by Dale Cadeau
Gabe volunteered and the rest went into Brad’s house. All the men still had keys from their stay there. James walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge and grabbed bottles of water for everyone, bringing them back to the living room, where everyone had gathered. James took a seat and put his hands on his bent knees. “Well I guess the first thing we have to do is get in touch with a bail bondsman and see about getting Brad out of jail as soon as possible.”
Avery came over and sat on the arm of James’s chair. “I don’t think we should be sitting here wasting time. I’m sure, between all of us and the company, that we have enough money to bail Brad out.”
James just took one of his hands off his knee and put it over the one that she was holding on her thigh. “Avery, I know, you are impatient and I will admit that I am, too. But we have to do this right. We just had the rug swept from under us. The last thing we were expecting when we all came here today was for this to happen. How the hell did Brad get involved in something like this? I know he doesn’t do drugs or would ever think of selling them. It’s just not Brad.”
“He looked just as stunned as we did when he pulled up. I think that’s why he went so quietly,” Angel said from his seat on the couch beside Cyn.
“I know I’m new to all of you and the team. But what will it do to Braden Security if this gets out? Seeing all the newsmen here, it’s bound to make the papers,” Laura added as she took a sip out of the water bottle.
Clay turned to her and grabbed her hand. “Darling, don’t forget we were a unit first and still are. If something happens to one of us, we all take it personal. The company is secondary in our thoughts. We had to build our reputation once after being tossed from the army, and I’m sure we can weather this. If not, we will just start again. Nothing is put ahead of any one of us and that includes you.”
“Grant, can you boot up Brad’s computer and find out what we could be facing? Also dig more into Raven’s brother and his campaign. Look into the mayor and the other hanger-oners. From the little that I saw today and from what Brad has told us, that brother of hers is a piece of work. This stinks, and I think he’s involved up to his neck.”
“Okay.” Grant got up from his seat and wandered into the bedroom and came out seconds later with Brad’s laptop and took it into the kitchen with him.
Anthony and Gabe stood up from their seats. “We’ll go out and grab supper for all of us. It will take some time down at the station to book and question Brad. You guys know him best, so we will follow any plan that you come up with. We’ll be back in a few.”
Clay stood up and crushed his empty water bottle in his fist. “Well, what are the plans, James? You always seem to come up with something.”
“Sorry, Clay, not this time. Until we know who our enemies are, we’ll be just shooting in the wind. Our first action is to go over everything that happen at Raven’s today. It was well planned and a well-sprung trap. We know that they must have some sort of proof, other than what we saw in the wheelchair today.”
“I would put my money on the brother orchestrating the whole thing. The more I think over what happened, I can tell that it was a well-played charade we saw today. He was milking the crowd for everything he could get from them. There’s sympathy for his sister, there’s backing for his campaign, and lastly their votes. He is a lizard crawling on his belly and he doesn’t care who he uses or takes down with him. We have to be careful with this. The people will all be on his side,” Angel said as he went into the kitchen to find Grant.
James just looked at Clay. “He really doesn’t like that guy, does he? Let’s join them in the kitchen and see if Grant has come up with anything yet.”
“And what are we supposed to do? Just sit here?” Avery asked James as he was about to disappear into the kitchen.
“Knowing you and Cyn, along with Laura’s help, I’m sure that you will be putting your heads together and making your own plans. Just let us in on it before any of you take actions,” James told her with an indulgent smile.
“Well of course?” Avery said as she slumped into the chair James had just left.
In the kitchen they found Grant looking at the computer and reading the city’s web page.
“Well Grant, did you find anything out? James asked as he took a seat beside him.
“One thing, that became clear as I looked at council, is that I never want to be a politician. Raven’s brother is running on the policy of clearing the city of drugs and gangs. He is also promising everyone that wants a job will have one within two years. The mayor is also up for re-election and he has almost the same platform. This was right up their alley.”
Chapter Fourteen
Avery waited until she could hear the men talking in the kitchen, then turned to look at Cyn and Laura. “I don’t think they’re doing things fast enough. Poor Brad is probably locked up and thinking we all deserted him.”
“Oh, I don’t think, he would be thinking that. He knows the team has his back. He is probably more worried about Raven then his own skin,” Cyn replied as she sat up from her slouch on the couch. “I could call Lance and see if he’s heard anything about a drug sting? In our club, we have a few politicians included in our memberships in VSP.”
“I think that would be a great idea, Cyn, and I think I know who also could help us. Jared and Stan. They were on the police force here, so they probably have an inside track into what is going on now down at the station. I think I’ll call Janet, she will know what to do,” Laura said, coming to her feet and digging into her purse for her cell phone.
“Well shit, I don’t have anyone to call,” Avery said disheartened as she watched Cyn and Laura talking into their cell phones.
“I know what I can do.” Avery said to herself but loud enough that Cyn and Laura looked up from their cell phones. Avery grabbed her cell phone and called the police station.
When she got through to the station, she got the run around until she told the sergeant on the other end that she was Brad’s mother and desperately worried about her son. She also let it be known that she was in a nursing home and the nurses didn’t like her getting upset. Raising her voice and trying to sound like she could cry at any moment, the sergeant took pity on her. He told her that Brad had been booked and was now in with a couple of detectives being questioned. Avery thanked the man, calling him sonny, and closed her phone with a self-satisfied grin on her face.
Cyn and Laura, who had both finished their calls, looked over at her and asked what she had found out. After Avery filled them in and they all laughed and asked if mom was going to go and bail him out. After they had settled down, Cyn told them that she had gotten hold of Lance and he would ask around the club quietly and see if he could come up with anything. Laura told them she had gotten in touch with Janet and she was in the process of getting her men on it and would also get back to them.
“Well all we can do is wait now,” Avery said, putting her phone away and picking her water bottle back up. “This is good”—she looked at the bottle in her hand—“but I don’t know about you, but I sure could use something stronger.”
“I think I can do something about that,” Cyn said as she got up and went out to Angel’s black truck parked in the driveway. Shortly she was back with a six pack of premixed non-alcoholic cocktails. Handing one to Avery and Laura, she sat back and opened hers. “Angel buys these for me, so he doesn’t feel guilty when he has a beer and I can’t have one.”
“Well I was thinking of something a bit stronger, but we will have to make due until junior make his debut,” Avery said, patting her tummy.
After taking her sip, she looked at the others. “I still think that we should have talked to Raven. Maybe she knows more than us.”
“You know we can’t. Clay was adamant that Raven thinks Brad is guilty,” Cyn added as she twisted the top off her bottle and took a long sip.
The next hour was spent with the girls drinking, calling Raven a few names and feeling sorry for Brad, hooking up with
someone like her. Laura’s cell phone rang and she put her drink down and grabbed it. After talking for ten minutes, with the girls sitting, trying to make sense of the one-sided conversation, she put her cell down and turned to them.
“That was Janet. Jared and Stan when down to the station and Brad’s fine, pissed but fine. He doesn’t have a clue as to what is going on, except that he is being charged with trafficking drugs. They also have some pictures of him at the softball game, handing out something to the kids around him. The pictures aren’t great, but the police say that they have statements from some of the kids. The kids verified that Brad was giving them samples of drugs and telling them he could supply more if they liked it.”
“That’s bullshit,” Avery said. “They’re trying to railroad him.” Getting up, she started pacing the room.
“Did you say they have pictures of Brad giving out drugs at a softball game?” Cyn asked as she sat up straighter on the couch.
“Yes, that’s what Janet told me,” Laura replied.
Cyn also stood up and started pacing in time with Avery, “Shit, Shit, Shit. That’s probably the softball game that I talked Brad into helping me with. Angel was contacted by the city and asked if Braden Security would be interested in supporting an inner city baseball team to help the kids. Angel didn’t have time, so I begged Brad to help. He went as a favor to me. It’s all my fault.”
“No, it’s not,” Avery said, stopping directly in front of Cyn, making her stop also. “This is a well-planned out takedown. Brad and Braden Security were the targets.”
“I think we should tell the guys what we found out,” Laura said to both of them as they sat down on the couch side by side.
“You’re right. I did agree to tell them any plan we hatched. I guess calling around was our plan and we should let them in on the information we’ve gathered,” Avery said with a sigh. Getting up, she pulled Cyn from the couch with her.
Laura followed the others to the kitchen, where they could see the men hunched over, looking at a computer screen set on the middle of the table. Avery stepped into the kitchen and went to James’s side. When he glanced at her with a questioning look in his eyes, she told him.
“Can we speak to you guys in the living room? We’ve found out a few things.”
Just as James was starting to ask her what about, Gabe and Tony came in the front door carrying bags from a Chinese restaurant. James patted her hand that she had on his shoulder “I think your news can wait until we all have something to eat. I’m starved.”
James grabbed a bag from Gabe and went to the counter and started to unpack the food. Clay started to take plates out of the cupboard and Angel grabbed the silverware. In minutes they had the food laid out buffet style along the counter. James, Angel, and Clay all held out a plate for their woman. Avery looked at Cyn and Laura and shrugged her shoulders.
“I guess it can wait. They are looking at the food like it’s their last meal. So if we want them to listen, and hear us, we better feed them first.”
Avery, Cyn, and Laura took their plates and filled them with the help of their husbands. Grant, Gabe, and Tony followed behind them, filling their plates and walking back into the living room. After they were all seated, Gabe and Tony on kitchen chairs that they had taken from the kitchen, they all dug in to satisfy their hunger. The guys continued to talk around mouthfuls of food, strategizing about what methods they could use to help Brad. The girls just listened to their strategies and didn’t say anything, but it was hard for Avery. She just pushed the food around her plate, almost bursting to tell what she knew. James finally clued in when he noticed that she couldn’t seem to sit still beside him.
“Avery is something wrong, with you or the baby?” James asked her in a concerned voice.
“No, we’re both fine.”
“Well why are you wiggling in your seat and you haven’t eaten your dinner?”
“The girls and I have something to tell you and the guys about Brad. You said to wait until we had supper. But I’m having a hard time waiting. Are you done now?” Avery looked at all the guys, still picking at their plates on their second helping. The girls had all given up some time ago and were watching the guys eat.
Clay set his plate on the floor and turned to Laura. “Is that why you’re fidgeting, too?”
Avery couldn’t sit another moment and before Laura could answer Clay, Avery jumped up from the chair that she was sharing with James, almost knocking his plate out of his hands. James steadied his plate on his lap and looked up at Avery.
“Okay Avery, you have the floor.”
Avery started pacing, the little she could with all the people in the room “While you guys were in the kitchen making plans, the girls and I got hold of some information that I think you might want to hear.” At James’s nod, she continued.
“I phoned the station and found out that Brad was booked and was being questioned by two detectives.”
“How did you get that information Avery? They just won’t tell anyone,” James asked with a grin.
“Does it really matter?” Avery asked, stopped now in the middle of the floor, wringing her hands.
“Will it get you into trouble?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Okay, we’ll let it go for now. What else did you find out?”
“Well it wasn’t just me. Laura had a bit of luck, too.”
Clay looked at Laura. “And what did you do? Should I be worried when I leave you alone with Avery and Cyn?”
Laura, still a little shy around everyone, lowered her eyes “No, nothing to worry about. Avery will fill you in.”
“No, Clay, I don’t think you have to worry. I think probably Avery was the mastermind in this. I will make sure that she stops and thinks first the next time.” James grabbed Avery around her waist and sat her back on his lap.
Clay turned to Avery. “Okay, shoot.”
“Well, Laura thought about phoning Jared and Stan. They are Brad’s friends and worked the police force before becoming detectives.
“That’s right. Good thinking, Laura,” Clay praised Laura, who just looked at him with a smile on her face.
“Let me finish,” Avery spoke up, impatiently getting Clay’s attention back.
“Jared and Stan went down to the station and got some information that is being held against Brad. They have pictures of him allegedly handing out drug to the inner city kids at a baseball game a few weeks ago.”
Angel sat up and put his plate on the table in front of the couch. “Is that the game that the city council asked us to attend and maybe sponsor a team?” He looked at Cyn sitting beside him
“Yes, that the same game. I feel awful for bugging Brad to go. But I thought that sponsoring a team might be great for helping the neighborhood.” Cyn answered him in a low voice.
Angel reached down and took her plate that she was just staring at and placed it with his on the table. Putting his arm around her he pulled her close. “It’s not your fault. I thought it was a great idea also, remember.”
James looked at each of the men. “This was planned well in advance. They set a trap for Brad. We know that Raven’s brother probably doesn’t like Brad with his sister, but that’s going awful far for him to get him out of her life. No, there’s got to be more to it, than that. Someone else is behind all this pulling the strings.”
Clay got up from his chair. “This stinks, we’re missing something. What do you think, Angel?”
“Well just from the little bit that I saw of her brother, I know he is up to his neck in it. He’s trying to come off as the savior of the city. But he’s guilty of something, he made the hairs on the back of my neck go up, just like it always does when something is off. What I’d like to know is how they knew Brad would be at the game?”
“Someone must be keeping tabs on us. I really don’t think it’s only Les, it has to be someone more skilled,” James said again, standing up, with his arm wrapped around Avery. “Les doesn’t look smart
enough to make this type of plan come together. But he does look like he would take any advantage that would come his way to put himself in the spotlight.”
“I guess the best thing we can do is go down to the station and sort this all out. They have to be done processing him now,” Clay responded.
“What about a lawyer, James? I think Brad is going to need a good one,” Avery added.
“Don’t worry, Avery, I called Jackson, he’s Chase’s lawyer that he has on retainer. According to Chase he is the best in this kind of situation and will do anything inside of the law to fight for his client. He should be down at the station with Brad right now.” James looked at Grant, Gabe, and Tony.
“Why don’t you three go back to the office and start digging. Angel, Clay, and I will go down to the station and see Brad. After we’ll gather at the office and have a war conference.”
“A war meeting? Do you really think that’s needed? “Avery asked with a nervous sound in her voice.
James turned Avery around to look at him, then took her hands in his and looked deeply into her eyes. “Someone has declared war on Braden Security, not just Brad. We have to figure out who and quickly. Brad is a member of our unit and we could all go down with him, if we don’t.” James leaned down and kissed her nose. Releasing her, he turned toward the door. “Let go.”
“What about us?” Avery asked.
“You could all go back to the penthouse with Grant and the guys, or you could stay here in case someone calls. I think you’re all safe here, for a while. His parents now live in Florida, but they might hear about it on the news and call. Whatever you want, but decide quickly.” James was showing his impatient to leave now that they had a plan in place.
Laura piped up. “I think we should stay here. After you are done at the station, just pick us up.”
“Are you sure? I don’t know if I like leaving you girls alone,” Clay asked Laura
Laura looked between Avery and Cyn. “Yes, I think that would be best. We’ll be fine, don’t worry.”