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To be honest, I’d never thought anyone would find us here But I was sure that if they did, it would have been a lot more action-packed than the last ten minutes had been What a letdown

Rhys helped the kid stand, and started leading hi Matthew’s hands behind his back like a cop without cuffs would do, and the action made Matthew cry even harder

"Wait! Matthew, does Juarez knoe’re here in California?"

"No He calls me every Wednesday When he calledyour uncle" He tried rubbing his wet cheeks against his shoulder, and looked between Kira and me "I’m sorry," he cried

"We know," I answered for us Kira was still standing there with a guarded but sad look on her face "We’ll tell the police exactly what you told us, I promise"

He nodded, then let Rhys lead hi everything?" Kira asked

"I don’t know Let’s hope so"

Kira’s face clearly said she didn’t agree "We need to be a lot more alert from now on"

"I knoill" I sighed heavily and clapped once "Well! You ready to spend Monday night in a police station giving statehed at the look "I’ll go change my shirt so I don’t smell like smoothies Meet you outside?"

"Last one out has to call Dad to tell him!" I called over my shoulder as I ran toward hed louder as I stripped off rab the first one I touched The worst part of this entire night would be telling Dad and Uncle Mason that one of Juarez’s boys had found usand I sure as hell didn’t want to be the one stuck having to make that phone call

16

December 4

Lia, and my body immediately tensed when I saw the expression on Eli’s face He looked like he was nervous about talking to me, and while I still wasn’t worried about my job, I orried that he’d have news from one of his nieces

"Hey," I said cautiously "What’s up?"

He sighed as he sat in the chair opposite "

"I’m fine, why?"

Eli’s face went blank "Well, that’s some bullshit"

"I don’t knohat you want, Eli I’ve landed more accounts and finished more jobs in the last month alone than I normally do in a quarter I’reat But you never leave You never leave the office and you never talk to anyone So fro, Kennedy still hasn’t called you, and as your friend, not your boss, I want to kno you’re doing"