“What’s up?” Kyle asked, shoving his hands into his pants pockets and waiting for Gabe to fill them in. “You getting out of here soon or what?”
It still threw Gabe to see his FBI agent baby brother looking all grown-up and businesslike in his standard dark suit and tie. But he was damned proud of Kyle, and for all their differences over the years, he was glad to have him home again.
“Couple of days,” Gabe told him, “but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you guys about.” He sent a glance Elle’s way. “I got a visit from Jeb Monroe last night.”
“That son of a bitch has a hell of a lot of nerve,” Joe spat.
“What did he want?” Tom demanded, talking at the same time.
“He wanted to deliver a message,” Gabe informed them. “To let me know this isn’t over. From what I gathered, we’d better watch our backs.”
Kyle cursed under his breath. “Did he make any specific threats? Anything we can bring him in on?”
Gabe shook his head. “Of course not. He’s a slippery son of a bitch. He’s not going to put himself at risk.”
“He wants us to live in fear,” Elle chimed in. “It’s the same crap I’ve been dealing with since we arrested Derrick after Chris’s death.”
Gabe’s attention snapped to her. “What are you talking about? Were you receiving threats before yesterday?”
She suddenly looked a little less defiant, almost contrite as she cast her gaze around the room at the four brothers. “I couldn’t prove who the threats were coming from,” she said, her tone apologetic. “Local PD checked into it for me, but there was nothing really to go on. You can’t charge someone if you don’t know who to charge. You know that, Tom.”
“You should’ve come to us, Elle,” Tom insisted. “We could’ve at least brought the Monroes in again for questioning.”
“So he could deny everything as usual? I get threats now and then from the families of people I prosecute,” Elle told him. “Hell, sometimes they come from the general public—people who don’t even know the defendant. It’s usually nothing.”
“Well, it wasn’t nothing this time,” Tom spat. “Gabe could’ve been killed. What the hell were you thinking?”
“Back off, Tom,” Gabe interjected, sitting up straighter in his hospital bed.
“I screwed up,” Elle said, edging back a little from Tom’s anger. “I know that. I should’ve taken the threats more seriously.”
“Damn right you should’ve,” Tom fired back.
“I said back off, Tommy!” Gabe shouted, stabbing a finger in Tom’s direction. What the hell was Tom’s damage anyway? It wasn’t like him to lose his cool in any situation—he certainly wasn’t usually so short with people. If anything, Tom was normally way too forgiving and understanding, in Gabe’s opinion.
Tom’s jaw tightened, but he just shook his head and ran a hand through his dark hair, mumbling something under his breath.
Gabe met Elle’s gaze and held it for a moment. “She couldn’t have known this would happen. None of us could’ve known it would happen. What’s important right now is taking the threats seriously from here on out. I just want you all to watch your backs.”
Joe rubbed the back of his neck, not bothering to hide his concern. “Damn it.”
Gabe knew exactly where his thoughts were going. He was thinking of his pregnant fiancée and how to keep her safe when he wasn’t around. It wasn’t that long ago that he’d almost lost Sadie to her psychotic ex-boyfriend who’d held a gun under her chin.
“I’ll send out another law enforcement awareness bulletin,” Tom told them, “make sure everyone knows that if they see the Monroes to approach them with caution. And we’ll put a deputy on Gabe’s door while he’s here.”
“This shit is becoming far too common,” Kyle said. “If it’s not the Monroes, it’s someone else. When the hell did we become the enemy?”
“Unfortunately, it’s the jerks and assholes abusing power—or perceived to be abusing power—who get all the press,” Elle replied. She turned her gaze on Gabe, something in her expression warming the center of him when she added, “And everyone takes it for granted that you’re always there, protecting us.”
There was a long pause in the conversation until one of his brothers cleared his throat, causing Elle to glance away guiltily. When Gabe looked toward the sound, he found Kyle trying to smother a smile.
“So…” his baby brother said with a significant glance between Elle and Gabe, “I think I’m going to head out. Joe, you comin’?”
Joe, the shithead, was grinning too. “Yeah, I’m right behind ya. You need anything, Bro, let me know.”
Only Tom was looking sullen, his brows furrowed. “Elle, you want me to give you a lift back to the garage to get your car?”
“Your car?” Gabe repeated. “What’s wrong with your car?”