CHAPTER 16 #2
“Awe, so civilian life IS appealing to you, Lane?” Parks sounded like he’d caught the canary. After a short lived smirk, “I know some guys with KBI out of Topeka. They’d salivate if I told them to make room for a man with your ERB.”
Robert knew Parks liked him, but he’d never expected this. “You’d do that for me?”
“Hell yes, Lane. You’re a damn fine soldier, and if that’s what you want, then yes.”
Robert glanced down at the dirt beneath his boots. He was touched. It was something to consider, but something was more pressing. “The senator’s daughter, she know who I am?”
“No, just your call sign, Viking. Senator Payne’s people know you’re still active and not to push for your ID. But,” Parks reached in his pocket, pulling out a gray envelope. “Lyla Payne herself wanted this delivered to you before the broadcast. I assured the Senator’s office I’d make sure of it.”
Robert took the envelope, placing it in his pocket without another glance at it.
“That concludes my business with you, Sergeant Lane,” Parks saluted. “Let me know what you decide.” Robert saluted and nodded. Then Parks departed via MP escort as he’d come.
Robert laid the card on his dresser when he returned to his apartment. He sat at the end of his bed and stared at the female loopy handwriting on the outside. The word “Viking” was the only thing written on the envelope.
It brought back memories of that night. How the only wound he’d sustained was the bullet graze to his arm, but everyone else... He shook his head and got up. He was done reliving this. He left the card where it lay.
* * *
“You find anything?” Sam asked climbing into the passenger seat of Mac’s truck.
It was nearly ten-pm and Sam had told him to meet her in the back parking lot of the restaurant twenty minutes ago. Finally, she emerged from the back door by the dumpsters.
No hello or how are you. It was funny that he’d expect such courtesy from his new business partner or maybe it was his new employer?
“No,” he answered simply. It would be useless to complain about her tardiness. She held all the cards in this relationship of convenience.
“Let me guess, you weren’t even able to get into the house.”
“I got in.” He tried to hide his irritation. “But the file cabinet was locked. I tried to jimmy it open, but I was interrupted.”
“Interrupted?” she’d asked.
He grumbled a sigh. “Lainey’s boyfriend tackled me, mistaking me for an intruder.”
A loud cackle burst out of Sam. “You WERE an intruder!” She laughed some more at Mac’s expense. “And a boyfriend?” she asked. “I thought you said she hadn’t been with anyone since Geoff?”
“Yeah. Well, I guess I was wrong. He’s a big motherfucker too.” Mac rubbed the side of his neck. “Creaked my neck. It’s still sore.”
Sam couldn’t hold back more laughter.
He couldn’t hide his frustration any longer. “Laugh all you want,” he said. “The guy’s built like a brick shithouse. I suspect he’s military by the way he flipped me over and pulled my arms back like I was a fucking ragdoll.”
Sam snickered. “Ok. When do you think you’ll have another chance?”
“Not anytime soon. Lainey found out Geoff was cheating on her. She sprung it on me earlier today.” He sighed, “I couldn’t lie to her. You should’ve seen her face.” He shook his head. “I don’t know how she found out.”
Sam stopped chuckling. “That’s probably because I saw her last night.”
“What?” Mac asked.
“She came in here with a private party. I couldn’t help poking the bear, you could say.” Sam scrunched her face.
“You told her?” You could hold a gun to this woman’s head and she’d still poke the bear, Mac thought.
“Pretty much. Yeah,” Sam shrugged.
“Why would you tell her?” It was the first time he’d felt sorry for Lainey, especially after seeing the look of betrayal on her face earlier today. He’d always been able to separate himself from Geoff’s bullshit. But with one look, Lainey blamed him as if he were a philanderer himself.
Sam straightened at his harsh tone. “Screw her for being a dipshit, not realizing her husband was sticking it someplace else. Obviously, she wasn’t keeping him satisfied.” And that right there was how Sam rationalized her own actions.
Mac covered his face with his hands. He calmed, lowering his volume. “I can’t believe you told her.”
“It happened,” Sam said confidently. “Honestly, I can’t believe her head’s been in the sand for so long.”
“The man’s been dead three years.” Mac shook his head. “What is wrong with you?”
“Me?” Sam scoffed. “I’m moving the needle here! What are you doing? Mowing little Miss Bo Peep’s lawn? That’s gotten you nowhere.”
Mac was ready for this meeting of the minds to end. “Do you know anything about Geoff donating money to his church?”
Sam rolled her eyes. “Yeah. That.”
“Where’d the money come from?”
Sam crossed her arms and sat back. “We’d invested in some kids from Alta Vista.” She gestured, “Well, I call them kids. They’re both like twenty-four now. Anyway, their meth operation had paid out pretty well until they accidentally burned down their trailer.”
“Wait a minute? You sell meth too?”
It was like Sam hadn’t even heard his question, “Geoff gave all that money away, and for what?” Sam shook her head. “He wanted to butter up the pastor. Geoff thought he’d turn a blind eye if we needed to store overstock in the basement.”
“Are you serious?” Mac had just found out she was in the meth business. He was learning far more tonight than he’d planned to. If he weren’t desperate, he wouldn’t have gotten involved with this crazy woman.