Malice (The Agency: Young Guns Book 7), page 1
MALICE
The Agency: Young Guns
Book Seven
Carolina Mac
Copyright © 2023 by Carolina Mac
MALICE - 1st ed.
ISBN 978-1-990882-04-3
All rights reserved
The moral right of the author has been asserted.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent buyer.
The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the author is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.
Book Layout © 2017 BookDesignTemplates.com
Malice: The intention or desire to cause harm.
―MERRIAM-WEBSTER
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter One
Friday, June 30th.
Sugarland. Texas.
Damien Crespo ran a tattooed hand over the swastika inked onto his shaved skull, “This ain’t a Sunday school picnic, Lenny, it’s time to kill the bitch.”
“I’m all over it, bro. My plan is in place, and it’s a good one. Big fourth of July picnic at her ranch and there will be a huge crowd of people there. I’ll take advantage of that happy occasion to get the job done.”
“Make sure you don’t screw up.”
“Have I ever screwed up?” Lenny snarked back at his big brother with feelings of hatred that had been churning inside him for years.
“Always a first time,” Damien’s lip curled in a sneer of superiority, “and the way you’ve been waffling on this job tells me you’ve got doubts.” Damien’s cold eyes narrowed as he stared right through Lenny. “You ain’t hard for her, are you?”
“Course not.” Lenny hissed at his brother through clenched teeth. “You’re the one with doubts because you fear her with damned good reasons. I can see it in your eyes every time you mention her name. The doubts are yours, not mine.”
Damien whipped a blade out of his boot and rammed it into the wooden table a hair’s breadth away from his brother’s hand.
Lenny never flinched. Never even blinked. He jerked the knife out of the wood and launched it at the wall, snarling at his brother, “Don’t ever do that again.”
Damien laughed. “Or?”
East Arlington.
Montana made ham and eggs and a stack of toast for breakfast. She put their plates down and sat across from Neil at the kitchen table. She’d set the table with the new blue and white placemats she’d bought the day before and they went well with the misty blue color of the walls.
They had agreed not to repaint until they lived in the house for a while and decided for sure what they wanted to change. The former owners had used a decorator and the house was lovely.
“I’m sad I have to miss Mom’s picnic on the Fourth, but we’re playing in California over the long weekend.”
“I’ve never been to California,” said Montana. “Not one of the places I’ve ever wanted to go.”
“You’re welcome to come with me if you want to,” said Neil. “I figured after the last road trip, you weren’t keen on another one for a while.”
“I’m not good with time on my own in strange cities,” she said. “I’m nervous and that’s all it is. I have to get used to the travelling.”
Neil shook his head. “I don’t think you’ll get used to it. You are so unhappy without your job, I can barely stand to watch you pretending you want to be here with me.”
Montana teared up. “I miss the squad, but I knew it would be tough for me if I moved up here. I’ll get used to it.”
“How long has it been?”
“A few weeks. I’m doing okay.”
“You’re not okay, Montana, and we both know it. When I leave tomorrow for the coast, I want you to drive down to the ranch, help Mom with the picnic and talk to her about getting your spot on the squad back.”
“Then I’d have to move back to Austin and we wouldn’t be living together. I thought you wanted me to live with you here in Arlington more than anything.”
“I thought that was what I wanted, but it hasn’t worked out the way I thought it would. Things haven’t been right between us for a while, and we both can feel it. I take the blame because I pushed you into moving in with me when you were just starting your career. I shouldn’t have done that. It wasn’t fair.”
“If I do go back to work, are we still going to be a couple? Like on the weekends or something?”
Neil set his fork down and pondered Montana’s question. The same question he’d been asking himself for the past few days.
I don’t want to hurt her.
“Let’s take a break.” Neil said the words he’d rehearsed in his head and sucked in a gulp of oxygen. He ran his hand through his blond curls. “Are you okay with that? I want you to feel free again. You’re like a caged animal living here with me, and it’s not what I’m looking for in a long-term relationship.”
“It sounds like you’re dumping me.” Montana reached for a napkin.
“Don’t put it that way. Dumping sounds harsh, and that’s not the way I feel about you, Montana. I want you to have a chance to sort yourself out, and I could use some sorting too. My career with the club is too demanding for me to give you the attention you need. Let’s put it that way.”
“I’m going to be sad about this, Neil.”
“Me too. I’m sad already, but when you go back to work you’ll get happy again.”
And I’ll be free of a huge load of guilt.
“Do you think work will make me happy?”
“You were a happy, fun girl when I met you. Then I pressured you to quit your job and move up here because I was lonely, and you’re not that happy, fun girl anymore. It was me, Montana. I pushed you too hard.”
Montana couldn’t hold back the tears any longer and Neil pulled her into his arms.
“It only hurts for a little while,” Neil whispered.
The Blackmore Agency. Austin.
Casey hoped Bailey would settle in at the Agency and relax long enough to decide what she wanted to do with her life—her new life away from Trace Weatherall.
They took coffee out onto the back porch and sat on the steps. Casey had a few minutes to spend with her before he had to leave for Airport Road.
“I’ve been wondering about Trace,” said Bailey.
Surprised she thought about the man who beat her at all, Casey said, “He’s in jail. He was arrested on drug charges.”
Bailey nodded, her eyes full of tears. “Would I be able to visit him?”
“Why would you want to?”
“I miss Trace, and I miss my own house. When can I go home?”
Casey was blindsided by the turn the conversation had taken. Why had he thought she’d be happy to have a new life without abuse in it?
“Why would you want to go back to Trace’s house?”
Bailey shrugged and wiped away her tears. “That’s where I live.”
“You can go back anytime you want. I’m not holding you prisoner here against your will.” Casey was surprised his voice had such an edge to it. Not what he intended.
“Thanks,” said Bailey. “If I pack up my stuff, could you drop me off before you go to work?”
“Sure.” Casey checked his watch and figured he had time. He just couldn’t figure out why she would risk going back to Weatherall.
Blaine was in his office talking to Kamps while Casey was on the porch talking to Bailey.
“Any luck on Crespo yet?”
“None. He’s hunkered down someplace not far from Houston and he’s well hidden.”
“Keep on it. Annie is in a vulnerable position.”
“Think I don’t know that?” Kamps snapped at Blaine and the line went dead.
Blaine stared at the screen. “Yep, it’s obvious how much you love her and sometimes I forget that. I should watch what I’m saying.”
Cherrywood. Austin.
Tommy woke up thinking about the girl with the short black hair he’d met at Hard Luck. He was lucky to get her number and wanted to take her out at least once before asking her to Annie’s picnic on the Fourth. Once he took her to the picnic, he’d have to introduce her to all his kin and he wanted to be sure he liked her well enough to do that. Under the rough exterior Tommy showed to the world, he had
a cautious side he didn’t acknowledge often.
I’ll call her on my way to work.
At the breakfast table, Aunt Gail asked Glen and Dean about their jobs. “How is work going, boys?”
Dean answered, “Not going too bad. My arms ached at first doing all that lifting, but I’m used to loading the trucks now. Don’t bother me none.”
“You’re building up your strength, dear,” said Aunt Gail. “Good for you.”
“I like the bike shop,” said Glen, “but I don’t like Austin. Every day I think about going back home to San Angelo where I belong.”
Dean nodded. “I’ve been thinking about that too. Be better for me and Glen to go back and get jobs in our hometown.”
“I thought y’all couldn’t find work in San Angelo,” said Aunt Gail.
“That was when me and Glen didn’t know how to look for jobs, but now we do. Tommy showed us how to look for the signs in the windows and fill out the applications. Like that.”
Tommy frowned. “I’ve got that apartment lined up for us for two weeks from now. What about that?”
Glen shrugged. “I don’t think I’m gonna hang around that long, but y’all been good to me and Dean. Thank y’all for that.”
Tommy was pissed and wanted to holler at his brothers. Instead, he held in his anger and stomped out onto the porch to smoke. Since finding out Glen and Dean were his blood kin, Tommy hadn’t had time to get to know them. Sometimes they did stuff Tommy couldn’t believe his own kin would do and that pissed him off.
Me and Linc and Lukas got all the brains. And we musta got them from Mama. Sure wasn’t Jett Donovan who passed them along.
Coulter-Ross Ranch. La Grange.
Annie sat on a stool at the island working on the menu for the picnic with Riley. Lukas sat next to her drinking coffee and listening to them talk. He’d never been to a picnic, so he didn’t have a lot to contribute.
Declan tossed his two-cents-worth in without being asked. “My best advice would be to skip the picnic this year and relax the for the entire long weekend.”
Annie smiled. “Because I conked out at the last one?”
“Too much stress causes you to conk out, darlin, and you’re heading down that same path again. It’s my job to look out for your health issues, and that’s why I’m saying no to the picnic this year.”
“I’m being careful and getting more rest this time.”
“I haven’t noticed you doing that,” said Declan.
Annie giggled. “I rest when you’re not looking.”
Lukas smiled.
“Not funny, darlin. Not a bit. I do not place comas under the heading of frivolous.”
“I don’t either and I shouldn’t be making light of your concern. I’m sorry.”
Declan nodded. “Apology accepted.”
“I’ve cut way down on the guest list,” said Annie. “Only our family and the Quantralls. No one else is invited. Family picnic with no outsiders.”
“Still a large crowd,” said Declan. “How many, Riley?”
“Safehouse boys—twenty. Cowboys in the bunkhouse—eight. Family—twenty. Quantralls—eleven or twelve, counting the kids. About sixty people without the squad.” Riley tapped the paper he had the total on. “I probably shouldn’t say this, but Annie’s thinking of inviting the squad and the Creed.”
Before Declan could comment on the final number, Annie’s cell rang and it was Neil.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Hey, sweetheart, I was going to call about the picnic. I can see by the schedule Jackson has on the fridge that you’ll be in California. Can you squeeze in any time to be with us over the weekend?”
“I can’t, Mom. I’m leaving tomorrow with the team, but Montana is coming. She’s unhappy. She needs to work and when she gets there, I want you to discuss the squad with her.”
“I can tell by your voice that something is going on.”
“I’ll call you about that later.”
“She’s there and you can’t talk. I get it. Call me later. I love you.”
“Love you, Mom.”
“What’s going on with the young lad?” asked Declan.
“He’s playing in California and can’t come for the weekend, but Montana is coming.”
“Just so,” said Declan. “One less, Riley.”
Lukas chuckled.
East Riverside. Austin.
Bailey gathered her things together and Casey dropped her off on his way to work. He couldn’t believe she was returning to Weatherall’s house of her own free will.
I don’t get it.
With this new development, Casey had to worry about Trace Weatherall’s arraignment coming up, and even more worries if the fucker made bail.
“I need Blacky to look into the day and time so I won’t miss the goddamned thing. I’ll have to go for sure.”
This isn’t working out like I planned.
Ross Harley-Davidson. East Austin.
Farrell was almost ready to leave for work when Tommy called. “Hey, cuz, what’s up?”
“Remember we talked about the apartment for me, Dean and Glen when you move to the farm?”
“Yeah, sure. What’s up with that?”
“They told me and Aunt Gail at breakfast that they’re both thinking about quitting the jobs they have here and going back to San Angelo.”
“Why? They just got those fucking jobs. Mom got Glen the one in the Harley garage.”
“Glen says he doesn’t like Austin and Dean agreed. They’re a couple of buttheads like Rob and Perry. I can’t figure them out.”
“Hey, we tried to help them,” said Farrell. “Nothing more we can do. Let them go. They’re our kin, but we ain’t their babysitters.”
“Just pisses me off. Trying to help them and putting all that fuckin time into looking for work for them. They remind me so much of Rob and Perry I want to beat them fuckin senseless. A couple of useless pricks.”
Farrell chuckled. “Let it go. We did our best. Fuck it.”
“Yeah. I’m done wasting time on them. See you at work.”
Violent Crime Squad HQ. Airport Road. Austin.
Laine sat in her office and organized her thoughts before the squad came in for the morning meeting.
Long weekend coming up and the squad was looking forward to the time off. The city and the entire state would be in party mode. Temperatures were forecast to hit record highs and the heat made people go nuts and commit more crimes than normal.
The squad was in cleanup mode. Finishing paperwork and cleaning up old details so they could all have the time off.
She was looking forward to the weekend and the family picnic at the ranch. Laine was part of Farrell’s family now and she wanted to fit in. She’d never fit in much before, but Farrell was a perfect match for her.
I love him so much.
Courthouse. Downtown Austin.
Blaine made a couple of calls for Casey to find out when Trace Weatherall’s arraignment was. He called Casey’s cell. “You’d better hurry. His case is on the docket for this morning.”
“Shit,” said Casey. “I’m going the wrong way.”
“Turn around, bro. You can make the courthouse in time if you hurry.”
Casey wheeled the Tundra around, flicked on the strobes, and drove like a maniac to the courthouse. He barely had time to make the drive downtown. He was almost as far as Airport Road.
He ran inside, grabbed a seat halfway to the front and waited for the case to be called. One glance around told him Bailey wasn’t there. She didn’t know anything about the arraignment. Would she be there if she knew?
Trace had an attorney with him when his case was called. He stood in front of the judge and entered his plea. Of course, he was not guilty.
His lawyer argued for bail and it was granted.
Casey followed Weatherall, the bailiff and the lawyer down the hall to the bondsman’s office and waited to see if Trace came up with the collateral to get his ass back on the street.
Yep. He walked out of the courthouse looking pleased with himself, and in the parking lot behind the building, a couple of guys were waiting in a black SUV to take him home.
Casey jumped into his truck and followed them back to East Riverside.
