“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Mason warned gently, and Buck was never happier for the calmness of his sibling. “First, when you two see the chief tomorrow, I’ll be in the meeting as well. We’ll get your detailed statement down as evidence that you were used for the transportation of possible unlicensed alcohol without your knowledge or consent. I’m sure that by you coming forward with this information, the documentation of your unwitting role regarding the matter will be enough to exonerate you should it come to that. We might even…” Mason actually smiled.
“What?” Buck asked.
He looked suddenly pleased with himself. “With a few phone calls to the right people at the Border Patrol, we might even be able to set up a sting that will implicate Bobbie’s brothers, but leave her in the clear since she’s cooperating.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes,” Bobbie agreed.
Mason’s satisfaction grew. “We obviously can’t get them for stealing your money fifteen years ago, Bobbie, but if we work this correctly, they could be on the hook for smuggling goods across borders using international waters.”
Bobbie didn’t look so certain. “A few crates of beer once a week?” she scoffed. “What could possibly be the penalty for that?” Her face scrunched up. “A slap on the wrist? A fine?” sheasked. “Not enough. If I’m going to be on the receiving end of their ire when they find out I’m the one who squealed on them and set them up, jail time needs to be mandatory.”
“Don’t you worry about that,” Buck snarled. “If they so much as lay a finger on you, they’ll answer to me.”
“They’ll answer to thelaw,” Mason corrected him sternly. “And regarding jail time, how long did you say they’ve had you going to Canada?”
“Just over a year,” Bobbie supplied.
Mason smiled again. “I’m pretty sure that will not only prove malicious intent on their part, but the amount of alcohol smuggled could add up to a sizeable amount. If we tally the total volume of alcohol that’s crossed the border… Well, I’ll say it’s probably enough to warrant jail time. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves,” he cautioned, tamping down his enthusiasm. “First, as soon as my little guy here gets checked out, I’ll make some calls and find out if your brothers really do have a license to brew.”
The conversation was interrupted as the vet and Spencer emerged.
“Next,” Dr. Katze said with a smile, not knowing the seriousness of what was being discussed in her waiting room.
Bobbie, probably having heard enough, got up with a nod and followed the vet in.
Spencer immediately sat and asked for an update.
Buck and Mason took the time to share all the scuttlebutt with their brother, who declared himself onboard with the operation; stating he’d be available in any way if he could possibly help.
“Appreciate it, Spence,” Buck said. “It could get ugly.”
“No. It won’t.” Mason pointed a finger at Buck. “I know this is personal for you, and I get it. But going after Bobbie’s brothers,rogue, is not going to help her situation. Let us work through all the red tape, will you please?”
Spencer added his two cents worth. “I can see by the way you look at Bobbie that you’re thinking there might be something between you to rekindle. So do as Mason suggests. Don’t blow things by pitting yourself against her brothers without using legal channels.”
Buck glowered. “I get it. I don’t like it, but I get it,” he reiterated. “Fine.” He addressed Mason. “I’ll let you turn all the legal wheels, but understand this, Mase. If, once things start unraveling for them, either one of those shitheads does anything to retaliate against Bobbie? All bets are off.”
Twenty minutes later,Buck, after dropping Mason off at the police station to get his car, drove Spencer back to the bridge where he’d lefthisvehicle. Bobbie was riding shotgun, and Buck couldn’t wait to say goodbye to his brother and have her to himself.
Ever since they’d traded their “I lust after you” revelations a few days back, Buck had been working up his courage to resume that discussion and see if he could do some of that lust stuff, along with working it into relationship territory. A million times since that day, Buck had regretted not taking Bobbie up on her offer of a kiss. What an ass he’d been. Instead of saying “hell, yes”, he’d asked for a hug instead.
What kind of an idiot did that?
Him, apparently.
But he cut himself some slack. He hadn’t wanted a one-and-done physical encounter. He’d wanted Bobbie to understandthat he was innocent in the whole sailboat debacle before seeing where their attraction could go.
But now that they’d cleared the air between them in that regard, he wanted to revisit the heart-stopping assertion she’d made about wanting her hands all over him.
Did it still hold? Would she relent to that whole lot of touching if she understood that Buck wanted more than just physical closeness?
There was only one way to find out.
After Spencer got lost.
“See you tomorrow morning, Spence,” Buck finally and eagerly called as Spencer jauntily left the van with a squiggling Duck held up against his chest. Buck didn’t want to dismiss him too quickly. His brother would see right through that. “We, uh, can do an inventory of all the stuff I picked up in New Hampshire, first thing tomorrow, and probably disinfect it before we put it to use.”
“Yeah,” Spencer snorted. “I’ll have to hear all about that onion odor.”
