“What about your cases here?” he asked.

“Matty can hold down the fort for a few days.”

“I don’t know, Niki.”

She looked at him as if he had just slapped her. “Are you kidding me?”

“It’s best if—”

“Bullshit, Max. I do you a favor and now you’re gonna ditch me again?” Niki seethed as she spoke. “I have a right to see this through.”

“Niki, there are things I have to do that you can’t be a part of.”

“Why not?”

“Because… You just have to trust me, I—”

“Trust you? Why should I trust you when you obviously don’t trust me?”

“I do trust you, but—”

“No! If you trusted me you’d tell me what the hell’s going on. If you trusted me, you’d be honest about what happened three years ago and why you disappeared. Don’t you dare say you trust me, because it’s a lie and you know it. I’m tired of this, Max. I’m tired of being shut out by the one man…” Niki clenched her teeth as though fighting to keep words from slipping out.

“I know you’re sick of me saying it,” Max said. “But I am sorry. There are things I can’t tell you, and where I’m going… you can’t follow.”

“Why? Are you afraid I might get hurt? I don’t need you to protect me like I’m some child. Jesus, you can be an infuriating jackass!”

“Someday… I hope you’ll understand.”

“Someday, I might not care anymore.” Niki’s words came out hard, but her eyes had turned soft.

Max dropped his gaze. “Maybe that’s for the best.”

They stood in silence before Niki said, “I feel like a punching bag, Max, and I’m tired of it. Go north—run away again. For all I care you can go to hell.” She paused as if she had more to say, but then she shook her head and walked away.

CHAPTER 44

Oh God. Oh God. Spud peeked out through a gap in the drapes. The three detectives stood in front of his house. Oh God, they know. He could barely breathe. The room spun and he had to put his hand against the wall to keep from losing his balance.

Macey looked over her shoulder at the house—at the window where he stood. He stepped back and nearly stumbled over a chair. They knew about Grand Rapids and November sixth. They had to know he’d killed Sandy; why else would they ask him about that city, on that date? He had to call Reed.

He stopped. Which phone should he use? Did it matter? Were they monitoring his calls? Did they know about the burner phones? The world seemed to be collapsing around him.

He peeked through the window again and saw that Macey had gone but the two strangers remained, standing in front of a maroon SUV. Why were they still there? Was he under surveillance?

Spud ran up the stairs to his bedroom and dug the burner phone out of a drawer beside the bed. He played the first message.