Nico (Ruin & Revenge #1)(56)
“Anything you want.”
He found some clothes and got her dressed before he carried her out of the house. The next few hours went by in a blur. He picked up a prepaid phone, drove around until he found a safe, quiet spot to park overlooking the city, and settled Daisy on his lap. She listened to the radio with him until finally fell asleep. Ben gently placed her on the back seat and covered her with his jacket, before giving Jack a call on his secure line.
“I’m not going to make it tonight.” Ben leaned against the vehicle, looked out over the peaceful, residential neighborhood spread out below him.
“I haven’t heard from you all week,” Jack said. “You haven’t filed those reports you promised me. What the hell is going on?”
“I’m real worried about my Daisy being in the house with Gabe.”
Jack gave a sympathetic murmur. He had a wife and two girls, one of who was the same age as Daisy. “I did the basics on Gabe for you. No criminal record. Not even a parking ticket. He’s got a valid driver’s license. Pays his taxes. Last job was as a cement mixer for a construction company. No current employment. I hit a roadblock internally when I tried to dig deeper. Some kind of clearance issue. There’s nothing else I can do.”
“Fuck.” Ben thudded his fist against the wall. “What about the social worker? Did she stop by the house?”
“Daisy is at the bottom of the list because there is no evidence of abuse—no reports from doctors, teachers, coaches, or neighbors. They are totally overworked, so she’s got a low priority.”
“Something’s wrong with her, Jack.” Ben scrubbed his hand over his face. “She wouldn’t talk about it. And things with the crew are getting way the fuck out of control.”
“I wouldn’t know since you aren’t filing any reports,” Jack snapped. Ben braced himself, pretty damn sure he knew what was coming next.
“I’ve been cutting you some slack over the last year because I know it’s a matter of life or death for you every day,” Jack continued. “But the higher-ups started getting concerned when they heard about things going down involving your crew and we weren’t hearing about it in your reports. We’re worried about you, Ben. I’m worried.”
“Forget about it.” His hand closed in a fist. “I gave you more than enough evidence to convict the top bosses and the department wouldn’t act. If they hadn’t dragged their feet for the last year, those bastards would be in jail, and the families would be on self-destruct. Now the bosses are dead and we’re starting from square one. You think I have time to write reports? And because I don’t, you question my loyalty? You tell me you can’t help my kid even though the reason she’s unprotected is because I’ve spent ten years of my life on this assignment? No fucking way.”
“We’re pulling you out,” Jack said. “We think you’re in too deep, and this stuff with Daisy is compromising your ability to do your job. Our recent conversations have had more to do with her than your work. You’re putting yourself and the investigation at risk.”
“This stuff with Daisy?” Ben fought back the urge to smash his phone on the nearest rock. “I think something’s going on in that house. She’s scared, Jack. That’s not ‘stuff.’ That’s a crime. This is what we’re supposed to do. Protect civilians. Protect my daughter.”
Jack sighed. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you might be overreacting. You’re not thinking straight. It’s been a tense situation, and we didn’t really consider the ramifications of that massacre at Vincenzo’s on you. Our psychologist thinks you just might be projecting your anxiety on Daisy. After all, Gabe’s been around for a while, and you never had any concerns about Daisy until just after it happened.”
“Holy. Fucking. Shit. I can’t believe you just said that.” Ben felt like the rug had been ripped from under his feet. Projecting? Not thinking straight? That didn’t sound like Jack. He was a straight-up guy. Never went for that psychology shit. What the hell was going on?
“Listen, Ben.” Jack’s voice dropped to a low, cajoling tone. “You come to the diner right now and someone will come to get you. I’ve already finished all the paperwork for witness protection. You’ll be sent away until the situation is all sorted out and they make all the arrests. I’m not sure how long that’s gonna be, but you’ll be safe until it happens.”
If Jack had made the offer weeks ago, Ben would have jumped at the chance. He’d wanted this. Wanted out. But now that it was offered, he realized it wasn’t what he wanted at all, and he couldn’t believe he’d been begging Jack to make it happen.
“What about Daisy?”
“She can’t go with you because of the custody order. Only way would be if you took Ginger, too, but I’m guessing that’s not going to happen.”
“No fucking way.” He couldn’t stand being around Ginger for ten minutes, much less forever.
“So Daisy will stay in her current situation—”
“No.” He barely managed to keep his voice low so as not to wake his sleeping daughter in the car. “Absolutely not.”
He could hear Jack’s sigh of exasperation. “Well, what then? You won’t come. Daisy can’t go with you because it be would be considered child abduction. What do you suggest?”