Renewed Faith (CSA Case Files 3 / Military Romance) by Kennedy Layne Read Free Book Online Page B

met Connor and Jax. She’d never been so nervous in her life. “I showed up in my nicest pair of jeans and a top that didn’t reveal too much, if you know what I mean. The one thing I had going for me was that I had graduated high school. Believe it or not, I had a good GPA. But I’ll be honest with you and tell you how I got the job.”
    “How?”
    Elle could tell that she had one hundred percent of Rachel’s attention now. Good. Maybe a little of what Elle said would actually stick with her.
    “Desperation. In the eight years I was working the streets and living in run down apartments, I’d never been presented a chance to get out. I never even thought about it really. Sitting in front of two men who didn’t look at me like their next fuck or expect anything from me other than to answer their questions honestly was something I’d never experienced. And you know something else? A part of me will always be that girl who sold her body on the streets. I will always be looking over my shoulder. That fear of the unknown never goes away.”
    Rachel’s resentment seemed to fade just a bit, but it was enough to let Elle know that she’d made the right call in being totally honest. There were times when revealing too much of oneself was only opening up vulnerability that would be used against you later. Elle had been working hard to get herself out of that habit.
    “I want out, Elle. I can’t take the anxiety and fear of thinking the next guy that wants to pay for sex will be the one who kills me.” Elle’s heart broke as a tear slid down Rachel’s tired face. “I don’t want to die like this. I want so much more.”
    Elle was relieved when Rachel leaned into her and allowed herself to be comforted. The next couple of hours were spent listening to Rachel’s hopes and dreams. Some were attainable and some wouldn’t be possible right away. They spoke of the murders and the fear that this killer had instilled within the community. It was when Rachel spoke of Bee and what she’d seen a few nights ago that had Elle’s heart racing. Her admission about Hash was just icing on the cake. Was this the break that Kevin needed to solve the case?

Chapter Five

    “S hit,” Kevin said, leaning back in the booth of an all night diner. Grease lingered in the air while it stuck to their plates. The naugahyde vinyl booths were nauseating paisley patterns and spoke of an earlier time. There was no better breakfast than at one o’clock in the morning. “No one’s going to be out in this weather.”
    “I don’t know how you guys work it, but when we have snitches, we usually just call them up.” Taggart held up his hand to the waitress, signaling for the check. “Max, you’re buying.”
    “Fuck that.” Max shook his head while he wiped his mouth with a napkin and then threw it on his empty plate. “You left me with the last two meals when you suddenly got a call . It’s your turn.”
    Kevin finished his orange juice while the two men sitting across from him argued about the check. He’d probably be the one picking it up, but he didn’t tell them that. Max Higgens was a DEA agent that frequented Masters. He was a good man and even better agent. It was by happenstance that Kevin and Taggart had run into him.
    “Hash isn’t one to carry a cell phone. For how paranoid he is over the fact that devices can be tracked nowadays, you’d think he was an eighty year old man who’d built himself a bunker in the middle of bum fuck Egypt.”
    “He’s got a point,” Taggart replied with nod of approval. “You know where he lives?”
    “You know the rules as well as I do.” Kevin leaned back against his seat wishing he could stretch his legs. This table was too damn small for the three of them. “I go to his inner sanctum, all trust is violated. I’m not a cop. I can’t just bring him in for questioning.”
    “I don’t know what you think he’d know.” Taggart finished off his coffee. “If you’re right about the