Page 40 of A Little Discovery

CHAPTER 27

SPENCER

I haven’t had a blackout episode since my parents’ accident, but this time is so much worse compared to that. From what Kyle told me, I tackled and beat the bloody hell out of Jasper Carlisle on the front lawn. I have to believe it’s true because videos were up on social media until about five minutes ago. Somehow every video of the incident has been erased, including the copy the police were supposedly sent to come investigate.

The police officer pulled me, Kyle, Eli, and a few of the brothers over to the edge of the driveway while the other brothers are inviting the guests into the house for the party. Jasper was already sent to the hospital with another officer by the time this one showed up.

“Until we get to the bottom of what happened here, none of you are free to go,” the man in front of me says. “We were sent a video showing you assaulting Mr. Carlisle, as well as half a dozen calls about a man beating another brutally on the lawn here. So, what happened, Mr. Wright?”

Before I can open my mouth to answer, a luxury sedan pulls up to the end of the driveway next to us. The tuxedo wearing man who gets out of the backseat is none other than Joseph Grable, followed by an extremely pissed off Lucky. I’m sad to see he has changed out of his little outfit into a very expensive looking suit. He should have been able to enjoy the party going on in the house behind us. Instead, he witnessed the worst side of mecome out. When I snapped out of my rage and saw my car was gone, I was afraid I’d lost him forever, but the look on his face tells me I’m not out of the doghouse.

“Officer Dowling, how is your mother doing?” Joe asks as he comes up to the man attempting to question me. The officer chuckles and gives the old man a hearty handshake. I feel even worse, having my boyfriend’s grandfather coming in and playing the buddy card, exchanging favors, to get me out of this mess.

“She’s doing well, Sir,” the officer states. “She misses getting to go out for book club but the doctors don’t want her driving until her hip is fully healed.”

“Oh, if that’s all, I’ll send a car for her next week,” Joe says before continuing, “And tell me, does she know that her son is taking bribes to harass upstanding members of the community while allowing abusers and rapists to go free?”

The man steps back in shock, color draining from his face. “Sir, what are you talking about?”

Joe waves Lucky forward, the swelling and bruising already becoming apparent on his face. He’s holding his side like it hurts him to move. Wait. When did he hurt his side?

“Is it not your name and signature on the report that my grandson filed against one Jasper Carlisle not two hours ago stating that the man pushed him into a table, threw him to the floor, verbally demanded fellatio, and then struck him in the face when he refused to comply? Is there another William Dowling at the precinct that I am unaware of?”

Joe is pissed, but he’s playing the game. Eli, on the other hand, is being physically restrained by a few of my brothers. This isthe first time he’s hearing of what happened inside with Lucky today. Hell, beyond the crude remark and the backhand,Ididn’t even know the other stuff.

Another police car shows up and two more officers climb out. The female officer looks surprised to see the people gathered.

“Joe? Eli? What’s going on? We were sent to find out what the hell Dowling is doing here instead of putting cuffs on Carlisle,” she says. “The bastard slipped out of the E.R. before the officer following the ambulance got to him.

“Considering the reason Dowling was sent out here was the complaint filed by Mr. Holloway, there’s no reason for him to be here instead of following up on the reason he was sent out.”

Dowling flinches, but regains his composure before addressing her. “There were calls coming in and a video about an assault on the yard here at the same address. I show up to find the man whosupposedlyhit and said those alleged things beaten bloody on the lawn. I followed the clues.”

Lucky steps up next to his grandfather to say, “You mean the clues like the fact that you texted my ex-wife the second that I stepped into the police station? Or do you mean the clues like the fact that you overruled the desk officer and took my statement in an interrogation room after turning off the recording equipment.”

I can’t lie. As pissed as I am hearing what Lucky went through at the police station, I’m really fucking turned on by this assertive side of him. I may be his Daddy, but my boy can take charge like this any day of the fucking week. Holy hell, I shouldn’t be popping a boner in front of the cops.

“How about the fact that I was waiting on my grandfather topick me up when I heard you on the phone telling the officer at the hospital to uncuff Jasper Carlisle before you even left to come to this house. The first officers on the scene did their job. They took statements, they recorded information. They stayed until they were dismissedby you, their supervisor.

“So tell me Officer Dowling,” he asks with a cock of the hip that would do Eric proud, “How much is my ex-wife paying you to keep tabs on me?”

The officer in front of me wisely keeps his mouth shut and puts his hands behind his back. The female officer cuffs him and then removes his belt. As they load him into their car, I turn to my boy only to see a cold look on his face. Joe gives him a little push in my direction, and he sighs like coming to me is a chore. It breaks my heart and my dick goes back to its previous state.

“Talk to him, Lucky,” Joe says. “I’ll go speak to my son about his behavior. It won’t be happening again.”

Lucky steps forward to stand in front of me. He stays just out of reach and I am struggling to keep the pain from consuming me. I really fucked it all up this time, didn’t I?

“Is there somewhere we can talk in private?”

LUCKY

Calling Gramps was the smartest thing I could have done in that situation. He walked me through exactly how to handle everything, from the police to the hospital and even the media. Avery sent me a text with the video of Spencer beating the shit out of Jasper and said it was sent to all of the media outlets with a simple story of him being my jealous and possessive lover taking revenge against my ex-wife’s family because I was cutofffinancially.

Thanks to Gramps’s influence, not only is the video of no use, the media is now running the story of how my ex-wife’s family is stalking me and bribing public officials to keep tabs on me, even after cutting me off and slandering me to anyone who will listen. The whole reason they previously refused to report on the things Spencer’s investigation uncovered was fear of lawsuits from the Carlisle and Holloway families. Reminding them that I am the only grandson of the billionaire Joseph Grable seemed to change their tune.

In the car with Gramps, after getting picked up from the police station, I called Eric to fill him in on the off-chance that Spencer or Eli get back to thehouse before I finish up everything. Eric and Shiloh both agree with me that the Doms went overboard and fucked up when they ignored me.

While I was on the phone with the guys from home, Gramps called his friend Mike, who happens to be the judge who ruled on my divorce. He wanted to know why the hell the Carlisles are still harassing me. Turns out that Sabrina has been filing for continuations that the new judge kept granting. Well, Mike agreed it is beyond time to put a stop to that, so unless there is avalidreason for another continuation, the judge will make a final decision tomorrow. At that point, all of the accounts will be releasing regardless of the findings. The only thing his decision will determine is whether Sabrina goes to jailor if she just gets to go away.

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