Shadow of Doubt - Hailey Edwards Page 0,31
she won’t?”
“I’ll bring it up to Ford.”
“Do you trust him?”
“I don’t know him well, but I’ve always pegged him as a decent guy whenever our paths have crossed.”
“Midas handpicked him to play liaison with OPA.”
The fact he resisted the urge to yell opa! told me he was dead serious. “I figured.”
“He got promoted days before you arrived in Atlanta. The shine wasn’t off the apple when he introduced himself to you. He set himself in your path at the first opportunity.” He kept going, hitting me over the head with facts, hammering nails in the coffin of any possible friendship with Ford. “Since then, he’s overseen every gwyllgi-related crime in our jurisdiction.”
“That’s kind of his job, right?”
“Yeah, and his predecessor did what you’d expect. He prioritized. He only showed when it mattered.”
“Maybe Ford enjoys being thorough.”
“Or maybe he was planted in a position where the pack could keep an eye on you. The first opportunity Midas got, the very first, he paired you with Ford. I can tell you right now that has never happened in the history of this office. We’ve always been friendly with the other factions in the city, the gwyllgi in particular because of the POA’s personal connections, but he’s never worked a case with them. He’s never partnered with them. They would rather snatch a case off his desk than look over his shoulder while he did his job.”
“I get that but—”
“Now here you are, with a gwyllgi—a fae—in tow, in our HQ. What better spy than one who can change their face?” He wrapped his knuckles on his desk. “Watch your back, kid. That’s all I’m saying.”
The warning pinched my heart, not because I liked Ford, though he was likeable, but because it meant my first instincts had been correct. He was playing me. Tisdale, or her son, had set him on my trail. They wanted me vetted for the position to their satisfaction. For me to waffle, even for a second, proved he was good at it.
“I will.” I bent down to collect the leash Bonnie had manifested after sensing an end to our visit then started for the door. “Thanks.”
“You’ve got friends here,” he called to my back. “I’m not as pretty as Ford, but I care.”
I didn’t slow to answer, because I wasn’t sure about Bishop either. The POA had stuck us together, much the same as Midas had volunteered Ford. Neither of them had chosen to work with me. They were both doing a job, and I was a part of that.
On the landing, Bonnie pressed herself against my ankle, and her full weight almost tripped me.
I saw through what she was doing. The action warmed my heart, but I didn’t let her make a dent in it.
“I get it.” Loud and clear. I leaned down to scratch behind her ears. “You’re a true friend.”
Her bark was loud, sharp, and left no room for argument. I wished I could believe her.
“As much as I hate to agree with Bishop,” I said, straightening, “he’s right. The timing is too coincidental. You need to shift sooner rather than later so I can ask you some basic questions.”
A pitiful whine made it clear talking was the last thing she wanted to do, and it lent weight to Bishop’s concerns she was hiding behind me by choice. If that were true, she wasn’t leaning on a friend, she was using me to avoid an interrogation that needed to happen.
Calling it a draw for now, I pulled out my phone and called Ford as Bonnie and I took the stairs.
“I’m hungry.”
“Um.” I held it away from my ear then checked to make sure I had dialed the right number. “Okay?”
“How about lunch?” His truck’s engine was a steady hum in the background. “I know this great taco—”
“No.”
“No to tacos, or no to lunch?”
The chat with Bishop had spoiled my appetite, but we had work to do, and I had questions for him. “Tacos.”
“Tell me you didn’t eat at Sal’s.”
I twisted the leash around my finger. “He promised.”
“You can’t go around believing everything that everyone tells you, darlin’.”
“Say it ain’t so.” Bonnie and I hit the ground floor and took the sidewalk to put as much distance between us and Base Four as possible. “Here I took everyone at face value.”
“I’m going to tell you a secret.” His voice softened, saddened. “You can’t trust anyone.”
Bam. Bam. Bam.
More nails hammered in the coffin of our friendship left my ears ringing.
“I learned that early,” I rasped, torn on