Her Dominant SEAL(44)
“Piper?”
Drake sighed. “Is there anything you don’t know?”
“I know it all.”
“Do you know what my dad was up to in prison?”
“I said I know about you.” Clint sounded frustrated. “Not that you made it easy, with all your damn lying. What was up with that? Did you think we would think any less of you?”
Drake sighed, glad he didn’t have this on speaker phone. He really didn’t want Aiden and Karen to hear how he’d been lying to his teammates for years. Clint was right, he should have come clean ages ago.
“Avery?”
“I’m here.”
“Okay, I don’t know what your father has been up to. You want to fill me in, and tell me the reason for your call?”
“I’m going to put you on speaker.” He set the phone down on the desk and turned up the volume. “Clint, I have Aiden O’Malley and Karen Eastman with me. Karen is one of Piper’s teachers.”
There was a long pause why Clint assimilated that Aiden was there, and not a normal member of Midnight Delta. Aiden might have assisted on a couple of Midnight Delta missions, but he wasn’t a core team member, and he knew it rankled for Clint.
“Archer?” Aiden said. “Don’t get your panties in a twist. Your team just got done with a three-week mission, I was rested. So, I was the logical choice.”
“Bullshit,” Lydia coughed.
Karen laughed.
“Quit it. He’s here, and now I need the both of you to help me out. There is a lot of shit going down in this town. I need to know all of the scoopage, and fast.”
“Give us names.”
“Judge Andrew Comey. Sheriff Delmar Arnold. My dad, Norv-”
“We’ve got him,” Clint interrupted.
“What you don’t have on him, is what he was up to in prison. I’ve run into some of his buddies from prison. Apparently, he’s been operating the meth trade from prison, using his cousin Huey as his point man on the outside. So, check out Huey Avery. Dad’s been feeding him parolees. Also, I need to know about the Aryan Nation out of Pikeville. Rumor on the street is that by the end of the month more will be coming into Jasper Creek to help.”
Karen sat up straighter, then grabbed her side and paled.
“Fuck, you’re just having a grand old party, aren’t you?” Clint quipped.
“That’s not the end of it. Trenda-”
“That’s your oldest sister, right?” Clint asked.
“Yeah. Anyway, Trenda said that there is an influx of heroin here. So, Huey and my dad might be diversifying.”
Aiden gave a low whistle.
“Now are you done?” Clint asked.
“That’s all I know.”
“Where are you all? I’m assuming you’re holed up somewhere the bad guys can’t find you.”
“We’re at the Carmendy Chalet. It’s run by a guy named Larry Hemet. That reminds me, can you check out him and two guys named Jim and Blake. They run a hotel...” Drake turned to Aiden.
“They run a little hotel called Whispering Pines. I talked to them. I think Drake’s being paranoid, but I support paranoia.”
“I also know Larry Hemet,” Karen spoke up. “I’ve known him for five years. I would vouch for him, but with everything that’s going on, it probably doesn’t hurt to check up on everybody. Including me.”
“Nothing personal ma’am, but I already wrote down your name.”
“Goddammit, Clint. Karen’s off-limits.”
Aiden chuckled. “Every woman in Jasper Creek is off limits. Especially the ones with the last name of Avery.”
“Lydia and I should have all the information you need by tonight.”
“You should talk to his sister, Evie,” Karen said. “She has been gathering intelligence on a lot of people here in Jasper Creek.”
“Good point,” Drake said. “I’ll have her give you a call a little later.”
“I’ll look forward to meeting some of the Avery clan,” Clint said. “Later.” The line went dead.
Drake grinned.
“I like your teammate,” Karen said as she carefully leaned back in her chair.
“Everything was good except where he said he would do a background check on you,” Drake said as he put his phone in his pocket.
“What the hell, I passed Evie’s. It’s all good.”
Aiden got up and took an apple off the desk. “I’m not sure they’re as good as Dexter is on my team.” He smiled at Drake.
“Why do you have to be like that? You’re just talking shit to get my goat.”
“Maybe. But it’s fun to yank your chain.” Aiden bit into the apple and swallowed. “Have you talked to Trenda about Piper’s possible entitlements?”