Chapter 13 – Age 29 #2
“That’s understandable. You went through a lot.”
“That’s polite-speak for I sound batshit.” She scratched the back of her head. “You won’t tell anyone, right?”
“I told you I wouldn’t.”
“Thanks. I’m going to delete this recording from my phone so I can stop obsessively relistening to it and I’m going to leave the job of figuring out everything that happened that night to the people actually working the case.”
“Good plan.” Jule stood. “Hopefully you’ll be off desk duty soon and you’ll be too busy to think about that night.”
“Hopefully.” She walked with him out of the commander’s office and returned to her desk.
Jule went to his car and drove to the Dunworthy house. He was past due for one of his discreet visits, and he needed to warn Travis and the rest of Tor’s brothers to stay away from Jimmy’s.
The backyard had gotten more crowded over the years.
There were two trailers there now along with some toys for Titan’s son Mikey, who lived with them part time.
The guys moved between the spaces depending on what they had going on at the moment.
Last time Jule had been there, Travis and his daughter Maggie were in the house, Titan and Trey shared one trailer, and Tyson was living in the other trailer with his girlfriend of the moment.
One thing that never changed was the spot they kept empty for his car.
He parked, walked in through the back door, and was greeted by the sound of Maggie screaming.
“Don’t fucking touch me!”
Jule rushed through the kitchen and into the living room to find thirteen-year-old Maggie standing over a teenager who was huddled in the fetal position in front of the couch, protecting his groin.
“Fuck you, bitch!” he tried to yell but his voice broke, ruining the effect.
Maggie kicked him. “I’m not the one on the floor so who’s the bitch, bitch?”
Jule loved that girl. “Hey, Mags. What’s going on?” He walked over to her.
She jerked her gaze to him and smiled. “Hey, Uncle Jule. I didn’t hear you come in.”
He stood beside her and looked down at the whimpering teenager. “Looks like you were busy. Who’s this?”
“Someone who’s never going to come anywhere near me again if he still wants his dick to work.”
Jule cackled.
The kid dragged himself up and, still cupping his package, glared at Maggie. “You’re a psycho!”
“You grabbed my tits without permission and I’m the psycho?”
Jule narrowed his eyes. “You did what now?”
“She invited me over! She wanted it.” He scurried backward.
“I invited you over to play CoD not to hook up.”
“How was I supposed to know that?”
“Because that’s what I said!”
Jule advanced on him. “Listen to girls with your ears not your dick, dumbass, and stay away from her or I’ll show you an actual psycho.”
His eyes wide, the boy rushed to the front door, swung it open, and ran out.
“Pussy,” Maggie spat.
“You’re my favorite niece.” Jule slung his arm over her shoulders.
“I’m your only niece.”
“Doesn’t make it less true.” He gave her a squeeze, kissed the top of her head, and let go. “You good?”
“Yeah.” She sighed and looked down. “I thought he was my friend.”
“I’m sorry, Mags. Boys are assholes.”
“You’re a guy. Hell, everyone else that lives here is a guy.”
“And we’re all assholes,” Travis said from behind them. “What’d I miss?” He was standing by the back door. “Hey, Jule.”
“Someone who I thought was my friend tried to get something off me.”
Travis froze, his jaw ticking. “You take care of it?” he asked Jule.
“Your daughter beat me to it. Had him on the ground practically crying for his mommy.”
“Good girl.”
“Thanks, I guess.” She rubbed her foot back and forth across the floor, her shoulders hunched.
“Hey, how about I order us some Raffaele’s to celebrate you being a badass?”
“Really?” She perked up. “I want pepperoni and sausage.”
“Deal.”
“Thanks, Uncle Jule.” She jumped up and hugged him. “I’m going to call my friends and tell them what happened. Let me know when the pizza gets here.” She walked to her room, smiling.
“That was an easy solve,” Travis said. He gave Jule a longer than usual hug and clapped his back. “Good to see you, man. Been too long.”
“I’m going to order the pizza and then we need to talk.”
Travis dipped his chin. “Want a beer?” He walked to the kitchen.
“Yeah.”
Jule sat on the couch and made the call.
“What’s up?” Travis handed him a beer and sat beside him.
“You need money?” Jule popped the tab and lifted the can to his lips.
“No, man.” Travis shook his head. “Hell, with all five of us working right now, we’re actually doing really good. Tan and I stopped smoking too, ’cause of the kids, that helps more than I expected.”
That statement distracted Jule from his intended conversation. “All five of you are chipping in?”
“Yeah. We’ve always pooled our cash. You know that.”
“Uh-huh.” That part wasn’t news. For as long as he had known them, the brothers had worked as a team.
They had raised one another and supported each other, including financially.
What he hadn’t realized was that Tor was still doing that considering he had been hiding out for over ten years and couldn’t have a steady source of income, or at least not a legitimate one.
He sighed and rubbed his palms over his eyes.
“You good, Jule?”