His grin faded, and he managed to look a little ashamed as he scooted back around to take his seat. “Sorry about that. We hear a lot of crazy conspiracy theories, and you have to admit, Mayor Kinlan’s son raping a girl who seems to have disappeared into thin air sounds pretty sketchy.”
“Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction.”
“Don’t I know it.” He glanced at his computer screen. “And Emily believes you, or she wouldn’t have taken the case. She’s even hired a private investigator to find the girl.”
Emily was already poking around, which was what I wanted, but it instantly made me fear for her safety. Mayor Kinlan had gone to a lot of trouble to cover his son’s ass. He wouldn’t appreciate anyone who bared it again.
“But after what you just did for Emily, I promise I’ll put you through anytime you call,” Jayson said.
“’Preciate it,” I replied. “Oh, and be sure to let her know she’s eating lunch with me Friday. Can’t let Lance think I’m a liar.”
“We sure can’t,” he said with a laugh as I left.
* * *
Deryk was waiting outside Emily’s office. He peeled himself off the wall and joined me as I headed out of the building.
“You see that dickhead who just came out?” I asked.
“Yessir.”
“Good. Remember his face.”
I needed to put a man on Emily. Deryk was a recruit, but he was green. Really green. Normally we kept the new guys—especially those freshly out of a bad situation—close to their sponsor for the first month or two, to make sure they didn’t snap. But Deryk had served two and a half years in the Navy, and his situation made him the perfect candidate for watching Emily. I didn’t believe in coincidences. Maybe this was exactly what the kid needed so he could forgive himself and get on with his life. It was a gamble, but it felt right in my gut.
“You think you’re ready for a job?” I asked.
He eyed me, his expression both curious and guarded. “What kind of job?”
He probably expected me to give him some sort of nefarious, illegal task, but my club wasn’t about that shit. “Don’t look at me like that, kid. We’re the Dead Presidents because we gave everything for our country, and the powers that be seem to have forgotten we even exist. I know you haven’t met him yet, but my dad doesn’t mince words. If we were one-percenters, acting outside of the law, he would have named us the Impeached Presidents or Dirty Senators. Some shit like that.”
“Sorry.” He ducked. “I just… I don’t know anything about you, really. There was a motorcycle club where I grew up. They were always in the news for shit, but none of it was good.”
“Yeah, well we aren’t them, so I need you to get that out of your mind right now. One of our brothers is currently incarcerated, but we all stand behind the reason. And I’m betting you will, too.”
With that, I explained Havoc’s situation and Emily’s role in getting him out of the slammer and acquitted of charges.
After a few questions about Havoc and the missing girl, Deryk eyed me. “You’re afraid the mayor will sic someone on Ms. Stafford to scare her off the case.”
I nodded, even though it wasn’t a question. I had to hand it to the kid, he was both smart and observant. “This Kinlan joker is bad news. I need someone I can trust to keep an eye on her and make sure she’s safe from the Mayor’s thugs as well as that persistent ex of hers.”
“The dickhead you told me to remember? That’s the ex?”
“Sure is.”
“You got a picture of Ms. Stafford so I can see who I’m guarding?”
His lack of hesitancy reassured me that he was, in fact, ready for the job, and the determination in his eyes said he wouldn’t let me down. I whipped out my phone and pulled up Emily’s picture from her firm’s website.
His eyes widened. “She’s pretty.”
“I’m aware,” I growled. “Don’t be gettin’ any ideas.”
He chuckled. “She’s a little too old for me, Prez.”
It was the first time he’d acknowledged my position. The kid was coming along just fine. Better than most. I boxed him on the shoulder.
“Remember that and keep your paws off her and on your phone. I need you in constant communication with me. When she leaves work, text me and let me know. When you get to her new destination, text me again to update your location. Even if it’s as mundane as the grocery store, I want to know. If anything seems off, you get a bad feeling, or you come across the barest hint of trouble, contact me immediately, I don’t care what time it is. I can’t help you if I don’t know what the fuck’s going on and where you are, so I need you to keep me filled in. I’ll have replacements bring you food and relieve you when you need to sleep or take a break, but I need all that communicated. You hear me?”
