“I don’t know! Ben’s my friend, but he’s into some shady shit and I didn’t want anything to do with it. I only got in touch with him about all this because of Josh.”

“Let’s stick to the plan,” I said. “Deposit the money and pay it into that GoFundMe account. Is it Ben who drives the girls around to fill the prescriptions?”

Gabe sighed. “Yes.”

“Meet him at the Crescent Lake Costco on Thursday and give him these.” I handed him a stack of prescriptions I’d signed. “I’ll meet you there.”

“And what do I say to Ben when he calls me asking where Violeta is?”

“Say you dropped her off at her car, and that was the last time you saw her. Don’t say any more than that. The less we say right now, the better. We’ll try to partner with Ben instead of Violeta. And don’t worry. Whatever we make, I’ll split with you.”

“I don’t want it. I already told you, I’m not doing it for the money.”

I gathered my purse and the canvas bag with the prescription pads and stood. Gabe stopped me, his hand like a shackle around my wrist.

“Just be careful you don’t get addicted.”

I snatched my hand away. “I’ve never done drugs in my life! That was you and Ben, remember?”

Gabe shook his head. “There’s more than one thing to be addicted to. If you don’t get addicted to the drugs, you get addicted to the money. And trust me, some things there’s no coming back from.”

CHAPTER 15

NATE WAS DREAMING ABOUT Robbie Sadler when the ringing of his phone woke him. Robbie was glaring at Nate, his face red with fury.

You’re gonna be sorry, man.

Nate fumbled for the phone on his bedside table, just as it stopped ringing. He scrubbed a hand down his face and thought about ignoring it. This was the first night his whole family had been under one roof in a week. Emma and Josh were both asleep in the bed next to him; Charlie sprawled on his back, paws in the air, at their feet.

Nate looked longingly at his sleeping wife and son. He wished he could just lie back and wrap them in his arms and stay that way for the next few hours.

And then he thought of the four days of chemo Josh needed before getting the CAR T-cell infusion. And the hospital bills already piling up. And what it would cost to save Josh’s life. It was like a goddamn elephant was sitting on his chest.

He felt like he was already failing his son.

Providing for Josh meant getting that promotion, and that meant solving this case. The only way to do that was to answer the damn phone.

Nate gently pressed his lips to Emma’s forehead.