Page 16 of Sawyer
Winnie obviously didn’t hear her Daddy, even though she sat on his lap. She giggled from where she sat on Reid’s lap. “We don’t need to go to Alaska for hairy men.” She tugged on Reid’s beard. “We have hairy men right here in Darling.” Apparently, that was all Reid was willing to take. “Corner. Now.”
“Daddy!” Winnie said. “That’s not fair. I was only teasing. You don’t have to be such a bear.”
He didn’t know what the big deal was. Reid did look like a bear, and he could damn sure growl like one.
Reid let out a sigh. “Fine. But the next one who mentions any mythological beasts is going straight into the corner. I want an update on what’s going on with Lele Cortez. Now.”
Okay, so playtime was over. Sawyer cleared his throat. “I don’t think the girls should be here for this. I have things to talk about they don’t need to hear.”
“That’s a good idea. Zane, take the women to the craft room and make sure they have plenty of water and snacks.”
“On it,” Zane said, pushing up from his chair. “Ladies, let's findsomething better to do.” The women scowled as they left the room. Sawyer didn’t envy the kid’s job.
“Is he keeping up with his classes?” Sawyer asked. Zane, Lovie’s younger brother, hung out at the Warehouse most days now. He’d moved in with Sawyer when Lovie moved in with Law to give them some privacy. Sawyer liked the kid. He had a good heart, and he was good with computers. Sawyer had been impressed, and he didn’t impress easily.
“Yeah,” Law said. “Now, quit stalling and tell us what’s going on. Did this Lele chick set Jaxon up or not?”
That was the big question, wasn’t it? One he didn’t have a handle on yet. “It’s complicated.”
“I agree,” Reid said. “And not just because of whatever you’re talking about. I got a call from Bones this morning. It’s not good.”
Sawyer’s body went on lockdown. There was only one reason Reid would call a meeting like this. Bones had a contact who worked in Blackford Correction’s infirmary. Had Jaxson taken a turn for the worse? He cast that thought aside. Reid wouldn’t call a meeting for that. The shortness of Reid’s temper and the tightness around his eyes said something bad had happened.
Sawyer braced, and it was a good call.
There was no amusement in Reid’s tone now. He was all business. “Bones’ contact at the Blackford Correctional Facility. He called a few hours ago to let Bones know they’d ruled Jaxon’s stabbing an accident. They say there were no threats made, and it looks like the shiv that was used might be Jaxon’s.”
“Fuck!” Law yelled, shoving away from the table so hard it sent his chair flying backward. He stalked out. Deke stood to follow, but Reid stopped him.
“Give him a minute,” Reid said.
“That’s bullshit, bossman,” Deke growled. “Who the fuck makes a shiv and then goes to the cafeteria to off themselves?”
“I know, Deke. I get it. But we already knew the General andhis minions had decided it was time to finish the job and take Jaxon out.”
Gage turned to look into the camera and speak to Sawyer. “Have you figured out how the Cortez girl plays into this? Can you get her to testify that she lied under oath?”
Sawyer watched six years of frustration pour out of his brothers.
Sawyer wasn’t like his brothers. Sawyer’s anger wasn’t hot. It was cold.
Years of being sent into the very worst of places to take out the vilest men on the planet had taught him there was a place for rage. Most people didn’t understand that.
Rage wasn’t an emotion. Rage was a fuel. Rage was purposeful with precision-like focus. It was surgical. Sawyer knew exactly how to channel rage to achieve a desired objective.
He’d taken too long. Moved too slowly coming up with a plan to get Jaxon out of that place. Too long making it happen.
He’d assumed Jaxon was safe. He’d assumed the General wouldn’t worry about his friend as long as he was behind bars.
He’d assumed that prison bars didn’t just keep Jaxon in. They also kept the enemy out. But he’d been wrong. And Jaxon had paid the price.
“Sawyer!” Reid’s voice came over the computer. It didn’t sound like it was the first time his boss had called his name.
“I’m here,” he answered. His voice was flat, devoid of all emotion. “I’m moving the time frame of my op forward. I wanted to go slow, but we obviously don’t have that luxury anymore.”
Reid nodded. Winnie cried softly, her face buried in Reid’s chest. “I’ll call you in a few hours. Changing the timeline is necessary. That doesn’t mean we need to change the whole plan. Do not do anything until we talk about it.”
Sawyer stared at the camera. “Copy that.”
