20. Jax

Jax

W e are driving quietly, and I'm staring out the window, replaying that scene in my mind, trying to understand what happened, when I see something that makes my blood run cold.

"Pull over!"

Dane curses and pulls the car over. I jump out before the car has even stopped properly. I turn and sprint back down the street. Eugene's supermarket is closed. I look up at all the signs, closed down signs. There are four of them. I try the door, find it open, and slip inside.

I work my way through the dark shop until I find the office and tap on the door.

Eugene opens it and blinks at me.

"What happened?" I almost shout.

"I just can't. It won't sell. I'm losing more money than I'm making. I had to close." He's defensive and sad. I can hear it. He almost sounds scared.

Sadness fills me. "That was quick. I thought you had more time."

He rubs his knuckles into one eye and yawns. "So did I, but when Cherise didn't turn up for work today, I had to make the final decision."

My tongue is suddenly thick, and I can't move.

"I tried to do everything myself, but it really just hit home. Empty shelves, a customer maybe an hour on a good day. People calling for payments. I can't do it."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to head home, pack up, and get out of this town before it kills me. It's well on its way."

I shake my head. "Can't believe how quickly things happen. Take care of yourself, Eugene, and thanks for being a good boss."

He holds out his hand, and I shake it. "I never liked that doctor of yours, with him calling every day, asking about you and what you were doing. Unnatural. He's got a weird thing for you, Jax. Be careful there."

All the hairs on my body stand on end. "He called every day?"

"Oh, yes, with a dozen questions. Paid me for it, too. I'm sorry to say, I took the money, I needed it. Shames me now to admit it. I just…tried my best."

"I know, and it's okay. He would have got the information another way."

"He even asked for the video footage, but I said we didn't have any."

Relief fills me, and I smile. "Thanks, Eugene."

"Just," he stares past me, over my shoulder, "get free of him if you can. The man is driven for a purpose, and he doesn't care who he takes down on his way. I hesitate to say evil, but he comes pretty damn close."

I don't say anything, I just reach forward and hug him. "Thank you. Stay safe out there, and I hope your fortunes change."

"You, too, Jax. You aren't what they said you were. Get free of this town before it kills you."

I nod tightly. "About Cherise…"

"I've tried calling. She isn't answering. I'm worried, she's never not shown up before. She always calls!"

"I'll go see her now."

"Good, good, you girls take care of each other. You always did. Now, be off with you. I have a lot to do before I hit the road tonight."

I smile sadly and slip out of his office. As soon as I'm out, I sprint back to the vehicle, shouting to Dane and Rafael as I go to get back in the car. I slide into the middle of the back seat and start barking directions.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, something. I don't know," I say and chew on my thumbnail. All the horrible scenes I could find go through my head. Playing again and again. When we get to the apartment building on the opposite side of town as mine, I climb out and almost gag. Déjà vu is so strong, I already know what I'm going to find.

I jog to the entrance, thrust open the glass doors, and start racing up the stairs, taking them two at a time. I can hear him crying before we even get to the floor.

"Don't touch anything," I warn over my shoulder.

I get to her apartment, and a man sticks his head out of the door across the hall.

"The kids been screaming up a storm. We were about ready to call the police."

"I'll take care of it," I promise.

"You the friend?"

I nod.

"Good. I didn't see nothin'."

He pulls his head in and slams the door. I look up at her door. It's painted cream and has a permanent marker black heart around the number 43. The paint has flaked. Everything slows down. I can smell booze, someone cooking curry, Dane's cedar scent behind me.

It speeds up again when I slam my boot against the door and kick my way through it. Nothing is wrong. Everything is how it normally is, clean and tidy. There is no body. No blood. Nothing I feared, and yet, it's somehow worse. I move to the bedrooms, noting absently that her apartment is the exact same layout as mine. In the master is the cot and the source of the screaming.

I pick him up and hold him to me, and then move and start getting him changed.

Dane disappears, and I wonder if it's the smell that bothers him or the screaming. I get the baby completely changed and dry and lift him into my arms when Dane appears again with a bowl of food and a bottle.

The kid almost lunges out of my arms to get to the bottle.

"Guys, this is Zair," I say quietly and try not to cry.

Dane smiles and wiggles a finger at Zair. "Hi, Zair bear."

The kid smiles but doesn't stop drinking.

"Want to explain?"

I shake my head. "Not here. We need to get him safe, like, gone safe."

Dane nods tightly and leaves the room again. When Zair finishes the bottle, I start feeding him the bowl of food. Rafael moves around the room quietly but with purpose. It takes me a minute to realise he's packing things up.

I open the drawer, pull out a small photo album, and pass it to him. He flicks through it, and his face tightens. He puts it in the bag.

"Zair has some medications. Can you grab them, too?"'

"I've already got them."

I stand up and hand the bowl to Dane, who takes it and disappears. I cuddle the kid close as he drifts to sleep.

I watch as Dane comes in and starts wiping down surfaces. I almost tell him there's no point, but it will buy me time, so I bite my tongue.

If I let myself think about what I think has happened, I'm going to fall apart, and I can't right now. I owe it to Cherise to protect her son. Oh, god, the weight of the guilt presses in on me and makes the world wobble. I shore up my defenses and force myself to move, one step after another, until I reach the car. I climb into the back, and Dane reaches around and carefully does my seatbelt up.

I look up and meet his eyes. "Thank you."

He nods and withdraws, closing the door softly behind him.

"The Harmon Estate," I say softly, ignoring Rafe's sound of surprise.

I lean my head back, but I don't have much time. There is a clock inside my mind, a timer counting down before shit hits the fan. We pull up outside the mansion, and I look up at the lights with trepidation.

Dane opens the door, and I gently hand Zair to him.

"Thanks."

I walk up the steps with the two guys flanking me. The door opens, and I step into the light. Mason eyes the guys and closes the door before muttering into a mic piece on his collar. He turns to me and pulls me into a hug.

I stand there stiffly and pat his back. "Hi, Mason."

"Hi, gorgeous."

I scowl at the wall and pull back. "Is Eddie in? I need to see him urgently."

Mason pouts, and I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes.

"Who is this?" Mason asks, his voice hard, and is that jealousy?

"These are my colleagues, Dane and Rafael. You met them. I know you remember them, Mase. They're just friends." Why am I explaining myself?

Mason glides over to them and shakes their hands. I can see the strain in the way he takes Rafael's hand. When he tries for Dane, I let out an indistinct sound of anger.

"And that," I say pointedly, "is Zair."

Mason backs off, but there are lights of war in Dane and Mason's eyes that tell me whatever pissing contest just started hasn't finished yet.

"Fucking men," I spit and stomp through the mansion. The white, polished marble floors give way to the deep, thick, powder blue carpets of the family wing. I go straight to the door with no adornments and tap three times. I wait until I hear a sound from inside and open the door.

Eddie looks up and smiles, but there's a man opposite the enormous desk, who turns around, scowls, and opens his mouth to ask me to leave. I recognise him as Andy's fiancé, whom I met briefly at the party. When he looks at people, especially me, he sneers, his lip curls. You'd think he was a prince or some duke of some far off kingdom with all his haughty derision. His shirt is too big on his frame, revealing weak shoulders, and he has pock marks on his cheeks. Still, with his hair gelled back, if he didn't have that sneer, he wouldn't be that bad. Unfortunately, Phil is an ugly man on the inside and that fairly glows out of him.

"I wouldn't if I were you. On the ladder, you rank lower," I say under my breath and just for him before I slide past him and hug my dad.

"We can do this another time, Phil." Dad waves him out of the room, and then closes the door on all four males waiting on the other side.

His arms surround me in a moment, warm and safe. I can smell the cigars and expensive whiskey he's been drinking.

"I missed you."

"I always miss you," I reply back with a tight throat.

"But this isn't a social visit?"

I shake my head slowly and look away. Is there ever going to be a time I can live my life without feeling this damn guilt?

I get up and open the door and gesture for Dane and Rafael to come in. Mason works his way in as well, and I shrug. The man is trusted family. In my dad's sanctum, there are floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, four leather chairs by a fireplace, and a huge desk, with a window that frames my father when he sits there. The carpet is burgundy, and there are photos everywhere. This place is the heart of my father. Strong, soft, warm, and powerful.

I wait until they are all sitting. The silence is too much. All my thoughts go out of my head. I stare at his eyes and feel like I'm nine years old again.

"Eddie." I stop and press my lips together. God, it hurts to call him that. "Dad, I need your help."

He frowns and leans forward in his chair so his forearms are pressed along the worn chestnut desk. I remember playing under it with River so long ago. But alongside me, Dane and Rafael have stiffened. I refuse to look at them.

"What do you need?"

I take a deep breath. "I have a friend, and I think something's happened to her."

"Have you contacted the police?" He reaches for his phone, but I lift my hand to still the movement.

"No, they won't believe that anything has happened to her. She's poor, Eddie, like Mum was." I feel low, throwing that in his face, but it doesn't change the truth anymore now than it did then. "I worked with her for a few months. She's totally dedicated to her son. Like, more than anyone I've ever met. She wouldn't just up and disappear."

Eddie frowns, and his eyes skip to Zair.

I wipe my hands on my jeans. "I need you to find someone to take care of Zair for a couple of days. Just until we can get a report in and follow up some leads."

"You should leave this to the professionals."

"I will." I bite my lip and look away. "He was alone in the apartment."

Eddie lets out a gusty sigh and sits back quickly. "Like you were?"

I look away. "He's a good kid, and she was a good mum. No drugs, no booze. She baked cookies for the neighbours and volunteered at the community centre. Please…just for a few days."

"When the police come, I will have to hand him over to them."

I nod quickly.

"Why haven't you handed him over- No, scratch that, it's a stupid question. Of course, you wouldn't want any kid to go into the foster system."

He steeples his hands and presses his fingers against his lips.

"Gentlemen, can you give us the room for a moment?"

I wait as Mason, Rafe, and Dane, carrying Zair, slip out of the room and pull the door closed.

"Jackie…"

"Daddy, please. It was awful. He was screaming, and no one did anything. Just a few days."

"All right, baby. I'll arrange for Mrs MacKenzie to look after him, but if the police come, I'm going to have to hand him over."

"I know."

I stand up, move around the desk, and hug him. "Thank you for understanding."

He snorts. "I could never refuse you anything, especially when you give me that look."

"What look?"

"That one, big puppy eyes. All innocent."

I pout, and he laughs.

"While we're here, I notice you don't have a phone. I've got you one."

I step away from him, shaking my head, but he taps the desk.

"Favour for a favour. I want to be able to contact you."

I scowl. "That's blackmail."

He leans back and beams at me. "Why, yes, it is, child of mine. So, what's it going to be?"

I reach across the desk, take the phone, and slip it into my pocket with another fierce mock scowl.

"Right, now that's settled, let's go see about getting this boy of yours a bed for a few nights."