Chapter 6
Jasmine
My mind drifts to two particular deputies but I push them out of my mind.
I’m still in charge of my class and getting them settled at their desks so the last thing I need is for Fox to give me that easy grin of his and his trademark wink.
Nitro on the other hand, is all hard lines and frowny face, but his lips tilt up and my heart skips.
Nope. None of that. I’m a third grade art therapy teacher and I will not be lusting over hot deputies who are great with kids.
I’m pretty certain Karly even gifted them each with a friendship bracelet.
I’m still waiting on mine. I can see why she did though, my god it’s like they’ve been sculpted by Michaelangelo himself, sheesh.
“Miss Jasmine?” I snap out of my daydream to look at the seven sets of eyes staring in my direction.
“Sorry class, I was slightly distracted. Can you please repeat your question Karly?” She nods her head.
“I was asking if we’ll be able to ask Deputy Ellison to model for us? Deputy Ellison is so good-looking. I can’t wait to see him with no clothes on. Not even socks” I splutter a little, I mean I would like that too, but not in third grade art class.
“Ah, no Karly, we don’t have naked models in art class. Deputy Ellison will be our model but he will be in uniform so we will be able to paint him correctly. Make sure we use the right colors and all that good stuff” Jeez, now that the thought is in there, I can’t get it out.
“Wait, which one is Deputy Ellison?” Rodney asks
“I think he’s the one I ran into,” Jackson pipes up.
“You ran into all of the guests,” Karly states matter of factly whilst rolling her eyes.
As this is going on the other kids in my class seem to be either ignoring the conversation or waiting for their EAs to translate for them. I see a smile break out on Nora’s face once her Education Assistant finishes signing because she giggles, nodding her head, ponytail bobbing.
“Deputy Gardiner is the other handsome one. The one with brown messy hair and a nice beard. I wonder what it feels like?”
I wonder about that too, Karly. Shit. Not the time, Jazz! I clear my throat, to try and gain their drifting attention but Karly isn’t finished.
“Deputy Ellison is the one that looks like a Ken doll. Deputy Gardiner looks like a GI Joe.” Karly says with a sigh. Neither really look like that, but her description seems to sound correct to the class because they all nod their heads in unison.
“Wait,” Rodney butts in “How do we know we can trust this guy around kids?”
Jackson nods his head so vigorously I worry he’ll give himself a headache. Or that his thick glasses will come flying off his face. “He’s right. My mom says you gotta be careful of old guys that like hanging around kids. It’s weird and creepy.”
“He’s not THAT old. Probably around the same age as me.”
I watch as Nora’s hands frantically sign “But aren’t you old?” while her expressive little face shows confusion etched all over it.
A sigh from the depths of my soul escapes me. “Look, I’m not old, just not super young either.”
“You use a cane sometimes.” Karly pipes up.
“Yes, that’s true. Sometimes I, like many other people, may need a hand with mobility. Just like how Jackson uses his powerchair.”
“I’ve got cerebral palsy, not old age. Don’t bring me into this.”
Elio nods solemnly and I let out a long sigh.
I’m surrounded by smartasses. Closing my eyes for a moment I take a deep breath then blow it out, counting to five before opening my eyes.
Sometimes it feels like I spend most of this class defending my age and sometimes my life choices.
Like why I don’t have a boyfriend/cat/dog/children/better car.
“Ok, let’s skip back a beat, Rodney and Jackson, to answer your question. Yes, Deputy Eillison and Deputy Gardiner are safe adults to be around. They’re police officers, remember? One of our community helpers you can go to if you are lost or hurt.”
“Oh, yeah, that makes sense. I forgot about that,” Jackson says.
“I’m on the fence about trusting them just yet. I trust the brown haired one more, but we’ll see,” Rodney says very matter-of-factly.
“OK” I stare at Rodney, but then think twice about going down that rabbit hole.
“Both Deputy Ellison and Deputy Gardiner will be here on Wednesday. That’s two days away, so if you would like to finish your thank you cards for them this afternoon, we’ll be able to present them to the deputies when we see them, OK?
” I sign as I give them their instructions.
All of the kids go about their work in the ways that suit them.
Jackson isn’t overly great with his fine motor skills so he is using his fingers to paint the police station.
Karly has put glitter all over hers and is frantically trying to stop Carter from licking it.
I make a point to gain his attention before I mouth the word ‘no’.
He can’t hear me with his ear muffs on, and he’s very sensitive to noise so it’s easier to have him read my lips.
Elio is using pipe cleaners to create a skeleton and I can tell that he’s just going through the movements.
Not really caring either way about what he’s doing.
I would think he hated my class if not for the fact that Blanche keeps telling me how he enjoys giving cards to his little sister.
I take a seat in my comfy teacher chair and leave the class to work on their cards.
I take stock of my body, something I always do in quiet moments.
My knees are a little achey, which means I’ll be in sneakers tomorrow.
My fingers feel stiff and I’m feeling a little warm, a sure sign that if I don’t stop overdoing it I’ll be in bed for at least a week.
Letting out a little sigh I raise my arms above my head and stretch out my body just a little. It won’t be enough to stave off anything, but it’ll make my body feel a little looser. Tonight might have to be a yoga in the living room while watching true crime type of night.
“I’m finished!” Rodney announces, popping up in front of my desk out of nowhere.
My brows pull in. Did he belly crawl his way to my desk or am I that distracted at the moment? Blinking away my confusion and slight brain fog, I accept the card he’s holding out to me. The one that looks like two men holding one dildo.
“Ah, wow! That’s a great, um, card there Rodney.” My eyes flick to him and he grins wide. “Just, um, what can you tell me about it?”
He’s beaming now, eyes on mine, “It’s whichever Sheriff guy has the brown hair. And he’s showing his gun to the other guy and letting him touch it.”
I cough to hide my snort. Knowing what I know of Fox and Nitro and their relationship, this is too funny. “Well, I’m sure they’ll love it. Let’s just put it here safe and sound, hmmm?”
Rodney deflates just a little, knowing that he hasn’t pulled one over on me. Today. Wednesday might be another matter.
Nitro
“Can we ditch this job yet? It’s fucking killing my soul, man,” Fox whines. Again.
I don’t even answer him. I let him whine it out and then later on I’ll shut him up with my cock. A smile plays on my lips as I follow him through the check in where we dump our gear, and we almost get to the locker room when Moss’s big body leans out of his office, head tipping at us.
“Aw man, I was hoping he’d be gone by now. I just want to crawl into bed with you and let you pleasure me.” I raise a brow at Fox who grins with no remorse.
I lead the way into Moss’s office, making sure to shut the door tight behind us. “You head tipped?” I ask drily, taking a seat across from him. Fox leans casually against the door and I roll my eyes. Classic trying to look nonchalant. He pulls it off too.
“Had to restrain my sister lately?”
“Why? Do you want us to restrain her?” Fox asks, wagging his eyebrows before Moss throws a box of tissues at him.
“Be a man! You could have thrown a stapler!”
Moss hurls his stapler at Fox who catches it in one hand, then sticks it in his back pocket.
“I’m guessing you didn’t call us in here to talk about Jasmine?” I ask, trying to get this shit back on track. Fox is right, I’d rather be home in bed with him.
Moss rolls his lips between his teeth, then lets his shoulders drop. “You both familiar with government tech?”
I turn and share a look with Fox before sitting forward, elbows on my knees. “What kind of tech?”
Moss taps his phone before putting it on his desk and spinning it toward me. My sharp intake of breath draws Fox who takes one look at it.
“What the fuck? That’s the locker room? Our locker room?”
“Yeah. Found it today when I was poking around. I think we can safely say that they definitely think you have something to do with the FBI swooping in on their shipment. They know enough to know the PD isn’t going to be stopping anything.
Not with some of my men on their payroll.
Leads me to believe they want to find out what you two know,” Moss says, leaning back in his chair.
“And they think they’ll find that out in the locker room?”
Moss shrugs, “Don’t know and don’t care. I want to know who else in my PD is poison and who the fuck is behind it all.”
My brows pull low. So far Fox and I have pegged Hitchens, Norton and Ryan. Fox is still working on Sammy and Wire is delving deeper into whether the Matthew Thompson Sammy is seeing is the CO we know of, or some generic old guy wanting to fuck a young blonde.
“You think there’s more involved?” I ask, mirroring his position while Fox lounges in the chair beside me.
“I don’t think Hitchens, Norton or Ryan can get their hands on this type of shit. Someone else did. Could be cartel, could be someone else. All I know is that none of those three would risk meeting shady fuckers for a bug.”
I crick my neck, ignoring Fox’s glare. He hates when I do that, but it helps me think.
Moss is right. From what we know of those three they’re all born and bred Rose Grove boys.
None of them enlisted and Fox and I would know if they had family members in the military.
If you’re from Rose Grove and were enlisted, we’d know.
“I’m planning on removing it during shift change. I don’t want that shit in my station.” Moss growls, jaw tight.
It’s an interesting look on him. Every dealing DRMC has had with him he’s been congenial, likeable. But the look on his face is hard. Something I’m familiar with.
“Or, hear me out, we don’t get rid of it,” Fox offers, hands open as if throwing an idea out there.
“What, and let these fuckers continue to spy on us?”
“No, we somehow use it to find out who these guys are. I mean, we have a literal genius in our clubhouse. Chewy must know a way to track the tracker or something.” Fox shrugs, looking between me and Moss.
Moss frowns, then leans back in his chair. It’s not a bad idea. In fact, is a pretty fucking good idea if we can pull this shit off.
Moss stays silent for a moment, staring at the desk, as if running the odds in his head.
He nods slowly, eyes meeting mine. “It’s not a bad idea.
OK, from now on if you’re in the locker rooms just talk shit.
Maybe even engage in dialogue that will mislead them.
Get them looking in one direction while we work in another.
If the cartel or whoever the fuck these guys are working with think you’re a threat, then they’ll be wanting to monitor all your conversations to get the drop on you. ”
I dip my chin, because he’s right. The station was in a fucking state when we turned up, and I know for a fact that the business Hitchens and his goons have been turning over has slowed the fuck down since Fox and I came on the scene.
Moss’s screen lights up from where it’s still lying face up on his desk with a message from Jazz. I avert my eyes and don’t even try to read it. She’s not our woman. And if I’m honest she may never be. Well, not mine anyway. She deserves more. Better. Someone like Fox.
“Ah shit, sorry, guys, Jazz ain’t feeling well, I gotta go,” Moss mutters, flingers flying over the screen, probably replying to Jazz.
“Is there anything we can do?” Fox asks, trying to play it cool but I can see by the look on his face, he’s invested in Jasmine.
“Ah, yeah,” Moss’s gaze fixes on us, “find out what you can about the bug. Hopefully that genius bunch you have at the compound can help.”
“If Chewy can’t I’m sure Elio can,” Fox snorts.
“He’s a cute kid. Even if that book he was carrying around on the community outreach day was creepy as fuck.” Moss snorts.
“How do you expect the boy to grow up and torture if he hasn’t learned the techniques?” Fox says in an innocent voice.
“Yeah, yeah. Just get out of my station so I can check on my little sister.”
Fox looks reluctant, but shit, it’s not like we can tell Moss we’ll take care of it, go around to Jazz’s house and force our way inside.
I give Moss a chin lift and head out, stalking toward the locker room to grab my cut.
Not even bothering with changing out of this shitty department issued uniform.
Fox raises a brow and I shake my head. I ain’t going over my reasons while some fucker is out there listening to us. All I want is to be on my sled with the road beneath me.
Fox rolls his eyes, “Come on then, babe. Let’s get some wind therapy and then I’ll let you ride my cock,” he practically shouts the last part, and I snort at his silly antics. He grins at me before slapping my ass. “Let’s ride.”