Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Weird or not, I’d wait for her to take the time she needed to come into her own. And one day, if I were lucky … she’d pick me. Not because I helped rescue her. She’d choose me for me and for reasons that had nothing to do with looks or returning the favor of her freedom. And then I could show her that I could love every part of her, even in ways she hadn’t imagined.
12
LOS ANGELES
Deputy Chief Nolan McGregor
December
“ ’Ello, Nolan, this is Leith. Big Brody’s son.”
As if I knew another Leith. I rolled my eyes, squeezed the steering wheel, and masked a gulp with a friendly “What can I do for you?” On this beautiful Monday morning. Care to ruin my week?
“My clan’s gonna need you to come to the house at your earliest convenience.”
Why? “Is everything alright? It’s not … Jamie. I haven’t gotten a call about him in years. Is he okay?”
“For the time being, yes. I understand that we’re in the middle of the holiday season, but it’s imperative. What time can you arrive?”
At Leith’s insistence, I tugged at the collar of my golfing polo shirt. Why’d I attach that last blasted button? And why had I set the precedence of asking how high? when those MacKenzies ordered me to jump? “Oh, I’m sorry, son. But I’m in—” My eyes flicked past the stone walls of Loyola High School to the street sign, Venice Boulevard. “Venice … Italy. The wife waited forever for our fifth anniversary. You know that. I invited you to the party … we have one every year.”
“Thought that was in June?”
What was this, an interrogation? “She … wanted to go for Christmas. Have you ever been to Venice at Christmas?”
“Nae.” He said, “I’ve seen the Eiffel Tower at Christmas, though.”
“See? Well, Venice is even better. A magical wonderland. Also, I couldn’t get my schedule to align with a summer stint. Always a hectic day and another challenge in law enforcement.”
“Huh.” Leith seemed to pause. “Glad you’ve escaped, for now, Uncle Nolan. I assume you’ll need to be back before December 25th? With your busy schedule and all?”
Three weeks sat between me and Yuletide. There was no way to make it look like I had the funds for that extensive holiday. “Aye.” You numpty nugget.
“Call me the moment your plane touches down in Los Angeles. It is about Jamie. When … he returned from captivity.”
Why would they want to discuss Jamie’s captivity now? “Will do.” I could hardly get the words out. The call went dead as I swung a left onto the 10 freeway. Ice poured through my veins.
How dare Leith call me? I’d spent years gaslighting Jamie. He got outta line? I reeled him in with a couple of words. Terran usually did the trick. If he still acted like a numpty, old Uncle Nolan would use the heartbroken act. “I saved you, and you treat me like this?” That shut him up right quick. Aye, left his mind in a big ol’ knot. Could he recall everything now? Every sordid detail?
Nae … if he did, Nutty-for-Nutty-Butters Jamie would’ve already flown off the handle. The kid remembered what I wanted him to remember.
I pressed a button and started another call. My fingers tapped on the steering wheel as I waited, my foot jamming onto the brake. Great. Traffic. LA was always good for it.
“Ledbetter, I need a BOLO on a Jamie MacKenzie.” It seemed a bit much. But I was desperate here. The clan wanted to discuss what happened after Jamie had come back from captivity. Why? After all these years. Had he started following some breadcrumbs? Maybe I could find Jamie first before the kid did anything rash. Like, get me killed.
Ledbetter grunted. “Can’t you do it when you get into the office?”
“No, I can’t.” I didn’t need my name on any paper trail, suggesting I made the request. Besides … “You owe me.” I spouted Jamie’s date of birth.
“Okay. What did this MacKenzie do?”
I snorted, happy to hear typing in the background as Ledbetter complied with my direct order. “What did he not do? I’m practically the kid’s godfather. When I worked down in Long Beach, I got him out of everything from murder to stalking. Get this. The kid went over to his brother’s girlfriend’s house in the middle of the night to build a playground. Children raising children. A teen pregnancy, and he thought he’d make a better father for the child than his brother.”
“Heh,” Ledbetter’s laugh seemed forced. The background commotion must have distracted him.
Should I tell him more? Of course, I had more. But I didn’t need to disclose that with Ledbetter. The detective—who wasn’t in Major Crimes, so not under my direct authority—knew my secrets.
Most of them.
The ones Ledbetter knew of would get him kicked out of the Gang and Narcos unit, get his pension snatched, and take him down too.