Chapter Thirty #2
“I’m not sure I want you to know, but I’m going to leave that up to you. It’s not great. I’ll show you if you want, but if it were up to me, you wouldn’t see it.” At the angle we’re sitting, I can’t get my phone out of my pocket so I shift us a little in case she disagrees with us.
“I do. I want to know what we’re fighting. This won’t be the first time I’ve dealt with shit, Wyatt. I’ve lived my whole life in this world. It just used to be directed at other people. Like Aubrey.”
Pulling up the photo from Chief, I hand her the phone, showing her the message that was left earlier.
Her face drops while reading, but as soon as she hands me the phone back, the same mask she wore when she first got here is back. The tough exterior she wears.
“Not like we didn’t know he wanted to kill me. Or you for that matter.”
“That doesn’t mean that you need to accept it.”
She throws her hands in the air. “What the fuck am I supposed to do, Wyatt? Let you and your family ruin everyday of your lives trying to stop them? I can’t do that, I won’t.
I’m tired of this shit. I want him to show his face, and then I want to be the one who gets the pleasure of shooting his ass dead. ”
“Sophia. You don’t know what you’re saying. Shooting someone… killing someone… that does something to you, even if they deserved it.”
Even though Jack deserved everything he got, the look in his eyes as he died will never leave me.
“I do. I’ve lived through this man beating me, I’ve felt the pain he inflicted on me. I’ve taken the punches, I’ve taken the slaps and the kicks. And all that time, I fantasized about killing the fucker. Now he’s coming after someone I love, people I love. And I’d take so much joy in ending it.”
Sighing, I realize I’m not going to win this argument. “Okay. Do you know how to shoot?”
“No.” She hangs her head. “Hugh wouldn’t let Ryder teach me. And I wasn’t allowed to even have a gun.”
“I have one in the safe that would be good for you. We’ll start tonight. I have to go with Chief and Stoll to check out some old abandoned hunting cabins soon. But tonight, I’ll teach you. For self-defense.”
“What hunting cabins?”
“There are some old cabins left on the property behind me. Not close enough to see us from there, but close enough that he could be staying there and not be detected by any cameras. Kane is working on figuring out where he is coming into all these systems from, but he’s smart.”
My phone buzzes.
Chief: Meet you at your house in ten.
Me: Got it.
“You think he’s been there the whole time? How would he know about them?”
I can practically see her mind spinning.
“I don’t know. No one really knows they’re there unless they know Old Man Robinson.
He moved to Florida years ago but still owns the property.
I tried to buy it, but he’s a little grumpy and wasn’t willing to sell.
So I just told him to let me know when he’s ready.
I don’t really mess with them because I know that man would find out. ”
Sliding her off my lap, I stand to go get my boots and lace them back up again.
“James would never. He likes the finer things in life. It’s why he got into bed with my father in the first place. He wanted the money, and when he saw me, he set his sights. Hugh saw an opportunity.”
“I thought he came from money?” I ask.
“He did. Until he fucked up and his parents cut him off. He still had the name but not the money. Hugh offered the money, James offered the notoriety,” she explains.
“Well, let’s hope that’s still true. I don’t want him this close to you. Especially since he seems to be escalating.” I lean over the back of the couch and kiss the top of her head. “I’ll send Pops back in, and I’ll be back by dinner.”
“I’ll be here.” She smiles weakly.
Leaving her right now sucks, and I regret offering to go with Chief and Stoll.
All four men stand in the driveway when I get out there. Pops says his goodbyes to them as I approach, slaps me on the shoulder, and heads back in.
“I’m coming with you,” Liam announces.
“You are?” I look to Chief who usually doesn’t allow civilian help.
“Kane’s already on it. What’s another?” He shrugs his shoulders.
“Alright. Well, let’s get going. I want to get back to my girl.” I turn to Chief. “Oh, by the way, I have a family emergency. I won’t be able to come back in unless you need me.”
He laughs. “Just stay on call.”
“How are we splitting up? I’ve got my machine in the trailer,” Stoll asks.
“I have enough for everyone else,” I say. “Are we going right up to the cabins, or do we want to go part way in on the machines and hike the rest of the way?”
“If he’s up there, I say we go in hot. He won’t be able to clear out whatever equipment he’s got in there without us seeing or hearing. It’s hard enough to get a truck through there when you’re paying attention and taking your time. So unless he’s a wizard at driving, it’ll be fine,” Liam says.
He’s spent more time than any of us out there. When Old Man Robinson took down his barn, Liam went out there and took the wood. Liam was about the only one that he liked; they were both grumpy assholes.
“Okay. Let’s load up.” I walk over to the detached garage on the edge of my property and grab the keys off the hook on the wall, tossing a set each to Liam and Stoll. I take my machine that Liam was using earlier.
We head out down the path until we reach the edge of my property where the path ends.
That’s where I veer right onto the path that used to be here for Old Man Robinson.
I lead the other three until I park at the back of the cabins.
Once all the machines are off, we sit and listen for any movement.
We’re still hidden in the thick brush of trees so anyone in there could have heard us approach but still not see us.
“Alright, let’s go. Liam you’re with Wyatt at the front, Stoll on your own in the middle, and I’ll get this back one.” The three of us nod at Chief and take off on our assignments.
The front cabin is the only cabin with a separate bedroom instead of just one open studio room.
Liam follows close behind me as we creep along the tree line.
“You’ll save my ass if someone is in there, right? I’m pretty badass, but I don’t have a gun,” he whispers.
“Jesus, Liam.”
“What? I’m just saying, I’ll fight him off you, but…”
“Just shut up.” I shake my head, leaving the cover of the trees and breaking entry into the house with my gun drawn.
The living room and kitchen are empty. There’s so much dust and dirt on the floor that I can see my own footprints. I relax a little, but still move forward to clear the other room and bathroom.
“Clear,” I call out.
“Thank fuck.” Liam exhales with his hands on hips.
“You could never be a cop.”
My radio crackles. “Keaton. Middle.”
“Come on. Let’s go see what Evander found.” I punch his arm on my way out. I can’t believe this guy, volunteering like a badass then making sure I’d cover him. My own brother. As if I’d leave him to the wolves.
Walking over to the middle cabin, we enter and find a small setup.
“Looks like someone’s been camping out here.” Stoll points over to a few folding tables with computers set up.
A camping chair. A card table with discarded takeout. A Rebels bag catches my eye. Fucker was in my goddamn town. Was he there the same night we were? Was he that close to her, and I had no idea?
“Kane is on his way,” Chief says, putting his phone back. “I want him to comb through these computers. He says one of you needs to drop him a pin. I don’t even know what the fuck that means.”