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“Onhim. Any information we can find, and around the clock tail if we can swing it.”

“What are we looking for?” Phil asked.

“I’ll know it when I see it. Just… figure out how to get the shit done and have whoever you put on it report directly to me. Nobody else. And I want to know everything, even when he takes a shit. Got it?”

“Az ain’t gonna like me putting one of ours on a detail like that right now.”

“Did I ask what Az was going to think about it?” I snapped. “If I wanted Az’s opinion on this I’d ask him to take his dick out of your mouth long enough to have a chat. Now get it done. And remember, theyonly report to me.”

“Jesus, Joey, I think you need to talk to my therapist. You got some real anger issues going on right now and I gotta say, they aren’t the vibe.” Phil said in a snarky tone. “Besides, weallknow it’s Craig’s dick in my mouth. But if you want any pointers to help you keep Az–”

I ended the call without waiting for him to finish his ridiculous statement. He was a good man and a damn good soldier, but he sometimes forgot his place. Receiving direct orders wasn’t the fucking time for his poor attempts at humor.

“As long as he does what he’s told…” I muttered to myself, turning back to the laptop and where I’d left off in the court transcript, glad it was easier to read than the filing. Either way, it was going to be a long fucking night.

Chapter Fifteen

Az

After days of hitting the streets with Phil after the others had gone to bed, we finally had a semi-accurate headcount and a secure warehouse to gather everyone. Word went out for all remaining crew members to meet there at midnight. We told anyone who thought they might have a tail to phone it in if they could find a secure place to make the call. Craig had talked Phil through his tech wizardry to ensure we could have a conference call in a deserted warehouse.

“Dawn wants everyone at the table in five for dinner,” Victoria’s voice called from the doorway of Ian’s office as I skimmed over what little information I’d gathered on the streets. She moved from the doorway toward where I sat at the desk. “You look tired, have you been sleeping at all? Don’t lie to me either. I’ve heard you sneaking out the past few nights.”

“I sleep when I can. There’s too much to do and not enough bodies to get it done.” I replied with a slight shrug. “I’m finished up for now, though. Let me just wash up and I’ll join everyone at the dinner table.”

“If you’re not down in ten, I’m coming back, and I’ll drag you to the table if I have to.” She said with a smirk. I raised a brow and shook my head in amusement.

As promised, I joined everyone at the table five minutes later. Sliding into the only empty seat left between Craig and Leighton, I made a show of settling in for Victoria. She smiled and rolled her eyes before turning to ask Dawn if she needed any help.

“I’m glad everyone made it to dinner,” Dawn said, waving away Victoria’s offer to help. “We’ve all been under the same roof for a week or so, but I feel like we haven’t spent any real time together as a family. We need it. We can grieve alone all we like, but there’s nothing as healing as coming together as family.”

I cast a sidelong glance at Joey, waiting for his response to Dawn’s statement. Surprisingly, even Joey stayed quiet, looking down at his plate. I moved my gaze toward Ian, who reached out from where he sat beside her and gently squeezed her hand. He wore the same soft expression I’d always remembered him having whenever he looked at his wife. Dawn smiled back at him and then flapped her free hand at the rest of us.

“I didn’t put in all that work in the kitchen for nothing, eat up before it gets cold.”

Ian made Dawn’s plate, then his own, before the rest of us dug in. Dawn talked around the table as she ate, taking time to speak to each of us as if this were a regular catch-up. Joey mumbled his responses, barely able to look at his mother before she moved on to Craig. She fretted over the state of his injuries with motherly concern. Craig must have answered a few dozen questions and offered just as many reassurances before she moved her attention to me.

“And how are you, Az? You’re the one carrying the weight of things now. I know you boys never liked me in your business, but Rich would call me when things got too heavy. He would tell me enough that I could give him my thoughts and advice.” Hervoice was steady, but nobody could miss the hint of sadness that tinged her words. “You know, if you ever need the same, you can come to me.”

I saw Joey stiffen, looking at his mother with an open look of betrayal before he turned inward, scowling at his plate. The deep frown that etched Ian’s face as he studied his son didn’t escape my notice.

“I appreciate that, Dawn, truly I do. I’ve got the other three to lean on, but I’ll keep your offer in mind should I ever find myself in need of it.”

Dawn gave me an approving smile before chuckling. “In that case, the rest of you boys, and you Victoria, any of you up for a bet on what the tick will be? Rich took after his father and always pinched the bridge of his nose when he was at his limit.”

“I’ll take that action!” Leighton said enthusiastically.

“I’m pretty sure that’s cheating, Leighton. You can’t do Dawn like that!” Victoria chastised him.

“What? He hasn’t settled into it being a tick yet!” Leighton pouted.

Craig leaned forward and raised his voice to be heard over Leighton continuing to argue with Victoria. “Az has been tugging at his hair constantly lately,” he explained to Dawn. “That’s most definitely settling in to be his tick.”

“It isnota tick. It just eases the headache you three cause!” I retorted.

“See!” Leighton shouted.

“You little scoundrel!” Dawn laughed, turning her attention to Leighton. “Well, aside from attempting to make a fixed bet with little ol’ me, what haveyoubeen into? You disappeared there for a few days and nobody would tell me anything at all.”