Chapter 16
Luckily, Wyatt wasn’t upset with me at all and was glad that I was prepared. He admitted later that he felt a fool for not checking it and asked why I hadn’t told him. I admitted that I thought Jasmine had, but it turned out she didn’t on purpose and not even to be a jerk.
He needed to do his job independently and not show me preferential treatment. She was protecting him and his career. So she’d done this well and now we looked even better.
All of us.
Even Headmaster Kerwynn hadn’t known that was in the archives when he’d given her access to records. He’d thought it was about precedence for the Coach lawsuit, but he was glad it all worked out.
But he had a few axes to grind because those against us on this issue checked that I didn’t have access to the archives. So a few hadn’t actually underestimated me but stacked the deck against me.
Assholes.
Either way, they didn’t know who they were dealing with and I would ace it. The true challenge was not to be too good at it. If they knew that, it would be amusing to watch their heads explode.
But not worth being outed yet.
No, that would definitely get someone killed.
And hurt others like me in the end.
Or abducted and Conrad’s plan but with someone worse. So… Not worth it.
Saturday after handling way too much in the factory in the early morning, I had another meeting with Jean where she brought in security to be checked.
She’d cleared five of her most trusted and that was a huge relief off of her.
It was visible as things had progressed that day and I didn’t even blame her.
As someone who grew up constantly afraid, it was maybe the one area we understood each other best.
“Grandmother wanted me to give you these,” she said with a smirk before we started, handing me a tote full of books.
I didn’t even have to look inside to figure it out. “Clare still pissed with her for repeatedly calling me too stupid to get it and hopes this will show she’s not evil?”
Jean raised an eyebrow. “You don’t know?”
I raised one right back. “You think I’m not busy enough already that I need to monitor her relationships, much less with someone I feel a monster and she should avoid at all costs?”
“Touche, Bevin. But I’ve done my deed in delivering.”
“Thank you.” I glanced in and then it hit me. “Extra copies she dug out of storage, right? She wouldn’t spend her money on me.”
She paused in heading to the table and glanced over her shoulder at me, giving me an assessing look.
“You really are smarter than any of us gave you credit for. Unsocialized in a way that did make you dense, but you’re right that it wasn’t your fault and intentional.
I feel stupid for not having seen that, but you—don’t let people insult your intelligence. Ever.”
That was actually the nicest thing Jean had ever said about me.
Yes, I recognized how sad that was, but she even meant it which floored me… And the people around me. But it also meant I was right and Grandmother had just gotten me copies from storage.
Whatever, less books for me to track down now. I’d tell Clare like she wanted. That was all.
This meeting with five more of the Shaw security went about the same as the others. Two were ready to sell Jean out at the drop of a hat, but it was ridiculously more complicated than being greedy or assholes.
I sighed when we were done. Heavily.
“Guilt is all over your aura and I cannot think of a single reason why, Bev,” Tracey said gently.
“Because she knows more than she’s been telling me like we said,” Jean accused.
“No, I’ve done our deal and well,” I snapped, waiting for her to nod and back off.
“This is complicated and honestly, I don’t know how to handle it, if it’s welcome, or if you won’t fucking accuse me of trying to pull a fast one.
” I held my hands out to the side basically saying, “Like you just did.”
“Okay, well, issues with her security can affect you, so at least tell Taylor so he can decide if it’s something we need to know,” Jean’s new head of security, Ira, suggested.
“It’s not that simple,” I mumbled, shooting him a glance before focusing on Tracey.
“Because he’s part of it and you don’t want this fragile alliance to explode and we have more enemies our security could get hurt by,” Tracey surmised.
“Yes?” I sighed. I moved my hands on the table like something was there. “It’s either a landmine I step on now or a fucking ticking time bomb that I’m really afraid is going to go off and then I didn’t handle and we could get caught in the blast maybe too. Like… Fuck everything.”
“You need more sleep, kid,” Taylor muttered as he studied me.
“Yeah, my first time at actual structured schooling and it’s midterms and all of this,” I drawled gesturing around us. “Oh, plus everything else.” I rolled my eyes at him. “Sure, yeah, I totally get a ton of sleep even when I have the time to physically lie in my bed.”
His lips twitched. “Okay, fair, so pass this on to me. I agree with Ira.” He held up a finger to me when I opened my mouth to argue. “They will shut it and listen.” He glanced at their side. “Agree.”
I let out a heavy breath when they did and focused on Taylor. “They might not be against Jean, but they’re all dirty, Taylor. You know the ploy. Charles got them to do something little and then he had them. They’ve done bigger since.”
“Yes, Ira’s boss now because he was the most senior who didn’t like doing anything super dirty or didn’t murder anyone,” he said with a sarcastic tone, ignoring when Ira bristled.
“Yeah, but really not his fault when they had so much on him. That’s an issue that could make Jean’s whole house fall.
No one would fuck with Charles, but they don’t see her as the same.
A few of these guys have already figured out that the best way to betray her is to tell all of the crimes of her fucking staff. ”
“Good point,” Jean muttered, sighing when Taylor waved her to be quiet.
“You got more,” Taylor muttered, already knowing how I worked enough to get that.
And I did. “But most of these guys are pissed she just turned over the dirty cops without giving them help for the situation Charles put them all in. The security think she could do the same and that’s why they’re hedging bets and ready to betray her.
The two today don’t want any of it and just guard the damn estate, but they’re scared.
“She’s acting like nothing before her happened and that’s not reality.
It’s not business as usual and they’re scared about the crimes they committed.
There needs to be some way to—you can’t undo them but get them some kind of leniency and handle the situation.
Or it’s a powder keg that will absolutely go off. ”
This time I held a finger up to Taylor.
“More than that, their families were limited to where to work, trapped in their situations, or just fucked over because they got caught up with the Shaws and that situation hasn’t changed.
So they’re basically freaking out because they don’t know which way Jean’s going to blow and weeks later, they still don’t know.
“And leaving before meant death. You want to go first for that? No, of course not, but they will make a move if she doesn’t do something.
But I don’t even blame her because what is the right move?
This could absolutely be used against her too.
Like… Just fuck everything, this is complicated, but it’s ticking down.
And after today, I’m worried it’s going to blow soon. ”
“And blow big from the worry in your aura,” Tracey muttered.
I glanced up at her and swallowed loudly. “Yes.”
“Why? What did you hear that made you feel you had to address this and risk the precarious situation here?” Taylor asked, clearly getting something set this off with me.
I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck.
“They—the one guy and his family doesn’t see the difference between the dirty cops and them.
It’s not the same.” I nodded when Jean snorted.
“Most of the cops leap at the chance for money. They either came in all shiny wanting to do good and the corruption got to them.”
“Or they know it’s an easy way to get money,” Jean drawled.
“Their tests aren’t like human police academies.
We’re too desperate for cops. And it’s certainly not like passing to become a council guard.
It’s basically have a nice level of magic and be able to run a damn mile.
It’s pathetic, so any greedy maggot joins knowing he can get on someone’s payroll. ”
“Terrifying that it’s that bad,” one of Taylor’s guys muttered.
“Right, but a lot of us know that,” I said gesturing between Jean and me. “Because we pay attention and listen. Most of the top-tier families don’t even realize how bad it is. But the guys on her security think it’s the same game of someone who was pressured or threatened.”
Jean snorted again. “From what I saw, Father pressed one and not hard. The rest were guppies jumping into his lap wanting money. Money he never even paid because they were so low and useless, and when they were useful…” She chuckled and ran her thumb over her throat.
Yeah, he killed them.
It still left the problem of right then which was how I ended up in a dinner meeting with Grandmother, Jean, Bryan, Jasmine, Tracey, Clare, Councilman Reid, Mrs. Reid, Taylor, Councilman Oliveria, Mrs. Oliveria, Link, and a few other people who were needed.
Ira. Emma. It was a lot, but… It was a lot.
“I don’t understand why she needs to be here or you’re trusting her, Jean,” Grandmother said when I went to sit.
No, Bernice. I had to stop giving these people titles of family when they would never act like it.