Chapter 17
Protect And Serve
ARES
The last few days have been tough.
The look on Sheriff Pullin’s face when I handed him my letter of resignation and my badge reminded me of the one on Dad’s face when I broke the news that I had dropped out of college to join the sheriff’s department.
Heather’s dad had tried to convince me to reconsider my decision. It was nice to hear that he thought I did a great job in my year as a cop, but I felt like I had no other choice.
The fallout from me participating in the races already has the potential to destroy my life and my father’s political career. I didn’t want to add to it by bringing disrepute to the sheriff too.
I’m grateful to Kirk Pullin for his mentoring, and I hate that I couldn’t explain the real reason why I needed to quit.
I justified my decision with the harsh twelve-hour shifts the deputies’ schedule required, and he didn’t argue with me after that.
He looked very disappointed. I bet he now agrees with my colleagues that I’m an entitled, spoiled brat. It’s ironic that I had just managed to change my former colleagues’ opinion of me after a year of hard work.
The biggest issue after quitting the police force was what to do with my time.
My brothers and I grew up wanting for nothing; our father gave us everything we could have ever wanted.
But Dad had to earn his spot in the NHL through years of hard work and dedication, and he was always clear with us that the life we lived was a privilege we had to earn the same way.
In other words, we were always expected to study or work to receive his financial support.
The fact that I’m going to get full control of my trust fund any day now doesn’t change the set of values I was raised with.
If I’m not a cop, and I have to wait until at least the next semester to go back to college, I need something productive to do with my days.
I know that what I’m doing to earn my keep will be Dad’s first question once he learns about my resignation.
I asked the sheriff not to say anything, wanting to be the one to break the news to my father.
Lev’s parents came to the rescue and offered me a job at their firm.
I owe a lot to the Reillys for helping me with this and for coming through with a solution that gets us out from under Mason Morelli’s blackmailing.
“Ready, guys?” I turn around to look at Zara and Chance in the backseat of my Jeep after parking one block away from Star Cove City Hall.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Zara looks as nervous as I feel.
Chance pulls at his tie, his own nerves turning into fidgeting. “Are we sure that this is gonna work? If we do this, there’s no going back.”
I know what he means. “There’s only one way to find out.” I open my car door and step outside.
“You look beautiful.” I murmur, brushing my lips over Zara’s temple.
Much like Chance, she plays with the top button of her shirt. “Thanks, so do you.”
“What I don’t understand,” my brother objects. “Is why we have to look like we’re going to a fucking funeral to go to a town hall meeting.”
Lev responds before I can. “Technically, we don’t have to.
But if we want to petition the mayor and the city council, looking the part isn’t going to hurt.
Think of it like the way lawyers dress when they go to court.
They could argue their cases just as efficiently in jeans and a t-shirt, but they want to look professional in front of the judge and the jury. ”
“Yeah. That’s why law school is not an option for me. I’m more than ok wearing a suit at a wedding or a fancy party, but not when I’m nervous. I’m sweating so fucking much.”
I clasp his shoulder. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to say anything unless you want to. Lev and I can do all the talking. And the petition is backed by thousands of signatures, so this request doesn’t come just from us.”
“Yeah. But you know who Dad is gonna be mad at.” Chance scowls.
I don’t have the heart to tell him that he might be right. But we’re too deep into this to change course now. And I’d rather face our father’s anger than staying under Morelli’s thumb.
“Let’s do this.” Zara accepts the hand Lev offers her.
I wish I could enter the City Hall building with her on my arm. To be able do that, I’m going to need to sit down with Dad and tell him that we can be a family but not in the way he envisioned. I’m never going to have brotherly feelings for Zara.
That, however, is a conversation for another day.
Zara
Star Cove City Hall is an old building dating to the early 1800s. Despite our being in California, the style of the building, with its white columns at the entrance, reminds me of the colonial style buildings that are typical of the southeast of our country.
The town of Star Cove holds monthly meetings where matters of interest for the whole town are publicly discussed and citizens can petition the mayor and the council. Petitions can aim to change or abrogate legislation, or remove elected officials.
I’ve never been inside this building before, even though both Mom and Scott work here.
I immediately feel intimidated by the number of people in attendance today.
Almost every single one of the chairs that line up the large court style room is occupied, and I think we’re going to have to stand until we’re up.
“Lev, Ares. Over here.” Lev’s mom waves at us from a row of chairs on the left side of the room. We all sneak in as quietly as possible, taking the seats she and her husband reserved for us.
“It’s nice to see you again, Zara.” She greets me.
“Likewise, Mrs. Reilly.”
The way her smile lights up her green eyes reminds me of the way her son smiles too. “You can call me Rachel. Mrs. Reilly is my mother-in-law.”
Her friendly tone puts me at ease. She looks way more approachable today than the first time we met at Mom and Scott’s welcome home party that Heather’s mom threw a few weeks ago.
Some people look way more relaxed and at ease when they’re in their element, and working seems to be hers. My dad is the same way. He’s way more friendly when he’s surrounded by motorcycle parts and gear than during interviews or even promotional events.
“The council is voting on the project for a new sports complex the mayor wants to build right at the edge of town.” Rachel explains. “After this is over, it’s our turn.”
My anxiety levels increase with every passing second. I know that what we’re about to propose will cause a fight with two of the people we love the most.
“The motion brought forward by the mayor passes with a majority of eight votes in favor and two votes against. Star Cove’s new sports training and residential complex will be built on the plot of land designated as 382-B by Old South Lake Road.
This was today’s last ordinance—” the town clerk’s announcement is interrupted by Lev’s dad.
“If our esteemed mayor and city council don’t mind, a group of citizens has one last motion to submit to this council.” Christopher Reilly rises from his chair next to his wife and makes his way to the podium at the front of the room.
The city clerk doesn’t look pleased by the interruption. “Mr. Reilly,” she objects. “Can this wait until next month? I don’t have to remind you that any motion or petition should be filed with me in advance. That will give the council ample opportunity to look at the content of your proposal and—”
“I’m well aware of the procedure, ma’am clerk.” Lev’s dad interrupts again. “This is, however, an urgent matter and, as such, we’re allowed to petition the city council without filing our motion in advance. As per our emergency petition ordinance 25-D, comma 5, from July 1984.”
The city clerk’s shoulders stiffen, but she accepts the envelope Mr. Reilly hands her after the mayor nods at her.
Her face pales when she opens the envelope and reads the first page in front of her.
“Marjorie,” Scott encourages her, accepting an identical folder from Lev’s dad. “Let’s hear this last petition for the day.”
I know the content of the petition, so part of me doesn’t blame Marjorie for her reluctance. A copy gets distributed to each member of the council in the time it takes for the city clerk to read the first page.
“Very well.” She takes a note, writing in her ledger. “Petition number two hundred and twenty-eight for this calendar year. This emergency motion has the required five percent of the electoral body’s signatures required to formally petition the mayor and the council requesting legislative action.”
Lev’s parents explained that anyone can informally petition the council. But by getting the required number of signatures and filing a formal petition, the city council is obliged to consider the motion and to take action one way or the other.
“This petition moves to open a motorcycle racetrack on the plot of land by Mission Road that used to serve as a car racetrack back in the 1960s. Incidentally, the petition also moves to lift the ban on owning, keeping and operating motorcycles within Star Cove’s city limits.”
A couple of seconds pass in complete silence after the clerk has read the main part of our petition. The silence is so complete that you could hear a proverbial pin drop.
“Come again, please? I think I might have misheard you.” The mayor says with a frown.
I’ve seen that expression before on both Ares and Chance’s faces.
Marjorie looks more distressed with every passing second as she repeats what she just read.
“This must be a joke, right? Are there cameras here and I’m being pranked?” Scott looks around as if to spot hidden cameras.