"Your mom..." Stephanie began.

Lexie's eyes watered. "It's too hard to think about right now."

"I understand," Stephanie said, placing her hand over Lexie's.

"Girls," Ruth called from the entrance of Stephanie's room. "The food is ready."

Lexie looked at Stephanie and smiled softly. Ruth always had to cook when she was stressed or worried. Lexie knew they would be well fed as they waded through their pain.

CHAPTER FOUR.

Jackson "When are you gonna tell us what you told Haffey?" Teddy asked from the pa.s.senger seat. He pulled a bottle of whiskey out of a paper bag and broke the seal.

"I told her what she needed to back off," Jackson admitted. The last thing he wanted to talk about was Haffey right now. That woman was ready to bite his head off but he managed to calm her down enough to have a reasonable conversation. Whether she liked it or not, his involvement in her case was no longer an option. He was on John Stodden's radar, and if Haffey wanted access to what he knew, then she would have to give up some control.

What he would never admit to them was that when he was sitting down with Haffey, he took the opportunity to give her the proper apology she deserved. Jackson's feelings for Lexie had given him a new perspective. How he had treated Haffey was inexcusable and he wished at the time he could have seen the damage his actions would cause, but he couldn't see past his own veil of pain. He knew things would never go back to anything but tolerant between them, but it was better than being downwind of her wrath. At least now she was beginning to let go of the anger she was holding onto. It gave him some peace of mind.

"Do we have to worry about getting arrested?" Teddy raised his brow as he tipped the bottle to his lips. Teddy was disguised as the character he was playing in their plan. Jackson couldn't help but shake his head. His wig gave him long dark hair that brushed against his shoulders and thick framed gla.s.ses, giving him a much different look than what Jackson was used to. It also helped that Teddy hadn't shaved in the last few days. His disguise was believable enough to work.

"I didn't tell her that much," Jackson a.s.sured.

Teddy lowered his window as he swished the liquor around his mouth and then spat it out. Wiping his mouth with his fingers, he then rubbed them on his neck and down the front of his shirt before pa.s.sing the bottle back to Dane.

"Do you think it was wise to leave Nate with the girls after what happened?" Dane asked. "He seemed quite shaken up."

"I don't know. I've been asking myself the same thing, but we didn't have much choice. He'll keep his head while we're gone because he knows we need him. He seemed insistent that we not worry."

"Let's hope," Teddy added.

Jackson glanced at the time. "Are you sure they're going to show, Dane? They're late."

"Yeah, maybe your girlfriends stood you up. Guess they didn't like you that much after all," Teddy teased.

"Relax, they'll be here," Dane replied confidently. "And technically, they'd be standing you up."

"Heads up," Jackson said, nodding toward the rear view mirror. Dane turned around and spotted the two girls from Max's apartment building heading toward their car.

"It's game time," Teddy said as he opened his door and climbed out.

Jackson started the engine and pulled away from the curb as soon as Teddy shut the door.

"That shrink chick called me," Dane said thoughtfully from the backseat.

Jackson looked up in his rear view mirror at the creased brow Dane wore. He had noticed that Dane had been quiet lately.

"And?" Jackson encouraged as he glanced at Teddy though the window. Teddy had thrown his arms over the girls' shoulders as he led them down the sidewalk. Jackson took a deep breath. Their plan was beginning to unfold. He turned the corner and left Teddy to do his part.

"She wants me to come in for a mandatory a.s.sessment," Dane said.

"By the department?" Jackson asked, wondering if it was just the standard protocol.

"Yeah," Dane replied, rubbing his cheek. "They want to make sure getting shot didn't mess with my head."

"What happened to old Dr. Millie?"

"She retired last month," Dane said, shaking his head. "I wouldn't give a s.h.i.t if I had to go in and talk to her. I used to tell old Millie about the ball game that was on the night before and she would just nod her head and doodle on her paper. This new woman asks so many questions and it makes me so f.u.c.king uncomfortable." Dane leaned back in the seat with a sigh.

"And she's hot," Jackson added.

"Which makes it worse," Dane said, rubbing his hands down his face.

"Well, let's just concentrate on getting Evan out of this s.h.i.thole alive or none of it will matter anyway," Jackson said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, true."

Jackson pulled up to an apartment building around the corner from Shimmy Shakers and parked the car in the nearly filled lot. The location was not discreet, but it would be quick access when they left the club. The evening had settled in light and energetic in the city of Belhaven. The warm air had many bodies on the streets. Even the rougher part of town was no exception.

Jackson's phone lit up in the console. He looked at the screen and saw Teddy's message.

"Black is in the club entertaining a small group of men that Teddy doesn't recognize. He said there's no sign of Freddie Krueger." Jackson smiled at the nickname he'd given Slash.

"Let's hope he's not here," Dane added.

"I don't think we'll be that lucky, but if you see the crazy f.u.c.ker, shoot first and ask questions later. He's got a wicked hand throwing those blades," Jackson warned him.

"Got it," Dane confirmed.

"Ready?"

"Just a sec." Dane reached into his pocket and pulled out his bottle of pain medication. He popped the top and tipped the bottle up to his lips, and then chased the pills with the whiskey Teddy had given him.

"How's that side, anyway?"

"Much better. I don't think I'll need my meds much longer, but I figured its best, considering our situation."

"Maybe I should take some just in case," Jackson joked.

"If anything happens, just cover that pretty face of yours so your girlfriend will still like you." Dane laughed.

"What are you talking about? She likes me for my shining personality."

"Don't we all," Dane said sarcastically. "Let's go."

Jackson opened his door and pulled his hat low to shield his face from anyone who might recognize him. Dane was quiet as he closed his door and followed in Jackson's steps as they made their way toward the back of the club. Other than the distant sounds of the city, it was eerily quiet in the alley. A stray cat rummaged around a dumpster.

Jackson rounded the corner to the rear alley behind the club. It was mostly dark except for the small light over the emergency exit of the door A homeless man flipped over on his makeshift cardboard bed when he noticed their approach. He raised his head and watched them cautiously. "Hey there, why don't you go get yourself something to eat," Jackson suggested, pa.s.sing him a folded bill.

The man's eyes fell to Jackson's hand and he got the hint. He pushed himself off the ground and grabbed the money with a grimy hand. He gave them both a quick nod before he limped off without a backward glance. That was a man who had lived on the streets long enough to know how to survive.

Jackson walked up the small staircase that led to the steel door. He leaned against the wall and knocked. After a short moment the door was opened by a man with a gun held against his chest. His eyes widened when Jackson grabbed hold of him and hauled him outside. Jackson twisted the man's gun out of his hand and tossed him to the ground. Dane grabbed for the door and shoved his knife into the latch before it could close. He tumbled to the ground and scrambled to get back on his feet. Jackson kicked him back down and stepped on the back of his neck. "Black is going to kill y*" the man threatened but Jackson pressed down on his throat with his boot before he aimed his gun at the man's head. The shot was deadened by the silencer but it still cast a dull echo from the surrounding brick walls.

Jackson drug the man's body off to the side and tossed a few garbage bags on him that were surrounding the dumpster. He headed back toward the stairs where Dane was waiting. Dane pried the door open and glanced inside. "Clear," he whispered before pulling it open to enter.

With their guns in hand, they headed in. Jackson could feel the vibrations of the music in his feet as they quietly walked down the empty hall. When they neared the room Evan had been held in, they slipped inside. "s.h.i.t. They moved him." Jackson immediately noted the empty sofa where Evan had been the last time he was here. The handcuffs still dangled from the window bars.

"You looking for Country?" a woman asked who was looking at them through the reflection of her vanity mirror. She was dabbing makeup on the dark circles under her eyes.

"You mean Evan?" Jackson asked for clarification.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I only know him as Country. They took him to another room last night."

"Do you know where?"

"n.o.body tells me anything," she said sourly as she leaned toward the mirror to apply a bright shade of red to her lips.

"Do me a favor and forget you saw us," Jackson requested.

"Done," she replied, locking eyes with him in the mirror. He noticed then the dark bruise she was trying to cover on the side of her face. Jackson nodded before he ducked back out into the hall.

When they heard approaching voices, Jackson grabbed the handle of the nearest room and they both ducked inside. Jackson was barely inside the room when he felt a sharp, piercing pain in his shoulder.

"Watch out, Dane," Jackson warned. "We have company."

Dane raised his gun as he too noticed who they'd walked in on. They both looked across the room to see Slash standing up from his chair. He grabbed a woman who was scrambling to her feet and hauled her against him as a shield. She covered her own mouth like she was terrified she would make a sound as Slash held a blade to her neck. It looked like he had been using it on her clothes, by the state of her outfit.

Jackson looked at the small knife embedded in his shoulder. He grabbed the hilt and pulled it out, clenching his teeth against the pain. A thin line of blood began to run down the front of his shirt.

"I was just thinking how dull this evening was turning out to be." Slash's eyes flickered toward the woman in his hold with a displeased expression. "At least now I'll have a little fun," Slash said, giving her a squeeze that elicited a small terrified whimper.

"Yeah, we aren't interested in your type of f.u.c.ked up fun," Jackson said disgustedly. Jackson looked around the small office. It was bare except for the old desk that Slash sat at other than a pile of boxes in the corner. "You must be upset that you get the s.h.i.tty office. Guess you're not his favorite anymore."

"Something tells me you're not here to take Black up on his offer," Slash said, pursing his lips as he kept his face pressed against the back of her neck and out of a clear shot from Dane's gun.

"What gave it away?" Jackson asked sarcastically.

"I should have aimed a little more to the left then and I would have saved Black the trouble."

"I thought you were just losing your touch," Jackson baited.

Slash narrowed his eyes. "Pick up my phone, sweetheart," Slash cooed in the woman's ear.

The woman's frantic eyes darted around the surface of the desk.

"Right there," Slash moved his hand with the blade.

Dane took the opportunity and fired. Slash's hand exploded from impact as he stumbled backward. The woman screamed and twisted from his hold. She darted across the room and pressed herself against the far wall. She frantically rubbed her hands over herself, trying to confirm she wasn't hit as she noticed blood coating her. When she realized it wasn't her blood, she slowly slid to the floor and grabbed her knees.

Slash was looking at his mangled fingers with a s.a.d.i.s.tic expression on his face. He looked fascinated by the blood dripping from what remained of his fingers as he tried to flex his hand.

"I forgot to introduce you to Dane," Jackson said smugly.

"There's something about pain that is rather seductive, is there not?" Slash said as his eyes rolled up in his head. He sighed exaggeratedly as he looked up at Dane and Jackson, not even fazed by the fact that there were two guns aimed in his direction. His uninjured hand slowly moved toward his back.

"Don't move, you crazy m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t f.u.c.k," Jackson warned. "Where is Evan?"

"You won't leave here alive," Slash threatened.

"It's you who won't leave alive," Jackson replied before he shot Slash in the face. Blood sprayed against the back wall. The woman began to scream as she watched Slash's body fall against the desk. Dane quickly silenced her by placing his hand over her mouth.

"Be quiet. No one is going to hurt you," Dane a.s.sured her. She stared up at him with wide, frantic eyes.

Jackson walked over toward Slash's body and pulled the belt from his pants. "We have to tie her up and gag her. We can't risk her telling someone we're here," Jackson said as he ripped a piece of Slash's shirt off to be used as a gag.

"I won't say anything, I promise," she begged.

"Considering the company you keep, sweetheart, we're not inclined to trust you," Dane said apologetically as he took the belt from Jackson's hand.

Jackson was hoping their presence was still unheard from the cover of the music. They were prepared with silencers, but even still the sound would be recognizable if anyone was within hearing distance. Jackson pulled the door open and glanced down the hall, but from what he could see, everything still seemed business as usual.

Jackson pulled out his phone to text Teddy that Slash had been dealt with. Teddy's response was almost immediate to let him know that Black was still none the wiser they were there.

The woman seemed to calm considerably despite being tied. "You won't be here long." Dane made sure her chair was angled away from the b.l.o.o.d.y mess that Slash's body left.

"Ready?" Jackson asked Dane.

"Yeah, let's go."

CHAPTER FIVE.

Jackson With their guns readied, Jackson and Dane made their way back out into the hallway. Evan had to be in one of these rooms. He could only hope they found him before things went sideways. A man came out from the last door on the left. It took him a moment to realize Jackson and Dane were a threat, but by then it was too late. Dane had already pulled the trigger and the man's body dropped to the floor with a gurgling sound. Unfortunately, he was not alone, and another man began sending bullets blindly down the hall as he hid behind the corner. Jackson and Dane narrowly missed getting hit as they dove into an open door.

When Jackson heard the man reloading his gun, he darted the rest of the way down the hall, keeping low as Dane covered him. Dropping to the ground, he angled his arm around the corner and shot the man before he was able to ready his gun. Jackson knew they needed to act quickly because someone would have heard the man's crazed gunfire.

Jackson pushed off the ground and aimed his gun into the room the men had exited but lowered it when he realized no more of Black's men were inside. He was relieved to see Cherry with her hands raised, and Evan sprawled out on the sofa. She dropped her hands when Jackson lowered his gun and her spark flared back to life behind her heavily painted eyes.

Evan was barely conscious, and from what Jackson could see of his half-closed eyes, they were heavily bloodshot.