Page 41 of Broken Wolf

“No, no real family,” he admitted. “Toxic stepdad in another state that I’d rather forget ever existed.”

“Fair enough. Well, getting you into another PD that’s clean when you’re flexible isn’t a problem. If you’re interested in a Quantico recommendation, that’s another thing, and you’d need to show some promise.”

“I thought about trying to become one of their tech guys,” he admitted after a few more bites to finish his meal. “I’m not built for undercover, and I don’t think—I’d like to know more about what the techs handle. That always interested me.”

“I can get you an intro and a shadow day with one of my guys, and if he thinks you have potential, that will get a long way with a recommendation. Quantico is no joke. You wash out and we’ll help you place at another PD, not just roadkill.”

“You’re way more decent than people say.”

“Shocker that people are judgmental assholes,” I drawled.

I slipped him a clean phone to keep only at home in case he needed it and so I could get him for information if I needed it. I didn’t want to keep calling him on the phone he carried with him.

Not when we were dealing with dirty cops he worked with.

I asked the rest of the information we needed knowing someone listening was taking it down, and I wasn’t writing notes in case someone was watching him. That sounded paranoid… But I’d seen worse.

We finished and I paid the bill, acting like I was a relative as I said goodbye to him before making my way to the back of the parking lot to meet up with the others.

“First of all, we’re coming back for more food,” I told the others as they joined us.

“Yes, I followed your lead, and those crepes were delightful,” Eva agreed. “So where do we start? Digging into who owns that trailer park, yes?”

“Yes, and eviction notices there since they all have to be filed with the courts,” I told her.

“And you think if they have cops in their pocket that wasn’t all done to hide their misdeeds,” Orson muttered, nodding when I tapped my nose. “Smart crooks suck.”

“Yes, but we tend to clean up a lot of them at once when they are. This isn’t the first corrupt trailer park with cops in their pocket.” I rubbed my neck. “Though the early onset dementia is new. She said her kid took her money and stuck her there. That seems… There has to be more to that. Why there?”

“So this might go deeper and need you undercover?” Eva asked curiously.

I nodded. “My gut is telling me this is layered. I don’t know. Unless that was just a mistake. It might be how it all unravels.” I smiled at her. “Right now, we’re taking you for some Costco fun since you find our American flair amusing and it’s one of my favorite places.”

“Your mother told me it was amusing. They will get us more crepes?”

“I will,” Orson promised with a chuckle. “I’m still hungry as well.”

“Text Seraphine what you need and we will buy it for you,” Eva said.

“Trail mix,” the rest of us answered for him, chuckling.

I winked at him and explained for Eva. “He’s addicted to it. He snacks on it during every damn flight. We keep it stocked in all of the jets for him.”

“I cannot deny it, but I need a few other things as well, thanks,” he replied.

We had so much fun at Costco it was ridiculous. Eva was almost like a kid checking out things and pointing to how cheap items were or how outrageous the amount offered was. It was seriously great and the comic relief I needed with so much going on.

“I am glad to see you smiling so much, Granddaughter,” she said when we were done, rubbing her cheek against mine. “We will have some fun with your darling son before we work on our wolves and you get some energy out tonight with your Carter.”

Part of the reason it was so easy to ask Eva and Alena for help is they never made me feel small for it. It never seemed like help or a favor. Even how she said it as working on our wolves, like we all needed to do more, was easy and inclusive instead of off-putting or confrontational.

I thanked her, and we stuffed our faces with crepes on the way home. She went to grab something when we arrived at the apartment and I helped unload. I realized she went to get Topher. He had already been in bed when I’d arrived home last night and I hadn’t wanted to wake him just because I was home.

And then I’d had this meeting this morning and… Things just hadn’t worked out.

I’d missed the little bugger.

Apparently, he’d missed me too.

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