Knowing Rebel would be working through the end of dinner gave me time to get some work done. The first thing I did was make sure my partners were on board with us taking this on as a job.
“I’ll be covering the costs for this one,” I told them when we gathered at the ranch’s main house. “Rebel was released into my custody.”
In response, three of the four men seated at the table shook their heads.
Deck was the first to speak. “Out of the question.”
I’d expected that reaction from him. The first job we’d done after the Invincibles formed was essentially asset protection for the woman who was now Decker’s wife. It had turned into a great deal more, but even then, I wouldn’t have taken a dime in payment from Decker; Rile and Grinder felt the same.
I turned to the fourth man at the table, my brother. He hadn’t officially signed on with our firm, but even if he had, I wouldn’t have let him work this job.
“Come with me.” I led Lennox out to the front porch.
“I can help with this,” he said before the door shut behind us.
“I won’t allow it.”
“It isn’t your decision.”
My older brother became my guardian when our parents died, and he still attempted to exercise a role of authority with me. However, I’d stopped standing for it years ago.
“You haven’t officially joined the Invincibles, Lennox. Therefore, it is my decision, and I intend to enforce it. Besides, you’ve already said you’re leaving in the morning.”
He sat down on a chair and looked out at the rolling hills. “Going to Boston may prove a waste of time.”
“It may, but it could also be the best decision you make in your life.” During the mission in which I was shot, my brother had met and fallen in love with a woman who lived on the East Coast. Her name was Emerson and they’d actually met years ago. Because of me, he’d been separated from her for over three months. If I’d realized that he hadn’t communicated with her that entire time, I would’ve tossed my brother out of the rehab hospital on his ear.
“Right.”
When I went inside, Lennox didn’t follow, and I was glad of it. He had his own problems to work out.
With that settled, at least in my mind, I placed a call to Hammer, asking him to join us at the ranch. While we worked to figure out who’d killed Possum, I needed him to do whatever he could on the legal side to get the charges against Rebel dropped. I considered inviting the sheriff to join us, but fearing a conflict of interest that might compromise Rebel’s release on bail, I decided against it. Tomorrow, without Hammer present, I’d arrange to meet with Mac.
“Got a minute?” asked Grinder when I walked back inside.
“Of course.”
He led me over to the dining room table, and we both sat down.
“Talk to me about this woman. You’re arse over elbows.”
Grinder was my best friend in the world, so it made sense that he’d be the first to notice how out of character my behavior was—even before my brother.
“I met her before we left on the last mission.”
My friend nodded. “And?”
I told him everything that had happened, including that initially, I’d been certain I was the one who’d killed the tosser.
“When Hammer negotiated bail, I volunteered for custody.”
“Do you think she did it?”
I shook my head. “I know she didn’t.” I explained Decker had told me an hour ago that he and Mac had uncovered Possum’s involvement with the Aryan Brotherhood.
“Could’ve been a hit.”
I agreed. Not only could have been, more than likely, that’s exactly what it was.