Page 23 of Lethal Justice

Malco mused on that and wondered what had put her on Pool’s path. It seemed their investigations were beginning to merge more rapidly now.

Malco: Meet me at the agency. I have Danie du Toit with me, and she was with Clark, and she says she knows who took Tycen.

Frida: Already on my way back. See you soon.

Malco hada feeling things were about to start moving very quickly, and he also had a feeling, things were about to get very nasty.

* * *

“So,let me get this straight. You saw her come out of the hotel with Clark?” Frida was pacing as she recounted what he’d told her. Danie was in the break room with Ward while he updated Frida.

“Yes. He ran off and left her, and then she burst into tears when she saw me.” He watched her stop and spin on her heel, admiring the sexy curve of her ass as she did. Frida Montalvo was sexy as hell when she went into lawyer mode. Her brain was working faster than anyone he’d ever known as she connected things in her head.

“We have so much information coming at us, and none of it is adding up yet, and that drives me crazy. Let’s go talk to her and find out about Tycen.”

Malco nodded as he followed her out of the room in bemusement at the way she took charge. Sexy. As. Fuck.

They entered the room, Ward and Danie going silent where they had been talking quietly in the corner, heads together. Malco closed the door, and he and Frida sat at the round table closer to the corner of the room, wanting it not to seem a ‘them and us’ situation. This way, they were all equal, and it was less intimidating for the young girl.

“Danie, nice to see you again. I hear you might have some information that might help us get Tycen home to his family?”

The young woman looked at Frida as she spoke and then at Ward as if seeking permission.

“Go ahead, Danie. Tell them what you told me,” he encouraged with a nod.

Danie paused a moment longer and then seemed to make a decision.

“About six months ago, I started seeing a boy from the Blood Razors.” Malco looked up and caught Ward’s jaw clench. The Blood Razors were a notorious gang with fingers in every illegal pie you could think of. They had links to drug-running, prostitution, and guns. Not to mention rape and murder.

“JaKheel was nice. He wasn’t like the others. He gave me attention and made me feel special. We were in love, but then he started to cancel dates and disappear for days. He said something big was coming up with the Blood Razors and that Bullet wanted them all working more hours.”

“Bullet? He’s the leader of the Blood Razors, right?” Malco asked but already suspected the answer.

“Yes, JaKheel said he had something big coming up, and when it went off, they’d all get a big payday.”

“How do Tycen and Pool fit into this?” Frida asked gently.

“JaKheel started getting touchy, saying Bullet was pushing him to recruit more people from the center. We had a fight, and he walked off. That was two months ago. Tycen and I are tight, so he put out some feelers and found out JaKheel was in deep with something. He heard rumbling about Bullet working with Clark Pool. So, I went to try and find out if he knew anything, but he started getting handsy, and I couldn’t go through with it. Luckily, the fire alarm went off, and I just left.”

“How do you know where Tycen is?”

“Because before he disappeared, I told him I was pregnant and wanted my baby to know his father. JaKheel doesn’t know yet.” Danie started to cry softly, and Malco was processing all the information silently without revealing his feelings on this.

“Tycen went to try and talk some sense into JaKheel, and it was that night he disappeared. I think the Blood Razors have him.”

“Why would they hold him?”

JaKheel said Bullet was always making examples out of people who crossed him. He wouldn’t like Tycen trying to disrespect him by talking to JaKheel.”

“Who is JaKheel to Bullet? A foot soldier?”

“He’s his younger brother.” Malco bit out a curse at her words. This was lining up to be a repeat of his own history.

“Don’t cry, Danie. We’ll sort this out,” Malco said, but as he looked Frida, they both knew it was highly possible that neither of those boys would be coming out of this with their lives.

“Have you seen a doctor about the pregnancy?”

Danie looked up, and there was a fire in her eyes. “I won’t get rid of my baby.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Frida smiled kindly. “I meant, have you seen a doctor to make sure you and the baby are healthy and getting everything you need?”

Danie shook her head. “No, nobody knows about it except Tycen and me.”

“How far along are you?”

“Fourteen weeks.”

Frida smiled at the girl. “Then let’s get you checked over and maybe a scan to see if you can hear the heartbeat.”

Danie let out a huge smile and placed her hand protectively over her stomach.

Malco and Frida stood. “Would you like something to eat?” He knew Cleo was still here with Mason, and she always had the fridge in the kitchen stocked with something.

“Yes, please.” Danie looked so young at that moment that Malco felt a deep well of sadness inside him. Young, pregnant, and afraid for her baby’s father. It was an all too familiar culture for young women with men in gangs. He just wished he could eradicate it altogether.

He felt a hand on his arm and looked at Frida as they exited the room together.

“We can only save them one at a time.” Her arms moved around his waist, and her head landed on his chest. The contact was comforting and made him feel like he wasn’t alone in this fight.