Page 11 of Frenemies
Inside were pictures of a crime scene in what appeared to be a bar and a shitty one at that. I had no idea who the two dead men were, but I did recognize the grim reaper patch on their jackets. Even though I felt a little bad when I saw the picture of a lifeless girl, I didn’t see how two dead Reapers helped us find Chase.
That is until I turned to the last page and saw the eyewitness sketch. It was pretty generic, but I still recognized that jawline.
Beast scrubbed a hand down his face and grumbled, “Chase has gone off the deep end.”
“This doesn’t prove anything.” I slapped the file back in his hands and shook my head. “If he was there, and there’s nothing saying he was, then he was probably trying to help that poor girl.”
Chase might be uncouth, but he was a good man.
Beast let out a breath and shifted his gaze to Jaz, who tipped her head in response.
I crossed my arms and eyed them both. “What?”
They obviously weren’t telling me something.
“Um,” Beast’s hand lifted to rub the back of his head. “Ballistic reports say all three were killed by the same 9mm.”
“So?” That didn’t mean anything. Chase could’ve taken the gun off one of the Reapers.
Jaz sighed and rose to her feet. “Look, I know you want to think Chase is a good guy, but. . .”
“We’ve seen this before.” Her husband finished for her. “When Sam died. He. . .let’s just say he went on a blood and pussy binge.”
Jaz’s hand swung out, slapping him on the back of the head.
“Ouch, what the hell was that for?”
She answered him by tipping her head in my direction.
“Oh, please,” I scoffed. “You don’t think I know what he’s been up to?”
I wasn’t stupid. I’d seen the depraved things broken men did, and Chase was no exception. Was I mad at him for it? Maybe a little, but there was a difference between sex and intimacy.
“Let’s just worry about finding him first. Then we can drag him back from whatever self-induced hell he’s fallen into.”
“Naomi,” Jaz rolled her big eyes up to mine and chewed on the corner of her lip. “You need to prepare yourself. . .”
“Prepare myself for what,” I snarled, cutting her off.
Her chest rose with a heavy sigh. “Chase might be gone for good.”
I looked at the worry shining in her eyes and then at the same glint displayed on her husband’s face. They might think Chase was lost, but I wouldn’t accept that.
“So what? We should just give up on him?” Some friends Chase had. I’d never give up on mine.
Ava sprang back through the door and waved her hands accusingly at us. I cocked a brow at the desperate way her grey eyes darted around.
“Why are you guys still standing here? The dragon is burning everything up.” She tore through the house, grabbing vases and pots. “Get some water.”
Shaking my head, I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a calming breath. This right here was a prime example of testing one’s limits. Should I help Ava battle her imaginary dragon? Probably not, but I would.
“You guys do what you need to. I’m not giving up on him.”
Beast shook his head. “No one’s giving up on him—it’s just. . .”
“Look, we know you love him,”
I stopped Jaz there and held up my hand. “No one said anything about love.”
