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“Second-generation asshole,” Rod pronounced.
“So all in all, I’m glad to be clear of that family. Besides, Quinn said Marissa and Levi will be back in time to eat dinner and cake and celebrate her marrying the right guy, which is more than a lot of folks can say. And I s’pose I could get someone out here to paint me another pig.”
Quinn and I stared at him blankly.
“You know, on the silo? I had a real soft spot for that Windy Pig.”
I opened my mouth, then shut it again and nodded politely.
Tommy and Rod exchanged a look. Rod nodded once, and Tommy leaned forward in his chair to rest his forearms on his desk. “Alright. Enough socializing, boys. Tell me more about what you want with my Horn. Quinn explained a good bit, but I’m finding it all a little hard to believe. Drug cartels and DEA agents want my Horn?”
It was even more fantastical when you suspected the DEA agent and the drug cartel might be on the same team, but I wasn’t going to share that bit.
I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees and my hands spread. My instructor on body language use during collaborative negotiations would have been proud.
“It is hard to believe, sir. The whole thing is a little bit ridiculous, but it’s also very serious. We believe the information on that device is critical to the safety and well-being of people across the country. You know I don’t work for the government—”
He nodded. “Private security, like Rod’s company.”
“Exactly. And we’re trying to protect our client by keeping them from being associated with this information in the public sphere. We fully believe this information should be put into the right hands, most likely the DEA, but we’d like to be the ones to do that in a way that also protects our client.”
Tommy nodded. “I’ll assume your client is the Horn of Glory Corporation itself.”
I didn’t say anything, so he continued. “Quinn explained that as long as I’m suspected of having this information, my family could be in danger.”
“Yes. Absolutely. There is a very dangerous and powerful drug cartel that will do anything to recover this information and keep the government from getting their hands on it. We don’t know how much they know right now in terms of the Horn’s precise location, but we believe they’re here in the Thicket looking for it.”
“What makes you think that?” Tommy asked.
“We found surveillance tech in our office, and an intruder was seen trying to break into Quinn’s shop last night. Things are escalating, which is why we decided to come to you and tell you what’s going on.”
Tommy’s piercing stare was meant to intimidate, but I’d been on the other side of much more intimidating glares than his. “Mr. Champion, I can’t say I’m thrilled you used deception to weasel your way into my home. All this time, I thought you were here as Mr. Taffet’s partner, and in reality, you were doing some kind of reconnaissance. Is that correct?”
I reached over and grasped Quinn’s hand. “Not exactly. I am Quinn’s partner. And I wanted to be here with him regardless of the Horn situation.” It wasn’t completely accurate, but it was true nonetheless.
Tommy nodded and looked over at Quinn. “Marissa said you really came through for her. She said you were the one who told her to follow her heart.” He cleared his throat. The man was definitely not used to talking about emotions. “I never did like the way Trey treated my baby girl. I know Carlotta had a lot of things to say about the family and such. She told me to let Rissy handle her own love life, so I stayed out of it. But I’m glad you didn’t, Quinn.” He exchanged a look with Levi’s dad before looking back at Quinn. “That’s the only reason you’re sitting here right now.”
Quinn and I both nodded. “Yes, sir,” Quinn said. “We appreciate it.”
“The only way I’ll do this is if I get that Horn back. I don’t care what information you need to take off it, but you will give it back to me in working condition.”
This time I was the one who said, “Yes, sir.”
He pulled it out of a desk drawer and set it on the surface between us. The peach-color gaming device looked ridiculous in the sober situation.
Quinn stood and reached for it. “I promise Champ’s team will get it back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, Champ has the decoy for you to put in its place for tomorrow.”
I pulled Kev’s collectible out of my coat pocket and handed it across the desk. “If someone comes in during the wedding like we anticipate, it would be best if they could find this fairly easily. Maybe put it in a display box on a shelf as if you were going to bring a few VIPs back here during the reception to show it off? Then stay the hell away and let them come take it.”
