Travis smiled. “One day I figure you’ll call in your markers and I’ll be here to answer.”
“I’m gonna hold you to it.”
Travis knew he would. One day. Until then, he did need Reese’s help.
“I need you to dig up some information,” Travis explained. “Guy named Daniel Schwartz. I want to know every fucking thing there is to know about him. Most importantly, everything he’s been up to for the past five years or so.”
“Daniel Schwartz?” Reese asked. “This is Mack’s kid?”
“Yep.”
“Does the craggy bastard know you’re diggin’ into his kid’s life?”
Of course he didn’t, because Travis wasn’t that stupid. He respected Mack, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t above risking the man’s wrath if it meant figuring out what was motivating the kid to be a royal pain in the ass.
“I’ll take that as a no.” Reese’s resigned sigh sounded. “Am I lookin’ for somethin’ specific?”
“I’m not exactly sure,” Travis told him, though it was only a partial truth. Travis had his suspicions, but until he had some concrete evidence, he didn’t intend to start rumors. “But I wanna know everything. Who he’s dated, what his favorite restaurant is, how much time he spends with his mother.”
“So personal details?”
“Exactly.”
“You have a timeframe for this?”
“Yesterday.”
Reese laughed. “Always with the ASAP. Couldn’t give me a month’s notice, could ya?”
“What would be the fun in that?” Travis countered, grinning.
“I’ll get right on it, boss man.”
“Thanks, Reese. I owe you one.”
“Many, Walker. You owe memany.”
Travis chuckled as he disconnected the call and set his cell phone on the end table.
“Do I even want to know what you’re up to?” Gage inquired as he stared back at him from his seat on the opposite end of the couch.
“Probably not.”
Gage shook his head. “I don’t think Mack’ll appreciate you interferin’ in his life.”
“That’s too fuckin’ bad,” Travis grumbled. “Man might not think so, but I consider him a friend. And this shit has gone on long enough.”
“By shit, you mean Daniel’s efforts to turn Mack into some uppity city asshole?”
“Straight asshole, at that.” Perhaps that was what irked Travis the most. He’d been as shocked as everyone else when he learned Mack was gay. Unfortunately, the man’s personal life had been outed back when AI first opened. Though he’d had no control over that, Travis still felt somewhat responsible. Not that he gave two shits as to who Mack spent his time with. When he’d learned the bar owner and the sheriff were an item … well, he might’ve said anatta boyor something along those lines. Of course, by the time word got out, that relationship had caught fire and burned to the ground. And Travis had spent far too long watching that young fuck of a kid put his old man through the ringer. As far as Travis was concerned, if Mack wasn’t going to stand up for himself, someone had to.
“You know I could handle that for you,” Gage offered. “I possess some mad computer skills.”
That he did, among many, many others.
Mad skills. Oh, yeah.
Images of what they’d done right here on this couch an hour ago flashed in his head, making his body harden all over again.
