Through The Weeds (Nightshade MC Book 2) (25 page)

“Get out of my kitchen before I forget about the mess and get the bread knife,” she replied. “And I see you lurking out there, Train. Don't worry there's going to be enough for you, too.”

“You making any cookies?”

“I'm making pumpkin cheesecake cookies.”

“Fucking pumpkin?” Train made a gagging sound.

“You'll eat them and you like them,” she warned. “And I'm out of flour. Can someone go to the store?”

“I'll go get you flour.”

“And everything else on the list I left on the fridge.” She motioned to the fridge which had always been just a blank silver space, but now there were magnets and a long notepad with puppies on it.

“Alright. I think I can handle that.”

“Call me with any questions.”

“I'm a grown man. I can handle a trip to the grocery store without assistance.” Buster was amused the she would think otherwise, until he heard Train let out a bellowing laugh from the hall. “You think that's funny, Train? You can come with me.”

“Fuck,” the man replied. “I will, but only if we can go to Foxy Bend after. Talk to Karen.”

“Foxy Bend?” Caroline cocked an eyebrow at Buster. “In the middle of the day?”

“It's business,” Buster assured her. “I'll tell you all about it later.”

“Works for me. Now get out of here and bring my groceries back before you get distracted by whatever the day shift at Foxy Bend has to offer.”

<#<#<#<#

The day shift at Foxy Bend had improved considerably since the last time that Buster had been there. There were also more patrons, a few of whom seemed like they'd been there all day. Karen was behind the bar. She smiled as they approached.

“Thought that you didn't like the whole sexy dressing thing.” Buster grinned at the outfit that she was wearing, a tight black corset and jeans. He imagined she had heels or boots on, because she was definitely several inches taller than he remembered.

“It's not too bad. Guess it's grown on me, and my tips are certainly better. My salary is better too.” She leaned over the bar, lowered her voice. “That going to stay the same if I help you make the offer?”

“We'll bump it up ten percent. How's that sound?”

“Sounds really good to me. I've called Tabby, she's open to the idea of selling. Bitch actually laughed at me when I told her I was the one interested but she stopped laughing when I told her the amount Train texted me. She wants proof I can pay it.”

“Tabby?” Buster asked, as it felt like a cold finger moved down his spine.

“Yeah. Jake's sister.” Karen looked between the two of them with a frown. “What am I missing?”

“What's Tabby look like?” Buster asked.

“She's a little older than me. Blonde. Really pretty and knows it. What's going on?”

“You got a picture of Tabby? Know her full name?” Pieces were starting to click together in Buster's mind, and he didn't like what he was seeing. He wanted to be wrong, but he didn't think that he was.

“I don't know what her real name is. And I don't have a picture of her. Why would I?”

“What about Jake? He got personal pictures in his office here?”

“No. And he never uses... I mean used the office here. I do when I do the deposits and payroll. Tabby uses it more than he did. She likes to check my work, make sure that I'm not skimming. I repeat, what the hell is going on here?”

“Don't worry about that. It's Nightshade business.” Buster knew that Karen had been around long enough to respect the answer and not push. “And we're going to need another favor from you. You got a phone number for Tabby?”

“Sure.” Karen pulled her phone from her back pocket. “I just sent it to Train.”

“Take that number to Bones. Have him run it. Only him.” Buster met Train's eyes. The man nodded; his mind had obviously gone to the same place. “Thanks, Karen. We'll be in touch.”

“I'll be here.”

Once they were outside, Train made the call to Bones, who promised that he'd have all of the information they needed as soon as possible. “You're thinking that Tabby is Tabitha?”

“I'm thinking that Jake got the information he had from somewhere. She was around. Always around after the attack. She's the only one who saw Clark with the mysterious guy. What if the guy wasn't mysterious? What if it was Jake?”

“That's a whole lot of what if,” Train pointed out. “But I don't like the coincidence of Jake's sister having the same name as Ace's most recent flame. Fuck.”

“If it's her, we'll figure out the part that she played, and she'll get what's coming to her. If it is her, we can't trust any deal she makes with Karen. So, we wait. Life as usual until then.”

“You ever realize that this is becoming our life as usual, Buster? All drama. No downtime?” Train pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one. “I'm going to take a ride. Tell Caroline to save some dinner for me. I'll check in.”

“Do what you need to do,” Buster told him. “You know where to find us if you need us. I'm going to go home to my old lady and eat her homemade pot pie.”

“Try and get some dinner in there first.” Train cackled at his own cleverness. Buster just shook his head.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Caroline didn't know if she should be worried by the hushed tones that Buster and Train were talking in or the way that they kept looking over at Ace as he was doing his best helicopter imitation with Jillian. She was probably just being paranoid. Buster had been off a little since he'd come  back from Foxy Bend, but maybe it was just everything catching up to him.

They'd fallen asleep early the night before, not long after dinner, when he confirmed that she'd ruined frozen pot pies for him. It was nice to just drift off, warm in his arms. In spite of everything, or maybe because of it, she'd never felt safer. There was nothing Buster wouldn't do to protect her, keep her safe and whole. And there was nothing that she wouldn't do for him.

She loved him like she'd never love before. And it was more than that. She loved the guys. She loved everything that Nightshade stood for. She loved Jillian and Amelia; they were the sisters that she'd never had. Harris threatened everything that she held dear. Caroline had believed that the woman would just go away when she couldn't get anything on Nightshade and was ordered off by her higher-ups, but she hadn’t. Somehow, it was personal for Harris now. She was more dangerous than ever because she was no longer following the rules.

“Earth to Caroline.” Train's voice made her jump. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard him approach. “You good?”

“Never better.” It was true. Caroline was settled in a way she'd never thought possible when she was bound to that chair. The thought of it made her look down at her arm. It was still bandaged, would be for a while.

“Interesting.”

“Why?” Caroline looked up at him.

“I can't tell if you're lying or not. Normally, I can tell.” He studied her curiously. It was how a bug underneath a microscope must feel. Caroline only barely resisted the urge to look away from him. “I used to be able to tell with you. Something changed.”

“You know what they say, Train. Shit happens.”

“That it does.” He smiled. “Ace hover around her like this all the time?”

“Pretty much,” Caroline replied. “I think it's sweet.”

“I think he's whipped,” Train replied without hesitation. “Stupid bastard.”

“Love is stupid?” Caroline asked. “If that's the case, what about me and Buster?”

“I've told him he's a stupid bastard more than one time. Stupid as he is, though, he's a lucky son of a bitch. You're pretty great, and I'm not just saying that because you bake like an angel.”

“Have you ever been in love?” She was pretty sure that she knew the answer just by his expression. He shook his head. “I thought that I had been before Buster, but I was wrong. What I feel for him now, I would have never thought it was possible. What if you meet someone who makes you feel something you've never felt before?”

“I pay them extra when that happens,” he replied without missing a beat. “Whatever you're making smells good. I should wash up before we eat.”

Caroline let him go. She got the feeling bringing up the subject again would be considered pushing it, so she promised herself that she wouldn't. She liked Train and he liked her, but she knew that there was something dangerous about him she shouldn't stir up.

She took the lasagna out of the oven. “The food is done.” She carried it over to the table and turned back around to get the bread and salad. A flash of movement outside the window over the sink caught her attention. “Someone is in the yard.”

There was a flurry of movement as the three men took off towards two separate doors. Jillian had stopped where she had been standing, frozen in place. For an instant Caroline was frozen, too, but then she wasn't. “Probably nothing to panic about.”

Jillian let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Please. With our luck lately, that's the first wave of the zombie apocalypse.” Both women jumped when the back door slammed.

“It was Harris.” Ace came into the room, gun drawn. “Caught sight of her pulling away. Buster and Train are going to follow her. We're going to stay here and shut all the shades. Check and make sure everything is locked.” He looked over at Jillian. “It's just a precaution, Jilly. Be easy.” Jillian looked anything but easy. She looked like she was going to jump right out of her skin.

Caroline was more pissed off than scared. “I'll check upstairs.” She was glad for something to occupy her mind. When she went in to check the bedroom windows, she made sure to grab her gun from its place in the nightstand. If Harris stepped foot into the house uninvited, she was going to get shot.

It wasn't lost on her that she'd made the decision to take a life without any hesitation. There was no niggling feeling of guilt in her stomach. She finally understood the expression about shooting someone with a smile. No matter what happened after, she'd have stopped someone who wanted to destroy what she loved.

When she came back downstairs, Ace was on the phone. Jillian was on the couch, television remote control in hand. Caroline went to sit down next to her. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Jillian replied.

“Never a dull moment, huh?” Caroline set her gun down on the coffee table.

“You shouldn't have that. Not with Harris around. She'll probably slap cuffs on you for having an illegal weapon.” Jillian picked at the bandage on her wrist. “That's the last thing you need.”

“Maybe that's true, but I think that I'll take the chance,” Caroline replied. “Are you hungry? Do you want me to get you something to eat while it's still hot?”

“I'm okay. I can wait for everyone else.” Jillian jumped a little when Ace swore loudly. “Maybe I'm a little jumpy.”

“You've got every right to be,” Caroline assured her as Ace approached them.

“They lost her. She didn't go back to the station.” Ace seemed like he wanted to say more. “They'll be back in a minute.”

Yeah, there was definitely something that Ace wasn't saying. Caroline was sure of it. For the first time in her relationship with Buster, she opened her mouth to demand that Ace tell her what was happening right now. She ended up clearing her throat instead and saying nothing.

Buster and Train were back within ten minutes. Both looked pissed. “That lasagna smells good. Let's eat.” Caroline shot him a curious look he either didn't see or ignored. “Anyone want a beer?”

“I'll get them.” She moved towards the kitchen, glad for something to distract her, even if it was a menial task. She brought the beers over to the table, handed them out and sat down, even though she wasn't exactly hungry anymore.

Once they were all eating, Buster cleared his throat and put down his fork. “I talked to Manuel, who talked to his person inside the police department. Harris has been suspended without pay, sort of like what happened to Monroe. Looks like they're getting their ducks in a row in order to get rid of her.”

“Which means she was here of her own accord.” Caroline reached for her napkin.

“Yes,” Buster replied. “Which means that we don't know what she's up to, so we're all just going to have to be cautious. And the two of you aren't alone. I called Monroe. He's going to come over and sit with the two of you.”

“I'll stay with them.” Ace spoke up quickly.

“No. I need you with us, Ace. There's something that we need to take care of.” Buster gave him a look that all but screamed club business and glanced over at Jillian just as meaningfully. Caroline frowned at him, and he raised an eyebrow in response but continued to speak. “We've got to ride out after we eat. It should only take a couple of hours. This is really really good, Caroline. And there's no cottage cheese in it, right?”

“You know that there's not.” Caroline felt herself smile. Maybe she needed to relax some, but she just felt so on edge. Harris was going to be a problem that they didn't need. She was sure of it down to her toes.

<#<#<#<#

Caroline watched Jillian pick at the bandage at her wrist. “Is it itching? Do you want me to change it for you?”

“No. It's just bothers when I move my hand a certain way. It's fine.” She stopped touching the bandage and picked up the remote control and began to flip through the channels. Finally she settled on a cooking show. They sat there and watched in silence for a while. Monroe joined them after he'd finished checking for signs of Harris in the yard.

Caroline was glad that conversation wasn't expected, because her attention wasn't on the show. Her mind was focused on Buster. Questions swarmed through her head like a thousand buzzing bees. All she wanted was for him to come back from wherever the hell he was and tell her what was going on. If she knew, she'd be calmer.

“I'm going to make some coffee. Does anyone want some?” Jillian rose to her feet without waiting for a response.

“Yeah, you're Ace's girl, alright.” Monroe chuckled. “I've never seen anyone drink coffee as much as he does. I think I'm good. Any more caffeine and I'll be climbing the walls.”

“I'll take some.” Caroline couldn't help but smile at the way Jillian blushed at being called Ace's girl, but she could also tell that she was pleased. “I think I've got some cookies in a tin in one of the cabinets. Or at least I should, unless Train found it.”

“Got any brownies?” Monroe asked.

“No but I can make some. I think that I've got everything I need.”

“Seriously?” The man grinned from ear to ear. “Thanks. And once your bakery is open, I'll be there every day. I'll even pay.”

“My bakery? What the hell are you smoking, Monroe? I don't have a bakery.” Caroline turned her head towards him. He looked away from her.

“I smoked a joint earlier. Guess I'm still stupid from it. I don't know why I said that.”

Caroline kept her eyes on him. He looked away and down at the floor. She was pretty sure that he was lying. “You sure about that?”

“Yeah, I'm sure. And you don't have to go to the trouble of making the brownies. Cookies sound great, too.” Monroe stretched his arms and got up. “I should go and check outside again.” Caroline was now convinced that he was lying, but it made no sense.

“Do you think that they'll be back soon?” Jillian called out from the kitchen.

“Not sure,” Monroe replied. “I'll let you know if I hear anything.”

Caroline joined Jillian in the kitchen when Monroe went in the back yard. “You need a hand?”

“No,” Jillian replied. “I hope that they're back soon. It sounds stupid, but I miss him. How could I miss him when he's only been gone for a few hours?”

“Because you love him. I miss Buster too, if that helps any. Seems like the two of you are making up for lost time. Things are going good?”

“Yeah. They are. It's strange because it's easier than I thought it would be.” Jillian found the cookies and set them out on a plate. “I feel like... I feel stupid in a lot of ways because I let so much time be wasted.”

“You were scared.”

“It was more than that. I'm not trying to make excuses for myself, but I was just trying to do what Edge wanted. He wanted me away from Nightshade. He wanted it to be his. Just his. And I thought it was the right thing. And...”

“Hey. Easy.” Caroline got to her feet when Jillian's hands shook so badly that she dropped one of the coffee mugs. “Take a couple of deep breaths for me. Try and relax.”

“Sorry. I'm just... I feel like I'm losing it. I'll replace the cup.”

“Don't you worry about the cup,” Caroline told her. “Break them all because they're seriously ugly.” To prove her point she turned the faded orange and brown cup around to reveal the gas station logo on its side.

Jillian laughed. “Yeah, they are pretty ugly. Hey, we should ask Monroe if he has anything left from what he smoked earlier. The whole waiting thing might be easier if we're stoned.”

“Maybe,” Caroline replied. “I'll go and ask him.” She went to stand but stopped as Jillian grabbed her bandaged arm. Pain shot through her at the strength of her friend's grip, but she didn't cry out. “Whoa, Jillian, easy.”

“You can't go outside. You can't. It's not safe.”

Caroline knew that it probably wasn't, but she'd be damned if she was going to let Harris make her a prisoner in her own home. “I'm just going to open the door and call Monroe back inside.”

“No. You wait. Please.”

“Okay, I'll wait.” Caroline made her voice as soothing as possible. “This is all going to be over really soon, Jillian. I promise. Things are going to get better. You're not going to have to be scared.” She remained there, her wrist caught in Jillian's painful grip, because she didn't want to upset the woman any further.

Monroe came back in a few minutes later. “It's all clear out there. We're good.”

“We'd be better if you've got some of that weed you mentioned earlier,” Caroline told him.

“What...” He seemed to remember what he'd said just in the nick of time and cleared his throat. “I don't have any left. I can get you some later, after the guys are back.”

“Sounds good.” Caroline looked over to Jillian. “Can you wait or do you need something for your nerves now? I can make those brownies. Ooey gooey brownies.”

“Can you make weed brownies if we wait?”

“I think that I can manage that.” It had been years since she'd made weed brownies, and even when she'd made them, she'd never actually eaten them herself. “I guess I should start thinking about what to make for dinner soon.”