“And that courtesy element? The possibility that you might be willing to tell me where you’re going just as a favor?” It was surprisingly difficult to abase himself in front of these men. He hadn’t thought he had a lot of pride, but whatever he had sure objected to him asking for favors from bikers.
“I’m not sure I owe you any favors, Under-sheriff.” Larry pointedly turned to Mike. “Do I?”
“No,” Jericho said quickly. He wasn’t sure what kind of trouble he’d caused for Mike, and was less sure why he cared, but he was getting increasingly used to acting on feelings he couldn’t explain. “You don’t owe me a thing. But this could be the first favor, you know? After this, I might owe you.”
Larry’s smile was tight. “I don’t think we’re interested in trading favors. Thanks anyway.”
Then he revved his engine and pulled around Jericho, past the cruiser, and on into town. The rest of the pack followed him, the vans having to swerve onto the shoulder to get past.
Jericho jogged to the cruiser, ignoring the stares from the state troopers, and pulled the passenger door shut before reversing, shifting into gear, and heading after the bikers. “We’re on our way in now,” he said into the radio.
“Stay with them,” Kayla said. Her voice was colder than he’d ever heard it, even the day before when she’d been threatening to fire him. “And stay in your damn car. That’s an order.”
“Kay, I—”
“I’m busy at the moment. If it’s not relevant to the current situation, save it. We’ll be debriefing when this is done.”
He was pretty sure she muttered something after that, but he couldn’t quite make the words out. He’d worry about it later, after the adrenaline had worked itself clear of his body, after his hands were able to hold the steering wheel with a grip that didn’t make his knuckles ache.
But in the meantime, he could see the spotlight from the state helicopter shining down on Mosely, and he knew he’d given the state police at least a few more minutes to get in position, ready for whatever the hell the bikers were planning. He’d done his part, and if Kay didn’t like it?
Well, clearly Kay didn’t like it. But he’d deal with that later.
