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His face was grave when he met her gaze, his mouth a solid line of resignation. "All our notes are missing."
"Wha—what do you mean?" she asked, but she knew. She just couldn't believe it. Didn't want to.
"All the Scaglietti files have been combed through. They found some documents in the shredder, but the rest are just plain gone. If our intel gets into the wrong hands, they might know all about who was working the case, who knows what—"
"But we're police officers. They wouldn't—"
"Kill us?" Derrick raised an eyebrow.
She didn't speak. She knew that answer, too.
"I have to go in and see what we can find on the security footage."
"They're smarter than to leave a trace there."
"Maybe, but if we can find out how Zac did this—"
"Zac?" She blinked.
"Jade, you have to know by now that there's someone on the inside. Zac is the most logical choice. He'll know that, too. I'm betting there's going to be some heavy-handed framing involved. I have to make sure we get the right man."
"And what makes you so sure that man is Zac?" She shot back. She didn't know why she felt so strongly about it. Maybe because she'd known Zac for so long—had been around all his friends in school.
She couldn't have grown up alongside someone who worked with the mob. Those sorts of people were raised in blackboard jungles or in the mean streets of Brooklyn. Not here, not in a tiny hamlet on Oahu.
"Jade, we don't have time for this argument. My only concern is getting you someplace safe right now."
"Me?"
"You worked harder on this case than anyone else. If they're going after anyone, it's going to be you."
She blinked. This time, she hadn't seen that coming. Not from a mile away.
* * *
"You're coming with me," he said, trying to keep the raising panic from his voice.
With every second, he saw a new flash of memory. Another soldier he'd fought beside. Another fallen comrade. Will.
If he didn't do something—and fast—Jade's face might just become another reminder of his failure. Another life he'd been too foolish and short-sighted to save.
"Derrick, I'm a trained officer. I had a side arm just like you and—"
"Then bring it after you get dressed. We're going to the station." He hadn't meant to bark at her, but she swung her legs over the side of the bed all the same and made for her closet. As she moved, he closed his eyes, determined not to be distracted by the swell and curve of her body.
He needed to focus. Needed to think of each and every circumstance that might incriminate Zac.
Fucking Zac.
Of course she didn't think perfect Zac had lifted a finger, despite every clue that led him to the scene. Perfect Zac couldn't be held accountable for a single damn thing in her eyes. He was nothing but a dreamboat where she was concerned.
He gritted his teeth and shoved his phone into his pocket before pulling on his shirt. Just then, Jade sidled from the closet wearing a half-rumpled button down and slacks. Without so much as a word to her, he started down the stairs, listening to her light footfalls trailing behind him, then opened her passenger side door before swinging over to the driver's seat.
"It's my day off." She grumbled again as she bucked her seatbelt and closed her door.
He didn't bother answering her. Instead, he started up the car and headed onto the high street, pushing the engine as hard and fast as it could go. For all he knew, they were already watching her, waiting until they had a clear shot.
From what he'd seen of their crime scenes, these guys were not unfamiliar with messy hits. Even Crystal's death had been a chaotic one with turned-over tables and blood smeared on the bathroom tiles.
