Copper grinned. “Perfect,” he said and proceeded to tell her everything.
Tina listened quietly, occasionally jotting something down on a notepad. When Copper finished, she sat back in her chair and met his eyes. “Well, this is going to cost you.”
Copper threw his head back and laughed as did the rest of us in the room. “Send the final bill to the clubhouse and I’ll make sure it’s taken care of,” Copper told her.
She looked at her notepad and started reading over her notes while biting down on the pen in her hand. I wasn’t sure if that was something she normally did, but I got the feeling it was a nervous habit, which did nothing to quell my unease.
“I believe everything you’ve told me, but we’re going to need proof to support these allegations.”
“I recorded the conversation we had with Mitzie,” I informed her.
Tina’s reaction was not what I expected. “In this state, only one party has to consent to the recorded conversation, which I assume will be you, but we can’t use it unless we can prove it’s actually Mitzie on the recording.”
I placed my phone on the table and played the first part of the recording for her.
“I’m Copper Black. And you are?”
“Mitzie Mayfield. Shouldn’t you know that?”
“Brothers, this is Tristan’s mother, Mitzie Mayfield. I invited her to the clubhouse to see if she’d be willing to chat with us regarding her family’s recent activities.”
Tina smiled broadly. “That’ll work. I’ll need you to email the recording to me.”
“Not a problem,” Copper said. “What next?”
Tina’s smile disappeared. “Unfortunately, to make sure this is handled correctly, it’s going to take some time, which means you’ll have to release Mitzie Mayfield.”
“She’ll disappear,” I blurted.
Tina arched an eyebrow. “Perhaps there’s some way to make sure that doesn’t happen,” she said suggestively.
Copper nodded knowingly. “There is. What about Tristan?”
“We need Mackenzie to file charges against him. One of you went over to check on her this morning which led to a physical altercation started by Tristan. It will be an obvious case of domestic violence and self-defense. He’ll be arrested and out of your hair,” Tina said simply. “Anything else?”
“What about River?” I asked. Surely, the new information would clear her name.
“I’m going to handle River’s case completely separate from this one. I have enough evidence to get her charges dropped without the new information you provided.”
After Tina went back to her office, Copper called Savior into the room. “I’ve got a new assignment for you, brother.”
“Whatever you need, Prez,” Savior answered automatically, almost robotically.
“I need you to escort Mitzie Mayfield to her home, and then I need you to stay with her until I say otherwise. Do not let that woman out of your sight.”
“By whatever means necessary?” Savior asked. Copper rubbed his chin while giving him a quizzical look, but Savior didn’t waiver. “I was referring to restraints, Prez.”
Copper nodded. “Yeah, restraints are fine.”
With that, Savior left and Copper called Coal and Mackenzie into Church. “Are you willing to press charges against your brother for assaulting you?” Copper bluntly asked Mackenzie.
“Yes,” she answered immediately.
“You sure?”
“Yes. He shoved me so hard I lost my balance and fell. Brinkley was in the floor playing and I almost landed on her. I’ve put up with a lot of shit from him, but I draw the line when it puts my child in danger.”
“Will it be a problem for you to say it happened today instead of last night?”
