“Mommy and Aunt Suzie brought some seedlings over for Grandma Mary.They’re out in the greenhouse.I said I had to use the potty.”
“Where’s your pack?”Colt asked her gently as he took the napkin and wiped a crumb off her chin.“The one with all your snacks?”
“In the truck, but it’s empty.I forgot to refill it.”She reached up and placed her hand over his mouth.“I know, it’s my responsibility, but I got busy.I ate before I turned into a meany.”
“You good now?”
“I am.”She nodded and kissed his cheek.She looked over at the others and nodded to them.“Who are you?I’m Jorja Matthews.”She turned on her father’s lap and reached for another cookie.No one told her she couldn’t have any more, and Colt knew this one would be for pleasure, because of the speed in which she’d eaten the first ones, she never tasted them.Her next statement confirmed his suspicions.
“This is good, what kind is it?”
“Cowboy cookies,” Jed said with a grin.“It’s an oatmeal cookie with everything in it.Raisins, chocolate chips, crumbled pretzels, butterscotch chips.”
“I like them, do you think Mommy has the recipe?”
“I’m sure she can figure it out,” he said gently.
Jorja nodded then turned to the men across from the table.“What’s with the chain?”She nodded toward Paul, and looked at him with a raised brow.
Paul felt like he had been put on the spot and just knew that he wouldn’t be able to lie to this kid.“I use this if I ever get in a fight.”
“Are you going to fight my Daddy?”
“Not if I can help it.”
“How do you use it?Can you teach me?”
Everyone in the dining room that knew her yelled, “NO!”Just as two women walked in.One of them swore, while the other screamed in glee.
“Paul!”
Paul was quick to recover and he stood quickly as his cousin launched herself at him.He noted that Aimee walked to the other side of the table and stood behind her husband, laying her hand on his shoulder.He saw how Colt reached up and gripped her hand in his.When he set Suzie away from him, he received a formal nod from Aimee, with a quick, “Rankin.”
“Mrs.Matthews,” he said with his own nod, and ignored his buddies.“I’m sorry for making this meeting without informing you, but I needed some information from your husband.I’ll be crystal clear here, I had only asked to speak with George, but he brought the others.”
“Why are you here?”
“Because I have questions about starting a club.”He pointed to the men with him, then leaned up on his hip and withdrew a thin black wallet from his other hip.He laid it on the table and pushed it forward.Before anyone could move, Jorja grabbed it and opened it.
“You’re a cop?”
“I am.”
“Why are there two badges here?”
“Because one of them is from the DEA, and the other one is from the ATF.I am an agent from each agency.”He nodded and the others showed their own badges, and once Jorja saw them, she returned them, then settled back against her father’s chest.
“What do you need to know?”
She didn’t see the smirks exchanged between the adults and he had to wipe his mouth to cover his.
“How does a club operate?”
“No clue, you’ll have to ask Daddy.”
“One thing before I leave with Jorja,” Aimee said firmly.“I know you and I don’t get along, Rankin, but I would like to give you some legal advice before I leave.”
“What’s that?”
