Pivot

by Kat Martin

  The man wrapped his big hand around Donny’s throat. “Leave now, or I’ll break his neck. Got it?”

  The air was squeezed from Mel’s lungs. What was going on? What sort of monster would threaten a little boy? Her gaze flicked to the SUV, where the shadowed figure of another man was seated behind the steering wheel.

  Confused terror slammed into her with the force of a freight train, making it difficult to think. She couldn’t leave Donny with the violent stranger. But she couldn’t reach him before the hideous man could hurt the boy.

  She had no choice but to back off. Or at least, pretend to back off.

  “Yeah, I got it. Just take it easy.” She lifted her hands as she crawled back into the car.

  She heard the sounds of Donny’s cries as the man pulled him to the very back of the SUV and shoved him inside. Mel swallowed her surge of panic and reached for her phone. She had to call the cops. What else could she do?

  But even as she started to press 9-1-1, the man was moving to climb into the passenger seat of the SUV. The cops would never get here in time to stop them. She had to do something. Fast.

  With mere seconds to act before the men drove away, she refused to consider the stupidity of what she was about to do. Instead, she clenched her teeth and shoved the engine into drive before stomping on the gas pedal.

  The car lurched forward, jolting over the rough ground. She aimed directly at the driver’s door, sending up a prayer that she wouldn’t injure Donny.

  She picked up speed and braced herself as she plowed into the larger vehicle. There was a screeching sound of metal scraping against metal, and Mel slammed against the steering wheel with painful force. Crap. She should have put on her seat belt.

  With a small groan, she peered through her broken windshield to discover that her aim had at least been accurate. She’d blocked the driver-side door. And as an unexpected bonus, the weight of her car had been enough to shove the SUV against the building to trap the passenger as well.

  It was now or never. Leaping out of the car with her phone clutched in her hand, Mel darted forward. She heard the muffled sound of curses as she headed to the back of the SUV and pulled up the tailgate.

  “Donny, come on,” she commanded, reaching to grab his hand and yank him out of the vehicle.

  The poor boy tumbled out, and barely waiting for him to get his balance, Mel was dragging him down the alley.

  “You crazy bitch,” a male voice called out, but Mel never slowed. She had to find a place to hide Donny until she could get hold of the cops.

  They had just reached the side street when a car pulled to the curb. Mel skidded to a halt, shoving Donny behind her as she watched the driver window roll down.

  “Get in,” a male voice commanded.

  She scowled. “Go away.”

  “Mel, it’s me.”

  Mel frowned at the sound of her name. She didn’t recognize the car, but there was something about the voice that was familiar. Cautiously leaning down, Mel glanced into the interior of the vehicle, catching sight of chiseled male features and smoldering silver eyes.

  “Gray?”

  Chapter Three

  Gray had recognized the Hummingbird Youth Center from a block away. And as soon as he’d caught sight of it, he’d suspected which teacher Donny adored.

  Melanie Cassidy had a rare talent for earning the devotion of the children she helped. And while it’d been two years since he’d seen her, he didn’t doubt for a second that she was still just as popular with the kids.

  Thank God for his hunch. Otherwise he might have driven past the woman who was heading out of the alley with a young boy in tow. After all, he was looking for a child being chased by a maniac.

  Mel, however, was obviously shocked by the sight of him. Or maybe she was horrified. Hard to tell.

  Luckily, her hesitation lasted only a few seconds before she was hurriedly bundling the boy into the back seat of his car and then sliding in next to him. He barely waited for her to slam shut the door before he was squealing away from the curb and down the street.

  “Tell me what happened,” he urged, casting a quick glance at Mel’s pale face.

  With shaky hands she pulled on her seat belt. “I was leaving the center and I saw Donny running around the corner.” She stopped, sucking in a deep breath. Then, with an obvious effort she continued. “There were these men in a black SUV chasing him, so I rammed them with my car and grabbed Donny. Then we just ran.”

  He would have been amazed by the stammered words if they’d come from anyone but Mel. She was the type of woman who would always charge to the rescue of a child. No matter what the danger to herself.

  “Are you hurt?” he demanded.

  “I’m fine.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Donny?”

  The boy in the back of Gray’s car was small and pale with short blond hair that was flattened to his head from the rain. He had his father’s light blue eyes and he was missing his two front teeth. He was shivering beneath his too-thin shirt and wet jeans.

  “I’m okay,” he whispered.

  Mel turned back to stab Gray with a suspicious glare. “Why are you here?”

  “I was searching for Donny,” he said, weaving his way toward the interstate.

  She blinked, clearly startled by his response. “Why?”

  “It’s a story for later,” he murmured, deliberately glancing into the rearview mirror to indicate he didn’t want to talk in front of the boy. “I went to his grandmother’s house and found her injured.”

  Donny made a sound of distress. “She told me to run away.”

  “How bad is she?” Mel asked, her expression concerned.

  “I called for an ambulance,” he assured her. “I’m sure the doctors will have her fixed up in no time.”

  Lifting the phone she had clutched in her hand, she swiped over the screen. He wasn’t sure what she was doing until he heard the sound of a movie. She reached over the seat to hand the phone to Donny.

  “Here you go, sweetie. Your favorite cartoon.”

  The boy reached to take the phone, his gaze locked on the screen as he curled into a tight ball in the corner. As if he was trying to make himself as small as possible.

  Mel waited, clearly making sure the boy was completely distracted before she spoke.

  “What are you doing here?”

  Gray merged into the rush hour traffic on the interstate before he responded.

  “I told you.”

  “I meant, what are you doing in Seattle?”

  “I transferred back a few weeks ago.”

  “Why?”

  He grimaced. He didn’t want to lie. Not to this woman. But what choice did he have?

  “To be closer to my family,” he forced himself to say.

  She made a sound of disbelief. “I thought you left to get away from them?” she questioned in tart tones, then released a hissing breath. “Sorry,” she muttered. “It’s none of my business.”

  Gray zoomed through the traffic as an awkward silence filled the car.

  He had no idea where he was headed. Or what he was going to do with Mel or the boy. For the first time since he’d joined the force he was working undercover, which meant he didn’t have backup. He was going to have to figure this out on his own.

  Well, maybe not completely on his own.

  He glanced to the side. Should he tell Mel the truth? Once upon a time, he wouldn’t have hesitated. She would have offered her trust and assistance without hesitation. But he’d destroyed her faith in him when he’d walked away. Now he was going to have to earn it back.

  “Actually, I’m afraid it might be your business now,” he told her, taking the closest exit to enter a quiet suburb. He couldn’t concentrate on their conversation when he was battling traffic. Besides, he wanted to make sure they weren’t being followed. “Those men aren’t going to forget that you interfered in their business.”

  “What business could they have kidnapping a little boy? His family doesn’
t have any money.”

  “No, but his dad is about to testify that the local drug cartel has members of the Seattle Police Department on their payroll.”

  He heard her shocked gasp. He didn’t blame her. No one wanted to accept that officers sworn to protect the law were using their power to corrupt it. Then her eyes suddenly narrowed.

  “That’s why you’re here.”

  “Yeah,” he admitted, already regretting his attempt to deceive her. She’d put her life in danger to rescue Donny. She deserved the truth. He slowed to a mere crawl as they zigzagged through the elegant streets lined with mini-mansions. “We know that the dirty cops work in vice, but we don’t have the names. That’s what I’m here to get.”

  She nodded, her delicate features tight with fear. “Were those men chasing Donny cops?”

  Gray considered her question. He’d assumed that the men she’d seen in the SUV had been the same ones who’d attacked Mrs. Kowalski.

  “I can’t be sure, but I suspect they were common street thugs,” he finally said. “The cops will want to stay in the shadows as long as possible.”

  She settled back in the leather seat, weariness settling around her slender body.

  “Where are we going?”

  “A good question.” Gray grimaced. “The boy—”

  “Donny,” she interrupted.

  “Donny,” he readily corrected. He could sense Mel was already attached to the kid. She always did lead with her heart. “He can’t go back to his grandmother. She’ll be in the hospital at least a few days. And his father is obviously out of the question.”

  Mel lowered her voice to a whisper. “What about his mother? Donny never mentions her.”

  “Apparently, she dumped him on his father’s doorstep when she remarried and had another kid.”

  “Oh.” She bit her lip, her expression sad. “Poor Donny.”

  “He needs to be in protective custody,” Gray muttered.

  “Can’t you arrange that?”

  “Not without knowing who I can or can’t trust.”

  She grimaced, glancing over her shoulder at the boy, who was still curled in the corner of the back seat.

  “I suppose Donny could come home with me. At least for a few days.”

  Gray shook his head. “They’re already searching for you.”

  “How could they know . . .” Mel pressed her fingers to her lips. “Oh no. I left my purse in my car.”

  Gray didn’t bother to tell her that the cops could trace her car even if she hadn’t left behind her purse. She was hanging on to her nerves by a thread.

  “I’m sorry you can’t go back to your house. Not until we’ve managed to expose the criminals responsible for threatening Donny,” he said. “Even those who are hiding behind a badge.”

  “Are you telling me that I’m homeless?”

  “I promise you won’t be sleeping in the streets.”

  Frustration flared in her brilliant green eyes, but with an effort she bit back her angry words. Instead she returned her attention to the child.

  “I’m more concerned about Donny,” she murmured.

  Gray’s heart melted. “That’s no surprise. You’ve always had an amazing way of caring for others.”

  “It’s my job.”

  He shook his head. “It’s more than your job and the children you teach,” he insisted. “You care about your friends, your coworkers, and the street people you pass out sandwiches to every day.” He chuckled as he remembered their time together. “You even cared about that awful landlady who was constantly complaining and threatening to kick you out of your apartment. You would get her groceries and drive her to the clinic for her physical therapy, no matter how often she insulted you.”

  A blush touched her cheeks. “Ruby is lonely, and the only way she knows how to talk to people is by nagging at them. She’s harmless.”

  He arched his brows. When he’d known Mel, she was fairly new to Seattle and her job. It made sense for her to rent the rooms above Ruby’s garage, which was just a few blocks from the youth center. But he couldn’t imagine anyone staying in that shabby, cramped space for a day longer than necessary.

  “You still live in the same apartment?”

  “I’m comfortable there.” Her eyes widened. “Do you think Ruby will be in any danger?”

  Gray grimaced. As far as he was concerned, the bitter old lady could hold her own against any criminal. She’d once threatened to shoot him when he’d shown up late for his date with Mel. It didn’t matter that he’d been busy arresting a murder suspect.

  “No,” he assured her. “They’ve already left behind a string of messes trying to kidnap Donny. The last thing the cops want is to attract attention. Harming another innocent old woman is going to be the last thing on their list.” He sent her a rueful smile. “They’re more likely to send one of their goons to watch your place in case you return there with Donny.”

  In the past she would have shared his smile. Maybe even snuggled close to his side. Now she pursed her lips, her expression hard.

  “What are you going to do with Donny?”

  “We,” he corrected.

  “What?”

  “Right now, we’re in this together.”

  She stiffened, her eyes flashing with unexpected anger. “There’s no together,” she snapped. “Not between us. Not ever.”

  Gray winced. He deserved her rejection. So why did it hurt so much?

  “Okay, let me rephrase that,” he said in low tones. “I’m sorry you’re mixed up in this, Mel. More sorry than you’ll ever know. But there’s no changing the fact that both you and Donny are in danger. I need to find someone I can trust to help us.”

  “Surely there’s some cop you know who isn’t dirty,” she insisted.

  Was there? He hadn’t been in Seattle for over two years. And many of his friends . . .

  Friends. The word echoed through his brain, and he suddenly knew exactly who he needed.

  “Of course,” he breathed. “Ian.”

  It took her a moment to place the name. “Ian Brodie?” she finally demanded. “The private detective?”

  “The one and only.” Gray pulled his phone out of his pocket and scrolled through his contacts to find the private number for his friend. A second later he heard Ian’s voice float through the speaker.

  “What’s up, Hawkins?”

  “I need your help.”

  * * *

  Detective Gwen Dobbs stood in the thickening shadows of the youth center. She was a tall, thin woman with bleached blond hair she kept screwed into a tight bun at the base of her neck. As usual she was wearing a tailored black slacks suit, although she’d noticed when she’d put it on that morning it was a size too large. Over the past six months she’d lost more weight. The price of her escalating addiction to heroine.

  Holding an umbrella to protect her from the drizzling rain, Gwen frowned at Hammer, the oversized idiot who’d called to confess that he’d managed to allow Donny Kowalski to escape.

  “How the hell can you screw up grabbing one little boy?” she mocked.

  Hammer pushed out his bottom lip like a petulant child. “The grandma refused to open the door.”

  “She’s ninety years old.”

  Hammer hunched his broad shoulders. “We had to break through a window. By the time we got inside, the boy had taken off.” He nodded his head toward the SUV, which was now pulled to the center of the alley with a big dent in the driver’s door. “Then when we finally caught up to him, the bitch rammed us with her car. It wasn’t our fault.”

  “Of course, it’s your fault,” she snapped. “I should lock you and your brainless brother in a cell for being incompetent idiots.”

  “But—”

  “Stop talking,” she interrupted. One more word out of the imbecile’s mouth and she was going to shoot him.

  Instead she watched Leo appear out of the darkness with a woman’s purse held in his hand. Her partner was a short, thick man with a square fa
ce and brown hair that was threaded with gray. His eyes were dark and hard, like a snake’s. As he stood next to her, Gwen caught the stench of stale coffee and cigarettes.

  “Well?” she demanded.

  “I did a sweep of the neighborhood,” he said. “There were no witnesses and I couldn’t find any CCTV pointed toward the alley.”

  Her gaze moved to the purse in his hand. “Is that all you found in the car?”

  He shrugged. “There were a stack of books and some files in the trunk. That’s it.”

  “See who it belongs to,” she commanded.

  Leo obediently dug through the handbag to find the wallet. Flipping it open, he pulled out a driver’s license and handed it to Gwen.

  She tilted the card toward the security light above the back door to the youth center.

  “Melanie Cassidy,” she read out loud. She studied the picture of the dark-haired woman, a frown tugging at her brows. There was something faintly familiar about the delicate features. Had she arrested the female? Hmm. It was impossible to remember them all. With a shrug, she shoved the license toward Hammer. “Here. She only lives a few blocks away. Take the SUV and keep an eye on her place. If you see her with the kid, grab her.”

  Hammer scowled. “What if she turns up without the kid?”

  Gwen stared at him in disbelief. Had his mother dropped him on his head?

  “Then follow her, for Christ’s sake,” she snapped. “And stay out of sight. The last thing we need is another screwup.”

  Hunching his shoulders, Hammer turned to shuffle his way to the SUV. He climbed into the passenger side and his brother hit the gas, clearly anxious to be away.

  “This is turning into a shit show,” Leo muttered, tugging up the hood of his raincoat in a belated attempt to protect himself from the relentless drizzle.

  “Only if we panic,” Gwen said, pulling out her phone to send a text to her contact at a local chop shop. Within an hour, all traces of the Ford Taurus would disappear.

  She wanted to get rid of as much evidence as possible.

  Leo snorted. “You know that Cassidy woman is probably on her way to the nearest police station with the boy.”

  “Good.” Gwen dropped her phone back in her purse. “Then we’ll know how to get our hands on him.”