Boss Me - Page 157

A large man steps into the light, and instantly, I recognize him. Jeff, Val’s boyfriend. I pull out my phone readying to dial 9-1-1.

His hair is greasy and dark. His brown eyes are bloodshot. He’s still a big motherfucker, but he’s lost some weight. His clothes hang on him as if they aren’t his. The only way around the fence is over.

“Yo, you’re the guy who came for Madison?” Jeff holds up his hands as he comes up to the fence. “Hey, wait. Don’t call the police. Dude, you gotta help me.”

“I don’t ‘gotta’ do anything but make sure you’re arrested.” I pause with my finger over the Call button though. That he sought me out over Madison makes me give him a chance. If he steps anywhere near her, I’ll take him down however I can. I won’t let him get his hands on her again.

“I don’t know if you know Valerie OD’d. But she didn’t OD on her own, man. She never took that much before. She wouldn’t. She only used it to take the edge off.” Jeff’s hands shake as he reaches out for the fence. Obviously, it’s been a while since he had his last hit. “You gotta help me, man. Whoever killed her is probably after me too. I need to get out of here.”

I step closer. “What do you know?”

“Fuck, man, give me a couple hundred and I’ll tell you.” Jeff glances over his shoulder. His dark eyes are wide and paranoid. He scratches his neck. The couple hundred will probably go directly into his veins. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if he overdosed too.

Glancing down at my phone, I have to decide whether his information is worth more than getting him thrown in prison. But with Valerie gone, we have no one else to clue us in on who Madison’s stalker is.

“Did you know about the video cameras?” I lead with it, because if that wasn’t Val, she probably didn’t know anything useful.

“Yeah, I installed them for her.” He smiles like he’s got me now. Like he knows I want his information. “Dude, cash and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

I scan the area to make sure this isn’t an ambush. The street is deserted except for our car parked a little down the block. Seth is already in the car, but I’m sure he’s on the phone with the police as we speak.

The longer I keep Jeff talking, the better chance the police have of catching him. Setting my phone to record, I slide it into my pocket and pull out my money clip.

I peel off a couple hundred-dollar bills and hold them out to Jeff. When he reaches out, I snatch them back.

“Information first.” I’m not an idiot.

“Val met this guy. Nice guy, rich. He wanted access to her apartment. She didn’t give a shit and he paid her money. He paid her a lot of money. So when he gave her cameras to put in her place, she thought, Why the fuck not? He told her how to install them. I came over and put one in the bathroom and one in Madison’s bedroom. One in the kitchen and one in the living room.”

Fuck. Only the bathroom was still drawing power when I went through her apartment.

“What else?” I keep the anger out of my voice.

“He was a real piece of work.” Jeff smiles and leans forward. “He wanted her panties. Not fresh ones, if you know what I mean.”

Angry bees swarm inside me. “What else?”

“He paid Val to keep him up-to-date on her movements. Gave her this fancy phone to take pictures of her.” Jeff’s hands shake against the chain-link fence. “I think Val gave him a spare key, but I’m not sure.”

“Why did you attack Madison?” I narrow my eyes.

“Asshole stopped paying Val. Said he wouldn’t be needing us anymore. Said he had another way to get access. Man, we needed that cash, and then Madison paid the rent, the full rent, and we knew the bitch came into money.” Jeff laughs. “Val figured the chick started hooking to make ends meet.”

Restraining my anger, I clip out, “What else do you know about the guy? Age, height, weight, anything?”

“He only met with Val. She knew him, but there might be a pic of him on the phone he gave her. She said it was her insurance if he ever came after her.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I can’t get to it though.”

This is the first thing he said that might be useful. “Where is it?”

“The money first.” He wiggles his fingers.

I’m tempted to not give it to him at all, but he presses his lips together. He’s not going to give me more until I give him the money.

Fuck. I step closer and hand him the money. “Where’s the phone?”

“Val hid it in the apartment. Said if she ever went missing to find it.” He backs away as he talks, until he becomes one with the shadows.

Sounds like another trip to Madison’s apartment is in my future. And soon. We need to find it before anyone else does.