Chapter Nine

Stryker

Stryker frowned when he noticed the same car from the road outside had driven around the block three times before they entered the warehouse. He kept an eye on it but when it got to a fourth time, he needed to do something.

"I have to make a few phone calls," Stryker said. "I'll catch up with you in a bit."

"I'm going to go finish those table legs I started yesterday." John turned on the lights in the work area.

"Okay. I'll be back in a while." As soon as he was out of earshot, Stryker got on the phone to Brick.

"Brick here." The deep voice of his commander always lifted Stryker's spirits.

"We were followed this morning. A dark blue, four-door sedan, single occupant, parked outside Joe's Convenience," Stryker said before rattling off the license plate number.

"On it."

Jason walked in as he was hanging up the call. "Morning, Stryker."

"Morning. We may have a situation," he said before filling Jason in on the events of that morning. "John doesn't know, and I'd prefer to keep it that way until we confirm who it is."

"Got it. I'll go check in with him, see what's on the plan for today in the shop."

When Stryker was alone again, he walked over to the front window and casually glanced up and down the street. Sure enough, the sedan was still parked down the street. A few minutes later, the sheriff's truck went by, followed by Brick's. One stopped in front and the other behind the sedan, boxing it in so whoever it was couldn't drive away.

Elias, Brick, Fletcher, Gator, and Gunner soon surrounded the vehicle, and the sheriff pulled the lone occupant from the driver's seat. They'd have their answers soon enough. He couldn't help but feel relieved, and as he turned around, he almost ran headlong into John.

"Shit, what are you doing sneaking around? Where's Jason?"

"He's on the phone," John answered before looking out the window. "So, they got the car that was circling this morning?"

"You knew?" Stryker asked, trying to hide his shock.

"I'm not oblivious, or stupid," John said acerbically, eyebrows raised. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

"This isn't going to work if you aren't straight with me," John grated. "Like I told you, I don't need anyone protecting me from stuff."

Stryker didn't miss the anger in his voice.

"You're right, I'm sorry. I won't make that mistake again." Hell, the man had a temper. Good. Stryker liked a man who would challenge him.

"Good. When will we know who that is?" John motioned out the window.

"Soon. Elias will probably take the guy to the station and grill him for answers." Stryker wished he could be there, but his place was here with John.

"Okay. I'm going back to work. If anything else comes up…" He cocked a warning eyebrow at Stryker, who chuckled.

"I'll tell you immediately, tiger."

"Thanks," John said with that slightly crooked smile that Stryker was getting all too used to wanting to see.

Stryker turned and watched as they loaded the mystery man into the back of the sheriff's truck, and both vehicles took off in the direction of the police station. They'd have their answers soon enough, but for now, he'd go and hang out in the back with John. He found it oddly soothing watching the man work, creating beautiful designs out of blank pieces of wood.

The store's opening was to take place that Saturday and Jason was busy arranging furniture pieces in the shop. He hoped nothing got in the way of their opening, John and Jason had put in a lot of work into making this shop shine.

When he reached the back shop, he found John looking at a four-by-six-foot piece of lumber at least four inches thick.

"What are you thinking about doing with that?" Stryker asked.

"I'm not sure," John replied. "There's so much I can do with it, but everything I've come up with so far doesn't fit."

"What do you mean fit?" Stryker asked.

"Well, for me anyway, I look at something like a piece of wood and see what it should be made into. It's as if I can see past the surface and glimpse what's inside waiting to be discovered." John got quiet, and Stryker felt he wasn't telling him something. John soon snapped out of it and continued. "But I"m coming up blank when I look at this one. Everything I think of just doesn't fit."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"It's gonna have to sit there until I come up with an answer."

"You're not going to carve or create any old thing with it?"

"No way. It'd be like forcing a racehorse to pull a plow. Just doesn't work. It's a beautiful piece of mahogany. I refuse to waste it."

"I've never thought of it that way. You have an interesting way of looking at things, John."

"Is that just a fancy way of saying I'm odd?"

"Not at all. I find you interesting. I don't find many people interesting."

John turned to look at Stryker. "I'm glad I'm one of them." There was an awkward silence then John turned away.

"Well, I might as well get on with those table legs."

He walked over to one of the benches to begin his day. Jason soon joined them and began work on a cabinet they'd been commissioned to create. They both seemed at home here, and for once, Stryker felt at home as well.

Of course, that was likely because he was here with John.

***

John

Every time Stryker's phone rang, John's heart leapt. They were still waiting for word from Brick about the identity of the mystery man who was taken into custody three hours prior.

He tried to busy himself with work and was doing a pretty good job until the last call came in, and Stryker informed him that the boss was on the way over to the shop. That couldn't be good. Soon, there was a knock on the locked back door, and Stryker went to answer it.

When the door opened, John saw a stranger walking into the shop. Brick said a few words to Stryker, but John was too far away to overhear him.

Jason came over to stand beside John as the two men approached. Stryker came to stand on John's other side.

"John, I'd like you to meet Detective Woodley," Brick said by way of introducing the stranger. "He's been thoroughly checked out." His demeanor said if they'd found anything suspicious, the man would be at the bottom of the nearest lake right now.

The blond-haired man stepped forward and reached out his hand. John hesitated for a moment but eventually shook the man's hand.

"What brings you to Marshall, Detective Woodley?" Stryker asked.

"I wanted to see how secure John was staying here," the detective answered while looking around the shop.

"And have we passed whatever inspection you want to call this?" Jason asked curtly.

"With flying colors. Now I understand what you meant by saying you were safer remaining here than returning to Hood River."

"I don't want to be a dick, but with or without your blessing, I'm not coming back to Hood River," John said, wanting to make it clear.

"I understand," Detective Woodley said. "But I wanted to offer my assistance. The team back in Hood River continue to follow up on leads in the case, but I feel I could serve better on the ground here."

"Because you believe that whoever killed my parents is coming for me even after all this time?" John asked.

"Yes." The detective wasn't holding back any punches.

"I still don't understand that. What's changed, other than the ramblings of Aleksandr Popov on his deathbed? Wait, how did he die?" John realized he'd never actually said.

"Perhaps we should reconvene at the lake house to discuss this," Brick suggested.

"It's a good thing I'm not on a tight timeline for these table legs, or I'd never get them done," John huffed as he threw the cloth he'd used to wipe away the sawdust back onto his work bench.

"Don't worry about it, buddy," Jason said. "Nothing's more important than figuring out what's going on and protecting you."

"Agreed," Stryker said.

John rolled his eyes. "Okay. Let's go to the lake house. The quicker we get this over with, the quicker I can get back to work."

***

Stryker

Stryker didn't like unexpected company, or being tested by some outsider to see if they were good enough to protect John. Who was this guy to decide who was good enough? The asshole had rubbed him the wrong way from the very first moment he stepped into the shop, and once on his shit list, it was hard to get off.

They allowed the detective to drive his car to the lake house, while Stryker and John rode in Stryker's truck. His friend had been quiet since meeting the detective.

"All good?" Stryker asked.

"Yeah, I guess. I didn't expect the cops to appear on our doorstep like that."

"Neither did I. I don't like surprises. But if Brick cleared him, then…" Stryker gave a satisfied grunt as something clicked back into place in his neck.

"I guess we should hear him out, considering he came all this way."

"I'll reserve judgment until I know for sure." Stryker rolled aching shoulders. He wasn't used to not being active and sitting around at the shop had made him stiff.

"You don't trust him?"

"I don't trust anybody I've just met. Life has taught me trust is earned, not freely given."

"I don't blame you. In your line of work, trusting someone could have lethal consequences."

"Exactly. I want you to be safe, which means going nowhere alone with this detective. Understand?"

"Don't worry. I didn't plan on it." John seemed amused, casting side glances at him. "You can be a real bossy arsehole; anyone ever tell you that?"

"Only a million times."

As they pulled into the laneway of the lake house, Stryker made sure to park strategically in the event of needing to make a quick getaway.

Overprotective much? He questioned himself and was gratified when he decided yes; yes, he was.

Fletcher and Gunner led the detective into the house while Brick and Gator hung back waiting for Stryker and John.

Before Stryker could say a word, Brick beat him to it.

"Conor's already waiting inside. If the guy lies or hides something, we'll know soon enough."

"Good. I don't like how he just randomly showed up," Stryker said. "I don't know him from Adam, so I don't trust him."

"Same. Conor will get to the bottom of it. The guy wasn't armed, and there were no weapons in his car, so that alleviated one worry, though I do wonder why a police detective is unarmed. One call confirmed the guy's identity with the Hood River PD. There was no second-guessing or hesitation on their part; they knew the guy was on his way down here." He grinned. "Elias headed over as soon as he heard about it. He'll be at the lake house too. That man hates missing out on anything."

"Okay, we'll wait and see then," John said. "He could be on the up and up."

Stryker instinctively put his arm around John, herding him to the house. The man didn't fight his touch, which made Stryker happy. Little did the guy know how much power he possessed over Stryker without even trying.

"Let's get this over with," John said, his face set. "Let's find out what the hell is going on."