Page 108 of Tuck & Roll

Detective Ben and his partner, Riggs, entered the room, looked around and headed their direction. Dagger moved closer, standing to Race’s side. “Dagger. Race. Sorry to hear about your man. How’s he doing?”

“Haven’t heard anything yet,” Dagger filled him in. “I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you’d be tied up for a long time with the chief’s murder.”

“Well, I was until we heard that the man responsible for shooting the chief was dead and that your people were headed to the hospital with Miss Mason. Seeing as she went missing under Chief Whitener’s watch I thought she might be able to connect some dots for us.” He turned to face Tuck and Kylie. “First, I’m happy to see that you’re safe again.” A muscle in his jaw ticked as his eyes took in her facial injuries.

“Thank you,” Kylie replied.

“Do you mind if we ask you some questions?” Ben began.

Kylie nodded her head and sat straighter in her chair. “Sure. That would be fine.”

If Tuck had his way, this interview would take place tomorrow after she’d gotten some rest, but it wasn’t up to him. If she said she wanted to talk now, then she’d talk now.

Ben took the seat next to Race and got out a notepad. Riggs, his partner, stood next to his chair, his hands in his pockets. “Can you tell me what happened tonight?”

“I was out with the wives at Bottoms Up. The Redemption Police Department raided the place and had us line up and exit single file. They were checking I.D.s and letting people who hadn’t been drinking too much go home, or at least that’s what it looked like. Then our group,” she gave him a list of names, “was divided up and put in separate cars. I ended up in the back of Chief Whitener’s car. While the others were taken toward the police station, the chief turned the opposite direction.”

All the brothers had moved closer, listening and learning what happened for the first time from Kylie’s accounting.

“We ended up on the side of some country road where Chet was waiting for us in a white sedan.”

“Who is Chet?” Ben asked as he made notes.

Tuck answered that one. “He was the manager at Bottoms Up. We didn’t know until Kylie was installing software on the office computer that he’d been stealing money and had set up two sets of books to cover his tracks. We eventually discovered he was a Phantom Fury.”

“Another club managed to infiltrate your club business and steal your money?” Ben’s brows hit his hairline.

“Yeah. I know. Can’t be any more surprised than we are,” Tuck explained.

Turning his attention back to Kylie, Ben asked, “Do you know why Chief Whitener would take you to Chet?”

“Yes. The chief was taking money from the Phantom Furies to look the other way while they tried to get their foot in Redemption.”

“How do you know this?” Riggs, silent until now, frowned.

“Because he told me on the drive to meet Chet.”

Ben and Riggs exchanged knowing looks, coming to the same conclusion the rest of them had. Tuck imagined with the revelation that the chief was speaking freely in front of Kylie, it could only mean one thing. The chief knew by handing her over to Chet, Kylie would not be left alive once he was finished with her.

“Anyway, he said he was taking the money to help pay for his granddaughter’s medical supplies. From what Chet was saying, the chief found someone to burn my house down, patched him up when Chet got shot trying to kidnap me from Darren’s house not long ago and he instigated the raid for the sole purpose of getting to me. I think when I told the chief I was pregnant, he had a change of heart.”

“Why do you think that?” Tuck asked.

“Because he told Chet he was going to bring me back to town and let me go. That’s when Chet shot him and took me.”

Well, hell. It looked like a lot of what Kylie had dug up had been spot on.

“Why did Chet want you?” Ben asked.

This next part might get a little sticky. Tuck hoped she was able to figure out a way to tell Ben what he needed to know without compromising the club or herself.

“Because once I figured out he was stealing money, I got it back and he was pissed. He kidnapped me to force me to return the money.” Kylie gripped her hands tightly in her lap. She looked to him for reassurance that she was doing okay. He smiled and nodded his head.

“How did you get the money back from Chet?” Ben wanted to know.

“I’d rather not say.” Kylie worried her bottom lip.

“Why not?” Riggs asked.

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