2. Shake Down
CHAPTER TWO
SHAKE DOWN
“Let’s go over this one more time, Ms. Jacobs.” The Caucasian officer with the thick mustache and bushy brows held his pen against a small pad in his hand.
Vintage Vault was officially a crime scene.
Inari was still groggy and very much out of it.
Head throbbing, vision blurred, all she wanted was a gallon of water, a scalding hot bath, and her bed.
Rubbing the tips of her two fingers against her temples, she gave them a slight massage as she tried to recall the events for the hundredth time.
She felt like she’d been answering the same damn questions since she came to.
The two drivers of the Nunez truck that delivered the art were dead, and five pieces totaling over five million dollars were now missing.
She felt responsible, and she hated that Mrs. Vernon was going to take a hit, but her life wasn’t worth those pieces.
“What else can I say that I haven’t already?” Inari huffed and lowered her eyes to the ground.
“I’ll take it from here, Stevens.” A sharp, stern, familiar voice sent Inari’s head popping up to make sure her ears weren’t deceiving her.
The smug grin breaking out across Tulla Hayne’s face turned her blood cold. This was the last fucking thing she needed. Seated in the front checkout area on a leather stool, Inari sighed heavily.
“It’s been a long time, Inari.”
“Not long enough,” she muttered. “What are you doing here?”
“Guess who’s chief of detectives now?” Tulla surmised, holding up both arms like she’d just won in a card game.
“Great.” Inari’s eyes rolled in annoyance. “Well, I’ve said everything I remember to your men. If you want a report, get it from them.” Gradually, she slid off the stool as evidence and fingerprints were collected around her.
It was now nearly noon, and she’d gotten worried calls and texts from both Ayla and Dane about her whereabouts.
She woke up almost two hours ago but had been questioned repeatedly ever since.
When she didn’t come home, Dane immediately hit Ayla up and let her know.
Without his mother, she was the next best thing in his time of need.
“Not so fast.” Tulla held up a well-manicured hand to stop her. “I want to hear it from you.”
“Hear what?” Inari sighed, dropping her hands at her sides.
“I was here alone. The delivery arrived around nine pm. I let them in, and about twenty minutes later, I heard a noise. I went to check it out, and that’s when I found one of the guards outside on the ground.
One man with a mask and a gun forced me back inside, and two more slipped in behind him to grab the pieces. ”
“At no point did you think to trigger the silent alarm? Don’t you wear a panic necklace?” Tulla queried.
“Normally, I do, but I forgot tonight, and one of them had been acting funny. Someone from the security company was supposed to come out and test them all this week.”
“And you didn’t recognize any of the men?”
Inari’s hardened eyes locked on the detective before she lifted her chin confidently.
Part of her was on the defense because something was familiar about one of them, she just couldn’t pinpoint it.
Tulla didn’t care, and she wasn’t about to offer the information.
She got away with her life, and in that moment, that was all that mattered.
She hated Tulla with a passion and seeing her only brought back memories of one of the worst nights of her life.
Tulla was younger back then, nothing but a beat cop trying to make a name for herself.
She thought she had a case with Inari and Ayla, and when it blew up in her face, she resented the Jacob girls far more than either of them ever knew.
“As I told your detectives, no. I did not.”
“Convenient.” Tulla bobbed her head.
“Why are you here?” Inari demanded.
“This is my investigation. The fact that this was a million-dollar heist means the Feds have to get involved. So, I need to be up to speed and ready to go when they arrive. Don’t worry, I’ll let them know all about your underground ties.”
“Allegedly,” Inari corrected, grilling her vehemently before something caught her attention coming through the front door.
A life raft in the form of Moose swaggering through the doors caused her eyes to mist. She caught her breath as he made his way in their direction.
“What’s up? You good?” he asked, concern masking his handsome face as his milk chocolate eyes absorbed her weariness.
Reaching out, he tucked some of her hair behind her ear.
“I’m ready to go.”
“That’s what I’m here for. Ayla called Kong. Her and Dane were worried about you, so I said I’d come through.”
A soft smile lifted the corners of her mouth, and Moose reached for her hand.
“Thank you,” she whispered, blinking back tears while Tulla nosily observed the interaction.
“Morgan Blackmoor.” A hint of softness tinged her tone.
Arms folded, she inched closer to he and Inari and dropped them at her side.
The way her hazel brown eyes drifted over him appreciatively, Inari sensed something sexual off the rip.
Moose hadn’t even peeped her standing there, but the minute his gaze landed on hers, she acknowledged the shock that immediately flitted through his eyes.
He skimmed her carefully, taking in the few differences from the last time he’d seen her.
Tulla had to be pushing forty, but she was fit, with perky breasts, thick hips that winded something serious, and lips so full and pretty it was the first thing you noticed about her.
“It’s been a long time.”
“Eight years.” Moose cleared his throat. “What happened to Ohio? I thought you transferred.”
“I did. My father notified me that a position was opening up here, so… here I am.” She raised her arms, flashing the diamond ring and wedding band on her ring finger.
Moose made the mistake of laying pipe to her a few times when he was younger.
At first, he had no idea she was a cop, but she knew exactly who he was.
Although she’d never directly come at him or his family, he couldn’t see himself being with no fucking officer of the law in no shape or form.
Shit was lit, and Tulla had a softer side to her that most people didn’t see, but at the end of the day, Moose knew it would never work.
“Is she free to go?” he asked, nodding to Inari.
“For now.” Tulla picked her chin up and simpered. “You look good, Morgan. Looks like life has been treating you alright. Maybe we can catch up some time,” she suggested.
“Nah, I don’t think so.” Shaking his head, Moose slid his arm across Inari’s shoulders and pulled her along with him to the door.
When the two of them finally managed to get outside, she sighed with relief. She was shaking, though, and Moose couldn’t help but be concerned. Inari always seemed strong and pulled together. Clearly something had rattled her.
“You sure you’re okay?” He faced her on the sidewalk, and she bowed her head.
“Yeah. Just… tired. Ready to get home,” she told him, brows knitting together. “I thought… last night… I don’t know. I guess coming face to face with my own mortality was eye opening. I could have died.”
“Come on. I’ll drive you home. We can come back for your car.” Moose placed his arm around her waist and drew her closer.
Inari didn’t object. She welcomed Moose’s presence.
The two of them fell in stride to his car parked across the street, and he stopped to pull the passenger door open for her.
She eased into his soft leather seats and dropped her head against his head rest as he rounded the front of the car to hop behind the wheel.
Inari gave Moose her address, but he already knew where he was going thanks to his own research on her.
The drive was quiet, and by the time they arrived in front of her home, her eyes fluttered open.
She’d never been happier to see the place.
“Thanks for the ride, Moose. I really appreciate it.” She glanced his way.
“You sure you good? How about I come in and chill with you, make you some food. I don’t think a nigga can sleep right now if I tried.”
“What happened?” Inari queried.
“Mozzi and Coast were shot not long ago after leaving her doctor’s appointment.”
“Oh, my God! Are they okay?”
“Yeah. On the way to my family home for now. Coast and the baby are good. Kind of banged up, but the doctor said they should both make a full recovery. I ain’t trying to be alone right now either, so maybe we can keep each other company,” he suggested.
“Okay,” she agreed softly.
Moose got out and went to open her door for her. The two walked the sidewalk to the front porch, and the door swung open when they reached the top step.
“Ma!” Dane’s eyes widened, and he rushed out to sweep her up in a hug.
He held her a little too tight, but Inari knew it was because he’d been worried. What she didn’t expect was to look past him and find Danilo darkening her doorway. His gaze gamboled from her to Moose before his nostrils flared in annoyance.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, nudging away from their son as Moose hovered protectively at her side.
His instinct was to protect her, whether she wanted it or not. Danilo had fuck nigga lingering over him like a cloud, and Moose was never one to back down from anybody.
“I called him,” Dane told her. “I talked to auntie Ayla, and she said she couldn’t leave. I didn’t want to be here by myself, and I was worried, Ma. What happened?”
“It’s nothing, baby.” She touched his cheek and stood on her toes to kiss his forehead. “As you can see, I’m fine.”
“I heard the news,” Dane spoke up. “They said the place was robbed. Did they hurt you?”
“No.” Inari shook her head. “I passed out, but I’m fine. A medic checked me and everything. Told me to stay hydrated and try to get some rest. Moose here offered to whip me up something eat, and I’m going to take a nice, long shower.”
“What’s good, Moose?” Dane chucked his chin at him. “Thanks for looking out for her.”