6. Jude #2
The FBI had been sniffing around Hebert Timber for years.
We’d had meetings, investigations, and numerous drop-ins.
Yet they still hadn’t come up with enough concrete evidence to bust this ring.
The only arrest they’d made was an arsonist who torched our machine shop in full view of our security cameras.
With a long breath out, Parker sank down in her chair. “Do you know who it is? Or have a description?”
Mila hummed. “White guy, in his forties or fifties. I saw him once, and I recorded his voice on my phone. At the poker game.”
Parker was back to jotting notes. “This could be worse than we thought.” She peered up at us, pen still moving. “But we can keep it local for now if we need to.”
“What about your last police chief?” Mila asked. “He came into the Ape Hanger all the time.”
Parker’s brows shot up, and I straightened in my seat.
The whole town knew Chief Souza was a bad guy. What he had done to Cole was probably only the tip of the power-abusing iceberg. But involved with drug trafficking?
“Yes. He always ordered a shot of whiskey and an Allagash White. I know he’s on leave, but he’s not locked up, and he still has influence around here, right?”
Parker winced. “Do you know for sure he’s involved?”
“I’ve seen him walk out of the bar with duffel bags full of cash. Does that answer your question?”
“Any other Lovewell PD?”
“No one ever came in dressed in uniform, so I couldn’t tell you. I only recognized Souza because I met with him after Hugo was attacked.”
“Wait a second.” Parker tapped her pen on the table, her lips turned down. “You met with him, and he never recognized you at the bar?”
Mila shrugged. “I cut and dyed my hair before I started this and dressed differently.”
“Fuck.” Parker shook her head. “That dumbass was terrible at his job.”
Mila pushed her hair behind her ear with her good hand for what had to be the third or fourth time, which got me thinking it was a tic of hers. That was further evidenced when she stood abruptly, wincing at the movement.
“Respectfully,” she said through gritted teeth. “I’m not going to stop. This situation.” She pointed to the arm cradled in its sling. “Is unfortunate, but I’m too close now.”
“I’m going to ask you to please stand down.” The authority in Parker’s tone was natural. Clearly, it came with the territory in law enforcement. “This is complex and, while I’m impressed with what you’ve put together, one injured woman is not going to take down an entire opioid cartel.”
Mila’s expression darkened as she pulled herself up straighter.
“You should lay low,” Parker said. “Leave town.”
Leave town? No way. Abruptly, I stood. A second later, sensing my mood, Ripley appeared at my side.
“No. She’ll stay here,” I growled.
The response was out of character for me. I was the calm, quiet Hebert brother, and I certainly didn’t make demands like this. But I couldn’t imagine Mila being safe anywhere else. And that was all I wanted, for her to be safe.
“I’m not running away from this,” Mila argued, her good hand balled into a fist at her side.
“You should.” Parker sighed and closed her eyes. “You should go far away and live your life.”
Mila’s eyes flashed with rage. “Whether or not you want to believe it, this isn’t only about your family and your town. My brother’s in a damn coma because of these assholes. My mother has been threatened by goons. So excuse me for caring.”
She stepped up to the table and splayed one hand on it, leaning closer to Parker.
“I’m sorry this is coming at an inconvenient time for you professionally, but I will push forward, and I will find law enforcement to help me.”
My blood ran cold. While I respected her passion, she was hardly in any condition to do this. And in the thirty-six hours she’d spent in my house, I’d learned that she had little to no regard for her personal safety.
“Parker,” I pleaded.
She sighed. “Let me poke around with the FBI. Off the record. See if I can get a sense of where the investigation has stalled. Even if someone there is compromised, the bureau is likely still collecting evidence. There have got to be threads we can pull.”
“I’ll get you all my evidence.” Mila straightened again, her demeanor calming.
“I can’t use illegally obtained evidence.”
“Yes, I’m familiar with the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, thanks,” Mila snapped. So much for her mood settling. “But in the state of Maine, there are several exceptions, including independent sources. Of which I am.”
Parker tilted her head, regarding Mila, then nodded. “You’re good.”
“No shit,” she replied. “So let’s make a plan.”
Despite the fear still consuming me, I couldn’t help but be proud of her for fighting for what she believed in.
Parker put up a hand. “Okay, okay. We will. But for now, you should lay low. When I’m officially on the job in a month or two—”
“We can’t wait that long.” Mila’s pitch rose, her breathing coming in short pants like she was in pain. Her ribs were probably killing her. “Things change day to day. Who knows how long this information will be good for. You’ve got to move now.”
With a shake of her head, Parker looked at me. “I thought being a small-town police chief would mean dealing with speeding tickets and lost pets.”
“Sorry.” I shrugged. “But we’ve waited years for a lead like this.”
“I need to go pick my daughter up from daycare. Can I trust you to stay here?”
Mila grimaced. “For how long?”
“Give me two weeks. Stay in the house. Let your shoulder heal. Read, relax, spoil the dog. Do not get yourself killed or do anything that would clue them in to your whereabouts or give away that we’re on to them.”
“But my evidence—”
“Let me worry about that. Just hit pause for a damn minute and give me time to catch up.”
Mila bit her lip and narrowed her eyes. From her expression, she wasn’t thrilled about being told to stand down.
Parker arched a brow at me. “Jude, can I trust you to keep her contained?”
Honestly, it was unlikely. Though I didn’t know Mila well, I could guarantee she wasn’t the kind of woman who could be contained or controlled. But I’d do everything I could to protect my family and end this once and for all. If that meant babysitting her, even if she fought me over it, I’d do it.
“Yes. She’ll stay here. I’ll keep her safe. We’re out of the way up here, and I’ve got access to our camps if we need to get off the grid.”
Mila glared at me. It was the same expression she wore when she woke up and discovered she was in my bed. I was getting used to it pretty quickly.
Parker gave me a tight nod. “I’ll be in touch.”
I saw her out, and when I returned to the living room, Mila was pacing. Ripley was on her heels as she wore tracks in my area rug.
“I can’t wait weeks,” she said. “You’re gonna have to help me.”
A long breath escaped me. “Parker said to stand down.”
She halted her movements and tilted her head, looking unimpressed. “Not the first time I’ve been told that.”
I scoffed. “Shocking.”
She stuck her tongue out, her body relaxing a fraction. “You sure you don’t mind that I’m here?”
I stepped up to her, taking in the fading bruises on her face. “It’s no problem.” My hands itched to reach out and cup her jaw, but I fisted them at my sides, resisting the urge.
She grinned, clearly not as affected by our proximity as I was. “Because you’re gonna help me take these fuckers down?”
I frowned. “No, because I’m gonna keep you safe.”
With a step back, she rolled her eyes. “Who said we can’t do both?”