“Sure, I have a couple of meetings this week, but we can work out a time.”
“Yeah, doesn’t have to be long at all. I’m covered up in orders, and I lost time making them having to move locations and buying a bunch of new shit in order to fulfill all of this. The thing that pisses me off the most is that he knows he’s done all of this to me, and he doesn’t give a fuck.”
Molly frowns. “Oh honey, I’m sorry. He doesn’t, and I wish he did.”
Tears spill over the waterline of my eyes, and I reach up to swipe it away. “I thought he did at one point, and it’s hard coming to the realization he wasn’t the man I thought he was. But there might be freedom in that,” I whisper. “Freedom to let it all go.”
“That sounds amazing to me, Mags. Letting this go is all the freedom that you’ve needed, and I know that you’re going to take it by the balls, and make your life exactly what you’ve always wanted it to be.”
I just wish I could believe all of this is happening for a reason. Otherwise I’m the least lucky person I’ve ever met.
Chapter 9
Levi
“Is Magnolia okay?” Dakota asks as we head downstairs to the evidence room.
It’s where we keep the confidential funds that we can use to make undercover buys with. There is plain old cash, along with fake credit and debit cards. I’ve only been down here once and that was when I was newly hired and getting a tour of the place. I try to play it off when Dakota asks me. If he knows that Magnolia and I are talking on the regular, and especially if I’ve invited her to stay at my house. Everyone will fucking know. “Yeah, I texted her to make sure because I know Molly will be all up in that business. Especially with Dad responding to the scene.”
He gives me a glance like he doesn’t believe me. “You’ve had a crush on her for years. I’m sure you’re chomping at the bit to move in and be the one who fixes everything that’s broken.”
That kind of pisses me off. “She’s not broken, Dakota.”
“I didn’t say she was,” he holds up his hands as if he can stop the anger from my words. “I meant more that the situation is broken.”
“Well I mean look at it from what her point of view probably is. We’re weeks away from Thanksgiving. Who wants their home life to be in disarray this close to the holidays. Especially when everyone in Laurel Springs knows exactly what’s going on. Have some compassion.”
I’ve given away too much, I can tell by the way he’s eyeballing me. It’s as if he can see right through me. “Yeah, and you’re just saying all this as a brother who cares about his sister’s best friend for his sister’s sake? Come the fuck on, Levi.”
We’re downstairs and I shoot him a glare. “You and I are best friends, and I know for a fact you aren’t telling me everything you’re doing. Let it go, my friend.”
He clamps his mouth shut quickly, and I wonder just exactly what he is hiding. If he wasn’t, he would’ve kept at it, and not worried one bit that he was pissing me off. Now though, I’ve gotten him to leave me alone, and there’s no sense in starting all this over again.
“Gentlemen, what can I help you with?”
Erin has worked in the evidence room for years, although she’s not much older than we are. She graduated with my sister, so while I don’t know her well, we can have a conversation. “We’re going undercover,” I say with a grin.
She grins back. “Oohh exciting. Is this y’all’s first undercover operation? It’s always fun when it’s the first.”
“Yeah.” Dakota slaps his hands on the counter. “Have you got any tips for us?”
“Don’t blow your cover.”
The three of us are quiet for a minute, and then we look at each other and laugh.
“No seriously,” she laughs. “The two of you are going to do well because you’re friends. Typically when officers are friends, it feels more legit.”
“That makes sense. They said we’re supposed to get our cash and cards from you,” I tell her as I lean against the counter.
“Yep, I make the cards, which anywhere else would be illegal, but I get to do it for a job. How cool is that?” She’s so happy to be doing this. I wonder if this is what I’m like to others going to work every day.
I truly love this job, and I want to be good at it. Even though law enforcement runs in my family, I never want to take it for granted, and I’ve always yearned to excel. “That’s pretty damn cool.” I chuckle. “It’s the same for me though. I mean how cool is it that we’ll be able to pretend to be other people?”
She grins back at me. “Really cool.”
Dakota looks between the two of us. “Y’all get super excited for this, don’t you?”
We both nod, and then go on discussing how cool it is we get to do this and get paid.
