I turned to them. “Hey,” I said.
Yep, they were both looking at me but neither responded to my greeting.
Whatever.
The bartender set the drink in front of me.
“How much?” I asked.
He grinned then winked. “That’s on the house,” he said.
Pu-lease.
I’d heard that before.
“How much?” I repeated, making my point that I was not interested.
He blinked then his face fell. He was cute and probably not accustomed to being shot down.
I felt sorry for him but I needed to flirt with a bartender like I needed a hole in the head. Firstly, Eddie and Hank were watching, they were friends of Vance’s and even though I was not with Vance, everyone including Vance thought I was. Secondly, I wasn’t into the bartender, I wasn’t into anyone including Vance (okay, that last part was a lie but I wasn’t adverse to lying to myself in extreme situations).
“A buck fifty,” the bartender cut into my Romantic Denial Reverie.
I dug in my purse, got out my wallet, gave him two dollars and he wandered away.
“Crash and burn,” Eddie muttered under his breath as I threw my wallet back in my purse.
“Sorry?” I asked even though I heard him.
Eddie moved away from the bar to stand beside me and Hank moved forward, both of them effectively fencing me in.
“Word of advice?” Eddie said, ignoring my earlier question.
I took a sip and glanced at him over the rim of my glass. Then I put the drink on the bar.
I did not want a word of advice from Eddie Chavez.
Instead, so as not to be rude, I said, “Sure.”
“Whatever Darius offers, take it, save face and get off the street.”
Hmm.
I was thinking these boys weren’t big fans of The Law.
I decided not to answer.
“You have a good reputation for the work you do. People respect you and have for a long time. Until this,” Hank said, standing in front of me. “It’s understandable. You work hard to keep these kids clean, when one of them goes down you want to do something. But Jules, you’re goin’ about it the wrong way.”
Okay, so even though Hank was being nice, I figured it was time to be rude.
“Thanks for the advice but you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” I said to Hank.
“We’re both Vice,” Eddie told me.
“I know what you are,” I replied.
“That means we do know what we’re talkin’ about,” Hank said.
“I know what Vice is,” I turned back to Hank.
“It’s about the kids,” Eddie murmured to Hank.
“Yeah,” I said to Eddie, my voice was low and serious and not to be mistaken, “it’s about the kids.”
Eddie just looked at me, unaffected by my-word-is-law tone.
“Maybe you should know Lee’s on his own with this one. Darius wants you off the streets and so do I,” Eddie said. “I don’t agree with Lee and if I see you on the streets, fuckin’ around where you shouldn’t be, I’ll take you down.”
The way he said it made me think this wasn’t an idle threat. Now I had the dealers and the cops actively against me. This wasn’t surprising but it was annoying.
I didn’t respond.
“You get caught, taken in, it could mean you lose your job,” Hank told me.
“I’ll take my chances,” I returned.
“We bring you down, we’ll go after Zip, Heavy and Frank next. They should know better than encourage you to put your ass out there,” Hank went on.
Damn, Vance had been talking.
Now I was beginning to get mad. “Zip, Heavy and Frank don’t want me out there. They can’t control me any more than Crowe can. They’re just giving me the knowledge to keep me from getting hurt.”
“They don’t have that much knowledge,” Hank returned, his voice and eyes hard.
Before I could reply, Eddie leaned in. “Something else, Law. You get Jet involved in any of this shit, she, or any of them, gets caught up or put in danger –”
“Back off, Chavez,” my patience was waning, “they came to me. I’m not recruiting. This is a one woman deal.”
“This shit spreads,” Eddie warned.
“I’d sooner gnaw off my own goddamned arm than see Jet or Indy or Roxie or any of them, get hurt,” I told the boys.
And to my surprise, I meant it and the looks on their faces told me they believed me.
Finally.
“They’re planning a birthday party not a vigilante drug war,” I continued.
This was met with silence.
“Though, Tex did offer me tear gas and grenades,” I shared.
“Jesus Christ,” Hank muttered under his breath.
“Don’t take him up on it,” Eddie said straight out.
I stared. “I thought he was joking,” I murmured.
“Fuck.” It was Eddie’s turn to mutter under his breath.
Before anyone could say anything else, Indy walked up to us, burrowing in between Eddie and Hank.
“Hey guys.” She smiled then she looked between the three of us, felt the tension and her smile faded. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” I said immediately. “So, is it cashews or macadamia nuts?”
She looked at me. “Cashews. It’s always cashews and you aren’t fooling anyone.” Her eyes flashed between Eddie and Hank. “You two, back off.”
“Stay out of it Indy,” Eddie said.
“You stay out of it. This is Jules’s deal,” Indy returned.
“Indy –” Hank started but Indy cut him off.
“Excuse me but wasn’t it you that went ballistic when Roxie was kidnapped? Lee nearly had to lock you into the safe room.”
Hank’s eyes remained hard but he didn’t respond.
Indy’s gaze cut to Eddie. “As for you, you think you wouldn’t go maverick if something happened to Hector?” Indy asked Eddie.
“Hector?” I cut in.
“Eddie’s younger brother,” Indy told me.
“I’m a cop,” Eddie reminded Indy.
“You’re a cop who already doesn’t follow the rules. You’d lose your fucking mind if something happened to Hector and it could and we both know it.”
“Hector’s my brother, this kid Jules is avenging –” Eddie started.
“He meant something to her,” Indy interrupted him.
“God dammit, Indy –” Eddie carried on and Indy leaned in.
“He meant something to her,” she said quietly. “You know how it is. You already lost Darius, Eddie, and what happened to him turned you into a cop. You know.”
I watched, fascinated, as Indy and Eddie squared off.
Neither spoke. Neither moved.
I was beginning to think Indy was a bit of a head-crackin’ mamma jamma too.
I realized this could go on all night. “Oh, for goodness sakes,” I cut in, “it’s cool, we’re cool, the world is cool. Indy, do you want a drink?”
She tore her gaze away from Eddie’s and looked at me. “I can’t. Lee called. It’s time.”
Saved by the call from the badass boy.
“Great,” I said, “let’s go.”
Indy kept glaring at them both deciding to include Hank in her unhappiness. I grabbed her arm deciding not to go the way of the glare; I’d already been rude enough. I dragged her to the door.
We were in Hazel and on our way to the Nightingale Investigations offices before I asked about Hector.
“Lee, Eddie and Darius were all best friends for as long as I can remember. As kids they were wild, serious wild, crazy wild,” she told me, then stopped.
“Yeah?” I prompted. I kept my eyes on the road but I heard and felt her move in her seat to turn to me.
“It isn’t my place to say, but we all loved Darius, we all still do,” she said, shocking me.
I didn’t respond.
“He was a gre
at guy. I think he still is that guy, somewhere deep. When he was in his late teens, his Dad was murdered. Long story, sad and ugly. Darius had a rough time, fell in with a bad man, lost his way and never found it back.”
I nodded. Some people were born bad; some people were forced into it. It was interesting to know which sort of person Darius was.
“Lee and Eddie had different reactions to this. Lee straightened up and went into the Army. Eddie straightened up and went into the Academy. Regardless, they’re all close to this day.”
“And Hector?” I asked.
“Hector’s a wildcard. No one knows what he’s into and he’s gone off the radar. Eddie and Lee are trying to get a lock on him but they’re getting nothing. I told you about Lee, Eddie and Darius because they could get into some big trouble, hotwiring cars, bar fights, shit like that. Rumor has it Hector’s giving them a run for their money. We’re talking bad shit far beyond hotwiring cars and bar fights.”
I pulled in my lips, catching her meaning. I didn’t respond and simply drove.
Indy went silent until we got close to Lee’s offices and she directed me into an underground parking area. I parked next to Vance’s Harley.
The sight of it made my heart skip a beat.
“Vance has a great bike,” Indy breathed, staring at it.
“You can say that again,” I told her.
She smiled at me. “You ride on it yet?”
I nodded.
“Is it hot?” she asked.
I nodded again, this time on a grin.
“Lee has a Ducati.”
“Nice,” I said slow.
She started to giggle and for some reason so did I.
After we finished giggling, we got out, went into the building and walked up some flights of stairs. Outside the door that had a plaque that said “Nightingale Investigations” on it, I stopped and turned to her.
“I hear anything about Hector, I’ll let you know. You can do with it whatever you want.”
“I’d appreciate that,” she said then she went on, “so would Eddie.”
I figured I could use a favor from Eddie, especially since he intended to “take me down”.
We walked into the offices. All the lights were on and I was surprised at the reception area, it screamed money. The place was decorated richly, cowboy chic, gleaming wood, leather couches and a bronze bucking bronco on a column in the corner. Behind the huge reception desk sat a blonde woman who was so gorgeous, she looked cut out of the pages of a fashion magazine. The woman looked up, her brows drew together and she stared at us with undisguised dislike as we approached the desk.
Yikes.
“Hi Dawn,” Indy said, smiling sweetly but supremely fake. I was impressed.
“Hi Indy,” Dawn returned the favor and her gaze moved to me. “Who’s this? Is it The Law?” she asked sarcastically.
Oh my God.
What a bitch!
“My name is Juliet Lawler,” I told her, my voice cold.
“Yeah, I know,” she said back, her voice arctic.
Wow. She was a bitch.
I wondered if it was just us or if this woman was mean to everyone who walked through the doors. If so, Lee needed a new receptionist.
Indy leaned into her and said with false concern for Dawn’s welfare, “You do know there are cameras and bugs in here?”
Dawn didn’t bother to respond, got up and walked around the desk.
“I’ll tell Lee you’re here,” she said.
“I’m sure he already knows,” Indy replied.
Dawn disappeared behind a door.
“What a bitch,” I said my thoughts aloud to Indy.
“She had a thing for Lee,” Indy informed me.
I made a face. “You’re kidding? Did he know?”
She nodded her head. “Yeah, he didn’t care, not interested. Then she had a thing for Vance.”
This information coupled with the knowledge that everyone (as in everyone) kept telling me Vance was a player made my stomach clench in a very unhappy way.
I couldn’t help myself, I blurted out in a whisper, “Oh my God. Did he do her?”
This time she shook her head. “No way.”
“Thank God,” I breathed. If Vance touched Dawn, well… one word: ick.
“Then she had a thing for Luke. No go. Then Mace, then Hank. They all think she’s a bitch.”
“Why does Lee keep her?”
“Says she’s efficient and…” she hesitated, “cordial.”
After she said this, in unison we both widened our eyes at each other and then burst out laughing. In fact, at the idea of Dawn being cordial, we laughed so hard, we bent double with it.
“Having fun?” Lee asked, moving toward Indy, having entered from the doorway.
Vance was coming at me and Dawn was walking behind the desk. I straightened, wiped a tear of laughter from my eye and watched Lee approach Indy, which gave me the opportunity to ignore Vance.
Lee put his hands to either side of Indy’s neck and kissed her right on the lips. After he was done, Indy smiled up at him, his eyes crinkled and watching them my heart spasmed.
What in the hell was that all about?
A heart spasm at the sight of true love?
What kind of head-crackin’ mamma jamma was I?
“Law,” Vance said beside me.
I turned to him. “Crowe,” I returned the greeting.
I held my body stiff, my emotional Rottweiler had woken up and was on guard. Vance watched me closely and I got the impression he saw my Rottweiler and decided he was a cuddly puppy. I got this impression because his sexual tractor beam switched on, his eyes got soft and his arm curled around my waist, pulling me around and into his body.
“Crowe,” I said low and quiet, a warning in my voice.
He ignored my warning and his face dipped close to mine. “Shut up,” he said but he said it through one of his grins.
“Don’t tell me to shut up,” I flashed.
He just kept grinning.
Whatever.
“Are we going to do this or what?” I asked.
Instantly, his eyes went serious but he didn’t let me go.
“We get there, you let Darius talk first. You let him have his say and you listen. Then you let Lee guide the conversation and you take cues from Lee. Yeah?”
“I’m not stupid,” I told him.
“I know you aren’t,” he surprised me by saying.
I blinked at him. “Really?” I blurted, then I wished I hadn’t because his eyes got soft again and I was having trouble channeling my head-crackin’ mamma jamma with his soft eyes on me.
“Really,” he said quietly.
“I thought you thought I was a little crazy.”
“Crazy. Yeah. Stupid. No.”
Hmm.
That was mostly good.
What was I thinking? I didn’t care if Vance thought I was crazy or stupid.
Before I could purposefully kill the mood, Luke did it for me.
“Fuck. You guys havin’ a sit down with Darius or an orgy in reception?”
I went up on my toes and looked over Vance’s shoulder. Luke was standing in the doorway, arms crossed on his chest. He looked like he didn’t know whether to grin or vomit. A glance at Dawn showed she definitely wished she could vomit and her eyes were on Vance and me.
I smiled brightly at her just because. I felt Vance’s body move with laughter even though he didn’t make a sound.
I turned my head and frowned at him. “What?” I snapped.
His mouth came to ear. “Wouldn’t know, don’t want to know, but I bet she doesn’t taste like cherries.”
That got a belly flutter.
I sicced the Rottweiler on my belly flutter and glared at Vance when his head came away from my neck. “Stop talking to me. I’m trying to channel my head-crackin’ mamma jamma.”
At my words, a hint of surprise passed his face then he got that “you’re adorable” look again and even though I k
new he heard me, he asked, “Your what?”
Time to stop speaking.
He watched me a beat and then looked at Lee. “We movin’?” he asked Lee.
“Yeah,” Lee said to Vance and his eyes cut to Dawn. “Dawn, thanks for stayin’ late. We’re done for the day.” Then he looked down at Indy and I watched as his face went soft. “Luke’s takin’ you home.”
“Lee, if you want, I can take Indy home,” Dawn said sweetly, the queen of kindness.
Blech.
It was my turn to consider vomiting.
“I got her,” Luke walked forward without sparing Dawn a glance.
Vance let me go and I turned to Indy just as she arrived at me and gave me a big, surprise, hug. I stood in her arms, uncertain what to do for a second then I hugged her back.
“Good luck,” she said when she let me go and then she got close and whispered, “remember, deep down, he’s a great guy.”
I took a breath and nodded.
Before Indy and Luke left, Luke stopped at the door and sliced his eyes to me. “Tomorrow, five thirty, here, you and me. Don’t be late.”
Then he was gone.
I stared at the door. “What did that mean?” I asked Vance.
“You’re training with Luke tomorrow,” Vance told me.
I totally lost any hold on my head-crackin’ mamma jamma and my mouth dropped open. “No I’m not.”
“I were you,” Lee said, coming up to us, “I wouldn’t be late.”
I stared at the both of them.
Fuck.
* * * * *
Vance followed me to my house on his Harley. We parked Hazel in the garage, I jumped on his bike and we met Lee at a bar on Colfax, the same bar I’d seen Darius in a few days before.
We got drinks, Vance a soda, me a diet soda (even though I wanted tequila, I was still going for a clear head) and Lee a beer.
We stood at the bar, me and the badasses, surveying the room and not speaking.
Vance didn’t get touchy and sexy. This was a different Vance. This was badass Vance. He was relaxed but alert and very serious. We weren’t lovers here, we were partners. How he communicated this, I could not tell you, but he did. I knew it, felt it. Anyone in that bar fucked with me, they fucked with Vance.
And it was pretty clear no one wanted to fuck with Vance.
Or Lee.