“No, we don’t think it was anyone from Novak’s crew. I’m looking into it.”
Race lifted a gold-tinted eyebrow and the corner of his mouth pulled down. “More dirty cops?”
That was what made Race so dangerous and why he had been the clear choice to take over the long-running criminal enterprise once Novak was out of the picture. He was just so damn smart. He could see the dots connecting before they were even laid out.
“I’m not ready to say that yet. I’m looking into it.” I blew out a deep breath. “I called Bax and Brysen. I thought you would want to tell them what was going on in person.” The real reason I had called in reinforcements was because I wasn’t sure how their reactions were going to play out. Bax would protect Dovie from anything that hurt her, including the news of her father’s demise, and now I thought that Brysen was the only person that could snap Race out of the frigid shock he seemed to be encased in. I was a cop. I never underestimated how beneficial backup could be.
Dovie gave a small grin and shook her head at me a little. “You wanted Bax here because you want to make sure he doesn’t go off and do something stupid when he finds out.”
Race snorted and shoved his hands through his shaggy hair. “How does the old man’s murder fit in with everything else that has been going on, Titus?”
RECENTLY, THE POINT HAD seen the working girls scared to do their thing because one of them had taken a beating meant to kill, just as the city’s dirtiest, nastiest club went up in flames, taking too many regulars with it as it burned to the ground. On top of that, Race’s prized, vintage car had been incinerated right in front of this very police station and bodies had begun piling up for no other reason than to prove a point. Novak was gone and that made the city fair game—at least that was what the initial interpretation had been. Now, with Reeve’s revelations and Hartman being taken out, I had a feeling something bigger was at play. Killing Dovie’s old man and attempting to kill Race as well didn’t do anything for the city. They were motivated by revenge pure and simple. Someone didn’t like the fact that Race and his business partner, Nassir Gates, had picked up right where Novak had left off. Burning the club down screwed Nassir and struck right at the heart of what was most important to him, his money and his girls. The same could be said for the destruction of Race’s car. He loved that damn car, and even though his dad was a bastard, it was obvious that Race still cared for him. The attacks seemed more pointed now than they had before.
I sighed again and just gave Race a look that he could interpret any way he wanted. He was bright enough to know exactly what I thought without me having to lay it all out in front of him. I got to my feet and walked around where he and Dovie were sitting.
“Let me go give Bax and Brysen the rundown and then you guys can head out. If I don’t fill Bax in, I have about five seconds before he comes through the security glass anyway.” My cell phone had been buzzing and pinging with impatient messages from my younger brother since he hit the front doors of the station. Nothing, not even bulletproof glass and an army of weapon-packing police personnel, would keep Bax from Dovie if he thought she needed him. “You guys take a couple minutes together if you need it.”
I was at the door when Dovie’s soft voice stopped me.
“Why is Reeve back, Titus? What does she have to do with everything that’s going on?”
I gave her a hard look and pulled the door open. My eyes immediately saw my brother and Race’s pretty blond girlfriend. I cringed when I also saw that Reeve’s timing had been bad and she was currently being caged in and growled at by Bax. My younger brother had intimidation down to an art form, and I hated to admit that I didn’t blame him for the blatant hatred that was pouring off of him as he appeared to be chewing out the slender young woman.
“I don’t know yet. I’m trying to put it all together before the city ends up as nothing more than rubble and ash. I have a really bad feeling that I need her.”
“You can’t trust her.” Dovie’s tone held old hurt and betrayal. She knew better than anyone just how untrustworthy Reeve could be.
“I know, Dovie. I don’t trust anyone.”
Race snorted and reached out to grab his sister in a one-armed hug. I could see by the expression on her face that she knew the gesture was more for him than it was for her. “Isn’t it already too late to worry about this city burning. The people in it can’t help but feed the flames?”
I agreed with him, so I just shut the door behind me and stalked to where Bax was raking Reeve over the coals while Brysen watched with wide, confused eyes. I heard his deep voice bark, “You bitch. I should put your head through that wall after what you did to Dovie. She thought you were her friend.” I wish they were just idle words that he was speaking, but Bax didn’t make threats he wasn’t ready to follow through on. It didn’t matter that Reeve was a girl. To him she was the enemy who had put Dovie in danger. He would treat her like any other threat to his woman.
Reeve blinked those unusually colored blue eyes slowly, and I sighed as she went really pale and still under the onslaught of Bax’s anger. I hated that somewhere deep in my gut a little bit of pride cheered for her when she refused look away from him.
“No one has friends in the Point . . . at least that’s what I always thought. I’m trying to make it right.” I reached the little party just as Reeve’s voice cracked and her lower lip started to tremble faintly.