Page 1 of Beneath The Truth
1
Rhett
Get home rightthefucknow.
After the last year, I had become a pro at ignoring texts and calls.When you walked away from everything and everyone you knew, it was a skill you honed until it was sharp enough to slice the bullshit fromyourlife.
Before my world fell apart, I was all about my brothers in blue.Nothing was more important to me than family, honor, and justice.And then betrayal ground those rose-colored glasses beneath its boot heel until my old way of life was nothingbutdust.
My life was different now.No badge.No brotherhood.And what the hell was justice,anyway?
All I cared about was collecting fees from my PI clients.I didn’t get involved, didn’t let myself get invested.I turned it all off and did the job.No more.Noless.
I looked at the screen of my phone again, and the gallon of coffee I’d downed to keep me awake to finish this case churned in my stomach with the burger I’deaten.
This text was different, especially considering the sender.My gut said so, and since that was the one thing I still trusted, I tossed my camera aside and started my Jeep.Mrs.Higgins could wait to find out if her husband was cheatingonher.
For the first time in a year, I was going back to New Orleans ...the city I’d left behind withoutlookingback.
Just under three hours later,I slammed on the brakes, unable to get any closer to my childhood home.Blue, red, white, and orange flashing lights lit up the night sky like a jacked-up carnival.Police barricades blocked the road, and I threw my Jeepintopark.
Where the fuck istheroof?
I flung open the door and charged out of the SUV, shoving my way into the crowd ofgawkers.
Holyshit.
A fist gripped my heart and squeezed until I thought it mightexplode.
Where the hell is thehouse?
In place of the home I’d lived in from kindergarten to the age of eighteen was a pile of smolderingrubble.
Where the hell are my folks?A cage closed around my lungs.Fuck.No.
I elbowed my way through to the police barricade, gripping the top of it to vault over, but a heavy hand clamped down on myshoulder.
“Thank fuck you made it.Didn’t know if you would come when you didn’tanswer.”
I didn’t tell Rix the only reason I came was because he was the one who had texted me.It didn’tmatternow.
“What the hell happened?Where are my folks?Jesus fucking Christ.”From the complete devastation, I had to assume an explosion.Gasline?Shit.
“Your ma’s with your aunt.She’sfine.”
I tore my gaze from the rubble to meet his silver one.The sympathy there had me bracing myself for the hit I sensedcoming.
“Your dad ...I’m sorry, man.So fuckingsorry.”
I was wrong.It wasn’t just a hit, it was a wrecking ball that leveled me.My knees hit the pavement and I covered my face with myhands.
“Nooooo!”My roar sounded like a wounded animal as it echoed in the night, and everything around me ceased to exist for long, darkmoments.
Pain and regret clawed at my insides.Organs shredding.Bones shearing.Too much.With superhuman effort, I reeled it all in and shut it down.Forced myself to go numb.Blocked out theagony.
Compartmentalization was a skill I’d learned early in my career, and right now, it was the only thing that would save me from completely breaking down in the middle of thestreet.
Don’t think about it.It’s a case.Just like anyother.
