Page 72 of Jonny’s Redemption

“Happy for you,” Jonny interrupted.

Macy snapped her mouth closed and new tears formed.

“Thank you,” Jonny went on.

“I don’t know what you’re thanking me for,” Macy said.

“There’s a lot I could thank you for, Macy, but I was talking to Alec.”

“You don’t—”

“I do,” Jonny cut Alec off. “If nothing else, I’m grateful for the way you love them, but you know it's more than that, brother.”

Alec lifted his chin and cleared his throat. “I hate to cut this short but I’d like to get home and spend some time with my kids before we drop them off at Ron and June’s.”

Ron and June Hartley were Macy’s parents. The only grandparents Rory and Caleb had. Unlike Jonny’s parents, they were good people and loved having their grandchildren around. Seeing as Jonny’s father hadn’t had time for sons, Calvin hadn’t had any for his Caleb and Rory when he was alive. And Anita was at best indifferent about them.

Everyone stood and while the women were saying goodbye, chattering on about the trip to Nashville, Alec jerked his head toward the door.

As soon as the two men were out of earshot Jonny launched in.

“That was fucked-up, you being in a position to have to keep my secret. I shouldn’t have asked—”

“Shut it,” Alec interrupted. “I don’t make a habit of keeping shit from my wife, but there are times when it’s not my place to say anything, and that goes both ways, to you and to her. I knew you were working up the nerve to talk to her and she needed some time to pluck up the courage. It’s all good. But I do need to talk to you about Candy Bull.”

Jonny went from a family situation that made his heart sore to a straight-up evil situation that made his gut roil.

“What about Candy?”

“I’m getting a gut feeling all of us leaving and her staying in Kent County unprotected is a bad idea.”

“She won’t be unprotected. I talked to Vaughn and he’s all-in.”

Vaughn wasn’t big on socializing. As in he didn’t do it, period. The guy needed to be alone like some people needed coffee to function in the morning. It was a damn miracle he was able to hold down a job his need ran so deep. But then so did his need to protect people.

“And while he’s at work?”

“Sheriff Baker.”

“Seriously? He agreed to that?”

No, he hadn’t agreed. Jonny had guilted him into it. Reminding him that Anderson’s life had been ruined because of them. Neither Jonny nor Baker had planted those drugs in Anderson’s car, but they’d been with the department at the time and they both had known something wasn’t right. Every single man and woman in uniform at the time of Anderson’s bogus arrest was at fault and now there was a strong possibility he was dead. At the very least they owed his wife their protection.

“Can’t say he’s thrilled Candy hired Gemini Group but after we spoke he saw the wisdom in taking Dillinger’s warning seriously.”

“In other words, you reminded him he’d taken over a dirty sheriff’s job.”

Alec was sharp.

“Well, there was that, too.”

“Right. Good. Vaughn and Baker can handle her until we get back. It’s only two days.”

Jonny’s lips twitched at Alec’s nervousness.

It had nothing to do with Candy. Not that he didn’t want her safe but he had something else on his mind.

“The kids will be fine with the Hartleys.”