He’d left the couch where Rocky was lying with her head on his thigh, her feet in her father’s lap. Now, she was sitting between Tripp, who was turned toward her, his mouth moving, and Jasper, whose head was bent and his cell was in his hands. His boys had both moved from the floor to her before his and Dave’s asses were out of the couch.
Vera was in the kitchen, likely assessing ingredients to concoct a dinner later which would sit like a lead weight in his gut after all that junk food but which his sons would burn off in approximately twelve minutes.
“Jig is up, brother,” Merry muttered and Layne’s eyes turned to Merry.
“We lost Towers,” he surmised and felt Devin and Dave’s attention shift to them.
“Yep, she’s gone. Lost her tail and vanished. Even her army is laying low. The word is out they’ve been made and they’re off the grid,” Merry confirmed.
“Fuck,” Layne whispered.
“Goulding?” Devin asked.
“Picked him up. Charged him with identity theft times two, Gaines and Aubry. Informed the authorities in Tennessee we’ve got him. We’ll process him but he’ll go down there first to answer to those charges. Don’t expect we’ll see him back in Indiana for awhile,” Merry answered.
It wasn’t much but it was something.
Layne’s eyes went to Devin and Devin nodded. Layne needed to tell his man in LA. Marissa didn’t need to know, it was unlikely any of this shit would blow west, but his man needed a head’s up, just in case.
“Colt, Sully and me went to the Captain yesterday with what we have on Rutledge. He’s called an investigation,” Merry went on.
“Just like that?” Layne asked.
“Not exactly. Cap wasn’t big on us keepin’ this under our hats but he had his own suspicions. He said he didn’t want to think that of a cop in his Department which was why he didn’t move on it himself. What he means was, he’s too fuckin’ lazy not to mention worried what it’d say about him that a cop turned under his watch,” Merry replied.
“Rutledge been picked up?” Layne asked.
“Yep, late afternoon yesterday. They were still talkin’ to him after I got home from here last night,” Merry answered.
“Did he roll over?” Layne asked.
“Investigation is off-limits to those officers not assigned to it but since he went home last night, my guess is no,” Merry answered
“He bolted?” Layne asked.
“Not yet, got a man sittin’ on The Brendel,” Merry replied.
“He’ll bolt,” Layne stated.
“I know, the interesting thing will be, where will he bolt?” Merry returned and Layne’s eyes went to his. “Goulding is stupid but Rutledge is a piss ant. He’s not gonna wanna go down for other people’s shit.”
“You think they can get him to inform?” Layne asked.
“No, I think he’s gonna go lookin’ for help outta this tough spot,” Merry answered.
“Wanting to keep his job?”
“No way, wanting a lifetime guaranteed lounge chair in Brazil or wherever the fuck he intends to go.”
“Shakedown,” Layne muttered.
“Be my guess,” Merry replied. “He’s not keepin’ whatever money he got from her in his accounts, we know that, it’s probably in his mattress. But he lives at The Brendel. Roc tells me his clothes are nice. He drives a top of the line, Hyundai Genesis Coupe. He has a standard of living. He’s the type of man who’s gonna wanna keep it. He’s not dumb, but he’s just stupid enough to make that play.”
“So we’re not done yet, you reckon?” Layne asked.
“Nope,” Merry answered.
Layne’s eyes went to Devin. “Bugs.”
“Can I finish the Colts game?” Devin asked.
Merry pulled out his phone and flipped it open. “Let me see where Rutledge is. He may be watchin’ the Colts too. Obviously, I know nothing about illegal listening devices being planted in the home of an officer of the law, but I might be able to arrange to know when Rutledge leaves his apartment, where he’s going, if it’s safe for someone, say, theoretically, to plant illegal listening devices, and I might be able to arrange for that someone to know when Rutledge is on his way back.”
Layne turned away from Merry and grinned at the mouth of his beer. Then he took a slug.
Merry ascertained that Rutledge was home and asked for updates on his activity. Devin and Dave wandered inside, taking Blondie with them. Merry shook another cigarette out of his pack.
“You might not wanna light that, brother, since I intend to talk to you about Mia,” Layne told him and Merry’s eyes cut to Layne.
“Don’t go there,” he warned.
“Sorry, I’m gonna,” Layne returned.
“None of your business, Tanner.”
“She cheat on you?” Layne asked.
“Tanner –”
That meant no.
“Bust your balls?” Layne cut him off.
Merry looked away and lit his cigarette.
“Was she shit in bed?”
Merry exhaled and then his jaw got tight.
That meant no too. A big no.
“You think about her when you fuck your other women?” Layne pushed and Merry’s eyes sliced to him.
“Shut it, Tanner.”
“You do,” Layne murmured.
“Fuck off,” Merry clipped.
“Not doin’ any of those other women a favor, closin’ your eyes and thinkin’ of Mia,” Layne remarked.
Merry was silent.
“You can fuck your way through the ‘burg, you care about her and can’t get her outta your head, you’re never gonna find that again,” Layne told him.
“Roc’s had a tough weekend, brother, don’t think she’ll wanna rush out to your backyard and wade into a fistfight between her brother and her man,” Merry threatened.
Layne ignored him and advised, “Get back in there.”
Merry didn’t respond.
“Look around and learn, Garrett, don’t waste time.”
Merry took a drag from his cigarette.
“You did me a favor, brother, you took a chance and pushed me into makin’ the right decision. Now, I’m returnin’ that favor,” Layne stated.
Merry wrapped three fingers around his bottle of beer, lifted it and took a pull.
“It’s all around you, Garrett, wake the fuck up,” Layne whispered and Merry didn’t turn his head but his eyes slid to Layne.