Unseen (Will Trent / Atlanta Series)

Whitey.”
    Faith demanded, “How do you know that if he’s not talking?”
    “Because of his reaction when I said Big Whitey’s name. Because he has … distinguishing marks … on his body that are the same as Marie Sorensen’s.”
    “Wait a minute,” Faith said. “Back up. Who else knows about this?”
    “No more than I can count on my hand.” Branson listed them. “Detective Adams stayed downstairs while I cleared everyone from the scene. Only two paramedics were allowed in the basement—girls I’ve known since high school. Both of them have been taking turns watching the boy around the clock. We couldn’t take him to the hospital. He’s being kept at an undisclosed location. Dr. Thomas is treating him. I’ve known Dean since I was a child. There’s one other officer who guards him when I can’t. Only the people I trust with my life know where that kid is.”
    Will looked at Lonnie Gray, easily judging from the man’s expression that he’d learned about this cabal just a few moments before the rest of them. His face was bright red. His mustache looked like a piece of chalk over his mouth.
    Gray demanded, “And who exactly is this other officer who’s watching the boy now?”
    “She’s with the sheriff’s department. She’s a good friend.” Branson wouldn’t look at Gray. Her cheeks darkened again. Will guessed the deputy was more than a friend. “I trust her.”
    “More than you trust me, apparently.”
    “I’m sorry, sir. I knew if you found out, you’d have an obligation to report this to the state. Other people in the department would find out. We wouldn’t be able to keep him safe. Big Whitey has too much reach. The boy would be dead in a matter of hours.”
    “That again.” Gray addressed the speaker on the table, telling Amanda, “Denise theorizes that Big Whitey has a mole on my force.”
    Will thought about the file on the redneck’s desk. They had Bill Black’s police record. They had his military details. It wasn’t so much of a stretch to think Whitey had a cop or two working for his side. If the pattern held, he had more than a few.
    Faith analyzed the situation differently. She told Branson, “You think someone tipped off Big Whitey about the raid.”
    She shrugged, but said, “The raid team breaches the house and finds three dead guys. Sid Waller’s locked in the basement with an abducted boy. It practically had a bow tied on it.”
    Gray turned on Branson, demanding, “Who do you think is the mole? Vickery and Franklin were nearly killed tonight. Adams was attacked. Eric Haigh was tortured before he was murdered.” He added, “Why do you think that is, Denise? Why do you think they tortured him?” He answered his own question. “They’re looking for the boy. If they had someone on the inside, they wouldn’t have to torture cops for information.”
    Branson looked down at the table. The room went silent.
    Will thought about Lena Adams in the ICU. She had told Will that he would eventually find out she was doing the right thing. She had said the words as if they would redeem all the ills that came before. Had she thought that saving the boy would make up for losing her baby? Or was it simply a matter of Lena’s eternal conviction that everything she did was for the greater good?
    Will asked, “Does Lena know where the boy is?”
    “I sure as hell don’t,” Gray interrupted.
    Will tried again, asking, “Does she?”
    Branson shook her head. “Lena has no idea. I let her believe the state was already involved, that we had to be quiet about what happened to keep him safe. I doubt she even told Jared.”
    Gray realized, “She lied to Internal Affairs. None of this was mentioned during any of her interviews.” He sounded disgusted. “Jesus Christ, Denise. You forced her to lie on record.”
    Branson defended, “Lena was protecting the boy. She knew what Big Whitey would do if he found out there was a witness.”
    “And I assume you let her believe I was okay with this?” Gray waved away any response Branson might come up with. “For the love of God. I can’t believe I trusted you.”
    Faith said, “Obviously someone figured out the boy was alive. Why else attack Lena in the middle of the night? Why else go after the rest of the team that was there during the raid?” She told Branson, “Thanks for wasting my fucking time and nearly getting my partner killed.”
    Amanda took over. “Where is this boy now?”
    Gray turned to his former