Chapter 23
SEAN
Five hours later.
As soon as the game films ended and the lights came on, Sean, Lukas, and Rafe followed Petey down the hall toward the exit.
They’d meant to confront Rogue, but he hadn’t shown for the meeting, and Tuttle had been the first one out the door. That left Petey to explain what the three of them were wrapped up in together.
Petey walked with his head down, the posture of a man with a lot on his mind.
He didn’t seem to notice the three of them following, and Sean’s suspicions about that were confirmed when—as Petey grabbed the doorknob and Sean’s palm shot forward to slam against the door—Petey did his best impression of a selkie, whirled, and nearly jumped out of his skin.
“What the hell?” he shouted.
“We could ask you the same thing,” Sean said.
He’d been in a pissed-off mood for hours with only himself to blame. Lukas had been right before; he really should learn to think twice before jumping in with a woman he barely knew.
Now, he was taking his anger out on Petey, and he didn’t even feel bad about it.
Petey glanced at Rafe. “What’s he talking about?”
“You know a guy named Chandler Moss?” Rafe’s hellhound eyes glowed red in warning, his anger barely contained.
This was because their captain wasn’t merely concerned about the women’s safety. He had a team to hold together, and he wasn’t liking the rift.
“No,” Petey said, sounding jittery. “Should I?”
“He’s the man who abducted Elli,” Lukas said. “Rogue’s little sister. My woman.”
Petey glanced quickly at Lukas, then back to Rafe. He shrugged, but a muscle jumped in his jaw. “Sorry. No clue. Now, can I go?”
“This same guy tossed Kiera Jones’s apartment looking for a bag of cash,” Sean said. “Does that jog your memory?”
“Why would it?” Petey asked, getting angry now. “I don’t even know her.”
“We pulled Moss’s ID,” Rafe said, and the three of them tightened their advance, trapping Petey against the door. “His address said Reno. Any ideas why someone from Reno would have an interest in both Elli and Kiera?”
“No!” Petey protested. “Now, back off! I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”
“Where’s Rogue?” Rafe asked, which was a very good question. It took a lot to get excused from watching game films.
“Listen,” Petey said, his cheeks red. “If you’ve got a problem with Rogue, talk to him yourself. We’re done here.”
Petey tried to push past them—the building had more than one exit—but Lukas grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slammed him back against the door.
Petey winced. “Fuck, man. What is wrong with you?”
Sean moved in closer, remembering the conversation he’d overheard in the bodega. “Who’s Junior?”
At that, the reddish-pink tint to Petey’s skin started to pale. “What?”
“Why does he owe Rogue money?” Sean pressed.
“How do you know Junior?” Petey asked, and in that one simple question was the beginning of a confession. Now, they were getting somewhere.
Sean exchanged a glance with Lukas, who released his grip on Petey’s shirt.
“It doesn’t matter how we know him,” Sean said, wishing he were better skilled in the art of interrogation. He didn’t know what question to ask next or how to get closer to the truth.
If they were on the ice, maybe he could beat the answers out of him. But the fact was, Petey, who could definitely be an asshole, was still their teammate. They could get a little physical, but not so much to jeopardize tomorrow’s game.
“I mean…” Petey said. “I’ve never even met him. Only Rogue has. And I swear I’ve never heard of this Moss guy.”
“Okay,” Sean said. “What do you know of him? Of Junior.”
Petey clamped his mouth shut.
“Who does he work for?” Lukas asked.
Petey shook his head like answering that question would cause him pain.
“Did Rogue ever describe him?” Sean asked. “Is he around five-nine? One-eighty. Dark, slicked-back hair?”
He’d already gotten the idea that this Junior person wasn’t the same guy who’d shot at him and Kiera at the bodega, but he wanted to make sure.
Petey lowered his eyebrows, frowned, and shook his head. “That doesn’t sound right.”
“Big, blond, good looking guy?” Rafe asked, describing Moss.
“No,” Petey said, “but there are a lot of players.”
“In what game?” Lukas said. “What are you three playing at?”
Petey clenched his teeth, and the tendon went taut in his jaw. The guy was clamming up.
“Someone is going to get hurt,” Sean said. “Elli was kidnapped and had a knife held to her face. Kiera was shot at. Her apartment tossed. Now, Moss is dead.”
“Dead?” Petey’s eyes widened, not just because the guy was dead but because he could probably ascertain how Moss had gotten that way.
Wisely, he didn’t ask any more questions on that point.
“We need to talk to Rogue,” Lukas said.
“Then call him,” Petey said. “I’m not stopping you.”
“I tried,” Lukas said. “Before the meeting, and I texted him during. He’s not answering. He’s not picking up for Elli either.”
“He had something important to deal with before the game tomorrow,” Petey explained, and that sounded like the truth.
“Do you know what was so important?” Rafe asked.
That same muscle ticked in Petey’s jaw. “No.”
A definite lie.
“If anyone else gets hurt,” Sean warned, “it’s on you.”
Petey turned angry eyes on him. “No, it’s not. I didn’t want any part of this. I’ve worked too hard to get where I am. Now, get out of my way, nymph.”
He put his hands to Sean’s chest and shoved.
Sean could have held his ground, but he took a step back to let Petey pass. They weren’t going to get anything more out of him today.
Sean, Lukas, and Rafe turned to watch him go.
“What do you think?” Rafe asked after Petey slammed his hands against another exit door and disappeared into the dark.
“Well,” Lukas said. “He obviously knows what’s going on, but it’s Rogue who’s running the show.”
“We really gotta talk to Rogue,” Sean said.
“Easier said than done,” Lukas said. “I meant what I said. He’s not picking up.”
“Where do you think he is?” Rafe asked.
“Looking for Junior,” Sean said grimly. “Whoever he is.”
“I don’t have a good feeling about that,” Lukas said.
A silent beat passed, then Sean let out a breath. “Neither do I.”