When I finally managed to pry my gaze away from the dark burgundy thread sticking out of the seam of the couch, I looked up and caught his expression as he passed me. I frowned. Knix looked way too tired, like he'd been up all night and had gone into work at the rehab center early thismorning.
"It's not like him to make us wait too long. He knows how important this missionis."
"And if he doesn't call tonight?" Marv asked. Marv wasn't nearly as furious as Grayson was by Knix's answers, but he obviously wasn't happy with it either if the expression on his face was anything to go by. He sat across the room with his arms folded over his chest and his chin tilted down as he contemplated theconversation.
Knix stopped and turned to both Marv and Grayson. "What do you expect us to do?" he asked. "You want us to head to H. B. Holdings and demand they release Erika? Most people that work for H. B. Holdings probably don't even know about their less than legal business dealings. We don't know who could be in on it. We wouldn't even know where to start. Think this through. Alex will be able to give us some insight. He has far more connections than any of us and he can get moreinformation."
"We know that at least one of the nurses is in on their illegal activities," Marv remindedhim.
Knix nodded. "Did Josh give you a name?" At the mention of Josh, my eyes moved to the hallway. The guys were right to keep him away, relegating him to one of the rooms until they knew what to do with him. He had caused enough trouble, but a part of me wanted him to be in here with the rest of us, trying to figure out a solution to the problem he hadcaused.
"James Cook," Marvsaid.
Texas groaned long and loud. All eyes turned to him. "That's the name he gave? Come on," Texas huffed. "He wasn't even trying to hideit."
"What?" Marv asked, sitting forward. "Do you recognize it?" Texas slanted a pitying glance at both Marv and Grayson. "James Cook is the name of a drug dealer on the TV show Skins. Don't you two watch anytelevision?"
"No, of course not," Marvreplied.
"When the hell would I have time for that?" Grayson agreed. They both paused for a moment as if realizing that they were actually agreeing on something for a change. After an irritated glance at each other, Grayson shook his head and turned back toKnix.
"So, he gave a fake name. We still have a description of the guy. We can't just sit here and donothing."
Knix clapped a large palm on Grayson's shoulder and shook his head. "We aren't doing nothing, I promise, Grayson. This will get figured out. Let's give Alex a few hours to call us back and if he doesn't, then we'll figure something elseout."
Grayson shrugged off Knix's grip. "I can't believe you." He took a look around the room, passing over me briefly. "You talk a big game about how great Iris is, but all I've seen is that you stick your nose where it doesn't belong and when you could help someone, you choose to sit on your asses andwait."
"You wouldn't know what Iris does, would you, though?" Marv snapped. "You were a prospect for Iris for what? Aweek?"
Grayson closed his eyes, drawing in a heavy breath that made his chest rise and fall. "Fuck this," he finallysaid.
I wasn't sure if he was speaking directly to Marv or if he meant the whole room, but he turned and strode towards the front door, punching it open. I jumped when the door slammed shut and the rest of us were left in the wake of hisexit.
"Well, that went well," Bellamysaid.
I shook my head and stood up. "Marv," I snapped, "you need to stop provokinghim."
"Are you leaving?" Texas asked as I headed towards the very door Grayson had justslammed.
"Yeah," I said. "I'm gonna head back to the dorm. All this—" I cut myself off, gesturing absently, "has left me exhausted. I'll be back tomorrow to see what Alex said." I flicked a glance at Knix. "And Knix, if he doesn't call tonight—we're going to thepolice."
Knix shook his head, but before he could open his mouth, I looked at him firmly. "I don't care, Knix. If Alex doesn't call and you have no way of getting to Erika. Iwillpersonally go to the police with or withoutyou."
He looked startled by my declaration, but he didn't say anything more as I opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. One glance around told me that Grayson had already taken off. I sighed and headed down the driveway. Just as I got to the mailbox, the front door opened again and Marv appeared on thesteps.
"Hey, hold up a second," he called, jogging across the grass, heading towards me. Marv reached me at the end of the driveway, his eyeshooded.
"I'm not going to apologize," I said. "I meantit."
He shook his head. "I wasn't going to ask you to," he assuredme.
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Youweren't?"
"Harlow, I get it. Erika is your best friend. You have every right to be worried. Knix isn’t trying to be an asshole.” My lips pinched down. I knew that, but it didn’t stop my anxiety or my worry. I wasn’t like Knix. I couldn’t look at this objectively. “Knix isn’t trying to hurt you. He wants to find Erika as much as you do, he just wants to do it by the book. It’s how he wastaught.”
"I know,” I say quietly, dropping mygaze.
“Hey.” He tipped my chin up before dropping his hand again. “We’ll find her.” I nod, because what else can I do? I know he’s right. Knix is just following the straight path when I want to find a shortcut because I want to see Erikanow.