Chapter 19

By the time he arrived at the precinct, Ethan was resolute. The connection with Hunter was foundational to who he was becoming. Despite the external pressures of their investigation, Ethan knew that any path he chose would inevitably lead him back to Hunter. The realization grounded him and gave him the strength to face whatever lay ahead.

As he entered the bustling police station, he scanned the familiar chaos of uniforms and ringing phones for Dani. Spotting her near the coffee machine, animatedly speaking with another officer, Ethan navigated through the clusters of desks and hurried conversations. Dani caught his eye, her expression shifting to one of professional readiness as she excused herself and joined him.

Ethan steered Dani outside the precinct to discuss their findings away from prying ears. The morning sun glared, but small trees and large buildings provided long shadows on 5 th Avenue. "We've made some headway," Ethan began, his voice low. "We discovered one of Hunter's brothers, Rex, is feeding the ring information. Hunter's tracking Rex's phone. If he makes any wrong moves, makes contact, we'll know." Ethan glanced around to ensure they weren't followed.

Creating distance between themselves and the precinct, Ethan and Dani walked briskly toward the small, secluded park at Seneca Street. The green space didn't lighten the grim nature of their discussion.

Dani chuckled. "Hunter really is handy to have around, isn't he?" As she spoke, Dani rummaged through her oversized purse, pulling out a crumpled stack of papers. Suddenly, she stumbled over a protruding tree root. Ethan reacted swiftly, his arm shooting out to steady her by the upper arm. "Gotcha," he said with a quick smile, helping her regain her balance.

"Pff." Dani let out a whoosh of air. "Thanks."

Ethan inclined his head. His gut churned, and not just from the stumble. It was everything—the betrayal within his department, the dangers Hunter faced from his own supposed brothers. "Everywhere I turn, someone's backstabbing someone."

"Hmm, maybe. But hey, Hunter is worth his weight in gold, and we're not chopped liver either, are we?" Dani tried to lighten the mood, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Having someone who can manipulate tech like that is invaluable. And with our combined skills, we can take on the bastards."

Ethan scoffed, a hollow laugh escaping him as he helped Dani sort her papers under a tree. "Yeah."

Dani handed him an email printout. "Speaking of backstabbers, look at this," she said, pointing to a highlighted section. "The captain was corresponding directly with Walter Wilson, someone we've tied to the trafficking ring. And this…" She flipped to another page. "Is an internal email directing a lieutenant to mislead the mayor and pin some fabricated allegations on the ECOs."

Ethan scanned the documents, his jaw clenching in mounting frustration. "So, the Captain keeps the mayor in the dark while stirring the pot against the ECOs. He's up to his ears in this mess."

"At least the mayor isn't dirty," Dani commented.

"True."

They resumed walking, the crunch of gravel underfoot mirroring Ethan's growing impatience. "We can't take this to the mayor yet—not without more concrete proof. But we need to act quickly. This goes deeper than we thought, and it's not just about corruption. Those poor women and children."

"Yeah, I can't imagine what they are enduring." Dani's expression was grim, making her appear older, as she shoved the papers back into her purse. "Let's keep digging. There has to be a break somewhere we can use to expose all of this."

"All right. Back to the station?"

Dani nodded.

As they approached the precinct again, neither felt closer to a solution. Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of their burden. "We're walking a tightrope here. One wrong step and we could blow everything."

Dani gazed sideways, and Ethan held out his arm. Just in case.

"Then we'll just have to make sure we don't misstep, won't we? Let's go back and regroup. We'll find a way through this." Her voice, though steady, couldn't fully mask her strain.

It had to be something, on your first case and investigating your own people.

As they neared the formidable structure of the police headquarters, Ethan and Dani walked in silence, each wrapped in their own heavy cloak of thoughts. Ethan's strides were deliberate, his brow furrowed deeply as frustration and impatience churned within him, rendering him restless and edgy. He kept clenching and unclenching his fists, a silent testament to his growing sense of powerlessness.

Their somber procession was abruptly cut short by the echoing steps of uniformed officers. Ethan's posture stiffened, his head turning sharply as a captain from Internal Affairs, flanked by two officers, approached with determined strides. "Ethan Stephenson, you are under arrest," the captain declared, proceeding to recite the Miranda rights with a clinical detachment. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

In a motion born of desperation, Ethan reached into his pocket and stealthily passed his phone to Dani. She grappled for the device, and his heart skipped a beat as she almost lost her grip.

Their eyes locked for a fleeting moment, and a torrent of unspoken words passing between them. Dani subtly adjusted her grip, angling the phone to unlock it with his face ID without drawing attention.

Ethan's shoulders ached when an officer wrenched his arms behind his back, and the cuffs felt hard and cold around his wrists.

Amidst the growing cluster of onlookers, Dani's composure seemed to shatter. "How could you, Ethan?" she wailed, her voice cracking as she feigned a breakdown. "After all your mentorship, you're not who I thought you were!"

Ethan watched in stunned silence and awe, as her performance continued. She sobbed loudly, the raw emotion in her act pulling the eyes of the crowd toward her, as she ran away with Ethan's phone clutched tightly in her hand.

Hunter's focus was split as he monitored security feeds on his screen when his phone buzzed with Ethan's number. A flutter of gratitude swept through him, a warm wave that eased the tightness in his muscles. His Dom's call was a welcome interruption in a stream of stressful tasks.

"Well hello, Sir." His chair creaked as he leaned back.

However, the voice on the other end wasn't Ethan's. His posture stiffened, and the chair protested again. Surprise flushed through him as a woman's voice chimed in.

"Hi, this is Dani, Ethan's new partner," she said quickly, her tone laced with urgency.

A chill ran up his spine and Hunter's eyebrows drew together. "Dani? What's going on? Where's Ethan? Why are you calling from his phone?"

As Dani hurriedly explained the situation, detailing Ethan's arrest and the allegations against him, Hunter's skepticism rapidly transformed into fury. His grip on the phone tightened, the muscles in his jaw clenching as he absorbed the gravity of what Dani was saying.

"Arrested? For what exactly?" he demanded, his voice now sharp, the earlier caution swept away by a growing wave of anger.

Dani's words seemed muffled as they pierced through the rush of blood roaring in his ears like white water.

"I don't know yet." Dani explained how she got hold of Ethan's phone and faked a breakdown to get the phone out unnoticed. "I had to act fast."

"That was quick thinking on your feet," Hunter managed despite the anger boiling in his veins. His free hand balled into a fist on his thigh. The injustice of the situation fueled his rage. "This is complete nonsense," he bit out. "Ethan has done nothing but pursue justice."

Dani continued, "I know, Hunter. I should probably go into the precinct now. See what I can find out. I'll keep you posted every step of the way."

"Make sure you do." Helpless to do anything himself, Hunter despaired before a light bulb went up in his head.

I can do something!

His voice took on an edge of steel as his resolve built. "I'm going to call Michael Schaffer. He's the best attorney we could ask for right now. We're going to fight this."

His fury was fully kindled as he ended to call and pulled up the attorney's contact details.

Hang in there, Ethan. Help is on its way.