Seth propped his back against the wall. "Would you like to tell me why we're having this little meeting? Especially when we shouldn't be seen together."

"It's important, too important for a dead drop. Zayden Walker is out on bail," Ferrel said.

"Yes, I'm aware. His friends came to the house to get his shit after the bail hearing."

"He's agreed to help with the investigation. He's going to give up the tow yard and chop shops," Ferrel told him. "That's a problem for all of us."

"Please, I'm not an idiot." He shoved away from the wall. "I know Zayden Walker well. I understand how he thinks. You don't think I anticipated him offering to give up anything he thought might save his ass? Do not contact me in person again."

"Look, kid, my ass is on the line here too! I don't need a snot-nosed kid telling me what the fuck to do! Your uncle may have put you in charge of shit but I'd rather take orders from him, not some child less than half my age!"

Seth stepped forward so only inches separated them. "This snot-nosed kid can make certain your ex knows exactly where that child support money is coming from. How do you think she'd feel about reconciliation if she discovers you're a dirty cop? I know shit about you that you don't want to see the light of day. Don't fuck with me, detective, I can fuck right back. Have a nice day!" he said cheerfully, turned and stepped out of the dilapidated warehouse, and strolled to where he'd parked his bike. Ferrel was a problem he couldn't afford, not at this stage of things. Blaine kept his mouth shut and didn't question shit, Harold Ferrel on the other hand, questioned everything. The detectives had been invaluable thus far in keeping the car thefts going. Any evidence they might find upon arrival at a scene never made it into the evidence lockup. Anything that pointed in the direction of Selozzi Towing that other detectives may find at a scene was lost rather quickly. The two were paid well for their services. It had been his idea to bring a couple of cops on board. His uncle thought it was too big a risk, to attempt to bribe cops, but he wasn't stupid. He collected all the information he needed to assure the two detectives would not only cooperate but if they tried to back out he could bury them.

As for Zayden Walker, it was time he dug that hole a little deeper and buried his former boyfriend further. He grinned as he pulled away from the warehouse.

***

Zay stared at the empty lot behind the chain-link fence. "I don't understand, this is where we towed the cars." Everything was gone and the lot appeared as if it had been empty for years.

"Well, obviously your people moved everything after you were arrested. A little contingency plan of yours?"

Zay sent Detective Ferrel a glare. "They aren't my people and never were. Why waste my time bringing you to the lot if I knew it was going to be empty?"

"To make it appear as if you're cooperating and to make yourself look innocent. Let's go, back in the cars." The detective ushered him back toward the cars.

Zay sent Mr. Salazar a look. The lawyer smiled and clapped him on the back. "Don't fret, you're still attempting to assist, even if they've covered their butts."

"If Seth has moved the lot, you can bet we won't find shit at the repair shops either," he told the lawyer quietly.

"Most likely we won't, but we'll still go there. It's all we can do. Let's go, we'll take them to the shops, even if there's nothing there. You told the judge you would help and you are. It isn't your fault everything has been moved. It does make sense they would move it to keep you from giving any of it up."

He nodded, but it didn't make him feel any better. Seth had him in a corner, trapped with no escape. He was going to go to prison for this while Seth simply continued with his life as if nothing had happened. It was supremely unfair but he saw no way to rectify things. He got into Mr. Salazar's car. They waited for the detectives to give the go-ahead to leave and Zay gave the lawyer directions to the shop.

While the detectives searched Caid's shop the man stood in a corner, arms crossed over his chest staring Zayden down. He ignored the big man, his eyes on the detectives as they searched the place.

"There's nothing here. Wow, what a shock," Ferrel sneered.

"Look, I never said there would be anything here, I said this was one of the places we dropped cars. I don't know about anything that went on after we dropped them off. I said I'd tell you where the cars were dropped off and I have. You have the list of shops. There's nothing more I can tell you."

Angelo grinned at the detective. "My client has cooperated, gentlemen, it's up to you to discover the real person behind this. As I have suggested before, you should take a further look into Seth Bradford and his uncle as well as their towing company. Good day, detectives. Come on, Zayden it's time for us to leave."

Zay was grateful for the lawyer's assistance, to Josh as well for making sure he had a lawyer to call upon if needed. They climbed back into the lawyer's car and left. He stared out the window for a fair amount of time, watching the scenery zip by, before he turned to the lawyer.

"Thank you," he told the lawyer.

"It's my job, Zayden. I'm here to protect you and I will." He glanced at Zay before refocusing on the road. "If I had to speculate on things, I might believe those detectives are on Seth's side. They've taken none of what we've told them seriously, they're focused on you with single-minded intent."

"They do have that envelope full of evidence that's made me the front and center suspect," he pointed out.

"Yes, pictures taken with a cell phone at close proximity. It's obvious whoever took them was standing very close to you, yet they refuse to even consider that the person who took them was in on the thefts."

"Ferrel did suggest they were taken with a telephoto lens."

"They're cell phone images. There weren't taken with a regular camera." Angelo pulled into the Harrisons' driveway. "I've already proven they were taken with a cellphone, they simply refuse to acknowledge it. All we can do for the moment is continue to give them any information we think might help, while you keep out of trouble."

"That's easy, not like I was ever in trouble before," he said.

The lawyer nodded. "I know, but knowing what all of you have told me about Seth Bradford, I think we can count on him attempting to find a way for all of this to fall on you so get you locked away for a very long time."

Zay slumped in his seat. "Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that."

"We'll do all we can to prevent that from happening. Let's not buy trouble, all right? Keep hope alive."

He allowed himself a small smile. "I'm trying. Thank you again."

"No need for thanks. Go on, I'm sure you've got homework to do."

Zay climbed out of the car and went inside. Alyssa was in the living room cursing at her laptop. "Problem, Lyssie?"

"Yes, I somehow lost my entire history paper. I do not want to start over."

"You didn't save it?" he asked as he came over to where she sat on the couch.

"I did, but I can't seem to find it."

He chuckled. "Computers never were your friend. Move over." He sat beside her and pulled the laptop over to him and began tapping at the keys. After several minutes he shoved the computer back over to her. "It was in the trash. You must have accidentally deleted it."

She sighed. "I'd be lost without you."

He wrapped an arm over her shoulders and hugged her. "We'd be lost without each other, I'd be languishing in prison right now if it wasn't for you."

She sat back and grinned at him. "Yeah, well I was almost a part of a twisted pile of wreckage that is my car because of you."

He grimaced. "That is not funny."

She gave him a nudge with her elbow. "I was kidding, Zay."

"It's the truth. If I hadn't latched onto Seth that accident probably wouldn't have happened."

"Possibly, but we still don't know for certain if he was the cause of it," she reasoned. "Though I still believe it was him.

"It's the most logical explanation. I feel awful about all of this."

"Zayden, stop it. What's done is done, I told you we're going to move forward." She hugged him.

"I don't deserve you, bestie."

"Nope, ya don't. None of you do, I'm too good for all of you," she told him with a grin. "Thanks for finding my paper, at least now I don't have to start over."

"Any time." He glanced around. "So ... uh ... have you seen West?"

She grinned at him. "Moving forward are you?"

"No, I just ... I wanted to talk to him."

"Uh-huh, sure ya do. He isn't here, he stopped at home after practice to have dinner with his mom. I'm sure he'll be around later."

Josh skipped into the room. "My birthday is coming up!"

"No party, Josh, I already told you that." Alyssa sent him a glare. "We have to behave until after Zay's trial."

"But it's my birthday! It won't be the same without the epic birthday blowout bash!" he whined.

"Stuff it, because it isn't happening," she insisted.

Zay sighed. "I'm sorry, Josh, if I had somewhere else to stay I would."

Josh slumped into a chair with a sigh. "No, it's fine I'll survive but you owe me."

"I will endeavor to make it up to you. How about lasagna for dinner?"

Josh sat up straighter. "With garlic bread?"

"Yup."

"You are forgiven."

Zay chuckled. "Thank you. How was practice?"

"Good, I guess." He shrugged. "Everyone keeps giving me and West looks like they expect us to jack a car just cause we know you."

Zay groaned. "I hate Seth for this."

"We all do, man, but all we can do is power through it. We all know you didn't do it and that's all that matters."

"It doesn't seem like it. People whisper as I walk past in the halls, it isn't fun. Seth struts around like none of it can touch him. I hate it." Zay slumped back on the couch.

"Hey, we'll figure it out, Zay. Just hang in there," Alyssa told him.

"It's senior year I shouldn't be worrying about whether I'll be spending my college years in prison. I should be going to Josh's parties, thinking about prom, and worrying about my SAT score. This sucks."

"It does, but we'll get through it, don't worry. Josh and I are here. So is West."

Josh's phone rang and he dug it out of his pocket. "Hey, West, what's up?" He went silent and the smile slowly left his face. "You're kidding? No, no, I'll call Mr. Salazar. Until he gets there don't say a word to those detectives." He disconnected and dialed the lawyer.

"Josh, what's going on?" Alyssa asked.

He waved a hand at her as he waited for an answer. "Mr. Salazar, I'm afraid I need to call on you for your services again. Yeah, it's our friend, Weston, yes that Weston. They brought him in for questioning in connection with the car theft ring. Yes, the same station, same detectives. All right, we'll get there as soon as we can. Bye."

"They arrested West?" Zay wrung his hands.

"No, they brought him in for questioning. I'm guessing the only evidence they have is that one picture and it's several years old."

Zay snorted. "Yeah, Seth got smarter after that, he took a whole goddamn portfolio of me."

"Yeah he did, come on Mr. Salazar is finishing up with a client, he isn't going to be able to get right over there. We need to haul ass to the station and let them know West's lawyer is on the way."

They piled into Alyssa's car and drove to the station.

"If Seth pinned this on you, why is he going after West now?" Alyssa asked as they got out of the car and walked to the doors of the station.

"Because he can."

"Zay, come on there has to be a reason."

He shrugged. "I have no idea how that asshole thinks. Maybe he just wants to get back at West. Who knows?"

Josh grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, allowing Zayden to pass through the doors into the station. "Let him be, this can't be easy for him."

"He's spent the most time with Seth I just thought—"

"You'd badger him?" Josh arched a brow.

She sighed. "I hate you."

"Nah, you love me. I'm awesome. Come on, let's get inside." They pushed through the doors and caught up to Zay at the reception desk.

"Yes, Weston Sawyer. His lawyer is on the way."

"All right, I'll let them know." The officer at the desk picked up the phone and dialed an extension.

"Come on, Zay, let's sit down and wait." Josh waved him away from the reception desk.

With a nod, he followed Josh and Alyssa away from the desk and they took seats to wait for West. They were there for almost twenty minutes when Mr. Salazar hurried through the doors. He waved and went straight to the desk. After a minute or two, an officer appeared and led him toward the interrogation rooms.

"All we can do now is wait and hope they let West go," Josh murmured.

"This sucks," Zayden grumbled.

"Indeed it does, my friend. Pick your boyfriends better in the future," Josh suggested.

"Funny, man."

"Just date West and everything will be fine," Alyssa told him with a smirk.

"I hate the both of you."

Josh laughed and Alyssa rested her head on his shoulder. They sat quietly, waiting for the detectives to finish questioning West.