Chapter Eleven
Dax
My phone buzzed and I thumbed the answer button.
“Hello?”
“Hi Dax. It’s Miss Ortega.”
“Good morning Miss Ortega, how are you?” I did appreciate my parole officer. She was under no obligation whatsoever to call me before she stopped by, but she always did.
“I’m good Dax, the question is, how are you? Are you staying out of trouble?”
I looked around the bar and tried not to chuckle as I said, “You bet.”
“Good, I’d like to stop by in about an hour.”
Shit. “Sure, I’ll be home.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then,” she said.
I hung up and called my Mom. “Hey Mom.”
“Hi Dax, is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. Why do you always expect the worst?” As soon as that was out of my mouth I remembered who she was married to and said, “Never mind, scratch that. Miss Ortega wants to stop by in about an hour. I just wanted to make sure that’s okay with you.”
“Of course, I’ll make some coffee. I think I still have some pastries—”
“You don’t have to go to all that trouble.”
“It’s no trouble,” she said.
Sighing, I said, “Okay, thanks. I’ll see you soon.”
I used the shower in Olivia’s room. She was already up and out, probably job hunting, I assumed. After I dressed I got on the bike and headed across town. It was a nice morning and I was tempted to drive on past and head for the hills. I pulled right into my parent’s driveway.
Miss Ortega showed up about ten minutes later, right on time as usual, and my mother had coffee and cookies ready of course. If this wasn’t my life, it would be funny. After she fussed over us for a while I finally persuaded her to leave so that we could get down to business.
“So, what have you been up to, Dax?”
“Well, I went looking for a job, but I’m not having much luck. So, I was actually thinking about getting my tattoo license.”
“You know someone that will hire you?”
I thought about Greg and said, “Maybe, but I was actually hoping to open my own place.”
“That’s ambitious,” she said. “It might be expensive to get started. How would you plan on financing that?”
“My mom and I have been talking about it. She has some savings and she might be willing to help me out. We’re looking into all of the angles right now.”
“That’s good. I’m glad to know you’re looking towards the future. You’re staying out of trouble and away from trouble?”
Absolutely, I spent my days at a bar that was a front for an outlaw bike club in back. I went to a meeting where there were crates full of guns and I found out my brother was some kind of big wig drug trafficker. I’ve also been seeking revenge for my false imprisonment. I think I may have found good cause to think it was my brother who set me up.
When I finished thinking about the truth I said, “Absolutely staying out of trouble. I would never want to go back.”
“Good,” she said. “I see the gun cabinet is gone. You didn’t just move it in a back room, did you?” Yeah, the back room of the bar I hung out in.
“Nope, it’s gone.”
She took out a small plastic cup and she said, “I need you to test for me today.” I picked up the cup. “You need to leave the door open, don’t flush and don’t wash your hands. If you turn the water on, the test is no good and we’ll have to start all over.”
“Fun,” I said with my eyebrows raised.
“Yep, all good stuff to keep in mind before you decide to get in trouble again.”
I didn’t even waste my breath trying to convince her I was innocent. As far as cops of any kind were concerned, if you were arrested and convicted, you were a bad guy. I took the cup and she followed me down the hall to the bathroom. My mom passed us and she actually smirked. Everyone in this damn family was a smart ass. I had a hard time going, I was not used to having a hot female P.O. standing at the door while I was trying to pee. She wasn’t really looking at me, just making sure I didn’t turn on the water or have someone else pee for me, but it was still uncomfortable. I finally squeezed enough out to give her half a cup and then I reached out to flush.
Just to prove she really was looking she said, “Uh, uh!”
“Oh, oops! Sorry.”
“Just sit it on the counter and I’ll get it,” she told me as I was zipping up.
While she was bagging it, she let me wash my hands and flush the toilet. I had to take her on a tour of the rest of the house again to make sure we weren’t just hiding the gun safe and that we didn’t have drug paraphernalia laying around. I knew it was all necessary if you’re guilty. It was annoying when you’re not.
We were home free, I had walked her out to her car and she was damn near out of the driveway just as my dad, Bo and Kip drove up. They parked on the street so she could still feasibly leave. She didn’t though. She looked at me and turned off her ignition. Fuck!
My dad and the guys shut off their bikes. My dad got off and took off his helmet. The other two stayed on their bikes and as my dad approached us my P.O. got out of her car.
“I didn’t know we had company,” my dad said.
“Dad, this Miss Ortega, my P.O.”
She smiled sweetly and said, “Mr. Turner, what a pleasure it is to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Likewise Miss Ortega,” my dad said. “That stuff you heard about me. It was all good, right?”
“None of it,” she said, still smiling. My dad threw his head back and laughed.
“I like her son. You better do what this one tells you.”
“I plan on it,” I said. My stomach was in knots.
“Well, Dax I’ll let you get back on with your day. Mr. Turner, a pleasure.”
My dad gave her a nod and she got back in her car. This time she made it out of the driveway.
He looked at me when she was gone and said, “She’s hot.”
I didn’t even waste any energy responding. He went into the house, likely to get something he needed from my mother.