Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72895 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Calvin rolled his eyes. “She still looks after Ava.”
Now that was news to me. I hadn’t seen Madison in what felt like weeks, maybe months. “It’s not safe for Ava Rose to spend time at a police officer’s house.”
Cal glared at me. “I’ll decide what’s safe or not for my child,” he growled. “And Maddie comes here to watch her because we’re friends. And she actually gives a damn.”
His insinuation was clear. I didn’t give a damn about anyone or anything, at least from Calvin’s perspective.
“Good to know.” I studied my youngest son for a long moment, noting the signs of strain and exhaustion wrapped around him. From the lines around his eyes and mouth to the hunched set of his shoulders, Cal was angry and adrift. “Now we need to talk business, Calvin.”
“I’m listening,” he responded without giving me the fucking respect of looking at me.
“Look at me when I speak to you.”
He pulled his gaze from his sleeping daughter’s face. “I am.”
“Get into the police and FBI databases to see what—if any—forensics they have on the murders. We must know what they have as soon as they know it, before then, if we can swing it.”
Calvin nodded but otherwise ignored me. “I’m already on it.”
“Perfect.” There was always so much business to deal with, but with the investigation into the deaths of Bonnie and Mueller, it piled up for everyone. I turned to Vanessa, who was whispering and giggling with Emmett at the far end of the dining table. “Vanessa.”
She turned to me with her deep blue eyes wide with surprise. “Yes. Ma’am?”
“Keep your ears open. Listen to the chatter at the card games and let me know if you hear anything relevant to the investigation.”
Vanessa was a good girl, pliable and eager to help. “Sure.” She turned to Emmett and then back to me. “You know, a police lieutenant at a game last week said they had fuck all forensics—his words—so they were hoping for surveillance on all the paths that led to the crime scene.”
I nodded. “Well done, Vanessa. Thank you.”
“No problem, Sadie.”
“This presents a more pressing task for you, Calvin.” He tore his gaze from Ava Rose and sent a tired look my way. “I need that surveillance footage before you do anything else. Find it and bring it to me before we corrupt or destroy it.” I didn’t know much about technology, mostly I left it up to Calvin, but I knew the basics.
Cal stood with a nod, holding Ava Rose close to his chest. “I said I’m on it now.”
He quietly left the dining room, his plate still piled with food. I watched my youngest walk away from dinner, from the table but mostly from me. I knew he was still angry with me, and worse, I knew if he knew the full extent of what happened that night, he would never forgive me.
But he was young and ignorant of the facts, and I planned to keep it that way for as long as possible. For now, I had to focus on damage control. I didn’t want to fight my family while I fought the law.
My son’s anger I could handle. I wasn’t so sure I’d survive his hate.
Calvin will forgive me. He has to. I wanted to believe those words and another glass of Velvet Fire would help make a believer out of me.
For a little while, anyway.
Dinner ended, and I retired to my parlor with a fresh bottle of whiskey and some of the best marijuana in Nevada.
“Lucky Lopez has been closed for too long,” I told Jasper as soon as he set foot inside my personal space. “I want it open and making money again. Yesterday.”
“It will be open as soon as the cops clear it, Ma. It’s not like the titty bar made us any real money. It’s just to help us clean the money from the guns and the drugs. That’s our real money.”
“I don’t give a shit, Jasper. I want it open sooner rather than later.”
“Dammit, Ma. It’s not like we’re hurting for cash. Emerald Isle and Black Stallion still bring in a ton of cash, not to mention the skin trade.”
Jasper shook his head and poured himself a drink from the bar. “We have money. What’s this really about?”
“It’s about that redheaded bitch gunning for my family and for me in particular. We’ll need as many legal revenue streams as possible to deal with what’s coming, Jas. You know that. What if she decides to shut us down while they investigate?”
He looked at me with steel in his eyes. “Something you should have been worrying about weeks ago, and you probably would have if you weren’t drunk all the time.”
Kat appeared in the doorway with a smirk on her face that begged to be smacked.
“This is none of your fucking business, Katherine,” I snapped.