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“You’re right. I don’t.” He sighs. “You think he’d have had his men beat Evan up if you hadn’t been there?”
“I dunno. What I know is that he told Evan he’s not allowed to leave town or quit his job at the garage. Why would he need his thugs to deliver a threat?”
“For intimidation purposes?” John heaves a disgusted sigh. “That bastard, I swear… God knows how many calls we got to go break up a bloody fight between him and one of his mechanics. Every single time I was glad you moved away from that place.”
I nod, mulling all this over. “Well, I came to ask you to keep an eye on Jasper. Make sure he doesn’t get anywhere near Evan again. Can he get a restraining order?”
“He’d have to file it himself,” John says, leaning back in his chair. “You really think Jasper would go after Evan for quitting?”
“Finding good mechanics around here is hard, and if he’s losing men at a steady pace…”
“Yeah, I see your point. Dammit.”
My mouth twists in a wry grin. I wouldn’t want to be in John’s polished shoes. I’m not even sure he can protect Evan. Hell, he couldn’t protect my family when that son of a bitch Jeff Adams went after them.
Speaking of whom… “What about Adams?”
John winces as if the name physically stings. I know exactly how he feels. “Locked up.”
“And his family? Is anyone related to him around?”
“Not at all. Why are you asking me this?” His eyes narrow. “Anything I should know about?”
“Nah, I dunno.” I rake my hand through my hair. “He’s a psycho. Such things run in families.”
“I doubt that.”
“But you’re not sure.”
“Matt. Stop that.”
“Look, I still fucking panic when Octavia or my kids are not in my immediate line of sight. Asking if the guy who kidnapped and tried to kill them is behind bars is within my rights.”
“I know. He’s staying in prison until he rots. You got nothing to worry about, okay?” He places a hand over his heart, his dark eyes serious. “He, his sister, and anyone who has ever known him won’t take a shit without me knowing, and I swear you’ll be the first to know if they move your way. I got your back, man.”
I look away, so fucking touched I’m at a loss for words. “Thanks, Johnny,” I choke out. “I appreciate that.”
“It’s Detective Elba to you,” he mutters, and snickers when I turn to glare at him. “I should be getting back to work. I’ll talk to Evan, see if he wants to file a restraining order against Jasper Jones.”
I push my chair back to get up. “One last thing. What about Ross?”
“What about him? He was in prison, last I heard.”
“Is he dangerous?”
John freezes, half-out of his plastic chair, brows lifted. “Dangerous? Mind clarifying that for me? Dangerous in what way?” He sinks back down. “He’s an asshole. A bully. He likes shoving people’s faces into the dirt and pick fights for no good reason.”
“I see.” Same old Ross. Nothing’s changed.
“However, he’s never hit a woman, as far as I know. Why the sudden interest?”
“He’s getting released from prison tomorrow morning, and we’re gonna pick him up. Octavia… she wants to talk to him.”
“About?”
“Yeah, good question. She’s got this idea that he’s… good, I guess, underneath the asshole exterior. And that he needs her help. She’s been having nightmares about him dying.”
John doesn’t bat an eye at this, which reminds me why I respect the hell out of him. “I see why you’re concerned. I doubt Ross will hurt Octavia, not physically anyway. If she thinks she can take the usual verbal abuse he likes to dish out, then you should be safe.”
