Weston by Debra Kayn Page A

offered her my cell and she turned it down flat. The way she acted doesn’t point to the behavior of a detective.” He secured the strap along his ribs when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. “She’s scared to death and it shows.”
    He pulled out the cell and frowned. “What the hell? Someone’s calling from my house.” He clicked connect. “Yeah?”
    “Tony, it’s Rocki. I need your help.” Her breath, heavy and fast, came over the phone and Brute barked in the background. “You’re the only one I can trust.”
    “Sweetheart…slow down. Are you okay?” He pointed at Lance, flicked his finger, and nodded when the red light on the recorder came on.
    “Yeah. No. I don’t have much time. I need you to do me a favor,” she said.
    “What?”
    “I need you to go to seven-two-six-four Appleton Way. It’s out near Cannon. It’s my mom’s house. Her name’s Mary Bangli. Tell her…tell her I said, ‘teeter-totter, bread and water.’ Then convince her to go with you. You’ll need to take her to a hotel or somewhere safe. Make sure no one follows you. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can. Please. This is important.”
    “Okay.” He watched Lance, who nodded. “Got it.”
    “God. Thank you.” She paused. “I broke your kitchen window to get in. I don’t think Brute will get out. He’s too big and he’d have to go over the sink. I swear I’ll pay you back soon.”
    “Rocki, stay put.” He slipped his pistol into his holster. “I’m on my way home now.”
    “I can’t. It’s not safe. He knows where you live,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I-I’ll explain later when I can find somewhere else to call you. Please, make sure my mom’s safe…and be careful. Watch yourself. I’ll be in contact.”
    “Rocki, wait—”
    She hung up.
    “Dammit.” He turned to Lance. “Did you get every word?”
    “Yeah,” Lance said, writing in his notebook.
    “Pick up her mom, bring her to my house,” he said. “Right now, I need to get both of them somewhere safe, and I can watch them better together.”
    “Got it.” Lance grabbed his pistol, shoved it into the back of his jeans as he hurried toward the door. “I’ll call when I’ve got Mrs. Bangli in the car.”
    Tony grabbed the papers off the counter, folded them twice, and shoved them into his pocket. His chest tightened. The fear in Rocki’s voice, apparent over the phone, concerned him.
    Garrett swept his keys off the desk. “Where are you going?”
    “I’m going after Rocki. I need to find her before she moves too far away from my house. I don’t know whether she drove or she’s on foot.” He kicked the edge of the desk and sent it skittering three feet. “What if she’s hurt or this is a fucking setup?”
    “What’s your gut say?” Kage opened the door for him.
    “She needs help.” He paused beside Kage. “Get Janie, watch her. If Darrell’s behind this…”
    “Already called while you were on the phone,” Kage said. “She’s en route. I’ll meet her at her car and escort her and Sabrina back into the agency. We’ll wait to hear from you.”
    He met Kage’s eyes. “Cover your back.”
    “Always,” Kage muttered. “Go get the girl.”
    Whatever game Rocki played was officially over. Tony ran out to the back parking lot and slid into his Camaro. He pulled out and hit third gear by the time he straightened the car around and headed through town. He’d arrive home in five minutes tops if he hit both stoplights on the green.
    After he received the right answers from Rocki, he’d make sure she and her mom stayed safe. Then he’d dig deeper to find out her involvement with Darrell. He clenched the steering wheel. As he turned the corner, his tires laid rubber on the asphalt. His gaze went to the side of the road. Rocki was a trained officer. She’d know how to stay out of sight. He only hoped in her panic, she slowed down so he could catch her.
    He entered his street and locked the brakes. His car fishtailed