Page 16 of Ruthless Deliverance

Felix and Creed both have names of people I need. And neither are appealing to get them from. Felix is a junior, so I’m assuming he’s certainly underage. Creed, he’s eighteen. I saw that tidbit when I was researching him. So yeah, he’s of legal age and nothing about kissing him was illegal, but it shouldn’t have felt right. And it did. I wonder if my captain will give a damn when I’m explaining that to him on my way out of the precinct after disobeying direct orders. Such a screw up and I’ve only been on the force for two years. Damn it, Dani. Get your head on straight.

There’s only one place I can do that—Gus’s. My old gym. There’s nothing special about the gym itself, except the owner and the fact that I grew up within its walls because my dad was always there. Most of the guys on the force hang out there too. Growing up around all those guys is what made me decide to follow in my dad’s footsteps. I had zero hesitation applying for the academy the day I was eligible. Only thing that sucked was leaving my job at Gus’s. I’d started part time while in high school and went full time as soon as I graduated.

Dad wasn’t exactly thrilled or upset with my decision to go into the family business. Really, he couldn’t care less either way. I think he was just glad to be rid of me after all those years he had to raise me after Mom up and ran off on the both of us, her family. Only Dad didn’t want to have a family with just me and him minus Mom. But that’s why Gus and the guys became my family. The only one I never warmed up to was Philip, Dad’s partner the last few years after his previous one retired. Knox still frequents the gym along with some other retirees, and I need a dose of that improvised family, but I can’t. Avoiding everywhere connected to my real life is required until this task is over. After all, Sunland is just a town over from Radon, so it’s not far enough to comfortably assume I won’t run into anyone I know. My job depends on me making everyone think I’m simply a high school student working up a sweat.

Tossing the comforter off, I slide out of bed and dig for some yoga pants and a sports bra. I can’t go to Gus’s, but there’re plenty of other gyms, one for sure that isn’t far from here. I already know it won’t hit the spot exactly, but it has to make me feel better than I’m feeling now. I for sure can’t stay in bed stressing all day.

My bedroom door swings open and Philip steps in the doorway just as I’m tugging down my sports bra. “Damn it, dude,” I say as I grab a T-shirt and quickly pull it over my head. “Knocking can’t be that hard of a concept for you.”

“Don’t flatter yourself. You got nothing I ain’t already seen.”

“Yeah, well, you ain’t seen mine and let’s keep it that way.” I really need to remember to lock my door when I’m changing (and in general), because for some reason I feel like Philip’s forgetting to knock isn’t an accident. “Now, what’s so important you can’t be inconvenienced to abide the simplest of common courtesies?”

“The party. Find out anything useful, or were you too busy playing the cynical teenager role?”

Asshole. “I got a few leads but nothing concrete. More of who’s dabbling in rather than who’s dealing.” I’m getting too personally involved already, and I freakin’ know it. I don’t want to tell Philip who’s involved, and I barely know Felix, but he’s Luna’s brother. And Creed … well, I’m not even going there on the why I don’t want to put a flag on his head.

Luckily, Philip doesn’t ask specifics and just goes into a few questions about what was being passed around.

“Pills and weed. Nothing else from what I was able to see.” Philip remains in my doorway, standing silent. He sure has the overbearing, annoying-as-fuck father routine down. “Anything else? Because I’d really like to go now.”

“Where?”

“To work out. Is that all right with you, Detective?”

“As long as it’s not at Gus’s.”

“Yes. I know the drill.” Even though that’s the place I’d rather be heading. “There’s one off of Main Street that I’m gonna check out. Believe it or not, I’m not gonna screw up the case like you’re hoping I will.”

“My career is riding on this too. But there’re worse things to lose than a job, Danica. Keep that in mind when you question my intentions.”

He’s gone before I can respond, not that I would have. Something in his tone shifted way too quickly from asshole-y blackmailer to concerned guardian. And that does make me question his intentions, but it also makes me miss Gus even more. He’s one of the few people in my life who I’ve never questioned the intentions of.

16

DANI

“I’ll get someone right over for a tour,” the chipper girl behind the counter offers.

“No, that’s okay.” This isn’t the place I should be at. The two-story gym is more than adequate, excessive if anything. There’s so much available I probably won’t ever utilize. I just want a weight bag. I can get my cardio done anywhere, but what I really need is to punch something that won’t get me in trouble. It’s been way too long since my last workout at Gus’s, and I’m already feeling like I’m cheating on my old, stuffy gym. But I need to get in a good session if only to exhaust my body so maybe my mind will clear and shut the hell up for a few minutes.

“When would you like to schedule your hour-long personal training session?” She clicks away on the keyboard as she eyeballs the computer screen.

“I don’t want it.”

“Are you sure? It’s complimentary with your new membership.”

I can’t help but smile when I think of what’s complimentary with Gus’s membership. Musty smells and Gus yelling at everyone. “Yes. I’m sure.”

“Alrighty.” She finishes up on the computer then passes me a small business card after jotting down my member ID. “Sign into the app and your virtual membership card will be ready to use.”

“Thanks.” I doubt Gus even has a website much less an app. But at least I have a new gym for the time being, and it’s not the first time I’ve used my credit card with my new name and had to sign for it while utilizing my per diem. It’s one of the perks of the job, so I should use it a little more. Signing Danica Graham instead of Ava Saunders almost gets me every time. And each time I see Danica Graham on the credit card, it makes me think of my mom. It was her who nicknamed me Dani, my middle name and her first name, so Philip figured it’d be the easiest cover name to not slip up. So, my middle name became my first and my last name was dropped, replaced by Graham. I’d only known Philip by his actual surname, Favre, or some other colorful name my dad would refer to him as—Big Shot, Kiss Ass, or Dumbass. So, it wasn’t hard to adjust to his phony name.

Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I bypass the locker room for today and opt to bring my bag upstairs with me. Once I reach the second floor, I easily locate the weight bags lined up in the space right where the chipper receptionist said they would be. There’re only two guys in the area since the cardio and other sections seem to be the busiest from what I can see.

Pulling my T-shirt off, I shove it in my bag and grab the tape to wrap my knuckles, forgoing the gloves. I almost enjoy hearing Gus in my head, fussing because I’m not wearing gloves.

Situating my earbuds in place, I hit shuffle on my workout playlist, do an abbreviated version of my warm-up then move in front of the nearest heavy bag. Once my fist connects with the solid surface, the slight sting on my knuckles drives me to hit harder. The relief is immediate as I fall into a synchronized rhythm that I’ve stepped in many times over the years while Gus yelled what he called “constructive criticism” from beside me. Adjust my hand position or keep my defensive hand up to block while I swing with the other. Sometimes I wondered if he actually wanted to allow me to fight, but he always refused to let me join in any of the official matches at the gym. Most were just amateurs beating the shit out of each other for kicks, but all I’ve ever done is spar with a few of the guys. Once I showed them that I wouldn’t hold back, they wouldn’t either. Only, Gus would ream us if we got too carried away.