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“What do we know about this cop?” Alarick asks as he drags a tattoo needle over Samson’s skin.
I have no idea what piece he’s doing, but it’s big and it’s covering most of Samson’s bicep.
“Not a great deal at this stage,” Cohen says, kicking back and throwing his booted feet up on the table in the waiting area, putting his hands behind his head. “Just heard a few rumors that he’s fuckin’ dirty.”
“Get your boots off my fuckin’ desk, Cohen,” Alarick growls.
Cohen flips him the bird but takes his feet down.
“Obviously, Magnolia had something to do with this cop, I’m going to go and speak to him and see what I can find out,” I say, crossing my legs and leaning forward to get a better look at Samson’s tattoo.
“No, you’re fuckin’ not,” Alarick says, without hesitation. “No way in fuck.”
“Excuse me?” I ask, leaning back and meeting his eyes as he pauses and glances at me.
“You’re not goin’ into no station and questioning a cop that could be dirty, that’s likely got your sister, and is very clearly dangerous. That ain’t somethin’ I’m good with.”
“It’s not really your choice,” I point out. “She’s my sister, I’ll do what I want.”
“You want the club’s help, you’ll fuckin’ stay in line.”
“My god, you’re such a dick.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Samson mutters from the table. “You two are like a bunch of fuckin’ school kids. You are goin’ to talk this shit out so we can carry on with findin’ Mag’s without the drama. Hash it out, scream at each other, and then get the fuck over it.”
I purse my lips and Alarick gets back to work without answering.
“Fuck me,” Cohen grunts. “Bunch of babies, you fuckers.”
“Enough,” Alarick orders. “Back to figurin’ out what we’re goin’ to do about this cop.”
“We’ll look into it,” Cohen murmurs. “One way or another, we’ll figure out if he’s dirty. I’ll start askin’ about. See what comes out of it.”
“I’m going to keep asking questions,” I say. “I’m not giving up on my sister, she could be in danger and the longer we wait, the harder this is going to be.”
“Morning, everyone!”
Joanne walks through the front doors, looking gorgeous and vibrant. She’s followed by her boyfriend, Tatum, who I met yesterday. He’s hot and super friendly. I really like both of them and Joanne has some incredible tattoos she’s done. If I were to get one, I know who I’d go to. Although Alarick is utterly incredible and talented so I’m certain it would be a hard choice.
“Hey, Jo,” I smile, waving. “Hi, Tatum!”
“Hiya, chicky, how’s the hunt for Magnolia going?” Joanne asks, walking over to her station and setting up for the day.
“It’s not going all that well at the moment, but we’re going to find her, I’m sure of it.”
“Well, let us know if you need anything. Callie and Tanner are super swift with finding out information, I’m sure they’d love to help.”
Callie is Jo’s best friend and her boyfriend, Tanner, is Tatum’s best friend. Go figure. I don’t know their history, but I know they haven’t lived here too long and all of them have been through quite a bit together judging by what Jo has told me. Either way, they’re amazing people and it only makes it harder and harder for me to consider leaving this place. These people are my friends and I’m remembering how good it felt to live here.
Until everything went bad.
“What do you know about Constable Bennett?” Alarick asks Tatum, who walks over and stares down at Samson’s incredible tattoo.
“Heard of him, don’t know a great deal. I do know a girl that works at the station, though. Met her through work, she’s a good chick. Be happy to ask her.”
“What’s her name?” Alarick asks, slowly and carefully dragging the needle across Samson’s skin.
“Zariah Malvoy. She’s only young, but she’s a detective. Fuckin’ smart girl. Worth having a chat to her.”
“Cops and us don’t usually get along,” Alarick points out. “We do illegal shit; they don’t like illegal shit.”
“Don’t have to tell her it’s info for the club,” Tatum points out. “Happily tell her I’m lookin’ for someone.”
“I’ll come with you,” I say. “She might know something about Magnolia.”
Alarick pauses again and looks up at me. “What part of you not doin’ shit outside the club are you not gettin’?”
I roll my eyes and look back at Tatum. “Let me know when you’re going to see her.”
Tatum nods, and glances at Jo. “Gotta run, baby. Pick you up this afternoon?”
“You got it.” She smiles, leaning forward and kissing him.
He disappears out the door and I turn and clap my hands together. “Well, I better get going. Karen and I have a lunch date and then we’re going to see if we can find out anything else about Magnolia.”
“You’re hangin’ out with Karen still?” Alarick asks, not looking at me, but back at Samson’s skin.
“Yes, so?”
“I fuck her.”
“And?”
He stops again and glances at me. “Nothin’.”
I swallow and turn, giving Jo a big smile and saying goodbye to the others before heading out the front door.
When I get outside, I glance back at the studio and exhale.
It feels like I never left.
It feels like this is still home.
It is all getting a little too familiar again.
I need to find Magnolia and get out of here.
Before I find it hard to ever leave again.
~*~*~*~
“SO, WHAT WE’VE GOT so far is that Magnolia has been talking to a cop, at least, we think he’s a cop. They think she has been messing with drugs but you think that’s just a cover up, her car was on the side of the road and she’s missing, and we know she was staying at The Inn but seemingly disappeared really quickly. Is that about right?” Karen asks, sipping her coffee and staring at me.
I exhale. “That’s about it so far. I just don’t know how to piece all of this together. They all say Magnolia was dealing with drugs, but that just doesn’t seem like her. She’s smart with that kind of stuff, she always has been. I know everyone said she ran off the rails and was going downhill, but it still doesn’t make a great deal of sense.”
“What if we’re looking at this all wrong?” Karen points out. “What if Magnolia was helping this cop? What if he’s not a dirty cop at all, but was in fact using her to get information on someone, and that someone found out?”
I never considered that.
“Go on,” I say, intrigued.
“Let’s say Magnolia was in with the wrong crowd for a bit, maybe she got into trouble and to avoid punishment agreed to help bring these people down. It happens quite a lot for lighter sentences. Perhaps she was getting information to the cop and someone found out and took her. It would all piece together a lot cleaner than to think he’s a dirty cop. I think it’s worth going and trying to find him and telling him who you are. If he’s dirty, it’s a risk, but if he’s clean, he might just be able to give you some information.”
She’s right, that makes a great deal of sense. If that is the case, we could be going down the wrong road and wasting time.
“If we go to the cops, do you think they’ll want to get involved?” I ask, hesitating. “If that’s the case, it’s going to cause problems for the club, and to really delve into that dark world, we need the club. It’s a really tricky situation.”
Karen nods. “I think if we just ask questions, we should be safe. We just have to be careful about how much we give away.”
“You’re right,” I nod. “Any chance you feel like a trip to the police station?”
“Yep.”
We both stand and pay for our order, leaving a tip, before walking out to her car. She drives us to the local police station and we both get out, heading inside. I’m nervous, and I feel like I could be making a big mistake here, yet I know I can’t just sit around and do nothing. The longer I wait the longer it’s going to take for Magnolia to be found. She could be in any sort of danger right now, and I can’t live with myself if something happens to her because I was too late.
“Can I help you?” an older lady asks when we step through the front doors.
“Yes, we were wondering if Constable Bennett was here, by chance?” Karen asks, her voice professional and light.
She’s so damned good at this.
“Yes, he is. Do you have an appointment with him?”
“No, we don’t, but we’d like to see him if he’s not too busy. Is that okay?”
The woman nods and tells us she’ll go and ask him. We take a seat and wait. I fidget just a little, because I’m nervous and worried I’m doing the wrong thing here.
A moment later a man in maybe his late thirties walks out. He’s really good looking, with dark blond hair, light blue eyes, and a strong jaw. He’s tall, well-built and looks like he can handle himself fairly well.
“Can I help you?” he asks, staring at Karen and me.
“Yes, hi,” Karen says, standing. “I’m Karen and this is my friend Briella. We were wondering if we could have a word with you in private. It’s quite important.”
He studies us for a moment, and then nods and we follow him to his office when he ushers us through.
His office is small, but not crampy. He sits down at his large, brown oak desk and we take a seat on the other side. I glance over at him, taking him in and wondering if he really is crooked. I mean, it’s hard to tell. He looks like a pretty nice guy, but then you can never be too sure about anyone.
“How can I help you, ladies?” he asks.
“We were wondering if you might happen to know where Magnolia is. We have been looking for her with no luck.”
Karen doesn’t ask him if he knows Magnolia, nor does she ask him how he knows Magnolia, she just goes right in as if there is no doubt in her mind, no question at all. It’s clever and it’s enough to have him jerk back just a little, like he’s surprised we’re mentioning that name.
“Magnolia?” he asks, acting a little surprised.
“Yes, Magnolia. We’re aware she was dealing with you, and it’s been quite some time since we’ve heard from her. Mostly we just want to know if she’s okay.”
He tips his head to the side and frowns, then looks over to me. “I haven’t seen her for about a week.”
Well, that’s a hell of a lot sooner than the last time we saw her.
“Would you mind sharing where she was?” Karen asks. “It has been a few weeks since any of us have heard from her.”
“I ran into her in town, she was at the store. If you’re concerned for her wellbeing, I’d suggest releasing a missing person’s report?” he suggests.
“At this stage, we’re not going to be doing that, but we know she’s been dealing with some bad people. We thought perhaps she might have been working with you to help bring those people to justice.”
Jesus she’s good.
Bennett purses his lips and murmurs, “Is that what she told you?”
“Something like that.” Karen shrugs.
“She was helping me; however, I got the information needed and, as far as I knew, she was well on her way to going about her business. If you give me some more information, I’m happy to look into it for you.”
“What was she helping you with?” I ask, finally speaking.
He looks to me. “Have we met?”
“I’m her sister,” I point out.
He seems shocked by this, too. “That so,” he murmurs to himself. “Well, she was helping me with some information after I charged her for possession of cocaine a few months back. It was that or she would be facing trial. She agreed to help me, gave me some information about the people she was buying and dealing through, and that was the end of it.”
So, Karen was right.
“Is there a chance those people have come after her, or found out?” I push further.
“That’s always a risk, yes. It’s also just a likely she went back into that lifestyle and is choosing not to be found. People often find it hard to break such habits.”
“My sister is not a drug user, if she was doing that, there was a reason for it, and I’m going to find out that reason,” I snap, frustrated that he’s basically saying she’s dropped herself down the rabbit hole again.
“Listen, I have no idea what Magnolia chose to do after she finished helping me. Our relationship was very short and basic.”
“Then why was there a note from you in the hotel she was staying at?” I question, blood pumping, heart racing.
“It wasn’t from me,” he says calmly. “I don’t know where Magnolia is, but as I said I’m happy to file a missing person’s report and investigate the situation.”
I stand, shaking my head. This is getting us nowhere. “Someone has my sister, and I’m going to find out who. Thanks for your help, Constable.”
I spin on my heel and walk out.
Karen follows along behind me.
Once we’re outside, I turn to her and she crosses her arms. “You let your emotions get the better of you then, honey,” she says, her voice tight but not angry.
“I just feel like everyone we come across is hiding something. Like every single person is lying in one way or another. I just don’t know who to believe anymore.”
“Without upsetting you here, is there a chance that Magnolia is dealing in drugs and did go back? I know you think she isn’t, but what if you’re wrong. Something might have happened that sent her down that path. It happens to the best of us.”
I go to shake my head, but then I exhale and say, “I honestly don’t know, and I think that’s what bothers me more. I don’t know and the idea of not knowing if my sister went down that path makes me feel like I’ve failed her. I should have noticed ...”
Karen stops and reaches over, grabbing my shoulder, her eyes sympathetic. “Do you know how many families have said that same thing? Gosh, I could list them to you. It’s not your fault if that’s the path Magnolia took, please don’t think it is.”
I nod, but I’m not overly convinced.
“Let’s just see what we can find out from here, okay?”
I nod again.
I hope we’re doing the right thing here.
I really, really do.