Ace paused when he noticed that she looked so upset and then he swung his gaze over and studied her cousin.
Shay noted the exchange as well.He studied Ace then the other brothers but they didn’t seem to know what was going on either.Shay just shook his head and asked the girls about the frequencies they would need.Shay was about to leave with his team.
Ace asked him to stay behind.He kept looking at Charli with concern and turning to Shay he said, “I know you want to be there when they find the weapons but I’m asking you to stay behind.There’s something going on here with Ray and I have a feeling it is connected to his brother Julian.That is Mario’s dad.Plus, Ray claims that you have no right to arrest him because he is protected by Gypsy law and his own traditions.He seems to think he hasn’t done anything wrong here but he says he will not be judged by our system.”Ace shook his head.“He also seems to think if he’s convicted by the Council for gun running, they will shove a blade into his chest and they won’t be judged by our laws either.Ray admitted to being a dead man walking either way but if he is killed by the Council, it will be over quickly and he won’t suffer.”
Shay slowly shook his head at him in a disgust that matched his.
Ace growled.“Ray is the same man who stayed behind when the rest of his family went back to Italy.He stayed to watch over Charli and the family sent money back to pay for her life.Only Ray never gave her or Ben a dime of it.In fact, he hasn’t seen her in fourteen years.”
Shay looked puzzled and asked, “And Mario’s father and this council are coming here for what purpose?”
Ace raised an eyebrow and smirked, “They’re coming to take Charli back to Italy so during some upcoming Festival she can marry a man she’s never met.According to their traditions, because Michael was their leader up until the day he died, she was promised in marriage to another tribe.Her father would have signed a marriage contract when she turned seven, only her father died when Charli was five.But Mario and Ray both said Julian would have signed the papers on her behalf.”
“And just when did they tell Charli this news?”Shay asked carefully.
“That happened the day before yesterday,” Ace informed him.
“Did she have any idea about this little custom while she was growing up?”Shay wanted to know.
Ace shook his head.“Not an inkling.After Michael died when she was five, that family left Charli here alone with Ben and his wife.They raised her and she never spent any time with them.Until she was about fourteen and they visited for a couple of weeks.Then they left for Italy and never told her they were leaving and they never came back either.She doesn’t know the first thing about her father’s family or their traditions.I mean I never heard anything about them from her either.As there wasn’t much for her to tell me.”
Shay thought about this for a moment then he asked, “And now?You said Julian is coming, what’s that all about?”
Ace snorted, “Julian thinks once he and the Council members explain the tradition that Charli will just go with them and get married.There’s a real problem for them though, she and I are already married and we have a son together.Julian seems to think she’ll just abandon us and go with them to marry another man in a foreign country, no less.”
Shay chuckled and shook his head as he looked amused.“Has he ever met your woman?If he comes in here sprouting that bullshit, she's gonna be reaming him a new one, right quick.Then she’ll start on this council and they will all walk funny as she runs them off with her shotgun because they will all have an ass full of birdshot.”
Ace grinned.“I see you have gotten to know her well.Then if she brings out her blades they’d better run for the fuxking hills.She’s wicked with those things and I would hazard a guess that Mario might just help her out as he’s the one who taught her those moves.”
Shay cocked his head at him to ask, “He would draw a blade against his father?”
Ace shrugged.“He might if any more secrets come out.”
“What does that mean?”Shay frowned.
Ace crossed his arms over his chest and replied, “I have a feeling there’s something going on and it's gonna split that family wide open.”
“You mean that look they shared when they both heard the name Hammer?”Shay asked quietly.“I saw that and now I’m curious.”
Ace nodded.“You and me both.But I’m trusting Charli.I know she isn’t going to let this just slide away into the shadows.And she isn’t going to abandon me or little Ben for any damn Gypsy tradition.This farm is where she grew up.In fact, we stayed here with her because she won’t leave the only home she’s ever had.I don’t think for a moment that she’s going to turn her back on the values Ben taught her growing up.One thing I learned about them from the first day I met her was that Ben didn’t run away from problems, he faced them head on and that’s the same grit he taught Charli.She isn’t packing up and running anywhere.Nope, not that woman, she’ll stay here and face her uncle and that damn council head on and she’ll tell them they are too damn late to make her do anything.”
“Do you have any idea how much money the family sent back for her?”Shay asked..
Ace shook his head, “I have no idea, but it was enough originally for Ray to build his compound and start running his guns.”
“Just how wealthy is this family?”
“No clue and it's none of my business.But I was there the day Ben’s attorney told her he left everything he had to Charli.Not that Charli wanted what Ben had, she’d rather have Ben around but his inheritance was about a half a million dollars and the farm.Hell, the farm itself is worth about that same amount if she were to sell it.”
“Would she ever sell it?”
Ace snorted.“You know better than that, Shay.This farm is her life, her last link to her grandparents and her family is buried on this land.No she’ll never sell this place nor will she ever leave it behind.”
Shay nodded at him.“Ok, my men can chase down the frequencies and find Ray’s guns.I’m more than a little intrigued about finding out what Julian and this council have up their sleeve.And while in the US...their laws cannot supersede our laws.I’m not going to just allow Ray to be judged by their Council.I want to see him stand trial and to see him locked in a cell.I want to be the one to throw that damn key away.”
Ace grinned.“Now you’re talking.”He looked up and paused.
Charli and Mario were standing in the corner, whispering rapidly.Their voices were low and they were arguing in Italian so no one would overhear what they were saying.
