Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

C arlos stared at Hannigan, unsure he'd heard his boss correctly. In fact, he wasn't sure he'd heard any of this conversation correctly.

The Black Pythons were a notorious one-percent motorcycle club out of Pittsburgh. They were the stereotypical MC that people thought of. Unlike the Via Daemonia , the Pythons dealt in drugs and the flesh trade mostly with the occasional gun deal. Now they were trying their hand at dogfighting? Except that their dogfighting ring had been shut down. Steel hadn't said it, but the implication was there that the VDMC had been the ones to shut it down.

In doing so, the Pythons now had their eyes on Mount Grove, when they had never ventured this far south before.

Steel had put his cards on the table: the VDMC would do whatever it took to protect Mount Grove with or without help from their police force.

Hannigan had remained silent for a long time. He'd studied Steel and Lucky, who was also his son-in-law. Then he sat back in his chair and let out a sigh.

"The council gave me an extension on my interim status after my attack. At the time, I was grateful, but now I'm not. I'm tired, Duncan," he told Steel, using his surname. "The town council wants me to start campaigning to become the official sheriff after November's election. I turned them down."

The seven VDMC officers before them weren't the only ones to look at Hannigan in shock. Jeff and Carlos did too.

"I'm resigning. I want to spend my time repairing my marriage. I want to spend time with my grandchildren." Hannigan indicated towards Lucky. "It has been difficult knowing my own daughter did not want me to walk her down the aisle at her wedding. I want to fix what I broke. I can't do that if I remain sheriff."

Hannigan looked to his left where Carlos sat. "I told the council I'm endorsing you for the job. It should have been yours from the start, Santiago. I'm sorry it wasn't. Miller's a good cop. He'd make a good deputy sheriff."

Then Hannigan stood up. "I'm taking medical leave until my interim contract is up. Santiago would be filling in for me anyway, but I have no doubt he'll be your new sheriff soon. Maybe then this town will get back to normal."

Hannigan made to exit but paused at the double doors leading out of the conference room the VDMC called Church. He looked to Steel. "I am sorry for my involvement in…everything," he hedged. "If I had worked with you instead of against you when I first arrived, maybe not so many people would have gotten hurt."

Carlos had no doubt Hannigan was including his wife, daughter, and himself in that number.

"I'd like to go see Conner, if that's all right." It took Carlos a moment to realize Hannigan was speaking directly to Lucky.

Lucky stared at the man for a tense minute. "I'll never forgive you for the way you treated Harper or for pointing your gun at Scotty." Though it looked like it pained him, Lucky admitted, "But you risked your life to save Harper and Conner is your grandson. Harper wants me to let bygones rest, but that's not the type of man I am. As long as she's happy and wants you around, I'll deal. But I don't trust you, Hannigan. I never will."

Hannigan gave a sad nod before leaving the room.

Lucky picked up his phone. "Will's on the gate, right?"

Bulldog nodded. "Sara's downstairs. She can take him."

It only took Carlos a second to follow along with what Bulldog already understood. Lucky wanted a prospect with Hannigan while he visited with Harper and Conner since Lucky wasn't available to. Carlos wondered where Scotty was, though figured he was with Lila. Those two were thick as thieves.

After Lucky finished texting, he put his phone down on the wooden table before him. "Looks like there's a new sheriff in town, boys!"

As his brother and friends cheered, Carlos looked across the table at Jeff. His co-worker and friend looked equally as enthusiastic. There was no resentment on his face at all. Carlos really hoped that was genuine.

When Sheriff Longhill had had his stroke, Carlos had arrogantly assumed that he'd get the job. He'd of course been worried for his boss, but he'd also made assumptions. When the council had announced they were bringing in an out-of-town retired detective to become sheriff for the rest of Longhill's term, Carlos had been…resentful. And that was before Hannigan had ever stepped foot in Mount Grove.

Eric Clapton's version of I Shot the Sheriff suddenly rang out and Carlos's head snapped towards his brother.

Bulldog grinned widely at him, holding up his phone with a little shake. "Been waiting for years to set that as your ringtone, fratellino ."

Carlos and Bulldog had always had a good relationship. He loved his brother. Recent events had not changed that. It would kill Abby, as well as their mother, if Bulldog ended up in prison. The law did not care that Bulldog was protecting his woman or avenging the heinous wrongs done to her.

In that moment, though, it had been as it had always been with them. Pride shone off of Bulldog, just as it had when Carlos had first gotten his badge at eighteen.

Steel eventually calmed everyone down. "I know we're all excited to see Hannigan go, but I do have to acknowledge how hard that must have been for him. It's not easy for a man to admit his faults." He gestured to the chair Hannigan had vacated across the long table from himself. "Sheriff Santiago."

It was so weird to hear that. For years, it had been all he'd wanted. Did he deserve that title anymore? He wasn't clean. There was blood on his hands, even if he had not been the one to put it there.

Stiffly, Carlos stood and moved seats. He was ambitious enough to want the job and position. He wanted to be his town's sheriff. Was he still worthy of it?

He looked to Jeff. "Are you okay with this?"

Jeff nodded, a wide smile on his clean-shaven face. "You deserve this," he told Carlos. "You care about this town and its people more than anyone I know. Besides, being sheriff is a young man's game. I'd be honored to be your deputy sheriff."

While the sheriff position was elected, Carlos would have the right to choose his own number two. As Longhill had chosen Carlos.

Carlos nodded. "Of course. There's no one else I'd want at my back." The response was immediate and true. The only exception was perhaps Danny, but he was still too young and green. Maybe in a few years when Miller was ready to retire.

"We need to get you caught up on some things," Steel told Carlos. "Mainly that we have a new member of our family."

Carlos was confused by this statement. He'd been removed from the club over the past couple of months, but not that removed. He'd have known if one of the ol' ladies was pregnant because his mother would have been over the moon about the addition.

"There's a boy. His name is Ollie. From what we've been able to piece together and from what little he's divulged, his mother is one of the Black Python's club whores. It's possible he's been there his entire life. When I saw King slap him for no reason, I stepped in. His mother's a consenting adult, but he's an innocent kid. We brought him home with us."

Carlos blinked. "You kidnapped him?"

"We got her permission," Ghost sneered. There was obvious disgust on his face and in his voice. "Bitch was fucking a member—openly and in front of him—and couldn't get rid of her kid fast enough. The boy's better off without her."

Carlos felt his stomach roll. In front of her kid ? That was some fucked up shit. Carlos had never been one for voyeurism. He'd seen the club brothers out in the open with a hang-around or a Honey at their parties over the years. It was not for Carlos. Hell, Bear had been the worst exhibitionist until he'd become a married man. He'd loved an audience. Not anymore. According to Bear, Tessa was his and his alone. No other man would ever see or touch her in a sexual way. Bear was also a dad now.

Carlos wasn't. At this rate, the closest he would ever be to being a father was being an uncle to his nieces and nephew. Even if he did have a kid, he couldn't imagine being so sexually flamboyant that he'd have sex in front of them. And no doubt, Ollie's mother hadn't just been ‘having sex'. It was likely the very definition of a down and dirty fucking.

That boy was going to need some serious counseling. Steel hadn't said how old he was, but any age was unacceptable.

"Are you anticipating any backlash?" Carlos asked, getting back to the topic at hand.

"Unlikely," Ghost replied.

"Keys is working up a new identity for him. He'll make it look like Ollie has always been here," Steel explained.

Like Keys had done with Abby, Cassie, and Lila. He'd somehow backdated a wedding certificate to make it seem like Abby and Bulldog had been married for years and had adopted Cassie and Lila from the foster system. As far as paperwork was concerned, Caleb and Georgie were Bulldog's biologically.

Carlos knew that something similar had been done with Bree's adoption, but Keys had not been the one to do that work. From what Carlos understood, Angel had a contact through WITSEC who had handled Bree's new identity.

If Jeff was confused or amazed by anything that was being said, he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

"Which of you is taking him in?" Carlos asked, looking between the four men at the table who had homes and families on property.

Steel shrugged, "We're letting the ol' ladies figure that out. Point is, he's Via Daemonia now."

Carlos knew better than most that that was not just a statement to Steel. That claim meant something to Steel fundamentally.

The discussion was moved onto how to best protect the town. Steel indicated that he was gathering intel on the Pythons, to try and figure out their plans. Since all of this might be speculation and the Pythons might not decide to come to Mount Grove, it was hard to make any decisions.

"We're revoking the right to openly wear colors within our borders," Steel said towards the end of the meeting. "Make sure your deputies know. If they see any cuts but ours, they're to inform you immediately."

Carlos nodded once. He was going to need to set a meeting with the others anyway. They were still down a deputy after losing Connelly, and now they were losing Hannigan. With recent budget cuts, Hannigan had not replaced Connelly. Carlos wondered if he had the funding to hire at least one more deputy now. He was fine with his current salary if that was a sacrifice he needed to make to ensure the town's safety.

He was going to need a secretary too. Belinda, who had been Longhill's predecessor's secretary, was still running the front office. Technically, she was the mayor's secretary too but Snowdon didn't go to her often for things. Belinda had a tendency to promise things that couldn't be done in an unreasonable amount of time. Longhill had always laughed it off like Belinda was pulling a joke. Hannigan had tried to fire her on his first day but she still kept showing up.

It had been the only decision Carlos had ever agreed upon with Hannigan prior to him showing his true colors.

Steel invited Carlos and Jeff to lunch at his house. Carlos had been about to decline, needing time alone to process the last hour of his life, but Jeff accepted before he could.

"Never one to turn down a free meal," the deputy said with a harty laugh.

Bulldog hung back as the others made to depart. He grabbed Carlos's arm but waited until it was just them in the room to speak.

"You deserve this. There's no one better for the job."

Carlos flinched. "Eighteen months ago, I would have agreed with you. Now? I'm not so sure."

His brother was just barely taller than Carlo's six-three. While Carlos was clean shaven with closely cropped raven hair, Bulldog had a long full beard and was bald. The brothers' bodies were similar in build, taking after their Mexican father. Their Italian mother was in their eyes.

"You," he tapped the side of his fist against Carlos' chest, "are," tap , "the," tap , "best," tap , "man," tap , "I know, fratellino ."

Problem was, Carlos wasn't sure he believed that either.

Zoe should have known that Jenna's lunch invitation wouldn't be exclusive to just her and Kyle. The walk from the trailer the VDMC had been allowing her to stay in was pleasant. The August morning was hot but accompanied by a nice mountain breeze.

Kyle ran ahead while Jenna and Zoe walked more casually.

"He's getting so big," Jenna said with a trace of awe.

Zoe watched her son play and giggle. He didn't often have this type of freedom. Her fear kept them indoors more than not. "He's almost four."

"Oh," Jenna put a hand on her arm, "we have to throw him a party, Clara. When's his birthday?"

Zoe automatically shook her head. "I can't?—"

Jenna pulled her to a stop. The older woman was about the same height as Zoe. She had reddish-brown hair that only had a few gray strands. Zoe didn't think she dyed her hair and was just someone who didn't gray quickly. Her husband was the literal definition of a silver fox.

But there was only one man who had caught her eye recently. Even if she wasn't in hiding, she'd never get involved with a cop again. Never.

"It's been almost a year, Clara. No one's looking for you. No one's come here for you. I think, maybe, it's time to consider building a life here." Jenna indicated her head towards where Kyle was running and jumping like he didn't have a care in the world. "Go out into town and let him meet kids his own age." At Zoe's horrified expression, Jenna amended, "Or just hang out more with the club. You never have to leave club property if you don't want to. We've expanded the number of club kids by a lot since you joined us. I think it'll do both of you some good, Clara."

Not knowing what else to say, but also knowing that she wasn't ready yet to consider expanding her safe space, Zoe said, "I'll think about it."

The look Jenna gave her told Zoe that she knew very well what Zoe was really saying. "You're coming to lunch. That's a good start."

Kyle and Zoe entered Jenna's familiar home. They'd lived in this house for over six months before moving into the trailer. Kyle ran right up to the fridge and asked for a cup of lemonade. Zoe started helping Jenna get out the supplies for sandwiches. She had made homemade potato salad, coleslaw, and bean salad too. Jenna always seemed prepared to feed an army.

They brought everything out into the back porch. Zoe thought they were just waiting on Steel to join them—until she saw others crossing the backyard towards Jenna's house.

Zoe swallowed nervously. She knew who most of them were, but had not spent any time interacting with them. Jenna was the only person she'd really spent time with over the past year, and that was only because Zoe didn't want to be rude when the woman was giving up her house for them.

Women and children started to fill the porch. Zoe was about to grab Kyle and make their excuses when she saw an older boy with Down syndrome—Scotty, she thought his name was—start up a game of tag with Kyle. Her son's loud laughter froze Zoe in place. She didn't get to hear that sound often enough.

Jenna met her eyes from across the patio. She gave Zoe a kind and patient smile, her eyes encouraging.

Zoe hadn't realized she'd backed herself to the paneled siding of the house until she stepped away. She could tell the other women were watching her but were allowing Jenna to take the lead. Feeling like she was entering a lions' den, Zoe slowly stepped forward to meet Jenna by the food table.

Jenna took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then she turned to the ladies present. "Everyone, this is Clara. Her son, Kyle, is the little one playing with Scotty."

And that was it. Like Zoe and Kyle hadn't been hiding out on their property without socializing with any of them for nearly a year. Jenna just introduced them like this was her first day here. Neither Tessa nor Harper pointed out that she'd been invited to their weddings and had turned down the offer.

A little girl joined Kyle and Scotty when their game of tag brought them to the playground equipment, which was in the center of the communal backyard. That must have been added after Kyle and Zoe had moved out of Steel and Jenna's house—or she never would have gotten Kyle off of it. Even now, she was anticipating the fight to come when it was time for them to leave.

Sorrow pierced her. Maybe she was a bad mother.

Zoe was making a plate for herself and Kyle when movement out of the corner of her eye made her freeze. A middle-aged police officer in a beige uniform stepped onto the back porch. He was carrying his wide brimmed hat and chatting with one of the club's members.

The plate fell from between her hands as fear gripped her. Kyle! She had to get Kyle! The police had found her!