“What about your mom?”
Breath whooshed from his lungs. “I haven’t told her what I found either. Mostly because she has enough going on with her ankle.”
He could hear Maggie rolling her eyes at him. “That’s her son.”
“I know. I’ll tell her.”
She gave his hand a squeeze, not releasing it. “I can’t really be upset. It’s not like I told you everything, either.”
They arrived at the Haven, exiting his car and walking inside in tense silence. Luke changed into his tactical pants, aware of Maggie’s eyes on him.
“Please, don’t go anywhere without someone with you,” he begged as he strapped his vest on. The image of those divorce papers riddled with bullets plagued him.
She pressed something hard and metallic into his hand. He looked down and opened his palm. Her keys for the Haven and her room were in it.
“Sweetheart…”
“Come here afterwards. I don’t care how late it is.” He looked up at her face, her lower lips quivering, but her jaw remaining firm. “I need to see you’re okay.”
He tucked the key into his pocket and crashed his lips into hers, putting everything he couldn’t say into his kiss. “You got it, Mags.”
“Ouch, that thing’s hard.”
The vest. He released her, laughing at his own stupidity as she rubbed her breasts. “I’m sorry.”
“You can kiss them and make it better when you get back.” He wagged his eyebrows, and she stood on her tiptoes for one more quick kiss.
“You can hold me to that.” He winked then walked out the door.
Normally he wouldn’t wear the Kevlar with its FBI patch to drive, but just in case the raid went sideways, he wanted to be prepared. He drove to the rendezvous point Gabe had given him, a secondary entrance to the trailer park. Most people didn’t use this road where the county sheriff vehicles lined up along the gravel driveway.
Luke hopped out of his car, took his firearm from the trunk, checked the magazine, and slid it into his holster. He walked up to where Gabe was going over the plan with six other deputies.
“What’s a Fed doing here?” one of the guys said. Gabe looked up from the map on the hood of his car and waved.
“This is Luke. We go way back. Luke actually brought the evidence to us, so be nice.”
He held his hands up. “I’m not here to take over your investigation. This isn’t my jurisdiction.”
The other deputy’s eyes narrowed. “Why would you bring it to us?”
“Because one of the assholes dealing is my brother.” The fidgeting and the grumbling stopped, and someone let out a low whistle.
“I’m sorry for what’s about to go down.” Another deputy removed his hat and ran his hand through his hair.
“Not as sorry as I am, or as I’m going to be, when I tell my mom about it on Easter morning.” He shook his head. If only Aaron had listened to him.
An older gentleman with gray at his temples stepped forward, holding out his hand. “I’m Sheriff Metz. Thank you for your assistance, son, but I don’t envy you that conversation.”
“Thank you for taking this seriously.” Luke grasped his hand firmly. “And for allowing me to tag along.”
Metz gave him a nod, then motioned to Gabe to get on with it.
“Like I was saying, we station Houston and Lopez at the back door, me and Song will go in the front. The rest of you will hang around in a circle to keep anyone from escaping.” Gabe turned to Luke, his expression grim. “I’d rather not arrest your brother at your house if I can help it. Your mom doesn’t need that.”
Luke shrugged. “If he sees me and escapes, he probably won’t go home.”
“Good point.” Gabe walked over to an SUV where another deputy had a laptop open in the backseat. “Rhodes, what do you have for me?”
