involved.” Betrayal scalded through me, and suddenly, every bruise I had ached. Bad.
Aiden curled his big hands over the side of my door since I’d left off the top. “Would you just stay away from me and this situation? Don’t go anywhere without the police guard they have on you.”
I sucked in air. How did he know that? “You just tied yourself to Scot in a way that corroborates those pictures we have of the two of you.” Every time I tried to convince myself that Aiden wasn’t involved with the drugs, something new popped up and slapped me in the head. Now I’d slept with him. So much for my career. “You’re running Beast, aren’t you? Nick is right.”
He sighed. “I told you not to trust Basanelli. Jesus. You want to solve an old crime? Find out what happened to his dad. The guy didn’t just disappear.”
I blinked. “Sure, he did.”
“Yeah. The wife-beater with three kids, three tough boys, just took off and left.” Aiden shook his head as he dropped the bombshell.
That was ridiculous. He was just trying to throw me off. “As far as I can see, you’re the only one breaking the law. The only one with a record. You and Scot are tied together, and I’ve found your drug plan.”
His gaze hardened even more. “You have no idea what Scot and I were working on, Anna. I would like to start a motorcycle business, and specialized handlebars is a good and economical place to start. Pauley is a witness to our intent, and I’m sure he’d be fine testifying to that fact.”
Was that a threat? I swung my head toward him. He was such a liar. My chest hurt. “You’re in too deep for me to help you,” I whispered.
He leaned in and brushed a soft kiss across the newest bruise on my cheekbone. The touch feathered through me, somehow bringing a sadness I hadn’t expected. Then he stood, studying me with that blue gaze that still haunted my dreams. “I always was, Angel.”
Chapter 31
Night had completely fallen as I dropped Pauley off at his mom’s office. Then I called Nick and filled him in on the events of the afternoon.
“You have pictures of the map?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m heading to the office to get them printed out right now. I think we can show that Aiden and Spider took evidence in Scot’s homicide since it was all from his college office. Is that enough to get us another warrant?” I asked, my stomach growling, having missed dinner. In fact, when was the last time I’d eaten?
“Yes. To search the Lordes’ apartment complex in Idaho, at least. We don’t have jurisdiction in Washington. We need to get our hands on those other papers Devlin took.” It sounded like Nick was swirling ice in a glass. “I’ll put a uniform on Pauley to keep him safe.”
I breathed out finally. “Thank you.”
“Of course. We’re not going to get anything tonight—it’s too flimsy. Let’s meet first thing in the morning and find a wide-awake judge for a warrant who doesn’t mind working on a Saturday. Get some sleep, Albertini.” He disengaged the call.
It was good advice, and I did just that, once again staying the night with Tessa. She had to work extra late, so I had the bed to myself until she dropped into it, immediately falling sound asleep.
The next morning, I borrowed a flowered skirt and matching sweater from her before heading to the office, once again not minding that I was working on a Saturday.
I tried to center myself in my car on the way to work, grateful the night had been void of nightmares. Or of dreams in general, especially of Aiden. There was a chance we could arrest him for taking the documents from the college, but the evidence was flimsy unless we could prove the drug connection. Not that I wanted to arrest him. What was in those papers that had been on the desk? I should’ve fought him over those, but everything had happened so quickly. He was definitely in the thick of this mess.
Yet, I felt in my heart that Aiden would never hurt me. Even my brain told me that. But did that matter? Those drugs did hurt other people, so he had to be stopped.
I reached the office and printed out a copy of the map from my phone just as Nick ran in with a signed warrant.
“Detective Pierce is executing right now on the Idaho apartment complex,