“Tell me again why you’re buying me food.”

Cam smiled at the kid sitting across from her. They were sitting in a small taco shop attached to the convenience store by a long hallway.

“Because you’re hungry.”

Necco picked up his burrito. He’d already bitten off a huge hunk and the filling was spilling out of it, a gooey mix of chicken, sour cream and rice.

He sucked on the fountain drink in front of him. “You in the habit of buying strangers food?”

“You recommended this place,” she told him. “I figured the least I could do was offer to buy you something to eat as a way of saying thanks.”

Necco just shrugged. “Suit yourself, man.”

Cam glanced at the boat of soft tacos parked in front of her. They were street tacos, brimming with carne asada and cilantro and onions, and the fragrant meat made her stomach growl.

But she didn’t touch them. She was too focused on the kid she was sitting with, trying to figure out just what the best approach might be to get him talking.

She knew the first thing she needed to do was make him comfortable.

As soon as he stepped out of the store, she’d leaped from her car and asked him if there was anywhere to eat around there. She’d taken him by surprise, but he took it in stride, pointing back at the store and telling her about the hidden taco shop.

From there, she’d rolled into an easy, casual conversation with him. When she offered to buy him lunch, he’d hesitated for half a second.

It was the reaction she’d expected. He was a kid and he was probably hungry. Hell, she thought about what her reaction might have been if some nice woman had offered to buy her a meal when she was Necco’s age. She would have gone in a heartbeat. Hunger was a big motivator.

“You live in this neighborhood?” Cam asked.

Necco nodded.

“Been here a while?”

“My whole life.”

She sipped from her own drink. “What’s it like?”

His brown eyes were frank. “Tough. It’s a tough neighborhood. Tough crowd, if you know what I mean.”

“Is that why you’re not in school right now?”

His burrito froze halfway to his mouth and his expression hardened. “You from CPS or something?”

Cam shook her head, making sure to keep a friendly smile on her face. “Nope. Just figured you weren’t quite eighteen…”

Necco touched the brim of his hat, adjusting it. His hair must have been short; there wasn’t a single strand visible. “How old you think I am?”

Cam pretended to study him. “Sixteen?” she ventured.

A huge grin broke across his face. “Naw, man. I’m thirteen.”

“Really?” Cam let out a low whistle. “Guess that goes to show how much I know.”

He looked inordinately pleased with himself, puffing out his chest a little that this woman across from him thought he was so many years older than he really was. Cam bit back a chuckle.

He plowed through more of his burrito. “What brings you here?” he asked, once he’d swallowed his mouthful.

This was it. There were any number of ways Cam could broach the subject of Alex, but she wanted to make sure she chose the right one. With a kid like Necco, she figured she’d have one chance. She didn’t want to blow it.

“I’m actually here in town for a friend.”

Necco arched an eyebrow. “You lost?”

“Excuse me?”

“You have a friend in this part of town?” He snorted. “No offense, man, but you don’t look like you hang with people comin’ out of this neighborhood.”

“Oh? What do I look like?”

She expected a flip remark, but Necco was quiet for a minute, studying her.

“You look smart,” he finally said. “Careful. I don’t know if you’re hidin’ something or if you’re just careful by nature.”

She tried not to look too impressed.

“And you look nervous,” he finished.

That last bit irritated her. “Nervous?”

He grinned and pointed to her full boat of tacos. “Nervous about eatin’ them tacos. That’s the only reason I can think why you haven’t dove into them.”

She returned his smile, relaxing a little, and picked up a taco. She bit into it, and it was every bit as good as she had imagined it would be. Finding decent Mexican food outside of the cities was not something she’d been prepared for, especially not a counter service joint tucked in the hallway of a convenience store.

Her phone buzzed and inwardly she groaned. She’d hoped Alex had given up on calling. She glanced at the screen, then looked back at it when she saw a name she wasn’t expecting.

Nate.

“Give me a sec?” she said to Necco.

He nodded.

“I’m busy,” she said into the phone.

“With what?”

“I can’t talk. I’ll call you back.” She ended the call.

Necco laughed. “You like that with all your friends?”

“Only the annoying ones.”

Cam finished the one taco before she spoke again. “So, about this friend…”

Necco was down to the last few bites of his burrito. He looked at her questioningly.

“Maybe you know him.”

Necco gave a little shrug. “Maybe. I know lots of people.”

“He runs with some of the guys around here.”

He slurped more of his soda. “What’s his name?”

Cam hesitated. She had no idea what name Alex went by. She didn’t think he’d use his full name, but had he kept his first name the same?

“Alex.”

Nothing registered on Necco’s face.

“Name doesn’t ring a bell?” Cam asked.

He shook his head and wadded up the paper wrapper.

Cam thought quickly. He was done eating, and she didn’t think he was going to be sticking around just to chat with her. She had to ask questions. The right questions.

Even if they ended up being all wrong.

“He left town last week,” she said.

His expression remained blank.

“There was some kind of trouble,” she said, purposefully being vague. “Something he was involved in.”

Necco closed his hand over the wadded-up paper. She could tell he was seconds away from standing up and walking out—not because the conversation was making him uncomfortable but because he had no vested interest in it. She was just some random woman who had bought him lunch. He’d eaten it, he was done, and he was ten seconds away from being out of there.

Unless she could convince him to stay.

“Necco.” It was the first time she’d said his name to him. She’d asked for it, not to confirm his identity but rather to make small talk as they stood at the counter for their food, but hadn’t yet called him by name.

He eyed her, and this time she could see something in his expression.

Wariness.

“You helped my friend the other night,” she said gently. “You helped him get out of town.”

His gaze darted to the ground. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mumbled.

“Yes, you do.” Her voice was firm. It was the tone she reserved for interviewing witnesses. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

His eyes shot back to hers. “Who the hell are you?”

“I told you. My name is Cam.” She’d given him her real name; she didn’t know why. “And I need your help.”

He snorted. “I don’t got no help to give, man.”

“Yes, you do,” she countered.

But he was on his feet, the soiled burrito wrapper clenched tight in his fist. “I’m outta here.”

“Wait.” She tried to pull in a steadying breath, tried to get her emotions under control and draw instead on her training as an officer. Yes, this was a personal mission for her, but she knew she’d fare far better if she could keep her emotions in check.

Easier said than done.

“He’s hurt. And Groupo 55 found him.”

Necco froze.

“I need your help,” Cam said quietly.

He lifted the hat off his head—a nervous gesture—then set it back down. Cam caught sight of short, dark buzzed hair, baby fine.

“I can’t, man.” His eyes were wide. “He just needs to stay gone, alright?”

“He is,” Cam said. “But they found him. And if those guys found him, La Gente won’t be far behind.” She paused. “Or the cops.”

Necco bit his lip.

“You helped him before,” Cam reminded him. “You helped him get out of town, didn’t you? Because you care about him.”

He glanced around the small seating area before giving a slight nod.

“And you saw what happened, too. With the other officers.”

He didn’t nod this time, but she could tell from his expression that he wasn’t disagreeing with her.

“You’re the key, Necco.” She held his gaze. “You can make sure nothing happens to Alex.”

He swallowed.

“Do you remember what happened that night?”

Another small nod.

Relief rushed through her.

“All you have to do is give a statement to the police—”

“What?” His eyes rounded. “No. No way.”

“Not the police here,” Cam said quickly. “My police.”

His eyebrows shot straight up, disappearing beneath the brim of his Magic hat. “Your police? What the fuck?”

She pulled a slim leather wallet from her purse and, using her thumb to cover her last name, gave him a quick look at her credentials.

“I’m from Aspen Falls,” she told him. “Our department can help. We want to help.”

The color drained from Necco’s face.

Shit. She was losing him.

“I don’t trust you, man.”

“Please,” she pleaded. “All you need to do is give a statement. I can get you out of here. Get you started on a new life, away from the poverty, the gangs. I know what it’s like to grow up in a place like this. I know because I lived through it, too. And I was able to get out.”

“I don’t trust you,” he repeated. “I don’t trust anyone.”

She stared at him. “Not even Alex?”

He was quiet for a moment.

“Not even Alex.”