Chapter 32
Brennan
My phone rings, and I wince when I see who it is. “Fritz. Hey buddy, how’s it going?”
We’ve already been here for longer than I thought we’d be, and I hope he isn’t calling to kick us out.
Wren is bundled up cozy on the couch next to me, scrolling through artist’s videos on her phone.
Every once in a while she’ll sigh, before going to the website with the house listings and pulling up one specific home.
She’ll scroll through the pictures, get a little smile on her face, and then go back watching the videos.
I really lucked out when they told me I get to be with her all day.
“Brennan. You gotta get out of there, man.”
My brows shoot up. “What, why?”
Wren sets her phone in her lap, looking at me questioningly. I shake my head, gently moving her off me and standing from the couch.
Fritz sounds panicked. “I got a call from a private investigator just a minute ago. They were calling to follow up on an incident that the police filed a report on—they looked up who owns the cabin and reached out. Something about a domestic disturbance. I didn’t give them your name—I only told them that I let my buddy use it for his omega, but I have a feeling you’re going to get another visit. ”
Shit. A private investigator? Which means…the Messinas must have had someone go through all the reports and picked up ones they thought were suspicious.
“Okay. We’ll get out of here.” Wren’s expression turns to shock as she stares at me. “If you send someone to clean, shoot me the bill and I’ll take care of it.”
Fritz sighs. “Got it. And Brennan?”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful.”
We hang up, and Wren immediately gets to her feet. “What do you mean we have to get out of here?”
“Someone on your parents payroll got a hold of the report from the other day. They looked up the owner of this property and called them. He’s worried we’ll have another visit.”
She blanches. Ethan took a new photo for her fake ID, but I don’t think he’s finished making it yet. “Where are we going to go?” Her eyes are wide, her voice panicked as she grabs my arm.
I pull her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Don’t worry about it, Song Bird. We’ll figure it out. I promise.”
The last thing we need is some private investigator hired by her parents to show up at the cabin. Wren needs to stay a ghost in the wind, and the only way we can do that is by relocating.
One hour later, the cars are packed up, and we’re ready to head out. It’s good we were already living out of suitcases, and that the most we had to worry about was packing up Wren’s nest.
Maverick puts the last bag in the back of his car, and I turn to Wren, pulling my baseball cap lower on her head. Her overalls disguise her figure pretty well, and the sunglasses leftover from our lake day hide her eyes.
“You’re sure it’s safe to go to your place?” I ask Maverick again as he double checks everything on the car.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Maverick grunts, patting the hood of his Range Rover once before turning to us. “She’ll be covered up, and since Fritz didn’t give the PIs our names, there’s nothing connecting us to Wren.”
Ethan puts the dried canvas of Wren’s most recent painting in the back of his car, and shuts the back. “Plus, I erased all traces of the two of you from the footage we’ll send in, so they can’t connect us on that end of things either.”
Maverick nods. “We’ll finish up the job back home, and Wren can turn my bedroom into a nest when her heat hits.”
My omega’s cheeks flush. “Your…your room?”
He gives her a soft look. “If you’re okay with that.”
She flushes a deeper red, nodding vehemently. “Yes, I…I’d like that.”
Teddy throws an arm around Ethan’s shoulders. “An’ we’ll ‘ave the opportuni’y to run ‘ome and get some new clothes.”
“I…uh, have you done any laundry recently?” Wren asks, biting her lip nervously.
They exchange a glance. “Today was laundry day for me,” Ethan shrugs, “why?”
“I just…can I…can I have the clothes you were wearing?” Her voice is so small, it makes me want to scoop her up in my arms and never let her go.
“O’ course you can, Dove,” Teddy says softly. “In fact, I’ll bring this blanket I know you’ll love and rub all our scents all over it, alright?”
A small smile tilts at her lips as she nods. “Thank you.”
“I’ll bring stuff too,” Ethan says quickly, not one to be left out.
“As will I.” I nod.
“I’ll have the home team advantage, since my house will already smell like me.” Maverick winks, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and pressing a kiss to her head. “We’ll do anything you need to make sure you’re comfortable, okay, Baby Girl?”
“Okay.” She smiles up at him. “Should we get going?”
“Yes,” Maverick claps his hands together, “Ethan and I are driving, so we’ll have to split up.”
“As much as I ‘ate to say it,” Teddy sighs, “it’d prolly be bet’er if I ride wiff Ethan, and we can go straight home to grab more clothes.”
Her eyes light up. “Can I come see your apartment?”
Teddy looks at Maverick. “Wot do you fink, Boss?”
Mav rubs the back of his neck. “I was going to suggest she go with you guys anyway, since Brennan and I have an errand to run. You guys should probably hang tight at the apartment until we make it back.”
My brows shoot up. This is the first I’m hearing of this.
Wren squeals excitedly. “Oh, I can’t believe it! I always wanted to see where you live.”
“So you’re coming with us?” Ethan grins, and she bounces on her heels.
“Yes!” But then she glances at Maverick and me. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all, Baby Girl,” Maverick smiles gently. “Brennan and I have some work stuff to discuss anyway. It’ll be boring for you.”
“Alright!” Teddy and Ethan high-five, and Wren gives each of us a kiss before joining them in Ethan’s car.
Ethan sent off our file of incriminating footage on Pack Caruso to the judge on their case this morning, and based on the emails he’s been monitoring, it doesn’t look good for them.
With that load taken off our shoulders, it’s time to go back to the real world.
We drive down the highway, and I glance behind us, smiling when I see Teddy apparently teaching Wren how to headbang. I can only imagine what types of music they’re exposing her to.
“So,” Mav starts, and I turn back to the front, “we need to figure out a plan.”
I frown. “I agree, but shouldn’t Wren be here for this?”
He shrugs. “We aren’t deciding anything without her, I just want to spitball a few ideas.”
“Go for it,” I wave him on.
“Well, to start with, I’m pretty sure we have everything there is on her parents,” he starts, his fingers tapping the wheel.
“There’s some emails that Ethan dug up, and while the wording outright avoids stating the intent to sell their daughter, it still implies it.
Which normally wouldn’t be enough. However…
” He sighs, running a hand through his hair.
“We have a witness. One that I’ve offered protective custody to, if she agrees to work with us. ”
A witness? Who could we have as a witness?
“Ethan mentioned to me that the woman—the house manager—Freida has a soft spot for Wren. I had him look into her, and then I reached out.”
“What the fuck, Mav?” I snap. He could have completely compromised our cover. “That’s a move you make after consulting everyone!”
“I know!” he huffs, “But…I couldn’t risk her not helping and breaking Wren’s heart in the process. Imagine how she would have felt if I told her the one person who had shown her any sort of kindness refused to help her live a happy life?”
My jaw clenches. He has a point. I just wish he would have filled us in first.
“And I know you, you think I should have told you anyway.” Maverick gives me a look, and I can’t help my expression of surprise.
What, the fucker can read my mind now? “But I felt guilty enough not telling her what I was up to, I didn’t need you all to feel that way as well.
Especially when she finds out I hid it from her. ”
“So…what?” I huff. “She agreed?”
He nods. “She agreed. She was in the room when the money was exchanged, as well as when Francesco Messina declared that she belonged to Pack Caruso now.”
“Do we need to extract her?” I ask, cracking my knuckles.
“No,” he shakes his head, “it actually works out that we’re leaving today. Tuesdays are her night off to go visit her son. We’ll stop by his house and pick them both up. The Messinas won’t realize until tomorrow morning that something is up.”
“Does she have any other family that could be in danger?”
“She says she doesn’t.” He shrugs. “Husband passed away years ago, her son is her only family.”
“Got it.” I sigh, looking out the window as we pass through the trees.
“We’ll drop her off with Santino, and he’ll get her relocated with the understanding that she’ll be expected to testify if this ever goes to court.”
“What about the families Wren told us to look into? Rossi and Bianchi?”
Maverick grins. “We have such a smart girl. With those names, Ethan was able to dig up some interesting numbers. Those families are responsible for selling the drugs that the Messinas produce. Turns out, they’ve been over-charging these two families for the drugs.
They have a contract that states the Messinas sell the supply to Rossi and Bianchi for a ten percent markup of what it costs to make them.
Well, Ethan dug deeper into the financials and production records…
they’re adding a charge of twenty-five percent on top of what it cost to produce the supply. ”
“I bet the Rossis and Bianchis would be very upset to learn about that.” I grin.
“So we’ve got them backed into a corner,” Maverick agrees. “As soon as we get Freida away and safe, we can make our first move.”