Page 82 of Rex

Cash: In my truck. About four blocks away.

Vex: Truck too. Five minutes out.

James: In the patrol car but can do a drive by.

Me: Yes James. Do that.

Chubs: Rex, if you can, go park in Aria’s lot at the back. I’m behind you and will take over the tail.

Looking over my shoulder and seeing Chubs in Lucy’s car, I tell Candy what to do, and she turns her car at the next intersection. She immediately stomps on the gas, and we fly down the street. We get to Aria’s office before Dale, and she slides us into a parking spot that’s slightly hidden from the patient’s lot. She kills the engine, and we wait. Less than a minute later, we watch Dale’s car slow down but drive past Aria’s office. I breathe out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

“He’s looking for her car or yours. He’s casing the place. Probably looking for cameras too,” Candy says.

I nod because it’s exactly what I thought too.

Dale’s car turns left at the next intersection, and he comes back past, but from the other side of the business. This time, I clearly see it’s him driving. Chubs texts that Cash is now following Dale, and he’s backing off for the time being. I watch as his car comes back in our direction, with Cash’s truck two vehicles behind it, and he slows down again but doesn’t turn into the lot.

Cash: He’s not stopping there. He’s checking it out. Vex is here and taking over for me. I’ll drop back.

I’m frustrated and want this to end now. I’m with Candy on the whole let’s do some dick-ripping stuff at this point.

Me: Let’s end this and corner him.

Cash: I agree.

As we’re discussing this, James and Livi cruise past us in their patrol car. Dale’s car was coming toward them, but he turned quickly down a side street, most likely because he saw them. They have no legal reason to stop him, and we don’t want the police involved with his punishment, so they continue to drive straight past where he turned.

Vex, who’s behind Dale, texts the street name they’re traveling on, and everyone turns for that area. Candy stops in front of Aria’s office door, and I get out. I text her to let me in, and I wait. When the door opens, it’s Aria’s sweet face I see first. Without thought, I pull her in for a kiss. It may have lasted longer than appropriate, but I certainly didn’t mind.

“Wow. I need me a biker too,” I hear and lift my head to see Georgeanne and the rest of the staff staring at us from behind the front desk.

“Hi,” I say with a small grin and almost laugh at the small waves that several send my way.

“Sorry,” Aria mutters, but I notice her cheeks are not red, and she’s not embarrassed in the least. “This is Rex. Rex, you know Georgeanne and the rest are our wonderful team members. Is everything okay now?”

“Yeah, for now. Do you have patients here?”

“No, the last one was walking out when you called. We were closing up for the night,” Aria answers. “Not knowing what he might do, we all thought it was best to stay put and stay safe until we heard back from you.”

“It’s safe to go now if you’re all ready to leave. I’ll wait until you’re in your cars. Then, I have to get somewhere,” I explain and hold the door as the employees start filing out.

Georgeanne secures the door, and I wait beside Aria until every employee has pulled out of the parking lot. I guide Aria to Candy’s car, and she slides into the rear seat while I return to mine.

“Should I leave my car here? Undefended?” Aria asks as we leave the lot.

“We’ll come back and get it. The guys are following Dale now and looking for a place to corner him. That’s where we’re going, but if that happens, I need you to stay in the car until he’s secured.”

Texts start pouring in, and my phone goes crazy with beeps and alerts. Looking down at it, I realize that Dale must have figured out he’s being followed because he just took off at a high rate of speed. I tell Candy, and she floors her own car.

“Seatbelt on, Aria?” I ask.

“Yes!” she responds instantly.

By the sounds of it, Dale knows the backstreets and alleys well because he’s creating a distance between him and Vex. Cash tries to intercept at an intersection, but Dale maneuvers his car around Cash and hauls ass. I alert Reeves and Horse that he might be coming back to the house, but his direction of travel isn’t in that direction yet. To make things easier, I pull everyone involved into a single phone call and put the phone on speaker.

“Vex! Where you at now?” I ask.

“Crossing Hayworth, turning north. The fucker has no regard for human life because he was just sliding sideways, nearly hitting a woman on the sidewalk. 911 calls are going to get made and soon.”

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