Becoming Rain (Burying Water 2)

“At you?”

“Rust told him that the deal was all on him and that I had nothing to do with making it. To protect me, I think.”

This, in a nutshell, is everything that we’ve been waiting to hear Luke admit.

I hold his body tighter.

“But what good would killing Rust do for Vlad? Don’t they need Rust for this deal you were talking about?” I have to remember to choose my words carefully, so I don’t sound like I actually know what I’m talking about.

He rolls onto his back, and I get my first look at his tear-stained face. “That’s what I can’t figure out. Rust was the only one who knew all the levels and players and how everything worked—all the fences and wheelmen, who was lifting the cars, who was chopping them, how they were moving from location to location. I don’t see how either delivery is going to happen now that Rust is gone.”

“Unless Vlad figured things out on his own . . .” I say, more to myself, as the mess of clues starts to make sense. A plan was in place, Elmira had said. Was that the plan? Was Vlad honing in on Rust’s protected network? Based on what Luke just told me, they were splitting half the profits. But if they removed Rust . . . “Vlad could take over and not split profits, right?” But how does Aref fit into all of this?

I can see the wheels churning inside his head. “Yeah . . . I guess. But I don’t know how they’d figure that out. I mean, I know two of the fences, and Miller knows two, but aside from dropping an order that Rust gives us and paying the fences for delivery to the warehouse, we don’t see anything but a wad of money at the end of it.”

My ears perk up. That big, burly garage manager is a part of this too?

“It’s not that easy to figure out. I mean, if the cops can’t do it . . .”

Unless someone’s been doing their own surveillance on Rust. One that doesn’t require following laws and respecting privacy. I can only imagine how much easier it would be to get things done when we aren’t held back by warrants and civil rights. I mean, look at the kind of information I’ve gathered through dishonest means!

He wipes away a stray tear still sitting on his cheek, vacant eyes locked on the ceiling above. “This just doesn’t feel real. I can’t believe he’s gone.” He shifts until an arm ropes around my shoulders and he curls into me, our noses grazing. I automatically inhale the scent of him, freshly showered and smelling of soap, his skin soft and warm against my body.

Feeling the walls tighten around us, as Elmira’s warning screams inside my head. I’ll never forgive myself if I don’t try to stop this.

“Luke?”

Red-rimmed eyes open to meet mine.

“Whatever you have going on with Vlad and with Aref . . . it’s over. Forget about it. Please, just walk away. I can’t lose you.” I can’t keep my own tears from unleashing, because I know that I’m going to lose him regardless. “Please. Just promise me it’s over.”

He blinks back a fresh wave of tears. And nods, pulling me into his bare chest.

I don’t mean to drift off in Luke’s bed.

“Hey.” I feel someone shaking me awake.

“Hmm?”

A gentle kiss touches my temple. “Your phone’s been ringing nonstop. Do you think it’s important?”

My phone.

Warner.

I bolt up in bed and sprint out of the room.

“I’ve been trying you for an hour,” Warner says, his tone thick with accusation.

I dart toward the small mudroom on the opposite side of the condo. “Sorry, I didn’t hear it.”

“Really? Because I’ve been listening to it ring on the wire. It was pretty damn loud.”

“I fell asleep,” I hiss, checking around the corner to make sure Luke hasn’t appeared yet. I doubt he’s in any rush to move.

Dead silence answers me. Infuriating me. “Any reason you’re calling?”

“Just checking in.”

“I have to take the dogs out and grab a change of clothes. Watch that he doesn’t leave.” I hang up before Warner can argue with me.

Licks trots through my condo, his nose to the ground, oblivious to his master’s devastation. I gave Luke one of the Ambien pills that his mom slipped into my hand as we were leaving her house, a full container from her own medicine cabinet. Hopefully it knocked him out by now.

I didn’t like leaving him but I couldn’t risk making this call from his place, on my phone. It’s just a hunch, one that’s been bugging me, one that may sabotage this case, but it will give me the answer I need.

“Hello.”

The sound of that woman’s crisp London accent triggers my unease. I get the distinct impression that she knows who’s calling, even though the number is blocked on my personal phone. “Hi, Elmira.”

“We’ve been watching the news. How is Luke doing?” Calm, cool, collected. Not the reaction I would expect after a business partner of her husband’s was found murdered.

“As well as to be expected.”

“Please send our condolences. Rust was a good man.”

“I didn’t know him well, but I know he was well liked.”

“How is Luke taking it?”

“Not well. I feel so sorry for him. He’s had such a rough couple of weeks. First, with his car being stolen, and now this.” The two don’t even begin to compare but it doesn’t really matter, for my purposes.