Chapter 19 #2
“Yeah, maybe. But Dolly’s had our backs since they showed up in town, and I’m sure that’s not going to change.” Gage took a sip of his coffee. “Look, we’re a team, and a family. We’re here for you. Both of you, if Mae ever wants to acknowledge the loss with us.”
“You’re right. I know that. I just… I’m lost. ”
“How’s Mae really doing?”
Stone shrugged. “She’s been at work, hasn’t she?”
“That doesn’t mean she’s okay.”
“You don’t have to tell me that,” he snapped.
Gage’s eyebrows shot up. “But you’re here, and not with her?”
“She won’t slow down. It doesn’t matter what I say.
How much I beg. I just… I have to honor this for her.
If this is her way to process, then I’m going to support her.
She wants space at the office and I can’t stand being in the apartment without her.
It’s too…” he searched for the right words, but nothing came.
“I get it. I felt that way about my house, after Mel and Mikey died.”
“Shit, Track. I shouldn’t…” His eyes lowered to the coffee swirling inside the cup in his hands.
“I shouldn’t be dumping all this on you.
You lost your family. Your wife. Your kid.
I lost the idea of something I’d only known about for a handful of hours.
We never even got the chance to see them or hold them. ”
“Did you put your hand on her belly? When you found out? I gave Mel’s belly so many kisses after I found out…”
Stone’s gaze left the cup of coffee. “Yeah. Of course I did,” he choked out.
“Then you held your child, Doc. Simple as that.” Tears stung the back of Stone’s eyes. “And all that baby ever knew was that it was deeply loved by you and Mae.”
“I really hope so.” Stone turned towards the window, a tear spilling over his lashes.
“Just the two I was hoping to run into this morning.” Shit. Just what they didn’t need right now.
Laurel smiled as she grabbed a chair from the table next to Stone and Gage, spinning it around and sitting down like she belonged there.
“Laurel,” Gage cleared his throat, giving Stone a minute to wipe at his eyes and compose himself. “I’m going to say this as nicely as I possibly can. Get lost.”
Her smile didn’t waver, even as her eyes tracked the emotions Stone knew were written all over his face. “Well, can’t say I didn’t see that coming, although I’m a little surprised you guys are so upset about what I wrote, and yet you won’t sit down with me to give your side of the story?”
“Our side of the story, Lo?” Gage grimaced. “You mean the truth? We shouldn’t have to set anything straight. You ran a smear piece and tipped our lives into chaos. If you’d even done an ounce of research, you would know whoever your source is has to be lying.”
“And they manufactured all the official documents they supplied me with? I’m sure you read the article, so you saw what I cited. Sebastian lied in his reports. It contradicts the findings in the autopsies of those three soldiers you shot, Stone.”
“I didn’t shoot—”
“What is wrong with you?” Hawk’s voice boomed as he walked over to the booth. “Laurel, you’ve done what you came here to do. You need to leave.”
“Actually, I came here to get breakfast. Finding these two here was just icing on the cake.” She looked over her shoulder at the dessert display. “Or maybe I should say ‘whipped topping on the pie’?”
“I think you should say ‘goodbye’ and get out of town.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’ll be gone in a few days, don’t you worry.
I’ve got a job interview in New York City with a big news outlet.
Until then, I won’t stop trying to get you to agree to an exclusive interview.
Can you imagine being the reporter to interview both sides of a story that’s catching attention like a wildfire? ”
“Who’s your source, Lo?” Gage growled.
“Can’t divulge that information, handsome. Sorry. But if you wanted to get the team to agree to sit down with me, there’s always the possibility I slip up and say something I shouldn’t. Let me know by tomorrow.”
Laurel turned, colliding with Jessie who was trying to pass with a smoothie. The pink and purple mixture flew out of Jessie’s hands, landing right down the front of Laurel’s designer outfit.
Perfect karma.
Unfortunately, Laurel didn’t seem to find the accident funny, because in one blink she was spinning on Jessie, her hands flying up to push Jess to the ground.
“Fuck,” Gage mumbled as he wrapped his arms around Laurel and spun her out of the way just as Jessie landed on the ground, screaming out as her hands hit the floor.
Stone was moving towards Jess just as fast as Gage was working to cage Lo in, because the second he heard Jess scream, Hawk looked like he was about to kill someone.
Hawk dropped to his knees next to Jessie, cradling the wrist she was still clutching in her other hand.
“Shit, Doc?”
“You gotta let go of her, Phoenix, so I can see what we’re dealing with.”
Hawk didn’t move.
“Hawk?” Jessie whispered, her eyes wide and wet from her tears.
“I’m afraid if I let go, I’ll forget that it was a woman who hurt you. I don’t hurt women, but I want to hurt the person who hurt you…”
“Jessie!” Dolly’s voice carried over to them from the kitchen doorway.
Stone looked up, and nearly every person in the diner was focused right on them.
A figure moved at the back of the crowd and Stone’s eyes focused on a face he hadn’t seen in years.
And just as quickly as he’d seen it, in one single blink, it was gone.
What the fuck? Stone shook his head. Had he really just seen…
Arguing broke through his confusion. Stone narrowed his eyes to Gage and Laurel.
“Jessie, you want us to call Colt?” Gage asked. “You can press charges against Laurel.”
“What are you even talking about? She assaulted me with that drink first.”
“Lo, don’t say another word.” Hawk growled.
“No.” Jessie said, slipping her hand out of Hawk’s hold and grimacing as she stood. “I don’t want to press charges. It’s just a sprain, if anything at all. But you’re not welcome here anymore. Not in this diner, and not in this town.”
“Funny, little girl. I don’t see your name on the welcome sign for Silver Springs,” Laurel hissed.
“Actually.” Jessie squared her shoulders and took a step towards Laurel. “My name is on the sign. Right next to the ‘founded by’. My family built this town. My brother, a sheriff’s deputy, would be happy to show you the words as he escorts your sorry behind from our beautiful town.”
“Hawk, you did always have a thing for feisty women,” Laurel laughed as she pulled her arm out of Gage’s grip.
“No need to escort me anywhere. I’ve got exactly what I came here for.
Enjoy my leftovers, honey.” Lo’s eyes raked over Hawk before turning back to Jessie.
“If memory serves me, he’s ticklish, but only on his left side. ”
Stone stared at Hawk as all the color drained from his face. His hand still held on to Jessie’s injured wrist, until she finally turned and pulled it away from him.
“Jessie, I—”
“How could you ever be attracted to someone like that?” Jessie asked, her voice so quiet Stone knew he shouldn’t be listening, but damn, he just couldn’t stop himself.
“She wasn’t like that back then. It wasn’t anything that lasted long, anyways. Just some fun.”
“Right. Well, thanks for stepping in for me, but I can handle myself.”
Hawk’s thumb tipped Jessie’s chin up. “I protect what’s mine, sweetheart.”
“I’m not yours,” she scoffed.
“Not yet.”
“Don’t play with fire, Chief. You’re gonna get burned.”
Gage sighed, grabbing a few dollars from his wallet and dropping them on the table. “As much as I’m enjoying watching whatever the hell this weird display is between the two of you, we need to get back to the office.”
Jessie’s face flushed as Hawk ran his hand through his hair.
“You guys can use the kitchen exit. It looks like it’s about to turn into a bit of a circus around here.
” She pointed out the front windows, where a camera crew was already set up, Lo standing with another reporter pointing back inside the diner. Just perfect.
“Shit. I’m so sorry I brought this circus right to you,” Stone grimaced.
“Oh, don’t worry about us,” Dolly laughed. “I’ll have Colt down here in no time, and he’ll shoo them away. You guys just get going. And call up next time. I’ll have Jessie run down your orders to you so you don’t have to deal with all this again.”
“We owe you, Doll.” Hawk bent over and kissed her cheek.
“Kisses like that are the only payment I need, sugar. Now, get going.”
They walked through the kitchen and out into the back alley.
The thin path connected all the businesses on Ford Avenue, opening up in some spots to accommodate parking lots behind the shops, before narrowing back down.
They should be able to follow it back to Montgomery Defense without reporters following them… hopefully.
“Alright. Tell me why you looked like your brain short circuited back there.” Gage demanded.
“I think it did.”
“What? You really think something’s wrong? Are you in pain? I’ll get Mae and my truck.” Hawk was already turning to jog away when Stone stopped him.
“No. I think… I know I saw something… someone… I shouldn’t have been able to see at Dolly’s.”
“What are you trying to say, Doc?”
“Track, it was Andy Limerick. I saw him. I saw him stand up from a booth on the other side of Dolly’s. I looked him right in the eyes.”
“That can’t be right. He’s dead. We were there. We’re being accused of murdering him and covering it up,” Gage grumbled.
“And just like that, you assholes find a way to completely fuck up my undercover operation.”
Stone jumped at the familiar voice. Turning, he watched FBI Agent Maxwell Wilson join them.
The man looked like he’d been off the grid since the last time they’d seen him, nearly two years ago.
Gunner was going to shit a brick. They’d walked away from a lucrative contract working with Max and his team for the FBI as consultants, but after everything happened with Lily…
they all knew it was time to walk away and settle down.
“Keep walking.” Max directed. “Andy is behind us making sure we aren’t being followed.”
“Uh, Max.” Hawk smiled. “You wanna tell us what the fuck is going on?”
“Apparently, trouble is bound and determined to find you guys no matter how many of your national security contracts I dissolve. Let’s get back to your office and I’ll explain what I can.”