From Darkness (Hearts & Arrows Book 3)(59)

“He’s about to lawyer up,” Davis said.

Hank nodded. “He’s not going to give anything up, and until we can find something to bring him in on, he’s going to walk free.” He turned to Josie. “I don’t have enough to go on to justify sending a patrol to Weehawken to watch him.”

Josie stared through the glass at Rhodes, who looked like he could have been waiting in line at the DMV instead of sitting in an interrogation room. She didn’t need to rely on the cops. She could watch him herself.

“Josephine,” her father said, the warning clear, “you listen to me right now. Look at me.”

She met his eyes.

“You have got to stay out of this. He knows we’re on to him. Without a partner, you are too exposed, too vulnerable. I need you to promise me you won’t follow him.”

“But, Dad—”

“Promise me.”

“He’s going to run.”

“I’ll send a patrol to drive by his place later, and Walker and Davis will go by in the morning to see if they can get into his house. That’s the best I can do, and I need you to swear to me you won’t get involved.”

She stood there in the cold room with her father’s eyes on her, not sure how she could agree to his request.

Rhodes hadn’t even flinched when Davis put the necklace on the table, but she had seen a flicker under the surface of his facade, a flash of anger. She hoped it drove him crazy to see it with the knowledge that he would never touch it again.

Everything in the room had been wiped in anticipation of his arrival in the hopes that he would touch something they could dust, but there would be nothing to find. He hadn’t touched a single thing—not the cup, not the table or chair. They’d eventually nail him, find a way to get a comparison print, and then it would be over. But if he even had an inkling that they had his print, he would run, and it would be over in an entirely different way.

Could she leave Rhodes alone and let her father handle it? Could she lie to him, make him a promise she wouldn’t keep?

She knew good and well that both answers were no.

“You have to send a patrol to tail him, Dad. He knows it’s only a matter of time, and he will run. I feel it. I know it. If you want me to stay away, you’ve got to send a patrol. It’s the only way I’ll agree.”

Hank looked back at Rhodes and ran a hand over his mouth, silently watching through the glass for a long minute before he spoke again. “Do you realize the hell I’m going to get for putting my resources into this with just an anonymous tip to go off of?”

“But you know he did it.”

He sighed. “I do.”

“Then none of this will matter because we’ll catch him.”





Dita’s fingers rested on her lips as she watched Rhodes walk out of the police station with his lawyer.

“He’s going to run,” she said to no one in particular.

Perry sat in the seat next to her with her mouth open, and Heff leaned forward in an armchair with his elbows on his knees. Apollo’s head shook slowly from the other armchair, and all four of them were silent for a long moment.

Perry spoke up, and her voice was low. “After all this time, for Josie to find the necklace…this can’t be a coincidence.”

Dita turned to her, shocked. “You don’t think Artemis did this, do you?”

“Who else?”

“Why? Why would she do it?”

“I think I know.” Apollo ran a hand through his hair. “The last time I saw her, she said something about getting Josie away from Jon. If Rhodes runs…”

“Josie will chase him. Fuck.” Dita’s mind spun, flustered and out of control, her voice frantic and climbing. “What the fuck? My only shot is for Jon to help her, but how the shit am I supposed to get her to agree to that? I’m not convinced she would put him out if he was on fire.” She looked around the room and threw a hand in the air. “Why would Artemis put them in danger like this? She is so careless with them. Does she even care?”

“She cares, but she doesn’t understand what she’s doing. She’s looking at a postage stamp while we can see the panorama,” Apollo answered.

Dita stood up, livid as she wove around the chairs and coffee table and made for the elevator.

Perry looked mildly distressed. “Dita, you are not allowed to go down there.”

She didn’t stop walking. “Why the fuck not? I have words for her.”

“Hang on,” Apollo called.

Dita stopped in the foyer, furious and ready to fight. “Why?”

Apollo stood and walked over to her, his blue eyes comforting. “Just…look, just ride it out. Maybe Josie won’t leave, or maybe something will happen that you can work to your advantage. What good will confronting Artemis do?”

“It would make me feel a whole lot better to kick her in the teeth.” She pictured herself roundhousing Artemis in the face, and it really did bring a little comfort.

He chuckled. “I’m sure, but it still won’t solve anything.”

“He’s right, Dita.” Heff turned to face her. “You can’t undo any of it, so you’re gonna have to find a way to roll with it. For now at least. Maybe Rhodes will stay in town. We have no idea what’s going to happen.”