if he’s found innocent later, his reputation is ruined. And no matter what I think he’s done, I can’t destroy him without proof.”
Brynn shook her head, desperation knotting her insides. Somehow she had to convince him. They had to find Hoffman and stop him fast. But then the office door swung open, and Haley came back in. “One of the girls recognized the symbol,” she said, sounding breathless.
Brynn’s belly tensed. “What is it?”
“It sounds really sick, but it’s something pedophiles use. She says it’s like an insider symbol, a member of the club type of thing.”
So she was right. She shot Parker a pointed look. “I told you.”
But he only shook his head. “It’s still not enough. We don’t know that he gave it to her. And what if he did? He could claim he didn’t know what it meant. He can explain all this away.”
Too frustrated to sit still anymore, Brynn rose and walked to the window, then stared out at the gathering dusk. That child was in terrible danger. And she knew that Hoffman had her. She knew her stepfather, knew how he operated, knew the kind of child he preferred.
But she didn’t have proof. She turned to Parker again, determined to find a way. “What kind of evidence do you need?”
“Photos. Emails or phone calls. A credible victim would do.”
A credible victim. She went stone-still. Her heart made a frantic skip. She’d been Hoffman’s victim. But would Parker believe her if she told him the truth? No one else ever had.
She closed her eyes, her belly pitching, the thought of revealing those horrific details making her want to wretch. But she had to rescue that girl—no matter what the personal cost.
And Haley was right. Parker was a good guy. He’d saved her from the drive-by shooting. He’d helped her flee the cops. In the end he might not believe her, but she knew that he’d hear her out.
Assuming she had the nerve to reveal the truth.
Another wave of dizziness barreled through her, and she placed her hand on the glass. She didn’t want to relive the past. But she had to do this. She had to reach deep inside her and find the courage to admit the truth—before another innocent victim died.
She turned to her best friend. Haley held her gaze for a moment, then nodded her approval, understanding what she intended to do. She left the office and closed the door, leaving Brynn and Parker alone.
“All right,” Brynn said, knowing she couldn’t turn back now. “If you need a victim, I’ll give you one. Me.”
* * *
Needing a moment to compose herself, she turned toward the window again and stared out at the small backyard. Bare branches clawed the sky. Withered bushes bowed in the fitful breeze. Dusk crept inexorably over the patio, turning the landscape an ominous, tombstone gray.
Knowing she couldn’t postpone this, that every passing second mattered to that missing girl, she inhaled and turned around. Parker leaned against the back of the sofa, his arms folded across his broad chest, his eyes inscrutable as he waited for her to speak.
“I told you my stepfather was a cop,” she began. “What I didn’t tell you is that he’s Hugh Hoffman, the C.I.D. chief. He sexually abused me when I was young. That’s why I ran away from home.”
Parker’s eyes flickered, but his face remained impassive, making her wonder if he already knew. But that was silly. How could he have figured it out? She’d been so careful not to let it slip.
Deciding she’d imagined his reaction, she forged ahead. “My dad died when I was five. Hoffman started dating my mother a year later, when I was six. At first I thought he was nice. He talked to me, paid attention to me. He took me places—swimming, fishing, roller-skating. He gave me candy and little gifts.”
She hugged her arms, ignoring the twinge of pain. “My dad and I...we were really close. I adored him. And when he died I fell apart. It was a really bad time. Then Hoffman came along. He played me perfectly. He saw that I needed attention and filled the void.”
She flattened her lips. “It was typical grooming behavior. First he established a bond. Then as soon as he married my mother, he graduated to the next stage. He started finding excuses to touch me. He hugged me, tickled me, kissed me. He had me sit on his lap while we watched TV. He always wanted to wrestle and horse