Chapter 80: Watched
*I’m a fighter. I believe in the eye-for-an-eye business. I’m no cheek turner. You kill my dog; you better hide your cat. – Mohamad Ali*
Reese received a message from Steve requesting a meeting. In private. Grinning, Reese sent back a message stating that he was about to leave the gym and would be home in twenty minutes. At twenty-one minutes, as he pulled into the driveway, he received a new message from the private investigator.
*You’re late*
He parked next to the nondescript sedan and got out of the Impala. “You’re impatient.”
“And?” The younger man asked stepping out of his own car.
Reese laughed as he walked over and unlocked the door to his house. Steve followed him and went straight to the office. Automatically, he searched for bugs before turning on the white noise machine that Reese kept on the shelf behind his desk. Reese entered and handed a bottle of water over to Steve before sitting behind his desk.
“Fargo has a girlfriend.”
Reese took a deep breath before responding. “Why does this not surprise me?”
“And two kids with her.”
“What the fuck?”
Steve nodded his blonde head. “And his parents know. The kids go to their house for playdates.”
“That family…. The more I learn about them, the more I hate them.”
“And I think she might be pregnant again.”
Reese glared at the other man. He was very nondescript and could blend in wherever he was. Short blonde hair, clean shaven, pale green eyes, slightly shorter than the average man. A plain dark blue pocket t-shirt and faded denim jeans covered his slim body, and he wore soft sole tennis shoes. Steve always chose his clothes to blend in, not to be seen or heard.
And he was good at what he did. He could blend in and not be seen; but could see and learn way more than anyone wanted them to. He had connections and friends on both sides of the law. Reese paid the man for information and did not ask how he got the information.
“Do you know where she is?” Reese asked quietly.
“I do. I have a man tailing her and his parents.”
“Have you found him?”
Steve grinned. “An anonymous tip is waiting to be made.”
“Waiting for what?”
The grin got bigger. “There’s a bench warrant that was issued early this morning for his mother. When she went to the hospital to persuade Jolene to drop the charges, she violated the restraining order.”
“And Grace’s Law.” Reese added.
“That’s separate, but yes.” Steve agreed. “The other thing, Dunning.”
“Yeah, what about him?”
“He divorced your girl once their oldest was eighteen and got out of paying for child support. Has never paid a dime in his alimony. He has six other children out of wedlock. Never paid any child support for any of them.”
“Can you find them?”
“Already did.” He pulled a piece of paper out of his back jeans pocket and handed it over. “Moms and kids are there. Oldest one is only a few weeks younger than your girls' oldest.”
“How did a judge sign off on no child support for a kid still in school?” Reese mused.
“Arbitration and she did not have a lawyer. I would have someone look at the decree, my guess is if someone questioned it, they would find a lot of holes.”
Reese grunted a response as he looked at the paper.
“I’m going to give you a bonus.” Steve told him and Reese looked up surprised.
“You are giving me a bonus?” Reese confirmed.
“Exactly. Well, not completely a bonus. You should call your sister tonight. Maybe send her a bottle of wine and a steak dinner. Sheriff has had one hell of a bad day.”
“I’m glad that you clarified which sister.” Reese sat the paper aside. “What’s that bonus going to cost me?”
“I just want information.”
“Of course.”
“Who’s Michael Holden?” Steve asked and watched as anger quickly crossed the other man’s face.
“My mother’s second husbands’ son.”
“Why do you not claim him as a brother?”
“Same reason that I don’t claim Jeff, Crystal, Faith or Kim. When I asked for help when I had nothing, they told me to piss off. Now that I have money, they like to throw my name around. Fuck that shit. If you’re not going to be there when I’m struggling, you’re not going to be there when I’m succeeding.”
Steve nodded. “Michael is trying to use your name as a reference for a business loan. He listed your name but a different phone number. I would guess it’s a burner phone that he has someone else answering.”
“What bank?”
“First National over on Elm. They asked for a background on him and that caught my attention. I’ll give them your correct phone number.”
“Please do. And have them call me.” Reese growled.
“I can do that.”
“Are you going to tell me where he is?”
Steve laughed at his friend. “Hell, no. anonymous, remember?”
“Is he breaking the protective order?”
“Not yet. He’s being watched. Your girl’s daughter, when does she get out of the hospital?”
“They are saying early next month. Why?”
“Can I make a suggestion, without you asking too many questions?”
Reese leaned back in his chair and looked at the other man.
“Think of it as a suggestion from a primal.” Steve said with the same cold look that he was currently getting. Slowly, Reese nodded. “Black out curtains on the windows in her room. My guy says that at night, you can see into the hospital rooms clear as day once the sun is down.”
“Never thought about it.”
“Most people don’t.” Steve stood up and moved towards the door.
“How much do I owe you?”
“Just keep paying my membership fees at the club and we’re good.” He paused at the doorway. “Bring your girl to the club. Marnie really wants to meet her.”
Reese laughed. “I don’t need my good girl hanging out with your brat.”
“Is she a good girl?”
Smiling, Reese could feel himself growing hard in his jeans just at the thought of Helen. “She’s a very good girl.”
“Maybe my brat should hang out with your good girl.”
“And you’d be bored in less than a day if Ella wasn’t pushing your buttons.”
Steve chuckled. “I told my girl to drink her water and she watered the plants with it.”
“I don’t need my Kitten doing that.” Reese said walking him to the front door.
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