by Jessie Lane
A short drive later landed me at the front of the hotel where Commander Wall stood outside with Bobby, Declan and Arturo Chavez. I’d recently learned that Arturo was the only non-military member of the group. Apparently, he was former CIA instead. The men seemed to watch me warily as I hopped out of the truck to stride over to them. If it was my guess, I wasn’t on anyone’s friends list anymore after Bobby probably told them last night’s revelation about Seth. With all four of them standing there, shooting looks that could kill at me, arms crossed over their chests and feet planted firmly on the ground, it kind of felt as if I was meeting the firing squad for my death sentence. Yikes.
“Morning, boys. I take it Boyd isn’t here yet?”
Commander Wall shook his head.
“Alright. Well, did he tell one of you what’s going on so far?”
Commander Wall responded with a gruff, “Affirmative.”
“Good. I’m just going to go sit back in my truck to wait ‘til Boyd gets here so we can go. Y’all just stand there and look pretty, okay?”
Not staying to give anyone the chance to yell at me, I turned around and headed back to the safety of my truck. I heard Declan choke on a laugh behind me before I reached the vehicle. After climbing back in, I shoved in my homemade CD loaded with my favorite songs and Miranda Lambert’s Kerosene started pumping through the speakers. By the time Boyd pulled into the lot, the next song had already started. Moments later, Boyd showed up at my driver’s side window and I turned the radio down so I could hear him clearly.
“Hey, Boyd, I’ll follow you, okay?”
“That works. Look, before we leave, I just want to say I’m sorry about last night.”
Rolling my eyes at my partner’s obvious discomfort, I cut him off before he started groveling. Although, in my opinion, he definitely deserved to grovel. “What’s done is done, Boyd. You can’t take it back or fix it, so let it go. From now on, you’ll leave my business to me, alright? My life’s screwed up enough without you trying to meddle in it with your bright ideas.”
Boyd’s face softened and it made me uncomfortable because it was the look of someone who felt sorry for me and just wanted to make things better. I could appreciate the sentiment, but I didn’t deserve better for what I’d done. I deserved exactly what I had, which was a hard life with little or no give in it. Someone like me wasn’t meant to have some fairytale love story complete with a white knight in squeaky clean armor.
No, I was meant to have the heartbreak I’d been dealt as a sort of reminder that people born to run down, dirty, trailer parks weren’t meant to love and be loved by people born to good, clean, upstanding families that wanted them. It tipped the karmic scales too much and, when you did that, well somebody was going to pay. The problem was, instead of accepting the lesson for what it was, I’d screwed up and tipped those scales even more by having Bobby’s baby and never telling him about it. So, I figured last night’s emotional bitch-slap was karma’s way of paying me back again. I’d deserved everything I got and, really, the emotional hit was hard, but not as hard as the physical ones I’d been used to long ago. I’d been raised under the hard hand of a man who’d liked to mete out pain, so I was used to its lasting effects. Eventually, I would move on from this like I had from every other kick in the teeth that life had given me.
The only problem I had to worry about now was whether Bobby was going to try and take my son from me. I may agree with the cosmic rule that people of my standards weren’t entitled to a whole lot in life, but I’d be damned if anyone was going to take the one pure, good thing in it. I loved my boy. I’d also worked damn hard to give him a better life than I’d been given. I think, for that alone, I deserved for the cosmic powers to be to leave me alone and let me keep Seth.
The movement of my partner’s mouth as he started to say something brought me out of my thoughts. Not really wanting to hear one of his, ‘I just want to see you happy’ lectures again, I cut him off. “I want to hit that coffee shop on the way out of town. Now, go tell those boys to load up with whoever they want to ride with and let’s get this over with.”
Boyd nodded his head in understanding before walking away to the four men several feet away on the other side of the truck. I started my truck as my front and back passenger doors opened. Bobby climbed into the front while Declan climbed into the back. Looked like awkward was going to be a constant companion this morning. Great.
After a quick run through the coffee shop drive-thru, we were on our way towards Alamo Heights on the northern outskirts of San Antonio. Nothing except loud, country music filled the strained silence. It was approximately an hour drive, so we should arrive just before five in the morning. When we were making our way through the San Antonio early morning traffic, I grabbed my cell phone, hitting the speed dial button that rang Charlie’s number.
His sexy, morning rough voice filled the line. “Mornin’, darlin’. It’s a bit early for you, isn’t it? Don’t tell me you got arrested and you need me to bail you out of my jail. Better yet, tell me you had a naughty dream about me.”
Laughing, I answered, “Thanks for the faith there, Charlie. Hell, no, I’m not sitting in your jail. I called because I need a favor from you today, if you’re not working.”
“Not working today. What’s up?”
“I got called out this morning. I’m outside northern San Antonio as we speak. Might be gone a good part of the day. Not sure yet. Seth should see the note on the kitchen counter, letting him know, but I’d feel better if you could take him out today to keep him out of trouble.”
Charlie chuckled. “That boy sure does have your sense of direction when it comes to trouble. Yeah, how about I pick him up and bring him back to the house. We can take the ATVs out on the trails today.”
“That sounds perfect, Charlie. I owe you big time.”
“Good. Then maybe you’ll take it easy on us next time we play poker. I’m tired of you cleaning me out, woman.” Clearing his throat he asked, “Hey, you okay after last night, darlin’?”
Glancing over at Bobby from the corner of my eye, I saw that he was every bit aware of the conversation taking place. His jaw looked like it might snap in half if he clenched it any harder and his eyebrows were furrowed. “Don’t worry about me, Charlie; I’m fine. Sure do appreciate you keeping an eye on Seth, though. I’ll call one of you as soon as we’re headed back.”
“Anytime, darlin’. See you later.” I flipped my phone closed before tucking it in my jacket pocket. With the way Bobby looked like he wanted to tear my truck apart piece by piece with his bare hands, I knew his inner Neanderthal was about to make an appearance. I started silently reinforcing my emotional walls for the inquisition I knew was about to take place.
“Belle, are you seeing Sheriff Jenkins?” he snapped.
Well, that had taken all of two seconds. If it weren’t for the burning hatred I’d seen in his eyes last night, I would have thought that a jealous, cave man Bobby would hit Charlie over the head with his club so he could drag me by my hair to his lair.
“No, Bobby, we’re not seeing each other right now. Just to clear the rest of the air, have Charlie and I dated? Yes. He’s also been a very good friend to me over the years. You’re not entitled to know anything else, so let’s do both of us a favor, and you not step on my toes about that, okay?”
Snorting, he lifted his coffee cup to drain the last of it. As he picked at the sides of the cup I could tell he wasn’t done asking questions. If his bottom lip weren’t poking out so far in his man-child pout, I would totally expect to look around and find myself in a small, dark room with no windows and a bright light shining in my face while he badgered me with his interrogation. I figured that it was just a matter of seconds befo-
“Is Seth close to the Sheriff?”
Yep. There it was. I wondered if Declan felt awkward sitting in the back seat, having to listen to all of this. Peeking up in the rear view mirror, I saw that Declan’s face was turned towards the passenger side windo
w in an attempt to give us a semblance of privacy, but I would bet my last dollar that he would be able to give a full accounting of the entire conversation later if asked to.
Heaving a big sigh, I clenched the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. “Let’s get to the heart of what you’re really asking me. Is Charlie a father figure? That’s what you really want to know, right? The answer is no. No man has ever played a father figure to him. I have filled that role to the best of my ability. Now, has Seth had men who have been influential in his life? Yes. Charlie is one. Boyd is the other. They both have become quite close to Seth over the years, but neither has ever taken your place. Matter of fact, just so you know, the two of them made it their mission in life to cuss me out for not telling you when they realized you were Seth’s father. They are thoroughly in your corner, no matter how long I’ve been friends with them, which I find downright disgusting. Just so you feel better, though, Seth’s also got a woman in his life that he’s very close to. Teagan. In fact, she’s his godmother. She was even there the day he was born. Anything else sitting uncomfortable with you? Besides all of the obvious, that is?”
I used my right hand to smooth my hair back in frustration before letting it drop helplessly in my lap. I had the overwhelming urge to haul off and punch something. Unfortunately, I couldn’t do that while on a case. Or while I was wearing my badge for that matter. That was the kind of shit that made my boss, Special Agent in Charge, Jeremy Evans, bust a vein in that large, shiny forehead of his. Not to mention that at my last required anger management class they told me punching things was bad. Unless it was a pillow.
Who wants to punch a pillow?
Bobby stayed quiet for a few minutes. Just as I was giving up hope of ever having a decent relationship with the father of my child, he spoke again. His voice was quiet, but clear.
“Teagan, huh? Somehow, I’m not surprised that you two are still thick as thieves.” He let loose a big sigh. “No more questions for now, Belle. Maybe later, though.”
Declan’s amused tone carried from the back seat. “Soooooo… Belle. Tell me another wonderful story about Bobby being young and stupid. I’m working up a collection from you for blackmail purposes.”
Bobby tossed his empty, paper, coffee cup back at Declan’s head.
“Up yours, Sullivan. Keep it up and I’ll find a way to get Riley drunk enouh to spill all of your secrets to me. Stop pumping her for information. I think she’s more than proven that she can’t be trusted.”
Ouch. There it was again. Another reminder that lowly, little me didn’t belong in the breathing space of a good man like Bobby Baker and it was nobody’s fault but my own as to why he would say that about me. As we pulled up to park behind Boyd, I looked around at the street that was filled with black SUVs, the yard was littered with what must have been at least thirty people in various uniforms.
Let the fun begin.
***
After hours of talking to the DEA agents on scene, Boyd and I were huddled with the four members of the Ex Ops team, comparing notes.
Boyd was antsy. He kept patting his pants pocket unconsciously, looking for that pack of cigarettes that hadn’t been there for just over a year. It was moments like this that I wondered if he’d pick up his old habit. “So the DEA has been following a large heroin ring. They just never expected for their heroin dealers to be in on the smuggling line for black market weapons. We’ve got ten crates of Colt 38s, AK-47s, M4s, M107 Barretts and FN Five Sevens. That’s some serious cargo. I think it’s more than likely part of the big shipment we were warned about, but I doubt that’s all of it.”
I nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we found the three crates in Big Bull Bar. Plus these makes thirteen crates total. Still, I bet there’s more to the shipment. The question now is, where are they hiding the rest of it? And what will they do now that part of their shipment has been confiscated?”
Commander Wall folded his arms across his chest. “Well, we can say it’s a safe bet that they’ll be headed to the border soon. Too much has been compromised. The only other lead we’ve acquired is the Big Bull Bar. Even though we’ve had round the clock surveillance, we’ve seen no further activity. However, I still feel like there’s something more going on there. So we’ll continue surveillance. See what they do next. Can you two get in touch with your contact? See if there are any new developments? Maybe we’ll have something helpful there.”
Boyd looked back to the huge house covered in crime scene tape. “We’ve got everything the DEA can give us for now. They promised to send copies of their files on this case over to us right away. Let’s head back to Poteet and I’ll see about getting in touch with our contact in Mexico.”
***
Heading back to the small town of Poteet, the truck was silent. When they were halfway home, Declan yawned loudly.
“Somebody say something before I fall asleep back here.”
“You’re an ass. There, something’s been said,” Bobby muttered.
I laughed as Declan attempted to smack the back of Bobby’s head in retaliation. As I maneuvered my massive truck in and out of traffic, Declan leaned forward until he was practically sitting in the middle of Bobby and me in the front seat.
“Come on, Annabelle. Entertain me here. Better yet, tell me another story for my blackmail book.”
Declan quickly ducked backwards in his seat when Bobby tried to hit him.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Come on, woman! I’m bored as shit back here.”
Bobby was studiously ignoring both of us by looking out of his passenger side window. What could it hurt? It wasn’t as if Bobby could hate me anymore than he already did. Maybe hearing some of the good times would remind him that it hadn’t always been bad between us. I could also use all the help I could get when it came to hopefully having a working relationship with the father of my only child.
“Ok, Declan, you’ll appreciate this one. See when Bobby joined our high school football team he had to go through an initiation, a hazing of sorts. What small town would be complete if they didn’t continue crazy rituals that would give all the gossipy, old, married ladies something to talk about all year long? So, anyways, all the seniors wrote embarrassing tasks to be completed, then threw them in a hat to be drawn out by the freshman.
“Bobby here was lucky enough to have to go through our local grocery store in nothing except a hot pink thong. They made him go through the checkout counter, buy a box of condoms and he couldn’t leave until he sang the school song at the register. All the while, the poor check out girl, who was sixteen, stood there staring at him with a river of drool coming out of the side of her mouth because, even at fifteen, Bobby looked and was built like a Chippendale stripper.”
Declan was roaring with laughter in the back seat. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bobby’s cheeks turn pink as he blushed.
“But don’t feel too bad for Bobby. My best friend Teagan had it much worse. You see she was the team’s punter and the only girl in the whole state of Georgia on a high school football team. Her initiation task was to streak through the school grounds while school was being dismissed. None of the guys thought she would do it and that it would be the quickest way to get a girl off of their championship winning team, but they underestimated Teagan; like most people did. The entire school got to see her naked itty bits and I drove the getaway car she dove in when she was done streaking around the school. Lord, she couldn’t get any of the guys at school to stop hitting on her after that, no matter how many times she kicked them in the nuts.”
Declan was laughing so hard that tears rolled down his cheeks and he struggled to breathe. He promised through the entire tirade to spread that story to everyone they knew between his choking gasps for breath.
I glanced over to see Bobby watching me. “What?”
Shaking his head he mumbled, “For a minute there, I got a glimpse of the girl I used to know. Too bad that girl grew up into a deceitful woman with
out a heart.”
Chapter Eleven
Bobby
Pulling up to the small, yet friendly, looking ranch home, I wasn’t sure who was more nervous, me or Belle. She hadn’t spoken another word to me since I’d told her, when we pulled up at the hotel, that she was taking me to Seth and Declan had exited the truck when she said okay. She called Sheriff Jenkins and asked him to bring Seth home in twenty minutes. After disconnecting the call, she promptly turned her radio on so loud that we couldn’t have said a word to each other over the music if we’d wanted to.
Perhaps my comment on the way back to Poteet about the kind of cold, deceitful woman I’d felt she’d become had been harsh, but it was also exactly how I felt. Being the straight shooter that I was, even back when I was a teenager, she should know that I wasn’t one to pull my punches; physical or verbal. There’d just never been a reason to be that way with her before. Now there was.
The outside of the house was painted a bright, sunny yellow with white shutters on the windows. It was the same colors as the fantasy dream house we’d built together in our minds a hundred times during the two years we’d been together. We walked up the stained porch steps and stood in front of the red door she’d always wanted, using her key to unlock the deadbolt.
“Yellow house, huh?”
“Just because you gave up on our dreams didn’t mean I had to, Bobby. I wanted a yellow house, so when I could afford one, I bought me and my son a yellow house.”