Page 72 of Sachie's Hero

Teller spun to find Sachie kneeling on the ground beside the young man she’d followed into the bar. She’d removed the do-rag from her hair and pressed it against the wound on the teen’s belly. “He’s got to live,” she said, tears streaming from her eyes.

“I’m not...going...anywhere,” Mark whispered. “Must...testify...even if...I go...to...jail. Can’tlet...him...go...free. He’ll hurt...Luke’s...” the teen’s eyes closed, “...friend.”

“Mark?” Sachie called out. “Stay with me.”

Teller pressed his fingers to the base of the teen’s throat. “He’s got a pulse, and he’s breathing.”

The police arrived, followed by an ambulance.

The emergency medical technicians took over, loaded Mark into the ambulance and rushed him to the hospital.

The police took Alan Roland, Travis Finkel and the purse thief into custody. They held the members of the Pele Maka motorcycle club until a paddy wagon arrived to transport them to jail.

As the dust settled and the parking lot cleared, the Brotherhood Protectors gathered around. Teller slipped an arm around Sachie’s waist and held her close.

“I’ve got Hawk and Patterson on speaker.” Ingram held out his phone.

“Hawk, here,” Jace Hawkins said. “I hear from the Hawaii Police that you managed to reveal a bad player on the police force.”

“And if that wasn’t enough,” Hank Patterson’s voice came on, “my contacts in the DEA report that your work tonight put a major kink in the flow of drugs from the Sinaloa Cartel out of Mexico. Excellent work.”

Teller smiled down at Sachie. “Couldn’t have done it without one feisty shrink head-butting the man calling the shots and running the drugs through the Pele Maka gang and the Boys’ Club.”

“Travis Finkel, one of Officer Roland’s thugs, was happy to throw one of Honolulu’s finest under the bus on his way back to federal prison,” Ingram said.

“Officer Roland had a network of distributors in the Pele Maka gang as well as teens he recruited at the Boys’ Club using strong-arm tactics if they weren’t lured by money.”

“In Luke’s case, he was threatening to hurt Luke’s friend if he didn’t fall in line and deal drugs,” Sachie said. “Luke probably figured if he wasn’t in the picture, they wouldn’t hurt his friend.” Her brow wrinkled. “Mark also said Roland would hurt Luke’s friend.” She looked up at Teller. “Could they both have meant Luke’s girlfriend, Kylie?”

Teller’s head tilted and his eyes narrowed. “Makes sense.”

“I heard from the hospital,” Hawk said. “Mark Bradford was rushed into surgery immediately. He’s already out and stable in the ICU. They’re optimistic he’ll have a full recovery.”

Sachie leaned her face into Teller’s leather vest. “Thank God.”

“Great job,” Hawk said. “You’re an amazing team.”

“I agree,” Patterson said. “Thanks for being a part of the Brotherhood Protectors.”

“Now, get some rest,” Hawk said. “Teller and Ms. Moore, Mr. Parkman has a penthouse suite at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. He’s sent word to them to put you up for the next three nights while Ms. Moore’s cottage is being repaired and an alternate location is secured for her counseling practice. Kalea wants you to relax and feel better about coming back to the Big Island. But she said she’d understand if you choose to stay on Oahu.”

“That’s very nice of Kalea and Mr. Parkman,” Sachie said.

“My wife would understand if you stayed on Oahu,” Hawk said, “but I’m selfish. I want you to stay on the Big Island because it would make my wife happy. And a happy wife makes a happy life.”

Johnson coughed at the same time as he said, “Henpecked.”

“I heard that,” Hawk said. “Wait until you have a wife who’s eight months pregnant with your baby. You’ll be singing a different tune.”

“Not going to happen,” Johnson said. “Can’t have a wife if you don’t get married. I’m not getting married.”

“Famous last words,” Ingram said. “You just haven’t found your person—the one you can’t livewithout.”

“She doesn’t exist,” Johnson said.

“What do you want to bet he’s the next one to fall?” Bennet said. “Right after Teller.”

Teller frowned. “Hey, give me a minute. Sachie and I just met a few nights ago.”

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