Cassie nodded. “He’s going to be thrilled with us invading his home at this hour.”
“Use your charm,” Harper said.
“I just hope he doesn’t think this is a booty call.” Cassie smiled.
“At least he won’t be mad.”
Hack checked the door. Unlocked. He pushed it open. They entered.
Cassie called out. “Simon? You here?”
Silence.
Again, she yelled. Nothing.
Took five minutes to clear all the rooms, and find Simon Greene. In his home office. Slumped in the chair behind his desk. Blood smear on his chest, black hole in his forehead.
“Jesus,” Cassie said.
“Dalton,” Cain added.
“They set him up,” Harper said. She moved around the right side of the desk. “No sign of a struggle. They executed him where he’s sitting.” She completed her circle of the scene. “Dalton called and arranged a meet to make sure everyone was on the same page and that everything would go on as usual. All friendly like. Greene let them in. Came in here to talk business.” She shook her head. “He never had a chance.”
“Which means Buck, Marla, and Jason are on the table,” Cain said.
“Maybe we can now convince Jason to come into the PD,” Hack said. “This just might make him see things a bit differently.”
Cassie nodded toward Cain and Harper. “You guys head back to the PD. Hack and I’ll swing by and lean on Jason. See if he’s smart enough to read the writing on the wall.”
CHAPTER 65
Buck saw the signs. The need. The monkey baring its teeth. Marla hunched over, rubbing her arms, one leg bouncing. Pupils beginning to dilate, eye movements rapid and chaotic. She avoided his gaze, preferring the tabletop, the floor, the walls—anything but him.
He sat across the PD’s break room table from her. They had found some cheese and crackers and soft drinks in the fridge. Marla nibbled; Buck devoured everything. Downed two bottles of water.
“I feel like we’re in jail,” Marla said.
“We are.”
That got a half-smile from her. “You know what I mean.”
“Not really. I’ve never been in jail.”
“That’s because you do everything right. Don’t you?”
“My father might not agree.”
“Why?”
“Long story.”
She took a gulp of Dr. Pepper. “We have time.” Another half-smile.
“My father built a large medical clinic over in North Carolina. My brothers and my sister work there. A dozen other docs do, too.”
“Sounds impressive.”
“It is. Dad’s good at what he does.”
“But?” she prompted him.
“I was supposed to join the club. Finish my surgical residency and slide into a safe and warm job.” He shrugged. “I chose to jump from that program and see the world.”
Marla rolled her eyes. “You mean like Tanner’s Crossroads?”
“Exactly.”
She forked her fingers through her hair. “And here I’ve been trying to get out.”
“Why don’t you?”
“And go where? I think everywhere would be just as bad.”
“Anywhere is better if you can kick your bad habits.”
“Trust me, I’ve tried.”
“Try again. And again, and again. Until it sticks.”
Marla scratched the back of one hand. “Not sure it ever will.”
“It will. When you’re ready.”
“When might that be?”
“Up to you. Most often it’s when someone hits the pavement. Rock bottom.”
Her head dropped. She folded her hands in her lap, stared at them. Buck waited, let her have the moment. She glanced up. “Look at me. I’m a mess. An addict. A whore. A criminal.” Her eyes moistened. “Sometimes I think it’d be best if I simply ended it all.”
“Then the drugs would win.”
She huffed out a blast of air. “Haven’t they already?”
“Not yet.”
Her gaze dropped again.
“Look, Marla, the nurses over at the hospital, Cassie, too, told me about you.” She looked up. “Good student. Smart. Good athlete. Homecoming queen. Prettiest girl in the school.”
“Yeah, well, that was a long time ago.”
“That girl is still in there. You simply have to find her. Let her live.”
“She feels dead to me.”
“That’s the drugs talking. Look past them. See who you really are.”
“What would that be? A thief? A whore?”
“A beautiful and smart woman.”
She opened her palms. “I don’t see anyone like that in here.”
“She’s there. Find her. Hold on to her.”
She started to say something but her cell chimed. She looked at the screen, then answered, “Hey.” She waited a beat, then said, “Hold on just a sec. Let me move where I can get a better signal.”
She stood.
“Who is it?” Buck asked.
She pressed the phone against her chest. “A friend of mine. She’s worried about me.” She moved toward the door. “Back in a sec.”
CHAPTER 66
Shame dogged Marla as she left the room. She had lied to Buck. Hadn’t he been kind to her? Helped her? Even now, offered more help? In the ER he had looked her in the eye, smiled, cared for her. Treated the infection on her arm, which was now well on its way to healing. He didn’t look down on her like others did. Didn’t treat her like street scum, even if she felt that way about herself.
He had given her money and didn’t make it feel like charity, but rather true concern. For food, sure, and she had used it for drugs. What the hell was wrong with her?
It was a question she knew the answer to. Her need for drugs was stronger than she was. That’s the one thing that Buck didn’t get. Not really. Sure he learned about it in med school and probably saw it many times in ERs and hospitals, but he never lived it. Never understood the grinding hunger that chewed cavernous channels inside. A monster that hid in the deep recesses, always ready to rise up and take control. Like now.
The call was from Jason. She couldn’t talk to him in front of Buck so her lame excuse popped in her head and out of her mouth. A girlfriend who was worried about her. Did Buck believe her? Did he know she had no friends? None.
Definitely not Jason. He was an abusive ass. Made her do things, knowing she would in exchange for what he
