“You were really never going to take over from your uncle, were you?”
“No. It’s not my chosen profession.” Quinn grinned, then went to his car.
“Huh, who would’ve thought.”
“Nobody, that’s kinda the point,” Quinn said, saluted the Sheriff and got into his car.
He called Brody’s number as he drove toward the warehouse.
“What’s up, Q?”
“Hey man, I’m heading to the warehouse right now, Jimmy wants to talk. Can I park my car on your lot?”
“Shit, yeah, of course. Just drive in, I’ll open the gate.”
“Okay, be there in a few.”
As promised, the junkyard’s gates were open when Quinn got to the warehouse. He drove in, turned the car so he could just drive off if need be, and glanced at the time on his cell. He had roughly ten minutes to be across the road.
He popped the trunk, then got out of the car.
Brody ambled over when he was going through his hidden stash.
“Sorry about Ian,” Brody said in lieu of a greeting and they man-hugged quickly.
“Thanks. It is what it is.”
“So you’re leaving town?”
“I’m trying to,” Quinn spoke absently as he got out his Glock and the extra magazine. He left the backup, older Glock in the hidey hole. Then he took his knife and strapped it around his ankle.
At least he’d had time to change into jeans after the funeral. He moved his stuff around and frowned at his bullet proof vest.
“Wait…” Brody said slowly.
“Oh, right.” Quinn handed over his badge and waited as Brody read it.
The sudden, loud belly laugh almost startled him, and Quinn looked at Brody.
“Sorry, it’s just…you’re a….” He tossed the badge back to Quinn, shoulders still shaking. “Of course you are. It makes so much sense. Oh man…” Brody wiped his eyes and then got serious again.
“Look, Aaron, Charlie, and Lennox are waiting for me. We’re supposed to leave at seven thirty. They’ll leave without me if I’m not there by then, so I’m trying to make this quick and painless.”
“What’s really going on?” Brody asked quietly. His gaze was sharper than usual.
“You’ve seen bikes here today?”
“Not today, no, but there have been a few on and off for a while now.”
“Jimmy’s gone into business with the Burned Skulls.”
Brody cursed and shook his head. “No wonder. Okay, I assume you’re here on a job, then?”
“Undercover, of sorts. I was to keep an eye on how the transfer went from Ian to Jimmy and this is what happened, right? Well, now I know they really sent me here not for the family but for the fucking bikers.”
While he explained, he made sure he had his weapons at hand, just in case. He left his badge in the compartment and closed it.
“No vest?” Brody asked, frowning.
