Bounty's End (Bounty for Hire)

by AJ Wiliams

  “Dad, I will be right over. Give me five minutes and I will be there.”

  “Stay home. Look, the police are here now and I need to talk to them. I will call you as soon as I can. Love you, flower.”

  “Love—” was all Wen got out of her mouth before her father hung up on her.

  She just looked at her phone. He’d just hung up on me.

  “So?” Wen heard Thomas, but she just could not bring herself to speak. Her parents’ store had been trashed yet again and to top it off, her father, of all people, hung up on her. Seriously, what was going on?

  Putting the phone down on her ottoman, she turned her body to face Thomas.

  “Looks like the store was broken into again. From what dad says, it looks like they came in some time last night. I can’t help but feel, I don’t know, responsible.”

  “What? How?”

  “I left early yesterday, Thomas. What if I did something wrong. I mean…”

  “Wen, baby, don’t take that path. First, you need all the facts before you go jumping to any type of conclusions. Second, never blame yourself. If they wanted to get in, no matter the precautions you took, they would have found their way in.”

  “I suppose you’re right, but—”

  “You want to go there and your father wants you to stay home?”

  “Yeah, exactly. The thing is, Thomas, I can’t be home. I need to be there.” She felt his hand on hers before she saw his movement.

  “Get your things. Let’s go.”

  “No, Thomas. You can’t do this. I took you away from work last night. I can’t ask for you to help me with this. I will be okay. I’ll just take Peaches with me.”

  “Yeah, honey, take a dog to a crime scene. Sorry, not going to work. Get your stuff and let’s go. I am taking you and while I’m there, I’ll make some calls. Heck, while we’re at it, baby, you and I can also have a coffee date just like you wanted.”

  “What!” she screeched.

  “I am not taking any chances of something else happening. Sorry, pizza last night does not say date. Coffee, that is all on you, baby. But-we-will-go-out-today,” he enunciated.

  “Fine, you big bully.”

  She was about to walk off when she suddenly found herself in his arms once again.

  “Man, if I knew that this was all it took to get you in my arms, I think I would have formulated a different plan a long time ago.”

  She felt him laugh through his words. As much as she had been holding back from him, she was so glad that he was here with her.

  Was she capable of taking care of herself? Sure as shit, she was, but that did not take away from wanting someone to share this with.

  “Well, don’t let this go to your head, buddy. I am just using you.”

  “By all means, Wen, use me. But just so you know, that will not be the end of us. We started something and I will be damned if we don’t see where this goes.”

  Her head was up against his chest. As he spoke, she felt not just his heartbeat, but also the rumble of his words. It was deep and comforting. Something she didn’t want, something she was not ready for. Greg had broken her heart, hence her staying away from Thomas. She didn’t think she could handle another heartbreak, and with Thomas, all Wen could see was her heart in his large, massive hands. Shaking her head ever so lightly, she pulled back and looked at him. Yep, pure heartbreak.

  “Thank you, Thomas.” With that, she got up from the couch, checked on Peaches in the yard and then went to grab her things.

  Chapter 5

  Thomas wanted to ask her why she said she was just using him. But it was her tone that held him back from his question. Even though he thought it was a bad idea for her to be at her parent’s store, he figured it would be better if he was with her just in case some more shit went down. He needed to talk to Alek and find out the name of his cop friend, but he wanted to do it when Wen was not around.

  As she went and got ready to leave, Thomas checked in with Jefferson, who of course didn’t answer his phone, then called Alek, who stated that he couldn’t talk but would explain later. As he disconnected with Alek, Wen came out ready to leave.

  “You mind if we head to my house? I could use a shower,” he said.

  Like a really cold shower.

  “Yeah, that’s fine.”

  As they walked out of the house, he looked around the neighborhood just as the sun was rising. With Wen behind him, Thomas walked to the bike and got it ready to move across the street into his driveway.

  “You just going to walk it over?”

  “Yeah. Why would I start it when I live a few feet away?”

  “I don’t know. It was just a question.”

  “Wen, everything is going to be fine. Take a deep breath, okay?”

  Thomas took a side-glance at her as she was walking on the other side of his bike, making sure she nodded in understanding.

  Inside the house, Thomas informed Wen to make herself comfortable. He ran upstairs and took the fastest shower known to man.

  Within ten minutes, he was showered, dressed and walking back down the steps. He found Wen standing in the living room glancing out the front window that looked upon her house.

  She must have heard him, because she turned around quickly.

  “That was fast,” she said.

  “Yeah, well you wanted to get to your parents, didn’t you?”

  The smile that graced him said enough.

  “Let’s go, babe.”

  With that, they left his house and walked to his truck. Though he wanted to take his bike, he figured the truck was a better option for right now.

  While conversation flowed easy last night, Thomas was having a hard time finding the words to help and comfort Wen as she mentally worked through this situation. During the silent ride, it also gave him the chance to think back to when she had moved in across the street. Though he helped her move and asked her out for dinner with a turn-down, it was Keylee that first made a connection with her, seeing as he was shut out from all conversation with Wen except for the few times he walked over about packages.

  Through Keylee, he learned their neighbor moved after a bad break-up and wanted to be close to her parents. He knew that she was adopted, and in the past six months, he learned how much he liked her. Looking at her with the worry lines marring her face, Thomas was not sure what to say. Maybe it was best he let her think.

  If Keylee were here in the truck, her lips would be flapping non-stop. She could talk to a perfect stranger and get their life story. It was something he feared would have been taken away after her ‘incident’, but whatever Anthony, Alek’s cop friend did, to help her, she was still Keylee, but a little more cautious and that was something that he could live with.

  “So,” he started hesitantly, deciding it was best to break the silence.

  “So, can’t figure out what to say?”

  He had to laugh because she nailed it. “Bingo,” he came back, but with a huge smile on his face as he turned his head to look at her. “Honestly, there is nothing I can say right now that’s going to ease the pain and worry that I can tell you’re working through. I will tell you that shit happens, and when it does, it’s up to you to make the best of it. With that said, know that I’m here for you as is everyone else…”

  Thomas was still facing forward watching traffic pass him by when he heard her laugh. It was bright and loud and it was infectious. He could not help himself. He started laughing right along with her.

  * * *

  Wen laughed at his matter of fact tone, even though it was kept light and was full of humor. But, that was not the reason she laughed. She laughed, because for someone who didn’t know what to say he sure had a mouthful information to send her way. She realized after laughing that it was one of the reasons she called him. While she’d kept their relationship at a distance, Wen knew without a doubt that Thomas would be there for her. It was a sobering thought.

  “Thanks for the information. Although I thought you
said you didn’t know what to say?”

  “Yeah, well, after starting, the words just decided to come out. What can I say? You bring out my domestic side.”

  “Excuse me!”

  Wen found herself looking at him, squinting her eyes as if she had X-ray vision and could see why he would say something like that, though it wasn’t that she was mad.

  “You heard exactly what I said.”

  “Umm, I heard you, but I don’t want to believe what I heard come out of your mouth.”

  “Think about it and I am sure the answer will smack you on the ass.”

  “I thought it was smack you in the face.”

  “True, but I like ass better. Especially if I am the one that gets to smack you on the ass.”

  Wen was glad that his teasing ability was back. It truly helped bantering with him, rather than think about what they were going to be walking into when they reached her parents.

  “Yeah, well keep telling yourself you are going to get the chance to smack me in the ass. Because let me tell you, it-will-not-happen.”

  Wen faced him down, punctuating every word, letting him know that even though he’d gotten a date out of her, he was not going to get much more. Well, hell, maybe he was, but he didn’t need to know that.

  “Keep telling yourself that, baby, because my mouth will be all over that sweet body of yours. I am done with this waiting you out shit. I got my opening last night and hell on Earth is not going to keep me from getting what I want.”

  Did this guy have split personalities? Because one minute, he’s all sweet, and the next…what the hell?

  Wen could feel her anger rising. How the hell did this happen? She’d been all warm and fuzzy and suddenly he flipped her switch and now she was about to blow.

  “Listen, you Neanderthal, you do not get to tell me what will be happening. Only I get to decide who is going to have his mouth on me.”

  “Wen, just shut your mouth, because all you are doing is not only lying to me, but also to yourself. Lying is not healthy for you or good for your soul, sweetheart.”

  “Oh, my god. Seriously, Thomas, I think you should just let me out now and I will walk the rest of the way, because if you open your mouth again, it better be to tell me just how sorry you are for being a pompous ass.”

  * * *

  Thomas had to laugh. He knew she would be a firecracker, but truthfully, he probably had not seen the full explosion.

  He was about to say something in regards to him being called not just a Neanderthal, but a pompous ass, when he saw three cop cars parked in front of Simply Antiques, her parents’ shop. His body was on guard and ready for anything that could happen.

  “Wen, when I stop this truck, you are to stay at my side. I am not fucking around. I brought you here even though your father asked you not to come, so listen to my words very carefully. One step away from me, and I will haul you up over my shoulder and take your sweet ass home. You understand me?”

  Thomas hit the brakes to stop at the stoplight just before the antique shop. Turning to look at Wen, he wanted to make sure she fully understood that this was not the time to fuck around.

  Her big brown eyes were wide and her lips thin. He could tell she was contemplating giving him a piece of her mind. So he just continued to stare. Thomas was about to reiterate his message again when in a small voice he heard Wen say “Okay.”

  He was not sure if that was defeat in her voice or just the fact that she could hear and see he was not fucking around; and he wasn’t. He was not going to fuck around because he saw Anthony from the stoplight and if Anthony was there, it meant that it was bad.

  After driving forward and parking, Thomas got out of the car and walked over to let Wen out. “Remember,” he growled in her ear.

  “Yeah, yeah, I got it; and to think I thought you were sweet,” Wen mumbled at his side before Anthony walked up.

  “Baby, I am sweet,” he gently whispered into her ear before talking to Anthony.

  “Hey, buddy,” Thomas said, to Anthony Phillips, one of the Benton Police Department’s (BPD) vice detectives, and Alek’s good friend. Shaking his hand, he said, “Anthony, meet Wen Snow, Mr. Snow’s daughter. Wen, this is Detective Anthony Phillips. I would like to take her to him, if you don’t mind?” Thomas stated firmly while keeping his arm wrapped around Wen.

  Thomas knew Anthony as a cop. Yet it was his other skills that Thomas also knew about only because Keylee liked to talk about how him. When Keylee talked about Anthony, Thomas and Jefferson both knew that she was not talking about him being a cop. When she’d needed to talk about her bedroom play, they stopped listening and asked her to talk to her therapist. Then they went to Alek for an explanation.

  All they got about Anthony was that he knew what he was doing and if Anthony were a bad guy, Keylee would not have been sent to him. Whatever the hell that meant. That did not stop him or Jefferson from digging for the truth. Not that there was anything wrong with Anthony, it was just the fact of what he did was with their baby sister.

  “Yeah, he’s over there.” Thomas watched as Anthony pointed toward the slightly older, well-dressed, tall man standing next to a beautiful, slightly shorter, older woman.

  “Go on over there, sweetheart. I will be just a moment.” Thomas let go and was giving her a slight push in that direction.

  “But you just said—”

  “Wen, go fucking check on your parents. I will be right there.”

  Thomas watched as she glared at him and then moved toward her parents.

  “So, that is the Wen I have heard so much about.”

  “Anthony,” Thomas threatened. Damn Keylee and her mouth. “What are we looking at?”

  “Well, not only did someone break into the place, but they also took a Grandfather clock. A clock that Mr. Snow says is a close look alike to the one that he gave his daughter. I am only telling you this because we found small traces of dope on the floor from where the missing clock once stood.”

  “Fuck me.” Thomas ran his hand through his hair, searching the crowd, finding Wen standing next to her parents. Her darker skin stood out against their white arms and faces. Mr. Snow had his arm wrapped around her shoulder and Wen had her arms wrapped around her father’s midsection.

  “Sure, but you aren’t my type, though I could make an exception.”

  Thomas heard the humor in Anthony’s voice however, he knew that Anthony was not joking, humor or not. Anthony was bisexual. Thomas rolled his eyes at the implication his friend was suggesting.

  “Thanks,” was all he muttered as he watched a tear slide down Wen’s face.

  “She’s not safe?” Thomas heard the words and knew he said them.

  “No, man, she’s not.” The seriousness was back in Anthony’s voice. Thomas wrenched his eyes away from Wen and looked Anthony straight in the eyes.

  “Dammit, after all of the shit that happened with Keylee, now this shit had to fucking happen.”

  Fuck.

  “Man, I need to make a quick phone call. Then I’m taking her home.”

  “You can, after we ask her some questions. Her father said that she left early yesterday.”

  “Yeah, I know the route,” Thomas shot back.

  “Listen, they’re going to want that clock of hers. It might be better if you’re with her when the police come and get it.”

  “Yeah, you’re probably right. You mind telling her I will be right there in a few?”

  “Sure, man.” Thomas watched as Anthony started to walk off and then turned and looked back at him.

  “Is Keylee back yet from her latest skip?” What was that in his voice?

  “No; well yes, but no. She had to run out on another assignment. I hope to have her back soon.”

  Thomas was scrolling through his contacts when he noticed that Anthony was still standing there in front of him.

  “You tell her to call me, will ya?”

  “Sure, man. As soon as I talk to her.” Thomas looked back up from scrolling
through his contacts. Finding the number, he hit send.

  Chapter 6

  “Yo.” He heard through the phone.

  “Hey, baby girl, I am going to need you to use your mad computer skills for me. You up to that?”

  “What is up with you boys? First Alek, and now you.”

  “Alek?”

  “Yeah, he was here yesterday asking some questions about Tess. You know, the girl I sent your way.”

  “Seriously, you sent her to us. Eva, what the hell? We’re bounty hunters.”

  “Yeah, I know, and she was already turned down several times by private security, one of those times by my own damn boss. So I told her to see you guys. If you said no, then I told her I would help her. But look, you guys are helping her, so enough about that.”

  Eva continued, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re all helping her, because that means I don’t have to break several laws, but W-T-F, Thomas, I mean, seriously. Don’t tell me he is going to be calling me next, because I don’t know if I can handle that. I know I can’t. It’s been five years since I last saw or heard from your brother on the day he crushed me. I seriously do not think I could handle a call from him as well. You two, I can handle. It stings, but I love you all, so I handle it. You know what I’m saying. So, enough of that crap. What can my hot tamale I do for you?”

  Yeah, he did know what she was saying. It still stung him too. He and Keylee sent Eva holiday cards and gifts. They still loved her and considered her family, no matter what their dickhead brother did five years ago. She was theirs, and hell, they would take care of her. Thomas didn’t call, only sent cards, but Keylee called all the time and would fill him in all the ‘gossip’ as she stated it.

  “I know, Eva, honey. I wish I could tell you what happened or what took place, but I don’t know. Keylee doesn’t know. He won’t talk, he never talks. What I can tell you is whatever happened, it was bad. But that is not why I called. I promised I would only call if there was ever an emergency.”