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Ford walked with Dana to his car and the tension felt as frigid as the fall, night air. He had so much he wanted to say to Dana, but everything seemed wrong for the moment.
“What was the message?” Ford asked.
“The usual. Back off.” Dana leaned against his driver’s side door.
“What do you think Duke will do?” Ford asked. He and his brother hadn’t been with Duke as long as Dana. He hadn’t been around for the last threat so he didn’t know how Duke and Quick handled them.
“He’s going to do what he always does… catch them.”
Ford nodded, liking the sound of that. With his military background, he didn’t know the meaning of cowering from a threat. Ford waited for Dana to keep going, but all he did was stare at him. Those sharp brown eyes roaming over his face and chest. Why did he have to look at him like that? Make Ford think things that weren’t true and want things that were out of his reach. Wish for things that would never exist. Like the idea of him and Dana together.
Ford’s phone rang, breaking their connection. “It’s Duke.” Ford hit the speaker phone and moved in closer to Dana on the pretense that he wanted him to be able to hear everything. But he just needed to be close to him.
“Talk to us. Quick’s on three-way,” Duke said instead of hello.
“He’s good. We’re in the parking lot. They had a message,” Ford responded.
“Let me guess,” Duke hissed. “Don’t keep after them.”
“You got it.”
Duke and Quick’s laughter filtered through the line. They all loved this part of the chase. The Grossmans were terrified. Like Mack said: Duke always gets his man.
“Let’s meet at the office at seven. I think these boys are about to jump ship. The threat is a stall tactic. They have to know I won’t back down, but they probably suspect we’ll take time to reassess. Big John’s getting his affairs in order, collecting on debts, and then he’s making a run for it. Our time table just shrunk significantly.” Duke continued, “Ford, I still want you at the courts by eight, but make sure you and Dana are ready to get me some intel tomorrow night. I’ll have Judge send over a couple guys to cover court duty for the next few weeks. This case is top priority.”
“Roger that,” Ford answered for them, ending the call.
Dana met his eyes again. He looked so unsure and Ford hated it because he knew it was his fault. Dana couldn’t have a clue where he stood with Ford right now. He’d treated him like shit earlier at his house because he was pissed at himself for wanting something forbidden and had taken it out on him. If he’d only known that mere hours later Dana’s life might be in danger, he may not have acted like such a jerk. Dana was his partner at work, he needed to do better with their communication, or this complete lack thereof could put them at risk in the field.
“So much for our weekend off. I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” Dana opened his car door and Ford could see his window of opportunity fleeting before his eyes.
“No problem.” Ford cleared his throat. Anxiety once again kicking in. “I just want you to know, I got your back.” Damnit. That wasn’t what he wanted to say. He wanted to say, “I’m sorry for giving you such a hard time but I want you in my bed, not in hers.”
“I know, Ford. See you tomorrow.” Dana drove away, leaving Ford standing there with his regrets.
Ford
Court was boring, as usual. They only had one bond hearing on the docket and their jumper actually showed up. As soon as Ford saw him, he left, he didn’t worry about securing anymore bonds. Duke said the Grossman brothers were priority, so he wouldn’t worry about obtaining more business for now. Ford texted his brother as soon as he got back in his truck.
Ford: Bri. Got some addresses?
Brian: Yep. Dana has them already.
Ford: He at the office?
Brian: Waiting on you.
Ford’s stomach flipped over. Waiting on me. How could he spend all evening and most of the night with Dana with all this shit lingering between them? Ford drove through the busy streets of Atlanta, taking the scenic route westbound on Memorial Drive. He knew he needed to get to work but he wanted a plan together. He may even have to eat a little crow. Ford had no right to tell a grown man who to date or give him shit for who he laid down with. Ford wasn’t even a close friend, not like Dana was with Brian. Ford was merely a co-worker. And whose fault is that?
Ford kept thinking while he transitioned onto Whitehall Street. There wasn’t much to look at on the desolate road. A few eateries, mom and pop businesses, automotive shops, but mostly empty fields with either dead grass or concrete slabs where businesses once sat and flourished. Homeless men and women made their way around the backs of buildings, either looking for supper or shelter from the cold. A man in a camouflage jacket held a cardboard sign in his scarred hands at the corner of Northside and Whitehall. Bold dark letters read: RETIRED VET HOMELESS WILL WORK FOR FOOD. Ford stopped at the light, regardless that it was green, and ignored the angry blares of car horns behind him as he fished out his wallet and gestured for the man to hurry over and get the three twenty-dollar bills Ford held out the window. He was tempted to flick off the jerk behind him that was still laying on his horn, but instead he gave the old vet the money, a sharp nod and drove off. He glanced in the rear-view mirror, watching the vet amble back over to the median to tuck his bills in his pack. Ford hoped he used it to get a room and a hot meal for the night. He knew many veterans developed alcohol and drug problems when their country turned its back on them after they’d served and lost everything: their families, homes, money… even their minds. But Ford couldn’t worry about what the ex-soldier would buy with the money, he just wanted to help. He understood that he or Brian could’ve been in that man’s shoes. Although Ford accepted the dishonorable discharge, he hired a JAG Officer to sue for his benefits. He’d fought too hard for the United States – served for over twenty years – to just be dumped on the streets like trash. He used every trick he knew to save himself and all his brothers. The ones who’d disobeyed direct orders and followed him to that dangerous cave in Afghanistan. Ford had dirty information on high-ranking military officials. It was in their best interest to give him his demands. All he’d wanted was his pension for him and the men that had followed him and for Brian to have full medical benefits when they got back stateside. Ford had kept them all from being just another homeless military statistic but he’d always carry the shame of being dishonorable.
