already know about “the girls”? In that scenario, what Josh said in his letter didn’t make sense. Were there other girls, girls that Gabe didn’t know about?
And the money…Max could only speculate.
Gabe Harris and a man named Caldwell had both been perceived by Josh as threats. It seemed the next logical step should be shining a spotlight on these two men, something beyond Max’s power. The police needed to get involved for that to happen and the DVD could be the catalyst for that. He’d take it to the cops right away and tell them everything he knew. Then he’d be rid of it. He was getting in over his head now; better to involve the pros and bow out before he screwed things up.
Max got out of the car and headed toward the door.
He froze when he found the lock busted and the door ajar.
Chapter Eighteen
Max opened the door slowly, his heart pounding as adrenaline flooded his system. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach and he swallowed hard. Something told him not to open the door, to just turn around and walk out. To go to the police and tell them everything now, while he still could.
But he had a sneaking suspicion. He had to know.
He stepped inside the house and found it had been thoroughly tossed. The recliner had been turned upside down, the couch cushions had been removed for someone to search beneath them. Every drawer in the kitchen had been opened, their contents rifled through.
Bypassing the mess in the living room, Max stepped slowly and carefully toward the master bedroom. Alarm bells rang in his head telling him again to leave, that the person or people who did this were very likely waiting inside for him, but he ignored them.
Again, he had to know.
Max stepped into the bedroom and looked around. The bed had been stripped, the mattress removed and leaned up against the wall. The closet door stood open, the contents spilling out and into the room. Shoeboxes opened, clothes torn from the rack
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