Page 51 of Fight for You
But I couldn’t help myself.
My toes ached from trying to reach more of him even though his mouth was already on mine. Beyond breathless, I told myself I was going to love this man even if it was the death of me. But how? I didn’t understand Jamie’s sexuality. I didn’t understand the confusion swirling through my mind. And I didn’t understand how I could have Jamie because my heart shuddered every time I recalled that he was ace. That simple fact terrified me more than anything Aleksandr Chelomey ever could because Jamie MacKenzie hadn’t let me go yet. In fact, he’d lifted me into his arms.
19
LONG BEACH
Deputy Chief Nolan McGregor
I poppedanother Rolaid in my mouth and washed it down with a swig of whisky. I twisted the silver lid on my flask and tossed the package into the passenger seat while behind the wheel of aborrowedvehicle across the street from the MacKenzie residence. Sounded like suicide, but the windows had the darkest tint. In fact, in my days on the beat, I’d have pulled a sedan like this over and handed the owner a ticket. It had less than 70 percent visible light transmission. Must be why it sat in a police garage. That and I could still smell the scent of cat urine—fainter now—that was comparable with the production of methamphetamines.
I wanted to roll down the window. But I told myself that at any minute, Jamie MacKenzie would pull up to his parents’ house, and of course, I’d do a one-man drive-by. That would end the Marine Raider.
Marine Raider… If someone had come up to me and told me this personally, I’d have said, “Yer arse and parsley!” That person was talking rubbish. But I’d seen him on the telly.Corporal JamieMack. That was why the Nazi couldn’t find him at first. What a hoot!
Shaking my head at the thought, I glanced around. The lights were out, at least. I hoped everyone was in a deep slumber and nobody had gotten up to take a leak and glance out the window. It would compromise my position. Nae. The tinted windows.
A vibration from my iPhone on the dashboard skyrocketed my blood pressure. I snatched the phone and groaned. “What?”
“Did you watch the news?” Officer Walsh asked.
“Yep.” I knew adding another cop into this might get tricky, but I thought highly of Walsh. Thought he’d get the job done. Angered, I said, “My mark got away by scurrying into the drainage system. Instead of going after them”—I let out a dry bark of a laugh—“they waited for SWAT.”What do you want? ’Cause you’re on your own now.
“I sent you an updated segment, man. I think IA wants to?—”
“Why are you mentioning Internal Affairs?”
“IA might investigate me! The clip where I said the guy was going for the gun—it’s all over social media. Every angle! Kids had cameras. Someone else leaked my bodycam footage. Had to be Brown!” Walsh hurled a racist comment about the African American police officer. “I texted you TikTok, IG, even Facebook. What do I do? I need this job. I can’t go to jail!”
I gulped, and the sound rocked my eardrums. “Calm down. I’m checking it out now.” I pressed the speaker, navigated from the cellphone app, and clicked onto a stream of text messages. My thumb popped the link for TikTok, and I watched a short clip. Ten million friggen views. “Fìor cho-fhaireachdainn,” I muttered in Scots Gaelic.
“What?”
Meantsincerest sympathies, and I had a pack of those cards for all the elders in my clan dying off in my homeland. Would I get a similar card? “Gotta call you back. I’m working this out.”For me.
I mashed the Off button to a background of the rookie cop’s crying and dialed the number the skinhead gave me for Elrick. Hours ago, I’d had the Nazi call when giving Jordyn’s location in Santa Barbara. Thenumptyhad given Elrick the wherewithal to find Aleksandr’s girl and the man who took her from him.
Elrick answered on the third ring. “I’m listening?”
“Is your team en route to MacKenzie Freight?” My knuckles tapped against the center console, excited about the prospect of the Russians doing my dirty work. Maybe even eliminate any potential suspicion coming my way. On any given day, both Brodys, Camdyn, and that little broad he upped and married, along with a handful of cousins, came through their business.
“Dah.”
“How long will it take you to—?” The Russian had terminated the call.
Nervous, I talked to myself. “Alright, Nolan. You’ve covered your bases. If Jamie comes home, it’ll be his execution.”Unless he already called them, younugget.
No. That couldn’t be true. There’d be movement in the house.
And another call. A call from someone I feared a heck of a lot more than straight-and-narrow Leith MacKenzie.
I cupped my hands at my brows, placed my forehead against the driver’s side window, and searched for any signs of light in the darkened windows framed by black shutters. Such a beautiful house. I’d envied my old friend Brody for it. Every time they gutted a room and refurbished the furniture, that envy twisted until it had pulverized my gut.
Envy.
Aye. It was the reason I was in this mess. I reached for my flask and the package of Rolaids.
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