Into the Blackness (Blackness Series Book 4) (13 page)

“He was followin’ orders, Shane. He didn’t go off half cocked. Jake’s fine here with me…doin’ really good in fact. I’ve got the op under control. But if local authorities get involved I need you to squash it to keep us where we’ve settled in Maybelle. Had a meeting with some of the poker group today at their law firm and got the contract for full security upgrades. Should have eyes and ears in two weeks. It’s the biggest move we’ve been able to make so far.”

“You think it’ll flush anything out?”

“No clue. But it’s somethin’.”

I see movement on my surveillance monitors at the front of the house as two Maybelle Police cruisers pull into our driveway.

“Shit! Shane, I’ve got local PD pullin’ up in the driveway. Start makin’ moves,” I bark.

“On it. Call you once it’s settled.”

He hangs up without a word. Shane’s a piece of work, but this type of shit is his bread and butter.

I grunt my way out of the office and thud down the stairs, pulling the big black door open as a cop has his hand at the ready to knock.

“Mister Johnson?” the officer whose name badge identifies him as Burke asks. I’m guessing he’s related to the pussy and his son. Fuck me.

“I’m Nick Johnson. How may I help you, Officer Burke?” I ask clinically.

“We’d like to ask you and your nephew a few questions about an incident at Maybelle High this afternoon. Can we come in?” he asks blankly, but his blue eyes are fiery, itching for a fight.

“Please,” I offer, opening the door wide and extending an arm for them to pass.

The four men stride past me with confidence, none of them making eye contact as they do. Pussies.

“This way officers,” I direct and lead them to the kitchen where I can hear my big weird family talking.

“Kat, we have visitors,” I announce as I hit the room finding all four boys at the breakfast bar and Kat pulling something out of the oven. The boys are going to eat us out of house and home.

“Hello officers,” Kat beams vibrantly, walking a tray of homemade Hot Pocket looking pastries over to the counter in front of the boys.

“Ma’am,” Officer Burke greets for the group.

“Would you boys care for a snack?”

She’s good at her job. No…she’s fucking amazing at her job. Kat can play any role at anytime and no one knows what’s actually going on behind her eyes. She appears calm and cool right now, when I know she’s boiling to the hilt.

“Yes,” one of the officers spouts as Burke declines.

Kat offers Burke a warm smile before loading up a snack pocket into a napkin and walking it over to the officer that requested one.

“How can we help you officers?” Kat asks as I pull her under my arm, hers going around my waist.

“We’ve been informed there were a couple incidents involving your husband and your nephew at Maybelle High this afternoon. We’d like to ask them some questions,” Burke explains.

The boys are dutifully attentive while they eat their snacks. I offer Jake a brief look to let him know we’ve got this and he returns an imperceptive nod.

“Please come in and have a seat. We’d be happy to answer your questions,” Kat says with an arm held out toward the breakfast table.

“We only need to speak with Mister Johnson and Jake, Missus Johnson,” Burke responds coolly.

“I’m sorry. I thought you were here to get statements about Jake and I being assaulted on school grounds this afternoon. Is there something else you’re here to discuss?”

The three officers standing around Burke turn questioning eyes his way before schooling their features back at us.

“William Burke has been hospitalized and Hoyt Burke is currently being attended to in the emergency room from injuries he claims Mister Johnson inflicted upon him,” Burke says his eyes flaring at me as he does.

“Well, I’m sorry that Will is in the hospital after
he
attacked Jake. But as all the witnesses in the lunch room will tell you, Jake was defending himself. This was the
second
time Will attacked Jake without provocation on school grounds. Hoyt Burke then kept Jake and me against our will in a conference room before repeatedly shoving me in the chest for half an hour. My husband entered the room and found Mister Burke assaulting me. Nick defended me as I’m a woman and Hoyt Burke is much larger than me. If you’d like to ask questions about those assaults, we’d be happy to answer them. If you’re here to ask questions about anything else, I believe we should contact our attorney and join you at the police station,” Kat finishes emphatically.

Suck on that motherfucker!

Burke is stunned stupid and has no response so the officer that’s just finished eating Kat’s incredible cooking takes the lead.

“Why don’t we just take statements from you for now and we’ll progress with our investigation,” he says kindly offering Kat a small smile.

“I think that’s best. It is a felony in Connecticut for an adult to assault a child under the age of sixteen isn’t it?” Kat asks knowingly.

“Yes, ma’am, it is,” the hungry officer replies.

“Well, Jake is fifteen and I’m aware Will Burke is eighteen. I believe we should press charges at this stage.”

“Yes, ma’am. We’ll gather more statements, interview witnesses and if you’d like to press charges we’ll move forward with arrest warrants.”

“I’d also like Officer Burke removed from this case. He’s obviously related to our perpetrators and I feel this is a conflict of interest,” Kat lowers the boom.

“Yes ma’am. Junior, why don’t you head back to the station? We’ll finish up here,” the officer directs. He moves around Burke so I can see his name on his chest. Harrison.

“Sure,” Burke, I’m guessing Hoyt Junior based on what Harrison just called him, responds glaring at me.

“I’ll show you out,” I say devoid of any emotion, indicating he goes ahead of me with a nod. When he moves I kiss Kat’s hair and then follow behind.

“You touch my father or my brother again and I’ll make you sorry,” he growls leaning into my face at the threshold of the front door. I chuckle.

“You go ahead and try that.”

“I don’t make idle threats,” he seethes.

I move into him so that my chest is touching his before the monster that lives within me unleashes his threat, “Neither do I. You tell your pussy father that. Get the fuck outta my house.”

The fury in his eyes changes to fear at my tone and force. Then he gets the fuck out of my house. Pussy. I slam the door and head back to my family.

Kat

“I went at it too hard,” I groan, rolling to my stomach on my side of the bed. My body hurts from head to toe from the violence I unleashed on the heavy bag tonight. If only I had sweats to wear, I’d lounge around all day tomorrow and let the ache take me over. Jake and the boys have sweats, maybe I’ll steal some of theirs.

“You feel better though, don’t you?” Nick asks rolling to his side to face me.

I snort. I feel exhausted enough that I don’t feel anything else, so that’s something.

“Shane leaked the video of the fight in the lunch room and some possibly Photoshopped images of Hoyt pushing you in the conference room. Of course, my action is magically missing from the footage. I think this’ll all go away by tomorrow,” Nick explains, ending with a yawn.

“Jess is a magician with a computer. I’m sure she did all that in an hour flat,” I say with pride at my best friend’s super powers.

“Jake said you were waitin’ for me,” he says softly.

“You run shit. I was pretty certain protocol in that situation was to await your arrival. I also didn’t think me unmanning the assistant principal would’ve done a lot to maintain our cover,” I finish with a shrug. Well, an attempt at a shrug with my aching muscles.

“I appreciate your thoughtfulness,” he drones in a sarcastic tone.

“What? Did you want me to unman him?” I ask disbelieving.

“No. You did good. Thanks.”

That was a brush off if I’ve ever received one. Have I mentioned this man is a mindfuck?

“Nicky, I’m worn the fuck out. If you’ve got somethin’ to say, say it. We can fight for a while, but I need some sleep,” I order.

“Nothin’ to say. Get some sleep, Sunshine.”

“Mindfuck,” I murmur into my pillow and fall asleep five seconds later.

I wake up to shrieking screams and fly out of bed. I know it’s Jake. Nick beats me up the stairs this time.

“Get back boys,” Nick directs as we barrel into the room to find all three of them huddled around Jake’s shaking frame on the floor.

I collapse next to him and gather as much of his body as I can into my lap.

“What’s wrong with him?” Cole asks with terror in his voice. These boys have shitty home lives, but nothing compared to where Jake’s come from.

“It’s just a nightmare, guys. Why don’t you three head back to bed? We’ve got him from here,” Nick instructs kindly, offering the softness he didn’t a month and a half ago.

I nod, smiling encouragingly at them and they all move back to their rooms slowly, watching Jake as they go. I keep rocking and shushing Jake, rubbing my hand across his shaggy hair.

“Come on, bud,” Nick says reaching down and heaving Jake off the floor, cradling him to his chest.

Jake remains tense as Nick carries him, but eases a bit under his touch. Nick pads down the stairs back to our room still carrying Jake. I follow behind quickly as the boys peek their heads out of their rooms.

“Can we come too?” Sawyer asks sheepishly.

“Come on,” I whisper, realizing they won’t sleep if they don’t know everyone is okay.

They all run into their rooms and come back out with blankets and pillows. When we make it to our room, Nick is laying Jake down in the bed. Nick eyes the boys standing behind me for a second and then nods his head for them to come in. They quickly make pallets on the floor before snuggling in.

I slide into the sheets and Jake wraps his arms excruciatingly tightly around my middle. I take the pain. This I can do for him. I’ll take the tiniest amount of his hurt if it gives him even the slightest relief. I still don’t know Jake’s story and I really don’t need to. He comes from fucked up and it still lingers. I don’t need a road map to figure that shit out. Jake can tell me when he’s ready. I’m not a pusher.

I feel Nick’s body come flush with my back before reaching across me, placing a hand on Jake’s shoulder.

“Easy, Jake,” he soothes and Jake responds, letting up on his pressure.

None of us move from this position for the rest of the night. Nick is vigilant in keeping Jake calm and relaxed with a hand on his shoulder and gentle reminders that he’s okay, while I cradle and hold Jake to my chest. It’s not a restful night’s sleep, but it’s a safe one for Jake.

I wake to the sound of the doorbell. I lean up on my elbow and the clock reads 9:27 a.m. We slept in…I don’t give a shit. I wiggle free from Jake and Nick before grabbing my robe and hurrying down the stairs.

Through the peephole, I see Trish Booker standing patiently looking like perfection in a pair of light colored chinos and a thin maroon sweater covered with a deep gold jacket. Her platinum hair is swept away from her face, which is bright and sparkly. She looks like autumn personified. Game face on Kat.

I pull the door open and her smile drops at my appearance.

“I’m so sorry. I figured you be up and at the day already, Kat,” she says judgmentally but plays it off as concerned. It would work on ninety-nine percent of the population. I’m happy to be the other one percent in moments like this.

“It was a rough day and night around here. We’re slow moving this morning,” I say grimly, working the tone as much as I can.

“I heard what happened at the school yesterday. Then that footage on the news last night…Just horrible.” Shaking her head, it reads as sympathetic, but I see disgust behind her eyes and it’s not directed at the Burkes.

“Yes, it really was a frightful day for my family. We’ve decided to take the day off and recover. We’ll be back at it tomorrow. I really appreciate your concern, Trish.”

“Well of course I’m concerned. You’re my friend and you were assaulted. I’m horrified for you. Is there anything you need?”

Fake as fuck. This bitch makes my stomach turn.

“Thank you, but I think we’re all set. Some junk food and a day of movies should suit us just fine,” I reply nicely.

“If you do need anything please don’t hesitate to call.”

“That’s very kind.”

“Well, I’ll let you get back to…” she trails off and looks beyond my shoulder with something resembling embarrassment on her face.

“Good morning, Trish,” Nick says brightly, sliding up behind me.

His arms are bare so I’m assuming he’s only wearing pajama bottoms and giving our mark quite the show. Eat your heart out honey. Nick’s damn good at his job.

“Good morning, Nick,” she replies with a rosy flush to her cheeks.

Nick presses a long kiss into my neck not responding to her or looking her direction.

“Morning, Sunshine,” he murmurs into my neck.

“Morning, Nicky,” I reply in a husky voice, closing my eyes to add to the affect for Trish.

She clears her throat and I pop my eyes open as Nick stands up straight, keeping me in his clutches.

“I can see you two are busy, so I’ll let you go. I’m really sorry about yesterday. I’ve known the Burkes my whole life and am truly shocked at their abhorrent behavior. They’re certainly off my Christmas card list,” she says as though that’s a real blow against the Burkes.