The Quiet Bones Page 14

  “I promise,” he whispered, his mouth dry.

  She hurried back into the house.

  Reilly turned and went back to the uniform. “Hey, sorry about that. It’s not you she’s angry with.”

  “It’s okay, we’re used to it,” said the uniform.

  “She’s going to leave here, and she’s going to go to another address,” said Reilly. “I’ll give it to you. You need to follow her there and keep watch, but don’t be really obvious about it. That possible? You think you can do that?”

  “Sure, stealthy,” said the uniform. “Not a problem.”

  Reilly felt around his pockets. “You got a pen? Paper?”

  The uniform got his phone out. “I’ll put the address in my phone, all right?”

  “Yeah, good.” Reilly rattled off the address.

  The uniform punched it into his phone. “Got it. So, should we clear out now?”

  “Sure,” said Reilly. “You don’t want her to think you’re following her.”

  The uniform gave him a mock salute and got into his car. Both of the cop cars pulled out of the driveway.

  Reilly waited.

  Eventually, the thin sounds of Timmy’s crying came out of the house. He went to the front door and gently knocked. “Hey, Jannie?”

  Several minutes later, she flung the door open. “He doesn’t like it when his routine changes.”

  “I know,” said Reilly. “I can help you get him into the car.”

  Her nostrils flared. “I don’t need you, Caius.”

  “I know that, too,” he said. “I’m sure you could get him out there on your own if you needed to. But you’re not safe in this house, so let me do this?”

  She glared at him. But she moved away from the door, letting him by her.

  He made his way into the house, up the stairs, and into Timmy’s room, where the boy was on the floor, crying and rocking. “Hey buddy,” he said in a soothing voice.

  Timmy was surprised to hear him. He looked up, hiccuping.

  Reilly knelt down so he was eye level with this son. “Here’s what’s going to happen, little man. I’m going to pick you up and take you out to the car. Then you and Mommy are going to go somewhere else for the night.”

  “No,” said Timmy.

  “Yes,” said Reilly. “Sorry, but yes.”

  “No, no, no!” Timmy began to wail again.

  Reilly bundled the boy into his arms. He wasn’t easy to carry anymore, but Timmy was a still a kid. He could do it. In only a few short years, though, Timmy was going to have the body of an adolescent, and he would still be trapped here, with the mind and spirit of a toddler. Reilly didn’t know what they were going to do then. But one thing at a time.

  For now, he went down the steps, holding tightly onto Timmy, who was screaming and struggling against him. He deposited Timmy into the back seat of the car and buckled him in.

  Timmy was losing. “No!” he was screaming. “No!”

  Reilly shut the back door.

  Janessa hurried out, two big duffle bags thrown over her arm, dwarfing her form. She locked the front door and headed for the car. “If you think I’m going to thank you for doing that, you’re crazy. This whole situation is your fault.”

  Reilly didn’t think that was exactly fair. He had done his job, arresting a bad guy and putting him in jail. It was hardly his fault the guy had escaped. It was hardly his fault the guy was a head case. But it didn’t matter. If Janessa wanted to blame him, fine.

  She got into her car and spoke in soothing words to Timmy. She started the car and put on some music he liked.

  Reilly watched as they pulled out of the driveway.

  He got in his car and drove to Garth’s place. He stayed back, but he watched to make sure that Janessa was inside, and that Timmy was okay. The other police cars were there, not conspicuous, but close.

  He was going to stay anyway. He needed to make sure that Timmy was okay. Janessa might not want him there, but that was only because she hated him for being unfaithful to her. If there was any reason—

  Maliah.

  Two nights ago, he and Maliah had left Billy’s at the same time. She’d come over to his car. She’d wanted to tell him something, but then decided against it or something. He didn’t know. He had decided he didn’t want to push. Anything with Maliah was drama he didn’t need right now, and honestly, if she could keep going back to her husband after what she did, then he should let her.

  But, if Baldwin had been out for a week, and he’d been tailing Reilly, he could have seen that exchange. And according to Wren, it was common knowledge that he and Maliah had an affair, so everyone knew, so how hard would it be for Baldwin to figure it out?

  There was no goddamned protective detail on Maliah’s place.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  One thing that Reilly had not thought about before knocking on Maliah’s door was her husband, Jax.

  How the hell was he going to explain this to Jax?

  His second knock faltered, and he tried to think it through. Okay, okay, I’ll say I need to talk to Maliah about work, and I’ll pull her out here in front of the house and lay it out for her, and if she wants to try to think of some kind of lie—

  Maliah opened the door. She was surprised to see him. “Reilly.”

  “Hey,” he said.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “Tell Jax it’s a work thing, come talk to me.” He bounced on the balls of his feet, feeling nervous. Something about being so close to the man whose wife he’d been sleeping with was making him feel nervous. His heart was picking up speed.

  God, how had he managed to never think about this?

  He knew how the thing with Garth had landed for him, and he wasn’t even married to Janessa anymore, and this was Jax’s wife, and he had fucked her. Like, lots of times. Reilly felt a little sick to his stomach. I am such a piece of shit.

  “Jax isn’t here,” said Maliah. “Come in.” She stepped aside.

  He entered the house, thinking that it was the second time a woman had let him into her house that night, and that he’d screwed up both of their lives just by being part of them. “Where is he?”

  “He’s, um, I think he went to his parents’ house,” she said. “He was at a hotel, but he couldn’t keep that up. I told him he could stay at the house, that I would go, but…” She shook her head.

  “Wait. I’m confused.”

  “We’re separated,” she said.

  “Did he find out?” said Reilly.

  “I came clean,” she said. “I figured it was time. I wouldn’t be fooling around behind his back like this if I was still in love with him. It was fear that was keeping me from making a break, and I had to face it. I had to tell him what I did. I had to end it all.”

  “When did you do this?”

  “Uh, five days ago, I think.”

  “You didn’t tell me.”

  “Wasn’t about you, Cai.” She squared her shoulders. “You’re a symptom, not the disease, you know?”

  He grimaced.

  “I thought about it the other night at Billy’s. I thought about taking comfort, but… I don’t know, you and me, it’s not like we’re madly in love or something. Maybe if we were, this wouldn’t feel like such a shitty thing we did.”

  He looked away.

  “So, anyway, I don’t know why you’re here. If you really thought you could entice me to some sort of tryst under Jax’s nose—”

  “You might be in danger.”

  “What?”

  “A man that I arrested has escaped from jail, and he could have been here, following me around, figuring out my life. Maybe he saw us talking to each other in the parking lot, or maybe he heard some rumors, but he could be coming for you.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Well… well, hell, Cai.”

  Reilly rubbed the top of his head. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I’m not exactly proud of the mess I’ve made in your life.”

  “Hey, I made my own mess,
” said Maliah.

  “I can call in a protective detail on you too,” said Reilly. “It’ll mean that whatever’s between us probably gets kind of public. But you won’t be dead.”

  She sighed. “I guess you can’t just stay and protect me yourself because you’ve got to go try to find Delacroix.”

  “What?” He furrowed his brow.

  “Well, that guy came looking for her.”

  “Her boyfriend,” said Reilly. “She has a boyfriend. I’m not… there’s nothing going on with her and me. You’re not saying…” And then it all became clear. “Baldwin took Wren.” His stomach dropped. But why… “Why would Baldwin take her?”

  “Well, maybe you guys looked awfully chummy,” said Maliah, and her voice was acidic.

  “I gotta get back to the compound, find Hawk Marner,” said Reilly.

  “You going to stay with me until the protective detail gets here?” Maliah cocked her head to one side.

  Reilly’s lips parted.

  “You know what? It’s fine, Cai. Don’t call anything in. I’m going to go stay with Yolanda. Her husband has a safe next to his bed with one of those fingerprint locks. I’ll be fine there. No public declaration of our indiscretions necessary.”

  “Hey, that’s not what I—”

  “It’s how I want it,” she said.

  “No,” he said. “You should have the police. You can’t rely on your friend’s husband. And besides, it’s okay if things are public if you’re separated. If you and Jax are over, then there’s nothing stopping you and me from…” For some reason, he couldn’t find the words to end the sentence.

  “That what you want?” She raised her eyebrows. “You want me?”

  “Yeah,” he said.

  “Really?” she said.

  He nodded. But he didn’t have the words to elaborate. He had to admit that his mind was reeling. Where the hell would Baldwin have taken Wren?

  “Drive me to Yolanda’s,” said Maliah. “Then go and save her.”

  * * *

  Reilly fumed in front of Hawk Marner’s place.

  Hawk wasn’t there.

  He should have figured the guy wasn’t there. He would be off looking for Wren. The only problem was that he was looking in all the wrong places. Hawk thought this had something to do with Wren’s past, with her mother and the cult. But this was all about Reilly.

  Reilly should have gotten Hawk’s number instead of giving him his.

  But whatever. He didn’t need Hawk, anyway. He had just wanted to give the man a heads up as to what was going on with his girlfriend. Reilly could tell that Hawk cared about Wren. He was genuinely worried. It made him hate the other man less, for whatever reason.

  Reilly dialed Lopez, but he didn’t get an answer. Lopez was famous for avoiding his phone when he was off duty. It was the way he survived. Otherwise, he’d be at the station twenty-four/seven. There was someone else in charge if Lopez was off duty, but Reilly didn’t feel like figuring out who it was. He could handle this on his own. He hung up without leaving a message and got back into his car.

  His phone rang.

  He didn’t recognize the number, but he answered it anyway, thinking it might be news on Baldwin. “Reilly.”

  “It’s Hawk,” said the person on the other end. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I just want to know what’s going with you. Are you sure what’s threatening your family doesn’t also pose a threat to Wren? Maybe she—”

  “You’re exactly right,” said Reilly. “There’s a man on the loose, and I think he’s captured Wren.”

  “A man? Someone you put in jail?”

  “How do you know that?”

  “You said something about parole when you were on the phone. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that, mulling it over. I started thinking it was related. I know you’re busy with your family—”

  “They’ve got protection,” said Reilly. “Wren’s got nothing. I’m going to find her.”

  “I’m coming with you.”

  “You’re not police, Hawk. You can’t—”

  “I don’t think you’re doing this in an official capacity either, Detective.”

  Reilly hesitated. It was true he’d tried to call it into Lopez, but he sure as hell hadn’t pushed when he ran into a roadblock. “Okay, fine. You can come along. I guess I could use someone to help me out. It’s better if I go on my own. I know Colt Baldwin. I know who might be sheltering him. If I try to get the police to mobilize on this, it’s going to take time. We don’t have time. So, let’s go. Where are you? I’ll pick you up.”

  “I’m at Wren’s place. I circled back to see if she came home, but she didn’t.”

  “I’ll be there in two minutes.”

  * * *

  Reilly shoved his foot inside the door of the trailer. “No, damn it, you are going to listen to me.”

  “I don’t know where he is.” A woman with stringy blond hair was trying shove the door closed. “I told you already. I told the police who already came here. I have no idea where he is. We’re not even together anymore.”

  “I saw you sobbing at his sentencing,” said Reilly. “You blew him a kiss. You were together then, after he’d been convicted of killing three people. You were willing to forgive that. What changed?”

  “I don’t have to tell you anything,” she said. “And you can’t force your way into my house. You don’t have a warrant, so you need to leave. Get the hell out.”

  “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me where Colt is,” said Reilly. “Not going anywhere, warrant or no.”

  “You have to.” She looked panicked. “I’ll call the police.”

  “I am the police,” Reilly growled. “Now, I know you know where he is. You might even be letting him sleep here.”

  “No, no, I’m not!”

  A hand on Reilly’s shoulder.

  Reilly turned.

  Hawk was standing there. His voice was quiet. “Let me talk to her.”

  Reilly arched an eyebrow. “Between the two of us, which of us has had interrogation training?”

  “You’re getting nowhere with her. What’s it going to hurt?” said Hawk.

  “I’m not going to talk to either of you,” said the woman in a shaky voice. “So, why don’t you just get in your car and drive away?”

  “What’s your name, ma’am?” said Hawk.

  Reilly rolled his eyes. This was his big plan? Asking the woman her name?

  “Caitlin,” said the woman.

  “Caitlin, why don’t you come out of the house and we’ll all have a little chat? I know you don’t want to let us in, but if you come out and shut that door behind you, it won’t be a problem, will it?” said Hawk.

  Caitlin considered this. She looked down at Reilly’s foot, wedging the door open.

  Reilly sighed. He gave Hawk an annoyed look.

  Hawk spread his hands.

  “Fine,” muttered Reilly, and he stepped back, away from the door, fully expecting Caitlin to slam the door in their faces.

  But she came outside. She closed the door carefully, and then she stood in front of it, with the door at her back, as if it gave her some kind of strength. She looked back and forth between Reilly and Hawk.

  Reilly shrugged. He gestured for Hawk to go ahead. This was his show now. He’d gotten her out of the house, maybe he was going somewhere with this.

  Hawk took a deep breath and then let it out. “You want to tell us about Colt, Caitlin?”

  “Nothing to tell,” she said. “I haven’t seen him. He didn’t come here.” She was defensive.

  “We’re not here to get you in trouble,” said Hawk.

  “Look, he wouldn’t have come to see me. I told him I never wanted to see him again. I broke it off with his murderous ass.” Her voice was hard.

  “Yeah, I find that hard to believe,” said Reilly, “when you were lovey-dovey with him all during his trial.”

  “It was too soon,” she said. “He made me think he was going to g
et out and come back. I didn’t turn on him, because I thought he could come home at any minute. Trust me, when I found out he escaped, I was scared.”

  “You were,” said Hawk, nodding slowly. “I believe you.”

  She turned to him, eyes wide. “Well, you should, because it’s the truth.”

  “What kind of man is Colt Baldwin, Caitlin?” said Hawk. “What was your relationship like?”

  Reilly rolled his eyes again. What did this have to do with anything?

  “He seems like a nice guy, but he’s not,” said Caitlin.

  “No?” said Hawk.

  “No,” said Caitlin. “He never hit me or anything, but he would twist up everything I said. Every time I had an idea, he would tell me that it was stupid, but he would do it in this way, like he was pretending to be nice. He’d say, ‘Oh, that’s sweet of you, Caitlin, but why don’t you leave the thinking to the big boys.’ Stuff like that. He was in my head.” She tapped her forehead.

  “Mmm,” said Hawk. “I know the type of person you’re talking about.”

  “What do you mean?” said Caitlin.

  “I grew up in the FCL down the road,” said Hawk. “You heard of it?”

  “Yeah, that woman, she brainwashed people to kill for her.”

  Hawk nodded. “Exactly. Vivian Delacroix. You should have heard the way she would break people down. Just like you’re saying.”

  Caitlin sniffed. “So, you understand.”

  “I do,” said Hawk. “And if Vivian Delacroix escaped from prison, then I would do anything in my power to help the police apprehend her.”

  “But he didn’t come here,” said Caitlin. “He didn’t talk to me, I swear. He probably I knew I would have turned his ass in. That’s why he never came here. I can’t help.”

  “You know him,” said Hawk. “You kissed him. Held his hand. Shared his bed. Listened to him.”

  “Well, yeah, but, so what?”

  “So, where is he? If he didn’t come see you, where did he go?”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. He didn’t have anyone. His mama would have helped him, but she passed on, and all he has is his brother, Tom, and Tom hates him.”

  Hawk’s hand darted out to take Caitlin’s. “Come on, Caitlin. Think. You want him to go back to jail, don’t you?”