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My son. My girl. No doubt.
“No,” I tell him. “A few more weeks.”
Richter eyes me. “You think about becoming a cop?”
“I got enough on my plate with my brothers.” I slip the photo of King into the manilla folder.
“What you want with that?” Richter demands.
“Target practice.”
Aiden King’s photo is going up on the Bullshit Box’s dartboard. I want to ingrain the asshole’s face in my memory, so if he comes to Resurrection, I’ll know exactly where to aim.
My phone vibrates.
DAKOTA: ALONE IN CORNER STORE. PREGNANT. BORED. HORNY. SEND HELP. OR BETTER YET, A MARINE.
I chuckle. The thought of a naked Dakota pressed against the kitchen wall of The Corner Store has me hard already.
Folder in hand, I shove out of my chair. “Appreciate your help,” I tell Richter and turn for the door.
“Montgomery.” Richter’s boom of a voice stops me. “You don’t have a badge. Remember that.”
My hand fists.
Richter swears under his breath. “I’m breaking rules for you, Davis. Because you’re a good guy. But my station, my town, comes first.”
I give a nod. “I understand that, sir.”
Richter won’t have to break his black-and-white rules. But I will. When it comes to my family, gray is all that matters.
I’m halfway across the parking lot when the sputter of an engine has me turning.
Fuck.
Stede McGraw.
Our meeting flashes through my mind.
A meeting I’ve forgotten.
Quickly, I tuck the folder containing King’s photo under my arm and redirect my stride from Dakota to Stede.
But the old man misses nothing.
Stede’s bushy eyebrows rise. “My daughter safe?” he asks as he wanders toward me.
“She is.”
“I like to hear that.” He motions toward his truck. “You want to talk? Let’s talk.”
We settle inside his dusty pickup, twisting to face each other.
The scent of coffee and sawdust fill the cab of his truck. A photo of Dakota and Fallon as little girls peeks out from the underside of his visor.
“I don’t like rumors, Davis. Not in my town.” Stede’s tone is no-bullshit. “And when I hear rumors, I like to get to the bottom of them.”
“I understand that, sir.” I harden my jaw and look Stede in the eyes. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you today. It’s about Dakota.”
