“So that leaves your old boss who is not returning your calls. Or, pure chance, the DB we found may not be affiliated with the gang in Arizona. MCs have satellite groups, don’t they?”
Briar nodded. “The Spiders MC isn’t national like some, although they do have some representation in Mexico. When do you think we’ll hear from the coroner? I’d like to hear what she finds, and I have an appointment at the funeral home tomorrow morning to make final arrangements for Tor.”
Royce nodded and opened his mouth, about to ask further about her old boss, when there was a knock at the front door. Normally, he’d just yell for whoever it was to come in, but after today, he got up and answered it.
“Briar, this is my little brother Bishop and a good friend of ours, Caleb Carlson. Guys, this Briar Nilson,” Royce announced after they’d trooped into Royce’s kitchen, their hands full of food bags that emanated delicious artery-hardening scents. Bishop’s ubiquitous messenger bag hung across his shoulders.
Briar stood and held her hand out. “Nice to meet you.”
Bishop set the bags he carried on the table and took Briar’s hand, eyeing her with something like recognition.
“I think I do recognize you.” He turned to Royce. “This is the girl you called Thorny? Nice, dude, at least I know better than that.” While Royce hung his head, Bishop turned his attention back to Briar. “I apologize for my brother when he was a teenager.”
Royce noticed that Briar’s cheeks pinkened and she shot him a glance he wasn’t sure how to decipher.
“Apology accepted,” she said, shifting her gaze from Royce to the food. “What’s in the bags?”
“Deliciousness,” Caleb said as he opened the bags and began setting the food on the table. “Plates?”
They all shook their heads and in between bites of burger and wings, Royce and Briar filled the guys in on what had happened earlier.
“I heard the sirens. That was Tor’s place?” Bishop asked. “That’s too bad, it was a cool old house.”
“We didn’t stick around to see what the damage was. I’m sure once Deter figures out I’m supposed to be sheriff, I’ll be getting a phone call from the fire department. Does Evi even feed you?” Royce asked Caleb as his friend crumpled up the wrapper that had been around his burger and began to munch on his fries.
“She’s on a health kick, so no. And I feel obligated to point out that it isn’t her job to feed me. And now Bishop is her favorite because he brought her wings anyway.”
Briar bit back a laugh, and Royce rolled his eyes.
“What do you want us to do?” Caleb turned the conversation back to what was important—figuring out what was going on and securing Briar’s safety.
“Bishop, we”—Royce glanced at Briar again for confirmation and she nodded—“need you to take a deep dive on one Christian Jakes. He was Briar’s command at the ATF, but he’s not returning calls. Caleb, can you head out to Tor’s house and find where you think the sniper might have been set up? Maybe he left something behind.”
No matter what Briar thought, Royce had his private suspicions about her ex-boss.
“That’s Topher’s specialty.”
Royce nodded in agreement. Topher had been a sniper with the SEALs, he’d know where a gunman would set up. “He’s not here and I don’t want to have to call him back from Denver. Bishop, make sure you stick with Caleb when he goes out to Tor’s. I want everybody’s six protected. I’m sticking with Briar. We’ll be meeting with the funeral home tomorrow morning and making arrangements for Tor.”
Bishop nodded and Caleb grunted, which Royce assumed was a yes.
“What’s the rest of your plan?” Bishop asked as he pushed the remains of his meal aside and opened up his laptop.
“I’m going to find the keys for the cruiser and drive around town looking like the sheriff for a bit. I need to stop by the fire station and talk to Deter, and I’m sure there’s a long list of things Garrison was avoiding.” He scraped a hand through his hair. “I also need to put the word out that we need a couple of deputies. I don’t know what the budget is, but finding out is top of my list. That’s something Raine will help me with. I don’t know how Garrison got away with everything he did.”
“Briar, what can you tell me about this Jakes guy?” Bishop asked, his fingers poised over the keys.
Royce had his own opinion about Christian Jakes after all their discussions earlier, figuring that either Jakes was jealous of Briar or he’d been in love with her. Maybe both, which was a volatile combination. But why would he ghost her now? Where was he?
“When I got back to LA, I was almost immediately loaned out to the FBI’s West Coast office. I haven’t been involved in any major cases, just some bank robberies and the murder of a police officer. It’s not Klay’s fault, he doesn’t know me, and I don’t know what Jakes might have said about me.”
“You’ve talked to this Klay character?” Caleb asked.
“Just now,” she confirmed. “He’s looking into Jakes from his end.”
Glancing down, Royce realized there was one last hot wing left, but before he could grab it, Briar picked it up.
“And, since none of you asked,” Briar said between bites, “I am perfectly able to take care of myself. I was in the top three of my graduating class in Georgia.”