Albie shook his head and handed the flier off to Shane. “This is exactly what was happening in Texas – only no one realized it until the murders started. It brewed formonthsbefore shit escalated.”
“So maybe this is just the beginning,” Walsh said. “Maybe we’re catching it early.”
Eden said, “Knowing about it isn’t stopping it. And right now, it’s open season on pretty young women in Knoxville.”
“Jesus.” Walsh wiped his hands down his face. “I’ll call Ghost. We need to get hold of Jimmy again. I need to get on the horn with some real estate agents: see if there’s property for sale that fits our bill, and is sitting empty.” He surveyed them all. “Em wants to have dinner. Family dinner.” He rolled his eyes. “You’re all invited, if you want to come.” His gaze sought Tenny, who was busy examining his nails, and didn’t look up. “You too, Ten.”
Belatedly, Tenny lifted his head. “Me?”
“You’re family, aren’t you?” Shane asked, encouraging in that totally un-Devin-like way of his.
Tenny lifted a shoulder in an indifferent shrug, unaffected.
“Bring Reese,” Fox said, on impulse – a rather mean one. When Tenny glanced his way sharply, he grinned at him. “Unless you have another date in mind?”
Tenny sneered viciously at him, but he wore his sunglasses up on top of his head, now, and he couldn’t hide the panic that flared in his gaze. He turned away, and slouched to and out through the front door. His bike didn’t start, though; he was waiting for them.
“I can’t ask after him,” Albie said, dryly, “but you can antagonize him. I see how it is.”
“It’s good that you do. Shall we go?”
~*~
“You’re the closest to him in age,” Ghost reasoned. “Well, besides the prospects, but those three are idiots, so.”
“I was there last night when Tenny almost” – Carter drew a finger across his throat. “I don’t think he’ll want to talk to me.”
“Well, he has to talk to someone, and you’re, I dunno, good at making people feel relaxed. Just drive him around.” He offered his own truck keys, the shiny, black Ram waiting behind him in the parking lot. “Fox and the boys will tail you, and they’ll go in if there’s any place that needs to be searched. Okay?”
Carter took the keys, nodding, feeling a bump that wasn’t excitement, but was a sort of gladness to have been trusted like this, especially so soon after last night’s near-disaster. “Yes, sir.”
Twenty minutes later, Jimmy Connors climbed into the passenger seat at Flash Customs, pale with no small amount of trepidation.
His father stood at the open driver’s side window, glaring at Carter. “If you think you’re gonna abduct my son–”
“I’m gonna drive your son around and try to jog his memory, which is a better deal than he’d get from the police,” Carter said, flatly. “He’s involved enough in Allie Henderson’s disappearance, and possible murder, to be arrested. Maybe you should calm the hell down and be grateful this is the worst that’s happening to him.”
The man’s face purpled, but he stepped back, and didn’t comment further.
Carter put the truck in drive and pulled out of the lot, Fox, Tenny, and Reese behind them on their bikes.
Jimmy shifted in his seat. “I can’t help you,” he said, voice petulant and young. “They didn’t tell me shit. I have no idea what happened to Allie.”
Carter sighed as he braked at the first red light. “But you cared about her, yeah?” A glance proved that Jimmy’s face paled further, and he gulped, audibly. “You wanted to go out with her, so that means you actually liked her, didn’t it? Or were you just trying to get your dick wet?”
Jimmy spluttered a protest. “No! I didn’t – we never – I cared about her, okay? Ilikeliked her, man.”
Like like. Carter felt horribly old, suddenly.
He nodded. “Okay, so, if you care, then you should want us to find her, right?”
“Yeah.”
“And you’re the last one – besides your drug dealer friends – who saw her alive. So cooperating saves your skin, and hopefully saves hers, too.” He didn’t mention Nicole, too afraid that Jimmy would feel like he was being accused and clam up like he had last night. “Where did you meet them aside from the shop?”
Jimmy fidgeted again, toying with his seatbelt, but he said, “A house, sometimes. Take a left at the next light.”
Carter turned on his blinker.
