جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 153

CLAY’S POVThe warehouse on the edge of the industrial park smelled like dust and old oil. I picked it because it was off the grid, and my people had swept it twice before we arrived. Jodie showed up exactly on time, her black coat pulled tight, her kholed eyes scanning every shadow. I watched her from the moment she stepped through the side door. Anyta had insisted on coming, her arms crossedunder her chest stubbornly. I knew she didn’t fully trust Jodie yet. She was here to read her, and watch for the lie in her eyes. According to her, she reads through people. Part of me hated that she had to be in this room at all. The other part was glad she was.“You brought company,” Jodie said flatly, as she sat at the metal table.“Anyta stays,” I replied equally firm. I studied Jodie’s face closely, and the tired lines around her eyes, were so obvious. She looked like someone who hadn’t slept in days. “You said you have records. Show us.”Jodie opened the bag she carried and slid a thick env

ANYTA’S POVI didn’t even wait to explain it to Clay. The second Alice’s voice cracked on the phone, I grabbed my keys and ran for the car. My hands shook so badly I almost dropped them twice as I managed to start the engine.“Anyta, wait—” Clay called behind me, already on his own phone.I didn’t wait. I drove home like the devil was chasing me, my heart hammering so loud it drowned out everything else. The three minutes it took to get there were the worst of my life. Every slow car in front of me made me want to scream. I didn’t believe the woman who was panicking. I didn’t believe that I would be this wild, screaming at every patrol officer.I slammed the car door immediately and ran through the front door. Alice stood in the hallway, white-faced and shaking, her eyes rimmed red.“Miss Anyta, I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice breaking. “He was playing right there in the garden. I stepped inside for just few seconds to get his juice. When I came back he was gone. The gate—”“Where