Page 32 of Crow’s Haven (Savage Legion MC #15)

I sit in the back seat, my hands folded tightly in my lap, as we navigate away from the city, into a quiet neighborhood where tall trees provide shade for modest single-family homes.

The house we stop at appears unremarkable from the street.

I would have never suspected it was a DOJ safe house.

It’s modest in size and blends seamlessly into the small community.

Having said that, I notice subtle signs that I will be well protected here.

There is a discreet camera at the corner of each eave.

The windows are thicker than normal windows, making me think they are made of bulletproof glass.

The shutters are some kind of heavy gauge metal.

I can clearly see a keyhole in the center of each one.

I imagine it would be all too easy to pull the shutters closed and lock them into place.

Agent Harper parks in the driveway and nods reassuringly as she steps out, gesturing for me to quickly exit the vehicle.

Before I can reach for the handle, someone on the outside opens the door.

It’s a female agent with blonde hair. I might have mistaken her for a resident of the home because she’s wearing jeans and a light sweater.

But when I step out of the vehicle, I can see she has an earpiece mostly obscured by her hair and a slight bulge that suggests she’s packing a weapon.

Instead of looking at and interacting with me, her gaze is turned outward as if she’s scanning the area for possible trouble.

Her hand comes out against the lower part of my back and she propels me towards the front door. Her voice is low and serious when she speaks. “Move along, ma’am. Make your way to the front door.” She’s still not looking at me, but I do as she says.

I follow the woman up the short walkway to a front porch lined with hanging flower baskets, their colorful blooms gently swaying in the breeze.

The house appears strangely normal, as long as you don’t zoom in on the details.

It’s unsettling in a way and makes me wonder how much in life flies right over my head.

The house feels surprisingly warm and cozy inside.

The comfortable living room furniture is coordinated and just dated enough that nothing seems new.

There are lamps, potted plants, and toss cushions galore.

I stare at the pictures on the walls and realize there’s one of me.

Shock ripples through my mind and I turn to stare at Agent Harper.

She shoots me a sympathetic look. “We’re very good at what we do. The DOJ has a safe house coordinator who takes care of the details.”

Truly bewildered, I just have one question. “Why?”

“The aim is to make the house look yours in case one of the neighbors decides to bring you a pie or something unpredictable happens.”

“No,” I say. “Why the overkill? This whole plan to put me in one of your safe houses and waste manpower protecting me is patently absurd. In the general scheme of things, I’m no one important.”

Her eyes narrow on me and she takes a step closer. “Ms. Carlin, you are the only one who’s turned state’s evidence thus far. Our entire case hinges on the information you’ve brought forward and your firsthand eyewitness testimony. Without you, the case could easily fall apart.”

I’m still doubtful and it’s clearly written all over my face because her voice turns hard.

“If you truly want justice for your young patient, you’ll keep your head down and follow any and all directions given by the agents tasked with guarding you.

If they say duck, you duck. If they say run, you run.

If they tell you not to answer the door by yourself, and they will, you do not touch that doorknob.

Their job is to keep you safe, and your job is to let them. ”

I hold up both hands in a placating gesture. “Okay, I get it now. Don’t worry, I’ll do exactly what they say. I want to see justice done and plan to be part of the solution rather than just another problem that your agents need to worry about managing.”

She nods and her shoulders relax a bit. “I know this situation is new for you, but trust us, the goal is to move on the entities involved as soon as possible, so you can go back to your regular life, and we can wrap this case up.”

“Got it. Thank you for explaining.” I pause for a beat before adding, “I hope the judge gives you all the search warrants you need so you can get the evidence you need and nail these bastards to the wall.”

Suddenly, she smiles. It’s not a huge smile but it is a genuinely approving one. “We already have a growing list of charges for the administrators of both companies. None of them are going to wriggle off the hook if I have anything to say about it.”

With that, she turns and walks out the front door, presumably to get back to chasing those bad guys.

The blonde woman who opened the car door for me steps forward and introduces herself.

“I’m Agent Dawson, Michelle Dawson.” Then she launches into a detailed explanation of the security protocols, alarms, emergency contacts, and how to alert them if anything seems off.

She tells me the other agent is outside patrolling the perimeter.

When she pulls back the curtain, I see a young man wearing shorts and sneakers with a rake in his hand looking for all intents and purposes like a suburban dad doing yardwork.

I listen carefully, absorbing the gravity of the situation as she hands me a new, secure phone and holds out her hand for mine. She promptly takes out the battery and slips it into a shiny silver bag along with the phone.

Truth be told, I feel very managed right now but I’m okay with that because I know this isn’t personal. These agents are just doing their job.

“You’ll be safe here, Ms. Carlin,” Agent Dawson assures me, her voice professional and confident. “Nothing is going to happen to you on our watch.”

I nod gratefully, feeling my anxiety increase with each passing moment.

I didn’t feel like I was in danger until these agents began making such a big deal about keeping me safe.

I don’t see anyone from my old chain of command coming for me with evil intent, but now there are a bunch of what-ifs twisting in my gut.

Once I’m finally left on my own for a few minutes, I settle into the plush sofa.

Pulling an oversized toss cushion into my lap, I toy with the seam absentmindedly.

My thoughts immediately drift to Crow, Scout, and Chase.

Spending time with the boys yesterday reminded me how much I missed their sharp minds and boundless energy.

Crow told me not to forget that I’m part of their family now. I want that more than anything, so I’ll do any and everything to see this case through, clear my name and prove I had nothing to do with my patient’s death.

Being separated from my new family, even temporarily, aches more than ever. I know they love me as much as I love them and I console myself with the fact that we’ll be reunited very soon. I’m Ladybug, the one who stays. And I’ll never let Crow and his boys down again.