Page 97 of Beneath The Truth
“Youtoo.”
We hung up, and I turned into Rhett’s arms.I didn’t realize I was shaking until he tightened his holdonme.
“I don’t like this, Rhett.I really, really don’t like this.”I swallowed back the urge to cry, but tears burned behindmyeyes.
He pulled back and lifted my chin.“Your ex knew how close Erik and Esme weretoyou?”
I nodded.“I talked about them both all the time.I swear to God, if he touches one hair onErik’shead...”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead.“We’ll make surehepays.”
I stepped out of his embrace and grabbed my laptop, ready to tear Carlos’s life toshreds.
Rhett paced the kitchen.“Something doesn’t feel right.I know I said having cartel connections in California and New Orleans didn’t mean they were related, but this seems like too much coincidence to me.We need to know if they’re related.The same cartel.The samepeople.”
The knot in my stomach grew.“How?Why?What’s thecommonlink?”
“I keep turning it over and over, and I keep coming up with the sameanswer.”
“What?”
He met my gaze.“Youare.”
54
Ariel
Two hours later,the pounding behind my eyes reached migraine proportions.I’d sent a list of properties to my security team to search, and then I started on another angle.One I never expected to beconsidering.
Something was wrong here.Verywrong.
Rhett was outside briefing the security team, and I rose from the table on shaky legs and went to the fridge for a bottle of water while I waited for him to return.Another cup of coffee might put me right over the edge.I’d chugged half the bottle when Rhett returned.One look at my face was all it took for him toreadme.
“What did you find?”He came toward me as he asked thequestion.
“Didn’t you say Heath had taken himself off the IA investigation about your dad because of a conflict ofinterest?”
Rhett nodded.“That’s whathesaid.”
My belly flopped like a fish dying on the banks of the lake.“He’s on the reports about your dad.All of them.For thelastyear.”
Rhett’s expression turned to stone.“What?That’simpossible.”
I set the water bottle on the counter and wiped my hands on my shorts, clutching the hem.“He’s not just part of the investigation.”I paused, meeting Rhett’s gaze.“He’sleadingit.”
Rhett’s face drained of color, leaving it ashen.“Why the fuck would he lie to me about it then?It doesn’t make any goddamned sense.He knew that I didn’t care either way.I just wanted the truth.He could’ve told me he stayed on it, and I would’ve been happy that someone competent wasworkingit.”
I swallowed.“That’s the other thing that doesn’t make any sense.His reports are like a fifth grader put them together.Totally basic.Lacking any useful information.It wasalmostlike...”
“What?”Rhettdemanded.
“Like he wasstalling.”
“Why the hellwouldhe—”
“I have no idea.Could he have been tryingtohelp?”
From his narrowed eyes, it didn’t look like Rhett was ready to give Heath the benefit of the doubt.And, honestly, from what I’d seen, I was havingtroubletoo.
