Page 48 of Wizard's Spitfire

When he finishes Marshal Hayes hands him the pad. Standing over his shoulder, she shows him all the places he needs to initial or sign.

“Alright, Mr. Caruso. I have agents waiting outside to take you into protective custody. They’ll make sure you get your new ID, get you to your new home, and get you settled,” Marshal Blake says.

“What, I have to go now?”

“Yes, now.”

“I want to say goodbye to my girls.”

Blake shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but they can’t know. Not until after we’ve taken everyone down and they’re in custody. Then your ex-wife can tell the girls you’re in the witness protection program. Until then, they’ll just have to think you disappeared.”

JR whines and drags his feet all the way out the door. I turn to Charlie and pull her into my lap. Fat tears roll down her cheeks. I rub circles on her back waiting for the police and Marshals to leave the room.

“Just breathe, baby. This is almost over. The biggest step is done.”

She looks up at me. “I know we have to take the bad guys down but now we have federal and local backup. Gambit mentioned we’re all military trained. What he didn’t mention is the club has successfully completed several black ops missions.We’ve been up against the impossible before and everyone of us made it home.

Chapter 32

Charlie

Wizard holds me while tears run freely down my face. I’m processing his words, but my brain is sluggish from all the trauma of the last few weeks. I’m feeling more than a little overwhelmed at the moment.

“How are you feeling, Spitfire?”

“Overwhelmed. I’m not sad to see him go. But I’m sad for the girls. They adore that jerk. While they’ll never see him again, at least they’ll know he’s safe and alive.”

“Part of me wants to go after them. To beat the ever-loving shit out of him for the danger he’s put the girls in,” Wizard grumbles.

Then adds, “It’s not just the girls. That psycho Petrov has his sights set on you. I think you should quit your job at the diner.”

I shake my head. “I can’t. I’m too close.”

“I’ll help you, and so will Bug.”

“It’s my job. I have a family to take care of.”

“Let me take care of them. At least until we get this sorted out. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you or the girls. As it is, I think we should send a few of the prospects under cover at the academy to guard the girls.”

“Like all21 Jump Streetstyle?”

“Something like that. Crab, Tully, and even Flea could pull it off. They can register as seniors. I’ll get them fake IDs, and backgrounds.”

“What about parents? Parents at the academy are very involved.”

“I’ll have Doc write a note for the girls for the rest of the week. They have the flu or something. I’ll have the new kids’ parents and background squared away by Monday morning in time to get them enrolled.

“Might be easiest to have Red and Brick acting as their guardians. We can use the address of one of the newly completed houses in King’s Estates,” Nitro suggests.

“Good plan. I’ll see what’s finished and we need to ask before borrowing it,” Wizard replies.

“That’s the residential neighborhood next door the club owns, right?” I ask.

Wizard nods his head. “Yes. Only family of club members can build in the Estates. There were a couple nearly complete last I checked.”

“You can use Nana’s house,” Smoke says. “For that matter you can set her up as their guardian. She’s already qualified as a foster parent in Mississippi. I don’t think it would take Bug long to make that Louisiana.”

“Thank you, Smoke. That will save me a lot of time. You and Nana come up with the backstory and I’ll tell the prospects and take care of the paperwork,” Wizard says.

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