Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121728 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“I’m a cop. My gut instinct is solid. Also, I did a thorough background check on you, remember?”
“And you know I’m currently in debt,” she reluctantly reminded him.
“Not because of reckless spending. You have a good reason for it.”
“Not according to my parents.”
“You’re thirty-one. Since when do you answer to your parents? More importantly, you have to be able to live with yourself and your decisions.”
He was right.
She nodded. “Thank you for that reminder. And also not being critical of those decisions.”
“I understand the frustration and desperation when it comes to trying to save someone you love.”
Talking about her situation, as well as Sadie’s, made her tense. She really could use a long soak in the hot tub. “I’ll go see if I have a bathing suit. I’m not sure if I have one in any of the boxes I brought here.”
“And if you don’t?”
She jerked one shoulder up. “I’ll figure something out.”
“While you do that, I’ll go open up the hot tub and start the jets for you.”
She left him sitting in the kitchen and headed to his bedroom—her bedroom, for now—but, unfortunately, she turned up empty-handed so she found the next best thing.
When she headed back out to the kitchen, it was empty. An exterior patio light had been turned on and she saw Decker standing just outside the door. But she also heard the voices of two men.
When she got closer to the kitchen door that led out to the patio, the words became clearer and she realized he didn’t have company, he was talking on his cell.
She hesitated going out there and interrupting his conversation because it sounded like task force business.
Even so, it was possible she might hear something about her sister. She stood to the side of the door, pushing away any guilt about being nosy. Her assumption was that since he had the person on the other end of the line on speaker, whatever they were discussing couldn’t be top secret. Right?
“Brother,” Decker was saying, “got some new info you might not have yet.”
“What’s that?”
“They have nicknames for their new clubhouses. Besides calling their party house down in West Virginia the Viper’s Den after their president, they’re calling the clubhouse in Uniontown the Wolf Den since Wolf’s in charge there. I also heard someone mention the Bear’s Den. My guess is whoever’s running the Ohio chapter is using the road name Bear.”
“Well, aren’t they a genius and creative bunch?” came the nameless, faceless deep voice. “I’ll run that info by group three’s leader. Though, I can’t imagine he’s not already aware of that intel. Make sure to put those details in your daily report.”
“Will do.”
“That can’t be why your message insisted that I get back to you tonight. I figured it was something that couldn’t wait.”
“Yeah, it can’t.”
“Then let’s hear it,” the man on the other end of the line encouraged.
“Tonight, Wolf gave me an assignment.” Sloane could hear the reluctance and hesitation in Decker’s voice.
“What do you mean?” Caution colored that question.
“He’s putting me to work.”
“To be expected.”
“At Pizza Town in Connellsville. Doing deliveries.”
“Delivering pizza?” The mystery man chuckled.
“Doubt it’s pizza I’ll be delivering.”
“Fuck. They’re doin’ home delivery now?”
“When you think about it, it’s kind of smart,” Decker answered. Even though Sloane couldn’t see him completely because of where both of them stood, she could see him combing fingers through his shaggy hair. “Less traffic in and out of the pizza shop. At least in regards to drugs. And people order pizza all the damn time. So, home deliveries wouldn’t catch anyone’s attention.”
“True. But seriously… ‘Hello, Pizza Town? I’d like to order a pepperoni pizza with a side of meth?’”
“Sounds like it.”
“Do they have a special menu for that?”
“Glad you find that fucking amusing, Crew. But all indicators point to me having a direct hand in dealing drugs.”
Crew. The father, DEA agent and task force leader Decker mentioned earlier.
“Unless they’re going to use you as a heavy.”
She had no idea what a heavy was, but got an idea when Decker said, “I didn’t even consider that they could have me riding shotgun for protection.”
“I mean, you might’ve put on some weight but you’re still a big motherfucker and it’s hard to miss that your physique wasn’t made from beer.”
He’d put on weight? Even now, he had to be the most in-shape guy she ever met. Now she really wanted to see what he looked like prior to going undercover.
“Not thinking they’re going to use me as muscle. He specifically said pizza delivery and I can’t see any reason why they’d use two members for each delivery when they could sell twice as much by splitting them up. Bet they’re all carrying, anyway.”
“No doubt. But are they so desperate for bodies they’d get a prospect involved in dealing or delivery fresh out of the gate?” Crew asked.