Dangerous Lies (Badge of Honor #2)

Chapter 14

FOURTEEN

“Sorry to drop in without calling first.” Noah took a sip of his coffee before setting it down on a coaster.

He’d claimed her grandfather’s recliner. Dawson had opted to stand next to the fireplace while Jax and Megan were on the sofa. Jax sat close enough that his shoulder brushed against hers, and without thinking, she leaned into him. His solid presence soothed the nerves jittering her insides. Talking about the threats against her, even thinking about them, was difficult. It dragged up memories of the night Oliver died. The terror of being run off the road, the sound of metal crashing against metal, the pain exploding in her body.

Focus on the next right thing.

Megan drew in a breath, pushing away the memories that threatened to drown her. Doing whatever she could to help the police was the next right thing.

“We have an update, but first, I need to ask a few questions.” Noah opened his tablet and removed the electronic pen. “Megan, when was the last time you saw or spoke to Zeke Russell?”

She considered his question. “I don’t remember the exact date, but it was before I went to rehab. After I got clean, I cut everyone associated with that part of my life off.”

“You mentioned Zeke sold drugs to Oliver. What about others?”

“I assume so.” Megan clasped her hands together in her lap. Her fingers were icy, despite the warm temperature of the house. “I never bought from him though. Zeke always scared me. Even before I saw him become violent with Oliver. It’s hard to explain… it was more of a feeling. Like I knew once he got me under his thumb, I’d never get out.”

Survival was a funny thing. Back then, Megan hadn’t had any qualms about taking drugs, stealing, or heaven help her, even driving while under the influence. And yet, she’d drawn the line at buying drugs from Zeke. Why? She couldn’t explain it. The only reasonable explanation was that she hadn’t been completely suicidal. Just reckless and incredibly stupid.

Noah leaned forward, planting his elbows on his knees. “Who else bought drugs from Zeke?”

Megan hesitated. “I can give you the names of people who hung out with Oliver and me back then, but I haven’t been in contact with most of them for ten years. The few people I still speak to are sober now. None of them live in Knoxville anymore. I don’t want to disrupt their lives and stir up bad memories if it’s not necessary.” Her gaze skipped to Dawson, whose expression was impassive, before settling back on Noah. “Why are you asking these questions? Weren’t you able to find Zeke?”

“Not exactly.” Dawson frowned. He removed his cowboy hat and tossed it on the cushion of an armchair before running his hands through his hair. “We ran him through our databases. He has a 2014 Ford Explorer in his name and a current driver’s license. The address listed on both is a house on the outskirts of town owned by his mother. She confirmed Zeke lives there, but he comes and goes. She hasn’t seen him for days. Not since he came to pick up his disability check last week.”

“Disability check?” Jax straightened. “Is he on Social Security disability?”

“Nope. He’s receiving disability from the VA for injuries sustained while on deployment.” He gave Jax a pointed look. “Zeke was a Night Stalker.”

Megan had never heard the term before. “What’s a Night Stalker?”

“It’s a special ops unit in the Army, specifically the 160 th Special Operations Aviation Regiment,” Jax said. “They’re known for being proficient in nighttime operations.”

She sucked in a breath. The attacks on her had been well-planned and indicated the perpetrator had a military background. It was part of the reason Chief Garcia thought Wesley was behind them. But if Zeke also had special ops training…

Jax turned toward her. “Did you know Zeke had been in the military?”

She shook her head. “I did my best to steer clear of Zeke from the day I met him. In fact, I tried to get Oliver to stop buying drugs from him, to stop fighting for him, but he wouldn’t listen.” Megan’s attention shifted back to Dawson and Noah. “What about the gym Zeke owned? Bodybuilders.”

“It shut down a week after Oliver died. The sheriff’s department raided the gym on suspicion of drug trafficking and operating an illegal fighting ring. They even issued an arrest warrant for Zeke, but the DA later retracted it, saying the case wasn’t strong enough to hold up in court. We’re attempting to track down any of the old employees who worked there, hoping they can provide more insight.” Noah held Megan’s gaze. “That’s why I need the names of the other people Zeke was selling to. Maybe they know where he is now. Or who his friends are.”

“His mom doesn’t know?” Jax asked, his tone incredulous. “His check is delivered to her house. He pops by there to pick it up, right?”

“Yes, but his mom wasn’t very forthcoming. I suspect she knows more than she’s saying, but doesn’t want Zeke to get in trouble. She provided us with a phone number, but Zeke’s not answering. We interviewed his older brother, Cody Russell. He swears up and down that the sheriff’s raid on Bodybuilders was based on false claims and both he and his brother were innocent. Cody couldn’t tell us who any of his brother’s friends were and doesn’t know where Zeke stays when he’s not at their mother’s.”

Jax’s brows drew down in suspicion. “They’re covering for him.”

Dawson shrugged. “They’re definitely not sharing all they know.”

“Does Zeke have a criminal record?”

“Yep. He’s been arrested for drug possession, assault, and domestic violence. Nothing recent though.” Noah pulled some pages from a pocket on his tablet cover and handed them to Jax.

Megan leaned over to get a look. Her stomach twisted. The first page had a photograph of Zeke, taken when he was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend right before Oliver died. He looked exactly as she remembered—a bloated, meaty face with sunken eyes that spoke of sleepless nights and drug use. The arrest record listed his height as 6’0 and his weight as 240 pounds. Judging by the thickness of his neck and the way his shirtsleeves barely encircled his arms, most of that was muscle.

Her mind flashed back to the first attack, the feel of the attacker’s arm trapping her against the seat. He’d been powerful. Someone who worked out.

Someone like Zeke.

Jax flipped to the last page and frowned. “Zeke’s last arrest happened right before Oliver died and then… nothing for the last ten years? That’s strange. He wasn’t in constant trouble, but there’s an arrest every few years here. I find it hard to believe he miraculously cleaned up his act.”

“We thought that was weird too.” Dawson bent over the coffee table, plucking a Snickerdoodle from the plate of cookies. “It’s possible Zeke is lying low. Or the raid on his gym scared him and he’s living under a fake identity.” He bit into the cookie, eating half of it in one go. After chewing and swallowing, Dawson added, “We questioned some of the Russells’ neighbors, and this is where it gets weird. None of them have seen Zeke or his truck in years.”

Megan’s mind whirled as she tried to figure out how to put the puzzle pieces together. “Let me see if I have this right. Zeke and his older brother, Cody, own a gym together. The sheriff’s department investigates them for drug trafficking and running an illegal fighting ring. One week after Oliver dies, the gym shuts down and Zeke skips town. He receives a monthly disability check, which he collects from his mother, but neither she nor his brother claim to have any idea where he lives. He’s not answering his phone, hasn’t been arrested since Oliver died, and the neighbors haven’t seen him in years.”

Noah nodded. “That sums it up all right.”

Jax rose from the couch and began pacing the room. “So let’s assume Zeke, who was known to have a violent temper, got into an altercation with Oliver. In anger, he runs Oliver and Megan off the road, killing my brother. Afraid he’ll be outed for murder, he goes into hiding, only to have his gym raided by the sheriff’s department a week later. Zeke decides to start over somewhere else, taking on a fake identity to do it. He thinks he’s free and clear, but then I reopen the investigation into Oliver’s accident. Afraid that Megan may put two and two together, he attempts to silence her.”

“It’s a good theory.” Dawson wiped his hands on a napkin. “But there are some holes. Why wait to kill Megan? You reopened the investigation into the accident weeks ago. Not to mention, if Zeke is living under a new identity, what does he care if we start digging into the past?”

Jax stopped pacing. “Because he’s involved in a new criminal enterprise. The sheriff’s office couldn’t prove he was trafficking drugs or running an illegal fighting ring, but we know he was. Chances are, Zeke moved his operation to wherever he’s living now. We find him, we may discover running Oliver off the road was only the tip of the iceberg.” He turned and planted his hands on the back of the armchair. “Zeke doesn’t want us looking for him. He definitely doesn’t want Megan telling us what she knows about his old operation.”

She pressed a hand to her midsection. Her stomach churned, and she regretted eating two cookies earlier. “I don’t know that much.”

“You might know more than you realize. Or Zeke’s just scared. Either way, I think he’s hoping to clean up a loose end.”

She hated this. All of it. But even Megan couldn’t deny Jax had connected the dots in a logical line that led straight to her. She swallowed down the fear threatening to rise up and met Noah’s gaze. “I’ll give you the names of everyone I know who bought from Zeke or was associated with him. I hope it helps.”

For the next hour, she talked.

When she was finished, she slumped against the couch cushions. Her voice was hoarse, and a headache brewed along her temples. Discussing the people she’d done drugs with and the world she’d been a part of dredged up a lot of shame and guilt. Megan wasn’t that person anymore, but it was still painful to remember how she’d once been.

Noah, who’d taken notes, closed his tablet case. “Thank you, Megan. We’ll follow up on all of this information and update you once we know more.” He turned to Jax. “No news on Wesley?”

“No. My parents are still looking for him. As soon as we make contact, we’ll have him call you.”

Megan wrapped her arms around her waist. She wasn’t sure what to think. Was Zeke trying to tie up a loose end, as Jax suspected? Or was Wesley out for revenge? The emails she’d received would suggest the latter, as did the photograph of Oliver and his brothers dropped at the crime scene.

Clearly, Noah was still pursuing the possibility that Wesley was responsible for the attacks.

“I’ll walk you out.” Jax escorted Dawson and Noah outside.

Megan eyed the dirty plates on the coffee table, but didn’t have the strength to clean up yet. Instead, she leaned against the back of the couch and closed her eyes, letting the quiet settle over her. Her headache eased slightly. Still, she felt unmoored, adrift on a sea of past transgressions.

When Jax returned, she didn’t move but opened her eyes. “I know there’s some risk, but do you think I could go to the NA meeting tonight? I asked Douglas to run it, but it would be good for me to attend.”

Jax crossed the room and sat next to her on the couch. Worry creased his features. “Are you…”

“No.” She shook her head to emphasize her words. “I won’t use again. Ever. But talking about my past has brought up a lot of negative feelings. Attending a meeting, being around people who understand what it’s like, helps. It’s a support system and a healthy coping mechanism. Kinda like attending church. That also helps, but there’s no service tonight.”

“What time is the NA meeting?”

“Seven. It’s at the Prince of Peace.” The local church in the center of town had a large conference room. “The meeting is open, so it won’t be just people in recovery. It’ll be friends and family too. Anyone curious about how to support a loved one in recovery is welcome. Normally, we have about 50 people.”

He seemed to calculate something in his head and then nodded. “Okay. I think it’ll be safe to go. I’ll attend the meeting with you. A patrol unit can make rounds before and during the meeting, which will add an extra layer of protection.”

It was a lot of maneuvering just to attend tonight’s meeting, and Megan was momentarily tempted to tell Jax to forget it, but she snuffed out the urge. Surviving these attacks wouldn’t matter if she fell apart at the seams. In times of crisis, it was important to reach out for help from her support system.

Megan picked up Zeke’s arrest record from the coffee table. His piercing glare sent a tremble of fear down her spine. It was instinctive, a visceral reaction she couldn’t entirely suppress, and she hated herself for it. “A part of me hopes that when Dawson and Noah find Zeke, they learn he’s turned his life around.”

“People like Zeke don’t change.”

The cynicism in Jax’s tone landed like a stone between them. Megan tilted her head, studying him. “I suppose working in law enforcement means you’ve seen the worst in people.”

“Repeatedly,” he said grimly. “Money, drugs, power, and greed are powerful motivators.” He jerked his chin toward Zeke’s picture. “Someone like him… he’d turn on his own mother to get ahead. All that matters to Zeke is getting what he wants.”

“There was a time someone might have said the very same thing about me.”

Her voice was quiet, but the words hung heavy in the air. Megan felt Jax stiffen, saw the way his jaw tightened as if he were bracing himself for what she might say next. She didn’t want to ruin the fragile understanding they’d been building, but if Jax was going to attend the NA meeting tonight, he needed to leave his cynicism at the door.

“When I was on drugs,” she continued, “I did horrible things. Shameful things. Things I knew were wrong, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was my next fix.”

“Are you comparing yourself to Zeke?” Jax’s voice sharpened as his gaze snapped to hers. He jabbed a finger at the arrest record in her hand. “He’s a bully, accused of domestic violence—against his own mother, no less—along with a litany of drug charges. According to you, he hit Oliver and used intimidation to get whatever he wanted. People like that don’t change, Megan. If anything, they get worse.”

“We’re all sinners, Jax.” Megan’s voice was calm, but her words carried the weight of conviction. “We hurt people. Make bad choices. But we’re also all children of God. He never stops reaching out to us, no matter how far into the darkness we go. With His guidance, we’re capable of change. You’ve seen the worst in people, but I’ve seen what happens when they let God into their lives. It’s not easy. It’s messy and painful, but it’s possible.”

He was quiet for a long moment. “If Zeke is behind these attacks on you, if he murdered Oliver, then he should be held accountable.”

“I don’t disagree, but right now, we don’t know that he is responsible. And even if he is, that doesn’t make him beyond redemption.” Megan gently placed a hand on Jax’s knee. “If you discover Wesley is behind these attacks on me, would you believe he was beyond forgiveness? Or would you recognize that he’s in pain, lost and separated from God?”

He didn’t respond. Megan started to pull her hand back, but to her surprise, Jax took it in his. His skin was shockingly warm, his touch gentle as his thumb caressed the edge of her forefinger. Butterflies took flight in her belly. She did her best to quell them down, but it was impossible. The man had an effect on her that couldn’t be ignored, no matter how illogical or reckless it was.

“People rarely surprise me.” Jax lifted his attention from their hands to meet Megan’s gaze. “My dad taught us to be discerning and withhold trust, two things that I carried with me into law enforcement. Working undercover meant making quick judgments. My survival required it. But investigating this case… being around you… I didn’t realize how jaded I’ve become.”

Heaven help her, the look in his eyes… her heart skipped several beats. Desperate to hide her true feelings, she lightly pushed his shoulder with her own as her mouth quirked up. “Careful, Detective. It almost sounds like you like me.”

He laughed, a low rumble that shifted his features from striking into downright breathtaking. “You know what, Megan?” Admiration sparkled in his eyes when he looked at her. “I think I might, but let’s keep that between us for now.” Jax winked. “I don’t want to ruin my tough-as-nails reputation.”

This time, it was Megan’s turn to laugh. “Don’t worry. I think we’re a long way from that.” She glanced down at Zeke’s criminal record again and the laughter died on her lips. No matter how much she wanted to avoid the truth, someone was hunting her. Either Zeke. Or Wesley. Or a complete stranger. It was terrifying.

How far would the person go to kill her? And why? Megan still didn’t even know the real reason she was being attacked.

As if he sensed the train of her thoughts, Jax released her hand and slung an arm over her shoulder, pulling her against him on the couch. His chest was hard and the strong beat of his heart soothed her. One of his hands still held hers, while the other gently ran up and down the length of her spine.

“It’s going to be okay,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that resonated through her.

Megan inhaled deeply, catching the faint scent of Jax’s cologne. It wrapped around her like a comforting blanket, slowing her racing pulse. With him, she felt safe. But it couldn’t last. The budding friendship they’d formed would melt away as soon as this case was over. There was too much history between them, too much pain, to let it become permanent.

One way or another, this would all end. The only real question was: how?