Chapter Eighteen
Rebel
I had dreaded living with Elle because I liked my solo routines and was set in my ways. We had been together three weeks and she’d meshed with my routine right away. In fact, I liked coming home with her, knowing I’d cook for both of us before we relaxed for the night. She read and I surfed channels or worked out. We both worked out in the morning but I liked hitting the weights at night if I spent the day in the damn office. Even the damn cat had mellowed with her there.
Not only did we mesh at home, but I liked working with her. We’d started teaming up on bigger bounties and Gus had been sending all those contracts my way lately. I think he might’ve been pissed at the elder Jackson or maybe he just liked Elle. I knew it wasn’t me.
“You ready to roll?” I hollered in the bathroom.
“Yeah. Give me a minute.” She walked out dressed in a T-shirt, jeans and boots like she did every day for work. The boots held two knife holders and she kept her Glock in the car but rarely carried it. She preferred her Taser, I think she liked shocking the hell out of the bounties, it was her cruel streak.
Her boobs were captured behind that tight bra she insisted on, but it just made it more fun to set them free every night. “We heading north today? Or is that tomorrow?” She took the coffee I handed her and drank half of it.
“Today, we’re taking the SUV. Greg Parks isn’t one we want to take chances with.”
She held her hand up and I quit talking. She refused to talk cases before she drained her supersized cup of coffee. We were thirty minutes out of Ardmore before she looked over at me. “Now what were you saying?”
“You’re a grouch when you wake up,” I teased her.
“Someone shouldn’t fuck with my morning routine,” she growled back.
“Not even for really awesome fucking.”
She smiled at me. “Tell me about Greg Parks.”
“The hundred thousand dollar bounty.” I handed her the folder. “We’ll start with the bar at the top of the list.”
She read the file as I drove, commenting occasionally. “You think it’ll take three days?”
“Maybe two, depending on how lucky we are in the information department.”
“You know better, I don’t do Oklahoma City much.” She yawned. “I need more sleep.” She gave me the stink eye.
“You were the one who insisted on round two last night.” I’d underestimated the benefits of having a woman in my bed every night. And I have to admit, I’d been greedy. We were heading toward two months and it was like the first time every time. I had no fucking idea what to do with that, so I tried hard not to think about it.
“Do I get to question the guy at the bar?” She put her gun in the glove box.
“Yup, and I get to beat him if he doesn’t answer.”
“You always get the fun jobs,” she quipped as she got out.
“You get to Taser them,” I pointed out.
Inside, I assessed the lunch crowd. A few regulars and in the back corner, that would be Jack, the guy who knew how to find Greg. Elle swayed her hips as she walked. Jack was so focused on her that he didn’t even notice me until I scooted in beside him.
“Now, Jack,” Elle crooned. “We’re here for Greg and we can do it the easy way.” She pointed to herself and thumbed through a stack of cash. “Or the hard way.” She pointed to me. “Either way we’re leaving with all you know.”
“Don’t know nothing,” he growled.
“Now that’s a lie.” Elle nodded.
I popped him in the nose with the back of my fist.
“Motherfucker.” His nose began to bleed.
Elle handed him tissues. “Now that’s strike one, on the third strike, we take you out back and work you over.”
“What’s it worth to you?”
“A hundred.” She tossed it to the middle of the table.
“Three hundred,” he countered.
“If you have a location, it’s a deal, otherwise only a hundred.”
He eyed the money and scratched his arms. Junkie, that meant he’d take the cash and rat out his friend.
Elle leaned forward. “Buy lots of good shit with three hundred.”
“He’s staying over at the Boardmont on the third floor, last room in the hall.” Sweat broke out on his forehead.
“What ain’t you telling us?”
“He’s got eyes watching for your type.” He nodded to me.
“He ever go out?”
“Not much, and never out the front door, he uses the fire escape.” He looked at the money then up to Elle.
She glanced at me. I nodded. He’d told us all he knew. She flipped the other two bills on the table. “Happy score.” She slid out of the booth and I followed behind her.
Elle had a touch with questioning, maybe rats liked telling her their secrets better than me. I’d always had to beat it out of them, but she flashed her smile and a few bills then most of the guys turned talkative. I’d asked her about it, but she’d said she had to beat people more before we’d teamed up. It must be the winning combination.
I cruised past the flop twice. Not an easy penetration if he had eyes on the street or in the lobby. Was he paranoid enough to have eyes on his fire escape?
“You know what we need to do.” She was matter-of-fact.
I didn’t want to send her in there alone. Greg was dangerous.
“I can look like a prostitute, you can’t look like a junkie.”
I stayed quiet even though I knew she was right.
“We need food, planning, and a change of wardrobe. I need to shop.”
I drove to a diner I liked and pulled into the parking lot, figuring we could talk it through while we ate.
“They have great pie here.”
“As if my ass needs another slab of pie on it.” She rolled her eyes.
“Your ass needs pie.” I smacked her ass as we walked into the diner. “It told me so last night.”
She elbowed me. Once we ordered two cheeseburgers, fries and two slices of apple pie, I was ready to talk logistics.
“You wait to go in,” I started, doodling on a napkin as I laid it out. “I’ll get a visual and if he’s there, I tell you and you knock, do your working girl bit. I cover the fire escape, you cover the front door. And you take your damn gun.”
“It doesn’t fit with the outfit,” she protested. “I’ll have my Taser.”
“Don’t take a Taser to a gun fight.”
The waitress brought the food and I dug in. Elle messed with it, cutting the sandwich in half, before she began to eat.
“I take the gun,” she agreed as she wiped her French fry through her pile of ketchup.
“Okay. Where do we need to shop? Whores R Us?”
She threw a fry at me. “Any sex toy shop.”
I waggled my brows. “Can we buy toys too?”
“Are there any you don’t already have?” She shook her head at me.
“We’ll have to see.” This trip was already sounding better.
We hit a store a few blocks away. I didn’t find any toys but Elle got a great vinyl skirt, halter and boots. I wanted to play dress up later at the motel and she didn’t say no. Instead of driving across town to change, Elle changed in the dressing room of Candy Cane’s Adult Store. She was hot as hell when she stepped out of the dressing room.
She refused all my attempts to convince her to detour to any motel. We drove the block around the flop again, seeing no one in the alley by the fire escape. I parked a street over, apprehension settling into my gut. Greg had a reputation for brutality, which was why the contract was so high. I’d considered leaving her in Ardmore and bringing JoJo instead, but there was no way she’d forgive me if I dissed her that way.
I put the small Bluetooth device in my ear and Elle did the same. It’d allow us to communicate through our phones.
I left the SUV first, heading to the alley. “You are too sexy for this joint.”
“And?”
“Don’t stand out,” I warned her, not sure what kind of surveillance Greg had in place.
“Got it, boss. You know, I’ve done this before.”
Her sarcasm made me smile. “Don’t forget your gun.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Then I heard her boots echo on concrete.
“Where did you put that gun?” I was to the fire escape, no eyes watching me that I could see.
“You’ll just have to wonder,” she quipped. “Going silent, heading in.”
I heard the chatter of a television in the lobby, her boots on wood steps. I climbed the last flight of the fire escape, then pressed myself to the wall beside the window.
“In position,” Elle whispered.
I bent low and peeked into the window. Greg lay sprawled on an orange couch with the TV on. I couldn’t see his face so I didn’t know if he was actually awake.
I moved back against the wall. “Go.”
She didn’t respond but I heard her boots echo on the floor. She pounded on the door. I heard Greg move inside.
Another pound. “Come on, already, you called me.”
The sign, I moved to cover the window, seeing Greg staring through the peep hole. He turned, moving toward the window. I opened it, and he turned back throwing open the door.
I heard the sound of fist hitting flesh and looked up while I whipped through the window. The bastard had knocked Elle to the ground, but she’d caught his leg. Not expecting her move, he fell just beyond her, kicking his leg out to shake her off. She let go, springing up to stand, her boot connected with his ribs. He’d turned her foot and sent her to the floor, she was on top of him.
Then I was there. “Don’t move or you’re dead,” I told Greg, but he was already very still. I stepped forward to see Elle, Glock pointed under the bastard’s chin with a grin on her face.
Anger surged through me but I kept that shit in check. I positioned the gun so it was pointing dead center to his forehead. “Move away, Elle.”
She moved off him, but didn’t move away. “Roll over, hands out,” she commanded.
He rolled over, not causing any trouble. Then one hand disappeared and a knife appeared. I kicked the fucker in the head, knocking him out. “Restrain him,” I ground out. She slid the knife away before reaching for his hands and binding them behind his back.
Then she stood. “Now what?” She sucked in deep breaths trying to catch her breath from the fight.
“You cover him and I’ll drag him in his place until the wagon arrives.”
She pointed the gun at him before I grabbed his feet and pulled him into the room. Elle closed the door, her phone out to call the duty officer. She identified herself and requested a pickup. I stared at her quickly swelling left cheek and eye. “Go to the SUV and treat that.”
“I’m fine.”
“Do it.” I stood in front of her.
Greg groaned and tried to free his hands.
She stepped around me. “Don’t even think about it.”
“A fucking woman,” he spat, staring up at her gun. “Thought you were just a distraction.”
“Your mistake.” She grinned at him.
The police arrived about fifteen minutes later. Elle stood beside me, letting the fucking cops get an eyeful before they led Greg away. The duty officer had sent the paperwork, so we were able to sign everything without having to go down to the station.
“I wouldn’t even be mad if you arrested me.” One of the cops stared at her tits as he spoke.
I growled and the cop moved out of the room real fast.
“Down, boy,” Elle joked but I wasn’t in a joking mood.
“Let’s go,” I ground out, trying not to say the shit in my head. Part of me realized that if JoJo had been clocked on an apprehension, I wouldn’t think twice about it, but he wasn’t my woman. No one fucking hurt what was mine.
I held my silence, started the SUV and headed across town to our motel. I wanted that face treated now, and I wanted inside her. I’d never needed to possess her as much as I did right now.
I retrieved the first aid kit and our bags while Elle got the door. I walked inside and set the bags down then turned to Elle to find pissed off staring right back at me.
“What the hell is your problem?” She stalked toward me. “Why were you all up in my business?”
“You’re pissed at me?” I clarified before I lost my damn mind.
She jerked her head.
I threw an ice pack to her. “On your face.”
“My face is fucking fine, but we aren’t fine.” She stood inches from me, anger lighting up her blue eyes. “You order JoJo to the fucking car when he takes a hit?”
“You didn’t go,” I shot back, getting pissed off all over again. “He fucking knocked you down. Hurt what was mine.”
“I’m yours?”
“Fuck yes you are and I wanted to kill that bastard for touching you.” She had to be fucking with me. Of course she was mine.
“So this is some guy thing because we’re together?” Her chin tilted up in that stubborn way of hers.
“Hell yeah it is.”
“You wanted retribution?”
I nodded. “Kicked the fucker good.”
“You did.” She rubbed my chest.
“You were magnificent taking that bastard down,” I admitted. She’d been perfect.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I grinned down at her.
She pressed against me. “I need you, inside me, now.”
“Goddammit.” I picked her up and laid her down on the bed. “You don’t fight fair.”
“Not even a little bit.”
* * *
I left Elle sleeping at home while I headed to the club for another Council meeting. My phone buzzed but I couldn’t answer as I rode out to the clubhouse. As soon as I parked, I pulled out my phone, expecting it to be Elle checking on me.
It wasn’t. I hit redial and Shorty picked up. “Rebel, glad you called me right back.”
“Hey, how’s the whiskey business?” Shorty distilled whiskey in a little town about forty minutes from Barden.
“Awesome, man, you still paying for information on Gerald?”
Tension filled me and I wanted to reach through the phone and make Shorty appear in front of me.
“Yup.” I kept my voice calm. “Paying big.”
“He’s been showing up in Driscoll, the next town over, now and again. Likes lunch at that diner, at least that’s what a friend told me.”
“Is that so?” This was the best lead we’d had in months.
“You got more?”
“Word is he’s got eyes all over that town, knows you boys want him bad.” Shorty paused. “Maybe even has eyes in Barden, counting you guys, so to speak.”
Fuck, no wonder we hadn’t been able to get close to him.
“When does he show up at the diner?”
“Days vary, according to Janice, she’s my sweetie and a waitress there, so keep her out of this.”
“My word on that.” I’d never breathe a word.
“So she says when he comes, it’s at 11:30.” Shorty spoke quickly. “What kind of cash for that information.”
“You get $5,000 now and if I get him, another $20,000.”
“No shit?”
“No shit. And I owe you big, I’ve been hunting that bastard a year.”
“I told Janice we had to call, but she’s scared. Gerald has friends that have people spooked.”
“I appreciate the call. Cash work for you?”
“Cash works for me, get it my way whenever works for you.”
“I’ll do that, Shorty. Thanks.” I hung up. Looked for the number to call Jericho when he pulled into the lot.
I walked over to him. “I got a lead on Avery’s father.”
His eyes lit up. I gave him a quick rundown of what Shorty told me. “I gotta work this, I’m missing the meeting.”
“Get the fucker,” Jericho told me before he walked inside. I called JoJo, Delta and our three prospects and told them to meet me at my place in twenty minutes. Then I called Elle and woke her up.
I sped down the road to Ardmore, adrenaline pumping inside me. I had him if I could arrange it all the right way. Elle would be our secret weapon.
I walked into a house full of people. Elle had coffee in her hand and grinned when I walked inside. Her face was barely bruised now and when she wore makeup it was gone. That was good because I needed her in Driscoll today. We had thirty minutes to arrange the plan before I sent her south.
I laid out the information Shorty gave me.
“So that’s why we’ve gotten nowhere.” Delta nodded. “At least that makes sense.”
We’d ridden through every small town from here to Austin and heard nothing about Gerald but the barest whispers. Those whispers vanished anytime we got close.
“So Elle goes in as what?” JoJo asked the question of the day.
“I’m going to have to go more than once, so I need a story that stands up.” She tapped a finger on the table. “How about if I’m house hunting, looking to move from Dallas to a small town. I could even get an agent if I need to go back a couple of times.”
“Good idea.” I grinned at her. “You could drive all over with that story.”
“Exactly. And we use your little trackers to tag his truck, then I follow and direct you guys in. No way you won’t want to be the guy taking him down.”
God I loved it when she got me. She understood me better than I did myself half of the time.
“I want Dan to be your backup. He looks like every kid when you put him in street clothes and a cap.”
“Thanks,” the kid groused.
“You’re a farm boy through and through,” Elle crooned.
Dan turned red, exactly the reason he was perfect backup.
“The three of us—I pointed to Delta and JoJo, “—will wait in the SUV outside town, only moving in when we know where he is.”
“We should put a tracker on Elle’s truck, that way we can mobilize faster.” Delta stood. “We ready to roll?”
I grabbed some trackers to give Elle and we headed out. If I was real damn lucky, I’d have Gerald Townsend in jail tonight.