Page 16 of Clap Back (Carter Brothers)

I winked at my brother and said, “You’re getting her back to the bakery?”

“Yes,” Atlas eyed Pepper.

“I…”

I closed the door on Pepper’s disagreement.

Catching Maven’s elbow, I headed in the direction of where she’d parked her car earlier in the day. I’d given up my own parking spot for the occasion—at least the one that I usually used and had been parked in this morning when we’d arrived.

Only, as I got closer, I found the parking space empty.

A frown marred my brow.

“What’s going on?” I looked around for her car. “Did you have someone pick it up? Your brother drop by?”

She wiped the sleep away from her eyes, then took a look around as well.

Then her eyes settled on something near the building and held.

Her frown was fierce when she said, “Is that sign new?”

I looked at the sign that read ‘Chief Parking Only, Violators Will Be Towed.’

That was most definitely new.

“Fuck yeah it is,” I fisted my hands, walking up to where the concrete dust, dirt, and metal shavings still lay on the ground where the pole was set. “Looks like today new.”

I pulled out my phone as I said, “Come on over to my truck. We’ll sit there while I find out where your car was taken.”

I knew every impound and towing company in the city. But there were only two that the city used on a regular basis, and I happened to be great friends with both owners.

I tried Hail Towing and Recovery first.

Hail was fairly new in town—the last two years new. Previously, it was based in Kilgore, Texas, which was about a two-hour drive from Dallas. However, at a SWAT team function, I’d met a friend of Dante’s, the owner of Hail Auto Recovery, and he’d put me in touch with Dante about a matter that had come up. We’d hit it off, and I’d encouraged him to expand to Dallas.

That was two years ago, and his business was thriving. I’d even helped the board to start fielding all of the DPD’s calls to Hail Auto Recovery because of how professional, responsive, and good he was.

“Hail,” Dante answered, sounding not tired in the least.

“Hey, buddy,” I said. “It’s Auden.”

“Auden, hey. How’s it going?” he asked, sounding more approachable now that he knew it was me.

I nearly rolled my eyes.

The man didn’t save numbers into his phone, and it was a surprise to him each time someone called as to who it was on the other end of the line.

“I have a car I’m looking for,” I said. “It went missing from the DPD parking lot after the chief decided to put up a no parking sign.”

“I’m not at the office today, I’m at the Special Olympics field day with my daughter. I’ll call dispatch, though, and have them give you a call,” Dante offered.

“Thanks, man,” I said as I got to my truck, unlocked it, and opened the door for Maven.

Maven climbed in, and my eyes automatically went to her ass as she hefted herself into my truck.

“No problem.” Dante hung up without a goodbye.

Again, his usual.

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