The Price Of Justice

Chapter Twenty-seven

"So everything's going okay?"

I nodded and clutched my phone tighter, turning my head to do a habitual 360°. "As far as I know, I'm in the clear. How's everything at work?"

"Well, four more girls turned up last night, and apparently fentanyl overdoses are rising. Fast." Kyle responded. His voice was thick with worry.

Anger welled up in my chest. I slammed my fist into the side of the barn. The wood cracked, sending splinters into my hand.

"What the heck was that?"

"Uh, just me managing my anger." I looked around and sighed. "I've got to do something about this and fast. I've been here over three weeks, I should've found something to nail this guy by now. What happened to "every criminal makes a mistake, it's the cop's job to the find it?"

"Justice, I don't even like to entertain this thought, but....But what if we were wrong? What if Holoman isn't Midnight? What if," Kyle drew in a deep breath. "what if you were wrong and Midnight isn't even the killer?"

"No. We have the right suspect. I can feel it. AJ killed those girls. And it's about time I prove it."

"Taylor, don't you dare do anything stupid. You need to cool off. You can't get mad over...."

"Well wouldn't you?!" I halfway shouted into the phone. "If over thirty girls died because of you, wouldn't you be ticked at yourself? If I hadn't been screwing around this whole time maybe we could have saved a couple of them."

"Messing around? Yeah, putting your life in jeopardy by work in alongside a drug lord and potential serial killer every day is messing around. Cool your jets." I opened my mouth to speak, but he kept going. "Seriously, Justice. Get a grip. Angry makes you stupid. Stupid gets you killed. Is that what you're trying to do?"

"I honestly don't care what happens to me. As long as Midnight is behind bars and he can't hurt anyone else, it doesn't matter whether I die or not. It's not like it would affect anybody."

Kyle gasped. "You did not just say that. No one would care? I guess that's why I've been calling every day to make sure you're alright, or maybe why Anderson put a GPS in your ID tracking your every move in case something goes wrong. Or why we've scoped out every section of the ranch if we have to get you out of there."

"And your point is? I've worked on undercover assignments before, Kyle. That's what you do--except for the whole GPS tracking thing. That's kind of creepy. I know how the story goes. It's all legal procedure."

"Alright, you little ray of pitch black, but...."

"Sorry to cut you off, but I've got to go. I don't need anyone getting suspicious. Talk to you later."

"Okay, call me tonight when everything's done. Be careful and don't get stupid."

I rolled my eyes. "Got it. Bye."

"Bye." He clicked off.

Turning my thoughts back to the present, I tucked my phone into my pocket and walked around the bunkhouse, spurs rattling as I started toward the barn. I had been gone too long already.

As I got closer to the barn, I heard voices coming from inside. Holoman spoke, no, shouted, at Jace, one of the ranch hands.

"She knows?"

What? I halted outside the door and listened, my heart jackknifing in my chest. Who knew what?

"Yes."

Holoman cursed under his breath. "How did she figure it out?"

Figure what out?

"She overheard me talking to Andi about deliveries this morning. Guess she heard more of it than she let on, because Marie told me she said she was going to go to the cops."