Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69155 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 346(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
“Better,” he goes on, staring at his laptop as he types something. “Family.”
Family.
Why the hell haven’t we looked into Dax’s family? With his name, and a good bit of digging, we’d be able to find someone in his family that would possibly know where he is.
God dammit.
Yes.
“What if they have no family?” I dare to ask.
“Everyone has someone, that’s just the truth. Everyone has someone that even if they changed their name and disappeared, they’d make contact. Doesn’t matter how bad they are, there is someone they’d give it all up for. A mother, a father, a sister, a friend, a lover ... Someone.”
“Is that what you’re looking for in this case, her someone?”
He nods. “Exactly. You find that person, you find your person.”
My heart pounds against my ribcage as I fight the urge to grab my phone and tell Alarick the almost obvious thing that has just been pointed out to me. We’ve been looking into the bad people, the people who know Dax or Peter, who are involved with them, who work for them, but we haven’t looked on the other side of things. Dax has to have someone out there that he cares about, or someone who would know where to find him.
We just have to find that person.
It seems scarily obvious now.
Steven and I finish up with our work and when he’s gone, I pick up the phone and dial Alarick.
“Zariah,” he answers. “You good?”
“Come to the hospital, I’ve got something to share.”
“On my way.”
I hang up and take a deep shaky breath.
This could be the break we need.
God, I hope this changes everything.
“I WAS TALKING TO STEVEN,” I say, when Alarick, Kendric, and Cohen arrive at the hospital. “We were just talking about cases in general and he told me that when you’re looking for someone who has disappeared, you look for the good side, not the bad side. In other words, you find their family, you go from there. He said everyone has someone they care about, you just have to find that person.”
Alarick stares at me with a confused expression.
I do a better job of explaining.
“He has to have family somewhere, someone he is still talking to, someone he cares about. Surely he didn’t just disappear without a trace. I mean, think about it, he left that house unattended. Someone has to be controlling that. He left everything and just disappeared. Someone knows something. You just have to find that someone.”
Alarick grins, wild and free, a grin I haven’t seen on his face for months. “You’re fuckin’ genius!” He turns to Cohen and Kendric. “Cohen, get Bohdi onto findin’ out who that house is registered to. It has to be under someone’s name, someone is keepin’ it good for him. Find that person. Kendric, you and Samson get onto searchin’ for his family, friends, someone out there who is still in contact with him. Surely the man doesn’t have nobody.”
“What about Peter?” Cohen asks.
“Fuck Peter, we’ve been lookin’ in the wrong places. We’re lookin’ at him because of their connection, but we’ve been wastin’ our time not searchin’ outside of him.”
“Let’s get onto it then,” Kendric murmurs, then looks to me. “What about Blanche, you got anything on him?”
“Blanche isn’t in on this,” I say. “I’m not risking my job to look into him. I’m sorry.”
Alarick glances at me too now. “Know you don’t like the idea, Zariah, but you gotta know our sources are all pointin’ to him.”
“Some cartel leader? You want me to believe him?” I shake my head. “No, I’m sorry, I’ve spent time with him and he’s smart. He’s clever. He’s so into his job. He’s not going to risk everything help some pathetic idiot like Dax out.”
“Dax is powerful, don’t underestimate him,” Cohen growls.
I shake my head. “I’m not doing it. I’m not looking into someone I know isn’t involved.”
“Need you to be on our side, Zariah,” Alarick tells me, crossing his arms. His big body so powerful it makes me feel a little intimidated.
“I am on your side. I’ve risked everything to help you all out and I still am. I’m not looking into someone who has finally given me a break that I’ve been working my ass off for.”
“So it’s about your fuckin’ job?” Kendric growls.
I look to him. “Do not, Kendric. I have every damn right to want to protect my job.”
“Sure that’s all you’re protectin’?”
I shake my head and look away. “I’m not looking into Blanche; you’re going to have to find something else. Now, can we look into the information I actually gave you that might lead somewhere?”
“You’re protectin’ someone who could be fuckin’ dangerous,” Kendric growls.
“You’re assuming. You have zero proof he has anything to do with this,” I snap, glaring at him.
“We have plenty of people tellin’ us his name, you think that’s a coincidence?”