Halligan agreed, though if they did end up needing to, he thought the smash room like Broken Hearts Brewing had in Bluff Creek or maybe axe throwing would be a good addition.
“Why don’t you all put a plan together while Ry, Renae, and I take Loni up to the balcony or across the street to chat baby stuff?” Vivi suggested.
“Loni, you don’t have to leave with the women. If you want to be involved with the planning, I want you here. I’ll never be that guy that says this is only for the men,” Halligan said.
Loni stood up and kissed his cheek above his beard. “I’d rather hang with the girls and then have you tell me the plans later. I get too anxious thinking through all the contingencies,” she said.
“Okay, where would you all rather hang?” he asked.
“Let’s do our apartment across the street. I can show you what we have and see what all you’ll want,” Vivi suggested.
“If they’re going over there, Peck, Burt, and I will take them over through the tunnel and keep watch,” his dad said.
Halligan relaxed, knowing that his dad and uncles would keep the girls safe.
“Tunnel?” Loni asked.
Halligan pulled her into his arms for a minute. “I hadn’t had a chance to show you that safety feature. There’s an access tunnel under the bar which also connects to a tornado shelter and everybuilding we own on this street. No one will know that you’re moving between buildings and only family and close friends know about it. Enjoy the time with the girls and we’ll get this figured out,” he said.
He let her go, knowing his family would keep her safe. It was time to get serious and take care of Franco.
Chapter Twelve
Halligan stared at the plan they’d come up with in the last two hours. With Franco able to be here within five hours, they’d worked quickly. The room for one night made him think that they wouldn’t be dealing with him until tomorrow, but Halligan didn’t want to take any chances. Torrent and Maverick from the Grave Prowlers MC had shown up as the girls left.
Pit knew them and had asked if they could help. Torrent and Maverick had been on their way back from a run and had stopped to assist.
“Let’s go through this one more time. Torrent and Maverick are going to hang in the bar at a booth with a line of sight to the door and our front parking lot. Quinton will be on the rooftop patio as overwatch. He’ll have McClure as a spotter and reloader.Others will be here, here, and here,” Halligan said, pausing to think things through one more time to see if this was the best way.
“Take a breath,” Brew said. “Renae will be with the women and Shield as the last line of defense, but they’ll be in the basement of Bill’s house behind the bar. I think Bill should be there too, just sayin’. Whiskey, Halligan, and Crewe will be in the bar serving people as if it’s a normal day. Schaefer will be monitoring the computers with Gaines. Hennessy and Dillon will be posted up on the road outside of town to let us know as they pass and come in behind them. I’ll ask one more time. I know Bluff Creek is on backup, but they are an hour and a half away if we need something. Do you want me to have them come and hang out here in the apartment building or somewhere else?”
“I don’t know. Would they be better staying away as a safe place for Loni to be taken to if something happens?” Halligan asked, his voice shaking. The thought of Loni and their unborn baby being in danger petrified him.
“We don’t have to make any decisions yet. My guy tagged all their vehicles, and I have alerts set to let us know when they leave. We’ll have four to five hours to get in place. He also left two of his men across the street in a room to keep an eye for when Franco left. There’s no way he’s leaving Colorado without us knowing. I vote we all head to the bar, get a drink, and eat. We’ll be fueled and ready. If anybody is tired, they can catch a nap in one of the rooms in our family apartment across the street,” Schaefer suggested.
Halligan nodded. This waiting was agonizing, but the longer he could keep Loni safe, the better.
Loni sipped her ginger ale. After she’d related how her morning had started, Vivi had made her a care package for her apartment with all the things that had helped Vivi with nausea during pregnancy. Most of the items were things Vivi said Schaefer used when he was hungover and wouldn’t miss.
Crewe had delivered a tray of appetizers and sandwiches he thought the women would like. Loni could get used to someone providing food just because.
“It’s early and I know you’ve been through a lot. Did you see a doctor before you left Las Vegas?” Vivi asked.
Loni shook her head. “No, once I realized it, I was worried and wanted to hide it. With Franco’s tendencies, I worried he’d try to do something to make me lose the baby.”
Ry moved closer, putting her arm around Loni. “I’m so sorry you’ve had to deal with so much. We’re here for you in whatever way you want. We’re sisters now, even though the guys are cousins. We’re family.”
Loni appreciated the way they’d pulled her in and accepted her.
“Franco sounds like he needs to be castrated and made to swallow his balls. Men like him shouldn’t be able to exist and run rampant,” Renae said casually as she picked up another sandwich to eat. “Sandwich” really seemed like a misnomer because he’d made some amazing gyros with tzatziki sauce, pulled pork with barbecue sauce, and a variety of meats, cheeses, and veggies on sub sandwich buns.
Vivi grinned and chuckled. “Renae, you’re my kind of woman. I agree. My previous father-in-law and brother-in-law had some similarities with Franco. The Nelson clan, with some help from the Saint’s Outlaws and Bluff Creek, taught them a lesson they won’t forget. I have a good feeling that Franco won’t be leaving Dodge City a happy man.”
Loni missed getting to spend more time with Hennessy’s wife Ellie, but she had to admit she was relieved that all the younger kids were in another town. Bill, Burt, and Peck had decided to guard the girls from downstairs. They were covering all the entrances to the apartment while letting the women have privacy.
“Now back to a doctor, there’s a general practitioner who is the go-to guy for delivering babies here in Dodge City. I delivered in Bluff Creek, and Stella, who is a nurse practitioner, and Flick, an EMT, were there,” Vivi said.
“Oh, no, no way am I letting the fat-fingered guy who reeks of onions and chooses not to wash his hands touch my wife and put his fingers near her, her…” Halligan grumbled, seemingly at a loss of what to call her vagina. This was a different side of him she definitely hadn’t seen.
