Dirty, Reckless Love (Boys of Jackson Harbor 3)

“Sure,” Levi says, pulling the door wider.

“Hey, Ellie.” The detective nods at me. He extends a hand to Molly. “Hi, Molly. Thanks for coming in to the station this morning. Your testimony was helpful.”

I frown. “What testimony?”

Levi squeezes my shoulder. “It’s okay.”

“I had to tell them what I know,” she says. “Not just about Colton. But about Nelson, too. They need to understand why Colt might have snapped. They need to know Colton wasn’t in sound mind when everything . . .” She closes her eyes and shakes her head before meeting my gaze again. “If he hurt you, I’m sure he wasn’t himself.”

“He wouldn’t hurt me.” Am I the only one here who believes this? Am I the only one who doesn’t care what kind of evidence they have?

The detective studies me. “They had the dogs out in speedboats today,” he says. “They cruised along Lake Michigan looking for Nelson McKinley’s body.”

I nod, because I don’t know what else to do. He has to pay for what he’s done. Those words have haunted me ever since I remembered Colton saying them. He has to pay for what he’s done. Did Colton make Nelson pay? Will he have to spend the rest of his life in prison for that mistake?

Suddenly, Huxley’s words click and I shake my head. “Nelson’s been missing nine weeks. Do they really think they’ll find his body?”

“Colton must have only recently tracked Nelson down,” Huxley says, his face tight. “The evidence they found on the boat was fresh.” He turns to Levi. “We’re searching your family’s property now. We found some of Colton’s belongings in a camper by the track, so I imagine it’s just a matter of time.”

“What?” My eyes burn with sudden tears. It was bad enough to hear about the warrant, but now they’re searching the property where I saw Colton only two nights ago?

“Thanks for the tip, Levi,” the detective says.

I turn and meet Levi’s sad, dark eyes. “The tip?”

Ben and Levi exchange a look, but Ben turns to me. “Are you up for briefing me on what you remember, Ellie?”

They’re looking for Colton. They’re going to arrest him. “Yes. I will. Of course.”

“I’ll wait in the car. You can ride with me to the station.” Huxley gives a last polite nod in my direction then turns back to his black SUV parked in front of Levi’s house.

I spin on Levi. “The tip?” My voice trembles. Please explain this. Please tell me it’s not what I think.

“Nelson McKinley is dead, Ellie.”

I shake my head. “They don’t have a body.”

“They have evidence.”

“Colton didn’t kill him.” I want to say it on repeat until I’m sure it’s true. “He’s being framed.”

“You’re sure about that?” He sinks onto the couch beside me and takes my shoulders in his hands. “Because I’m not anymore. I’m not sure he didn’t kill his father, and I’m not sure he didn’t almost kill you.”

“How could you?”

“I did what I had to do to protect you.” Levi reaches for me as I stand, but I scramble away from his touch. “Call me when you’re done at the station. I don’t want you to be alone.”

I cock my head. “But they’ll have Colton in custody any minute now, so if he was the one out to get me, I should be fine without your protection. Right?”

Levi squeezes his eyes shut for a beat before he looks at me. “Don’t make me out to be the bad guy here.”

“But you are. You were his best friend, and you turned him in.” I wrap my arms around myself. “You didn’t give a shit about him when I asked for your help, and you don’t give a shit about him now.”

He looks stricken. “Please, Ellie.”

“Don’t. I have to go.”

He holds up his hands. He looks tormented and heartbroken, but right now I can’t make myself care about that. “I love you. I’d do anything to protect you.”