Wrath bounded up the stairs while Ethan took a step closer to Becca.
“It’s been a long time, Becca.”
“I know. It’s good to see you again, Ethan. Will this cause problems with the police chief?”
“No more than Abernathy already has with me. I’ll need you to stay close so I can get a statement. Wrangler, keep Becca with you.” He sent his brother a meaningful look, getting a nod before following Wrath upstairs.
Left alone, they stared at each other, neither speaking for several long moments before Wrangler broke the silence. “Do you want to sit down?”
Wrapping her arms around her waist, she shook her head. “I’m too worried to sit down.”
“Any idea who broke in?”
“None. I mean, she deals with cases where emotions run high. Divorces, domestic abuse, child custody.” Becca lifted her head, her eyes locking on his, seeing nothing except concern. “It could be any number of people. The only clients I’d rule out are the ones where she handles business matters, such as the work Cara does for Demons Blood.”
“Drago has some kind of weird affection for Cara. He’d never do something like this, and none of his crew would do it without his direct order.”
“I met him and Pacho once when they met with Cara. Both were pretty frightening, but Drago turned out to be quite charming.”
This brought a bark of laughter from Wrangler. “Charming? Wrath’s going to love that one.”
Becca stared at him, the flash of joy on his face, the sound of his deep laugh. How she’d missed both over the years.
“If any other MC would have the balls to rifle through Cara’s office, it would be the Night Devils. Burn, their president, has no love for Wrath or any of the Eternal Brethren. You may have heard about all the trouble they caused Rock and Tessa.”
Becca’s brain raced at the name of the MC in Victor’s files. “A little from Tessa.”
“The Night Devils weren’t in it alone, though.”
Her body stiffened. Did Wrangler know about Victor and his enforcer, Dorn? “What do you mean?”
Hearing footfalls on the stairs, he looked up. “The Devils were working with others. I can’t say more, but I’ll be talking with Wrath and Ethan about it.”
“It’s definitely a mess up there.” Ethan walked toward them at the same time Cara burst into the building. Breaths coming in pants, she hurried to Becca.
“What happened?”
Ethan answered. “Someone broke into your office. Becca’s area was untouched. Yours is a mess. No broken furniture, but every file drawer was emptied, most of the books were tossed onto the floor, and your desk was cleared.”
“This is in pretty good shape.” Wrath came up behind Cara, holding up the picture Becca had seen earlier. “Needs new glass, but it’s salvageable.” Settling an arm over his wife’s shoulders, he kissed her before guiding Cara to the stairs. “Come on. Maybe you can figure out if they found what they wanted.”
“What they wanted?” Cara’s voice trailed down the stairs as she and Wrath headed upward.
“I need to ask you some questions, Becca.”
Tearing her attention away from Cara, she looked at Ethan. “I don’t know anything except what you saw.”
“You’d be surprised what you might remember.”
Twenty minutes passed before Ethan finished taking notes. All the while, Wrangler had made phone calls, getting the word out about what happened and putting the Brethren on guard. Rock and Ghost made a decision to position two men at Wrath’s home.
He also called Jamie’s school, telling them of the break-in and confirming the only two people allowed to pick him up were him and Becca. It was a necessary precaution. The school hadn’t pushed back. Wrangler had a text to his son the moment he’d walked outside.
Do not leave the school grounds without me or your mom. Will explain later.
Several minutes later, he let out a relieved breath at Jamie’s response. Although he hated the one letter responses, at least he got what he wanted.
K.
Cara and Wrath returned by the time Ethan and Becca finished and Wrangler ended his last call. “Can you tell if anything is missing, Cara?” Becca asked.
Weariness settled over her boss, a hand resting on her stomach. “I won’t be able to confirm anything until we’ve put everything away. I can’t think of a single client who’d do something like this. It could be their ex-spouses, but…” Her brows scrunched together before Cara shook her head. “No, that doesn’t make sense. Stealing files wouldn’t help them.”
“Who monitors the camera footage?” Ethan asked.
“The security officers. They’re located in the main administration building of the school. These buildings hold professional offices, but we use the same security team. Would you like me to call them?” Cara asked.
“Chief Abernathy would have my head if I went through the footage before his men. I’ll call Deputy Bettencourt. She’s one of my deputies. Married to Jacob Walker, one of Abernathy’s officers. Vela will apprise Jacob of what happened and he’ll take it from there. I’ll just happen to be present when he arrives to view the footage.”
Wrath wrapped an arm around Cara’s waist, pulling her close. “How long, Ethan?”
“I’ll let Vela know we need this done today. Cara, can you and Becca get your office back together soon?”
“Yes,” Becca answered. “I’ll stay until it’s finished. The hard part will be discovering if anything’s missing from the files upstairs. I’ll have to go through all the electronic docs to learn what might be missing.”
“We’ll figure that out once all the files are put away, Becca,” Cara said.
“I’d better get started.” Becca shot a quick look at Wrangler before heading to the stairs.
“Becca.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve got Jamie after school. Yeah?”
Her features stilled before softening. “Yes, you’ve got him, Quinn.”
Eternal Brethren Clubhouse
“Could’ve been the Night Devils, Wrath,” Rock said, leaning back in his chair.
“What would be their reason?” Ghost asked.
“Get information on Demons Blood and us. They may figure Cara does legal work for us.”
“She doesn’t, Rock,” Wrath said.
“We know that, but the Devils don’t. It may be a risk Burn is willing to take.”
Picking up the secure burner phone, Wrath called Drago, president of Demons Blood, a rival club, but one they’d associated with in the past. Those times had been with Admiral Grayson’s approval.
“Drago, it’s Wrath. Cara’s office was raided last night, and it wasn’t the police.”
“Fuck. Any idea who?”
“Not yet. Have you heard anything about the Demons being on the move?” Wrath heard Drago cover the phone, shouting at someone.
“Neither Pacho or Snake have picked up anything about Cara. Doesn’t mean they didn’t do it. Give me an hour and I’ll get back to you.” Drago ended the call before Wrath could answer.
“I’ve got some news, Prez.” Raider stood in the opening of their hidden door to the communications room below, commonly known as the dungeon. “You need to come see it.”
Wrath motioned to the others. “Let’s go. Wrangler, let Tracker know where we are, then meet us in the dungeon.”
Hurrying down the stairs, they gathered behind Raider. “What do you have?” Wrath asked.
“I hacked the surveillance cameras at Cara’s building.”
Slapping him on the back, Wrath leaned closer. “Show us.”
“It’s right here.” Raider pointed to the screen. “Three o’clock this morning. Three men used a key to open the front door.”
“Fuck,” Ghost spit out, bending down for a better look. “Are they wearing cuts?”
“Yeah. All three are wearing them. At this point, we don’t know which MC. Anyway, it appears they had a key to Cara’s office. There are no c
ameras inside, so the next part shows them leaving.” Raider glanced over his shoulder, a grin forming. “Look at this.”
Zooming in, he focused on the black cuts worn by MC members. “There’s nothing on this one to identify them. Same with the second. But the third one… Also, note that not one of them has any files.”
A few keystrokes later, he focused on the last man leaving Cara’s office. “Watch when he locks the door and turns.”
Wrangler crowded into the group, staring at the large screen. “What are we seeing?”
“Watch,” Rock answered.
Securing the lock, the last man turned slowly, taking a quick look around. Raider stopped the footage, zooming in a little more before focusing.
“Sonofabitch,” Wrath spit out, fists clenching at his sides.
“It’s Mario, the Devils VP.” Wrangler leaned down. “Why would Burn order a raid on Cara’s office?”
Hearing the door open at the top of the stairs, they all turned, hands resting on their guns. Tracker stopped halfway down.
“Prez, there’s someone here you’ll want to talk to.”
“We’re a little busy, Tracker.”
“Not too busy to talk to me.”
Wrath’s body tensed at the familiar voice he hadn’t heard in months. A man he still didn’t completely trust. Drawing his gun, he nodded to the others to do the same as the man stepped past Tracker, continuing down the stairs. Spotting the guns, a cynical grin twisted his mouth.
“You gonna shoot me, Wrath, or listen to what I’ve come to tell you?”
“Fuck, Jif.” Wrath slid the 9mm into its holster, motioning for the others to do the same. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Taking a huge chance.”
“I get that. But why?”
Crossing his arms, Jif’s features hardened. “There’s a war coming, Wrath, and it’s going to come down on all of us.”
Chapter Eleven
Becca rested her hands on her hips, taking another visual sweep of Cara’s office. So far, no files were missing. A great relief to both of them.
“It makes no sense for someone to destroy your office and take nothing with them. Not even your computer or mine. Maybe they’ll find something on the security feed.”
“I hope so. You know, whoever did this could have downloaded what they wanted on a flash drive. Unless they catch who did this, we won’t know if they have electronic files until they use the information. It could end up being a real nightmare.” Lowering herself into her chair, Cara covered her face with her hands.
“At least there aren’t any appointments scheduled for today. I’m going to check messages again, make certain there’ve been no urgent calls.”
Reaching her desk, Becca pulled open a drawer, sorting through the documents. Another wave of relief rushed through her. The file she’d taken from Victor lay undisturbed at the bottom. If whoever had broken in was looking for it, they’d have gone through her desk, not just the contents of Cara’s office.
Sitting, Becca debated what to do next. She’d always intended to let Cara know about the file, have her review the documents. Whenever the opportunity arose, she held back.
Cara learning of the incriminating contents would do nothing except put her in danger, something Becca couldn’t do. She’d never meant to make the file public. Her intent had always been to use it as a way to keep Victor from coming after her and Jamie. She’d hoped the threat of exposing him and his man, Dorn, would be a deterrent from seeking her out.
Becca now realized the stupidity of her idea. She wanted to believe the break-in had nothing to do with her. But what if it did? It wasn’t as if she tried to hide the fact she’d come to Liberty Lake. She hadn’t hidden her identity, hoping the fact she had the file would deter Victor from following her. What if she’d been wrong?
“Becca, why don’t you go home? It’s been a long day. With Wrangler picking up Jamie, you could take some time for yourself. When was the last time you did something just for you?”
Blowing out a soft chuckle, Becca grinned. “I honestly don’t remember. It would be nice to get my nails done.”
“And it would keep your mind off how Jamie and Wrangler are getting along.”
“How did you know I was thinking of them being alone for the first time?”
“Because I’d be doing the same, Becca.” Cara rested a hand on the desk, leaning forward. “They’re going to be fine.”
Shoulders slumping, she nodded. “I know. It’s just that I’ve been the only parent in his life for so long. He relies on me for so much. To be truthful, I rely on Jamie.”
“Letting someone else into your lives is going to be difficult, especially for you, Becca. You’ve been mother and father, the sole role model, doled out discipline and love. You know, sharing custody with Wrangler isn’t a bad thing.”
“No?”
“Having him share the responsibility for Jamie will give you time to do what you’ve had to put off, Becca. Now’s your chance to chase your own dreams.”
“Law school,” she breathed out. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“And I’m certain you’ll have no problem being accepted. In fact, you should apply right now.” Reaching into her purse, Cara pulled out an envelope, handing it to Becca. “There’s still time to start the next session.”
Taking the envelope, she stared at it for several moments before raising her gaze to Cara’s. “That’s only a few weeks away.”
“I know. But there is a way to expedite it. You’ll need to get it back to me tomorrow, though. I want to hand deliver it to the admissions office.”
She held the envelope to her chest. “You really think I have a chance of starting the new session?”
“I’m certain of it, Becca. Now get out of here. I’ll see you early tomorrow.”
“This is sooo awesome.” Jamie ran his hand along the handlebars of Wrangler’s tricked out Harley, then along the leather seat. “The other kids are going to be so jealous.” Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at the sight of several boys standing a few feet away, eyes glued to the bike.
Wrangler couldn’t help the grin at his son’s enthusiasm. “Are you ready to go?” He held out a black helmet with red and yellow flames.
Eyes wide, Jamie took the helmet. “This is cool.”
Setting it on his head, he waited while Wrangler adjusted the straps before securing them. Next, he checked Jamie’s backpack, noting the skateboard before making certain the pack would stay in place.
“I’ll slow it down for your first ride, Jamie. You’ll need to wrap your arms around my waist and hold tight. You follow my motions. When I lean, you lean the same amount. You got it?”
Nodding briskly, Jamie’s body hummed with excitement. “Got it.”
“Okay. Let me get on first. At my nod, you’ll get on behind me. You ready?”
“Ready!”
Mounting, he righted the bike and started the engine before giving Jamie a chin lift. Once settled behind him, Wrangler twisted the throttle a couple times, revving the engine. His chest tightened at the same time his lips tilted upward at Jamie’s laughter.
Pulling into traffic, he headed toward one of the winding county roads. He’d take it easy, not intending to rush Jamie’s first ride. The feel of his son’s small arms wrapped around him sent an unexpected wave of emotion through Wrangler.
Feeling Jamie’s arms loosen, he glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t let go.”
Immediately, his son tightened his hold, voice rising above the rumble of the bike. “This is great. Can we go faster?”
“Not today, bud.” He felt Jamie lean closer to his ear.
“All right,” he groaned, causing a pang of longing to grow in Wrangler’s chest.
He’d missed so much. Too damn much, and most of it was his own fault. Anger still clung to him, but as each day passed, it was directed more at himself than Becca. Wrangler couldn’t put the blame on her when she’d tried to reach him. What she
hadn’t done was reach out to his parents.
Belinda and Stuart McCord would’ve done whatever they could for Becca. During and after the pregnancy. All she had to do was make one phone call. Just one call and her life and Jamie’s would’ve been different.
The thought made him wonder about her parents and if they offered support. Wrangler remembered they had little money back when he and Becca were together. Since reconnecting with her, she hadn’t mentioned her family at all.
The roar of motorcycles behind them had Wrangler glancing into his mirror. They were too far away to make out any identifying marks, but a bad feeling shot through him.
As they got closer, he saw they wore cuts, his protective instincts roaring to life. He didn’t know if they belonged to Demons Blood or Night Devils, but they weren’t Eternal Brethren.
“Jamie!”
“Yeah?”
“Hold on tight!” The instant Jamie’s arms squeezed his waist, Wrangler picked up speed. The move surprised the group following them, giving him time to increase the distance between them.
Making a turn, he took a two lane road out of town, again picking up speed as he headed to the Eternal Brethren clubhouse. Checking the mirror again, he saw the group gaining on him.
If he’d been alone, Wrangler would be riding full-out, leaving them far behind. With Jamie behind him, he refused to take the chance.
Seeing the clubhouse up ahead, he slowed, nodding at the brother guarding the gate. By the time he reached the entrance, the gate was already open, allowing him to pull around to the back. He killed the engine as Rock and Tracker walked toward them.
Getting off, he sent a meaningful look at Rock. “Keep him with you.” He didn’t wait for a reply before dashing back to the front.
“Hey, buddy. It’s good to see you again.” Rock helped Jamie off the bike. “So you got a ride on your dad’s bike. How’d you like it?”
“Great. I want one just like his when I’m older.”
Setting a hand on Jamie’s shoulder, Rock glanced toward the front before taking the boy inside. Raider had already alerted them of a group of riders following Wrangler. Once he’d pulled into the clubhouse, the bikers had turned around, but not before Raider identified their cuts.
Untamed (Eternal Brethren Military Romantic Suspense Book 4) Page 8