“You can’t fire me!”
“Why can’t I fire you?”
“You know damn well why.”
“Because you’re paid by the Predators? Because you think, since I’m seeing Max, that your job was safe after you let Jackal into the safe-deposit box area?” Casey mocked his stunned expression. “I didn’t need to do much investigating to figure out who did it, Lonnie. Only one person is constantly hanging around my office and knew where I kept that key. You were the only one with access to the vault besides me.”
“They won’t let you fire me.” Lonnie’s anger had turned to smugness.
“I’ve got news for you: the Predators don’t tell me what to do. You need to leave now, and I won’t be giving you a reference.”
“You fucking bitch, I’ll be back at work tomorrow, and I’ll get that promotion, too. You’re the one who’s going to be out on your fucking ass.”
Casey didn’t reply as she opened the door for Jack. Lonnie threw her an angry glare as he left. The other employees were shocked to watch Lonnie escorted off the property. Casey didn’t answer any of the questions directed her way from the ones wanting the gossip first. She worked through her day normally as if she hadn’t fired someone and her boyfriend wasn’t locked up behind bars.
She’d been furious at Max when she had answered her cell phone to hear a recording that the call was coming from the jailhouse. Max’s voice coming over the line explaining that he had beaten up Maxie’s teenage crush had infuriated her.
“Are you crazy? He’s a kid!”
“What if he had raped her that day? What if you hadn’t been there, and a pervert snatched her from the bus stop? Anything could have happened. He talked her into leaving school. The punk even sent her a picture of himself. He’s fucking lucky I didn’t kill him.”
“You know these conversations are recorded, don’t you?” Casey snapped at him. “How long are you going to be in jail?”
“Until this afternoon. I’m waiting for Creed, Ice’s lawyer, to post bond.”
“How bad did you hurt him?”
“Nothing that won’t heal in a week or two. I have to go, but I didn’t want you waiting up for me. See you Monday.”
He hung up before she could tell him goodbye, and he had been calling her all morning. She hadn’t answered, not because she was angry at him for beating up Fisher—she thought he deserved it—but because she knew she was going to fire Lonnie and that he was connected to the Predators. She had been afraid she would break and tell him what she was going to do, and he would try to talk her out of doing it.
Lonnie deserved to be fired. She didn’t feel the least bit guilty for it. With his ties to the Predators, it would place him with too much power. He would be able to provide all kinds of illegal services for them, and Casey wasn’t going to stand back and watch it happen by turning a blind eye.
She sighed. Max was going to be furious, and they hadn’t been together for several days. She missed having him in her bed. It was too big and lonely without him. When she left Queen City, she would leave the bed behind, just like everything else.
* * *
Max tapped his knuckles on the desk. “Hurry up.”
As soon as the papers were placed in front of him for his signature, he signed them then was given his wallet and cell phone. His lawyer took the paperwork from him as they walked outside into the hot day.
“Try to stay out of trouble,” Creed advised. “At least until I can get these charges dropped. Did you have to kick his ass in front of so many witnesses?”
“I lost my temper.”
“If I can’t find something on his parents or him, you’re going to do some time, Max.”
“You’ll find out something. You always do,” Max said indifferently. If he went to jail for a few months, it was worth it.
“Ice will fire me if I don’t. I’ll call you when I find out the court date,” Creed said, going to his car. “I’ll drop you off at the clubhouse.”
Max got in the front seat. He was halfway to the clubhouse when his phone rang.
“Yeah?” he answered.
“Where are you?”
Max instantly recognized KC’s voice.
“On the way back to the clubhouse. Why?”
“You still seeing that chick from the bank?”
“Yes.”
“The Bandits are hitting the bank at closing time today.”
“You couldn’t have given us more warning?” Max yelled into the phone.
“They didn’t tell us until an hour ago when X told us to get our weapons ready. I have to go; they’re waiting on me. I’ll do what I can to protect her.”
“Hurry the fuck up,” Max screamed at the lawyer.
Creed stepped on the gas, going through a red light. As soon as he stopped in the parking lot, Max jumped out of the car.