I struggled to keep my temper. “Let me guess. They found drugs.”
“And a gun, but it’s like last time. Bailey can get him off.”
I set my turkey sandwich on the desk. “You’ve gotta be shitting me.”
“No, can you believe they’d fuck up like that again?” Oblivious to my sarcasm, Ambrose danced on his toes. “I need Bailey to represent him.”
“Dude, I don’t think so.”
An ugly flush stained Ambrose’s cheeks. “Why not?”
“You forget he did that as a favor. For free. He’s not gonna keep doing shit like that every time your brother fucks up.”
“Forget it. I’ll talk to him myself. I thought you were my friend.” Without another word, Ambrose stormed out, and I picked up the phone and called Bailey to fill him in.
“There’s no way the cops would make a mistake like that twice, right?” I asked.
Bailey mused, “I mean, it would be a royally dumb move, but I can’t say definitely no. I’ve got some work to finish up, buttomorrow I can make a few calls to see what the real story is, if you want.”
“Have I told you lately you’re the best boyfriend?”
“Hmm,” he hummed in my ear. “Let me think. No, it’s been a while. Remind me.”
“Kind and thoughtful…smart…”
“Keep going.”
“Face of an angel, lips of the devil that suck my brains out through my dick.”
“Mmm, say that again, big boy, and I’ll be right over to make your dreams come true.”
I busted out laughing just as the door opened. My client Mike Flynn had arrived. “Hold that thought, and I’ll see you later.”
“I’d rather hold something else.”
“You will be, all night long. Bye.” Still smiling, I tossed the remnants of my lunch and went to meet Mike, who’d already settled in the chair. “Back so soon, I see,” I greeted him. “You really are addicted. And a bouquet of flowers you wrote when you made the appointment?”
His weathered face split in a grin. “Listen, I got a new grandbaby. Gotta put her name with the rest. I got Lily and Jasmine, and now Rose.”
“Sweet. You’ve got a real garden growing. Now let’s see if you like what I drew up.”
I showed him the sketch, and his eyes lit up.
“Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.”
“Great. Where do you want it?”
He pulled off his jacket and sweater and turned around. “On my shoulder. There’s a nice patch of empty skin. I wanna nice big buncha flowers.” He flexed.
“You got it.”
I drew the stencil, but my mind was still on Ambrose and how he was allowing his brother to once again dominate his life. I hoped this time he wasn’t going to ruin it.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Bailey
Working through my files wasn’t the most pleasant way to spend a Saturday, but with Keston at the tattoo shop, I figured I might as well get a jump on the week ahead so I could concentrate on finding us a new apartment. For perhaps the fifth time that afternoon, I checked comps in the area of my father’s house. Prices had only gone up, and I chewed the inside of my cheek almost raw, paced my office, and downed two cups of coffee before picking up the phone.
