Shatter (Unbreakable Bonds 2)

“Wait, what escapade?” Ian asked, his voice going lower, his anger growing. “And what alibi? How do I not know what’s going on?”

“The paramedic is his alibi,” Lucas told him. “Snow spent the night with a man named Jude Torres and he showed up at the police station to let them know it couldn’t have been Snow.”

“No way! The same paramedic that Lucas was talking about? Is he more than a one-night fling?” Ian demanded, his smile hinting at a comeback.

Snow rubbed his eyes. While he appreciated Ian’s love of romance showing through all the recent pain, this wasn’t the time for it. “Focus, Ian. They thought I was a murderer.”

“Of course it wasn’t Snow.” Ian snorted, brushing aside the idea like it was a bit of tabloid trash. “The important question here is why would someone go through all that trouble to kill someone in his home?”

“Ian,” Snow said, voice low. “The killer used a bat. Split the man’s cheek open.”

Ian went perfectly still and his already pale face turned white. He pulled his hands back off the table, putting them in his lap, but not before Snow noticed a fine trembling in his fingers. “Gratton,” he whispered.

“What’s going on?” Alarm thickened Hollis’s voice. “I heard you guys mention that name last night? Are you saying whoever you think is responsible for the murder had something to do with that auction we took down last night? You owe me.” He pointed at Lucas, then Snow. “I covered for your asses.” He frowned. “And I have no idea why.”

“Auction?” Ian asked in a small voice.

His heart clenched and his gaze locked with Lucas’s. The other man was starting to look green. Ian had been one of the boys slated for an auction years ago until Jagger had decided to keep him for himself. The bread he’d eaten sat like a lump in his gut. He took a deep breath and nodded at Ian.

Lucas sighed heavily. “Ian, I’m sorry. We have been keeping you out of the loop until we had more information. Snow stupidly went alone to one of Jagger’s parties and found out—”

“Hold on,” Hollis growled, interrupting. “You went to a what? What the fuck, Frost? You know how to get into Jagger’s parties? You know where they are?” He closed his eyes and muttered. “Maybe I should quit all the legit channels and just sign on with you guys.”

“You went alone?” Ian asked, sitting up straighter and wincing as he did.

Snow threw a glare at the cop, then shook his head at Ian. “I didn’t go alone and the only reason I went is I found out about it right before it was taking place. I didn’t have time to call cops and explain, and I didn’t know for sure Gratton would be there. Turned out he wasn’t. But I learned about last night’s auction and we managed to save all those boys, Ian.” He leaned closer. “All of them.”

Ian twisted his hands in his lap. “Was Gratton there last night?”

Snow nodded.

“So that means he’s back with the family. He’d have to be for them to trust him at an auction.” Ian grabbed his water and took a drink, then set it back down and twisted his hands up again.

Lucas leaned forward and took the white-knuckled knot of Ian’s hands into his own. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. Andrei already has Gidget trying to find out where Gratton is staying and she’s looking for anything she can find on what he’s doing with Jagger.”

“There was nothing to tie last night to Jagger,” Hollis said through clenched teeth. “We can’t catch a break when it comes to him. But we arrested several prominent businessmen. We’ll lean on them hard, see if someone will cough up some good info. But Snow is right, we reunited a bunch of kids with their families.” He ran his fingers through his hair and sat back. “I recognize the name Gratton. You’re talking about Dwight Gratton, Jagger’s right-hand man who disappeared about seven years ago.”

Snow took a deep breath, finding comfort in the smile Lucas directed at him. “We think Gratton is the one who killed the man in my house. The way he was beaten is exactly the way I…beat him years ago. Seven to be exact.”

Hollis’s mouth dropped open. “Fuck,” he breathed. He shook his head. “I don’t even think I want to know why you guys were involved with that group. Gratton must have done something that really pissed you off if you were willing to go up against him and his people.”

There was a long, uncomfortable pause. Snow looked at Lucas and Lucas looked at Ian.

“Are you sure it’s him?” Ian whispered.

Snow nodded. He paused and drew in a deep breath before he could look Ian in the eyes and continue. “I saw him in Covington before the accident. He tried to run me down.” Snow pointed at the nearly healed scratches on his face.