“Dude . . .” Matt lifted both hands in a really? gesture. “I thought you were going to help me help Dylan.” He started to turn away. “I guess I was wrong.”
Bree recognized the movement for what it was: dismissal—disapproval—of Shane.
Shane, still seeking validation, leaned forward, as if trying to maintain the connection to Matt. “No. Wait.” He licked his lips. “I was with him last night.”
Matt settled back down, reestablishing the connection, but his shoulders were tilted back, maintaining a slight distance, as if Shane would have to work to regain his approval.
A few beads of sweat broke out on Shane’s forehead. “Dylan called me last night. He asked me to help him teach a guy a lesson.”
“So you said yes,” Matt said in a like anyone would tone.
“Yeah.” Dylan glanced away for a second. In the center of his chest, his shirt darkened with sweat. “Me and a few other guys.”
Matt waited.
“We met at Dylan’s place, then drove over to this other dude’s,” Shane said vaguely.
“Do you remember the address?” Matt asked.
Shane tugged at the collar of his shirt. Sweat rings had formed under his arms and across his chest. He looked like he’d run a 5K through the tropics. He gave the name of Todd’s road.
“Did you know the guy you were supposed to school?”
Shane shook his head. “Dylan called him Harvey.”
“Who else was there?” Matt asked.
Shane dried his palms on his thighs and rattled off a few names.
Bree wrote them down. Fury simmered hot in her veins. Five. It had taken five men to take down Todd. How was Matt keeping his cool?
“What happened?” he asked in a casual voice.
“We roughed him up a little.” Shane evaded Matt’s gaze and shifted his body position again.
“That’s it? You just smacked him around a few times and left?” Matt’s tone made it clear he didn’t believe that for a second.
Shane slid his ass across the seat. “Well, that was the plan, but the dude fought back fierce. Did some damage to Johnny’s knee, and Fox’s eye was a fucking mess.”
Matt let the silence drag out until Shane had to fill it.
“We were gonna just leave the dude there, but Dylan changed his mind. He was pissed the guy fought so hard. So he made us carry him to the truck and toss him in the back.”
“Your truck?”
Shane stared at his feet.
“We have your truck on video,” Matt said.
“Yeah. My truck,” Shane admitted.
“Then where did you go?” Matt pressed.
“Back to Dylan’s house.”
“Was Dylan’s new bitch there?” Matt asked.
Shane nodded. “Dylan went into the house, and we could all hear her yelling at him. She kept calling him stupid.” His face twisted in raw hatred, and the ugliness of it took Bree by surprise.
To give Matt credit, he didn’t respond at all.
Shane continued. “I don’t care how hot she is, no piece of pussy is worth putting up with that behavior. Bitches need to know their place.” His eyes narrowed into hostile slits. “Dylan put a stop to it, though. I heard the slap from the driveway.” Pleasure glimmered in his face.
Bree’s stomach turned.
Matt didn’t seem to notice. “Did any other guys stay?”
“Nah. We all went home. Dylan said he could handle things from there.”
On the monitor, Matt simply nodded. “Do you know what happened to the guy?”
“Dylan said he was going to dump him in the woods. Make him find his way back.” Shane tried to grin, like it was funny, but he couldn’t pull it off.
“Do you think the guy could still walk?” Matt’s question had a new edge.
Shane stared at the wall for a few seconds. Finally, his shoulder jerked. “I dunno.”
Matt’s throat shifted as if he was swallowing his anger. He smoothed his tone. “What did Dylan do with him?”
“I went home.” Shane’s face creased, and his eyes shuttered, as if he had just realized he was in deep, deep trouble. “I want a lawyer.”
“Yeah. You’re going to need one. The man you beat and helped abduct is the chief deputy of the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, and we found blood in the back of your pickup. How much do you want to bet that blood belongs to Chief Deputy Harvey?”
Shane’s mouth gaped and closed again. His face drained of color.
“That’s right. You assaulted and kidnapped a police officer.” Matt stood. “You’d better pray he’s still alive.” Matt left him sweating.