Sadie's Game (Ashby Crime Family)

I wouldn’t take the abuse when I realized I was too strong to be someone’s punching bag.

Colm had been my teacher in many ways, but those lessons learned the hardest way imaginable, were still with me today.

Those lessons were responsible for the woman I was today.

Chapter Seven

Sadie

By the time Sunday evening rolled around, I felt much better. Like my old self. Maybe even better than my old self because my family sat around the table with me, reaching for dishes and platters of food while we discussed business. Family business. Sunday dinner was as much an institution for the Ashby family as church was for other people. Regular people.

We gathered around the big formal dining room table to talk about…hell, everything. From business details to personal dramas, this was the one time each week we were all together. As a family. We laughed and smiled, argued, and cursed each other out when necessary. We planned and plotted, but mostly we ate.

“Jasper, you need to find a way to get Madison to convince Jameson that working for us is in his best interests. Sweeten the deal however you need to. If we can get him on board before the Feds wrap up this investigation, it’s worth whatever price we have to pay.”

The kid came from a family of bikers, and he was playing the role of Boy Scout to a tee, making me wait for an answer.

“I’m working on it,” Jas responded around a mouthful of roasted chicken.

“Work faster.” We didn’t have time to wait, and it was only out of respect to Jameson’s brother Charlie, the new President of the Reckless Bastards, and my old relationship with the former Prez, Cross, that I hadn’t pushed. But I would if needed.

“Kat, Terry, it’s time for you to really dig into the wedding planning or this thing won’t happen until the middle of next year.”

Kat laughed. “Who knew you were so looking forward to my wedding?” She cocked one dark brow in the air and shook her head before she turned her attention back to the food on her plate.

“I can’t wait to see you married off. You and Terry wasted enough time. Besides all that, Ava Rose could use some cousins.”

“Cousins? We’re not even married yet, Ma. Calm down on the baby talk.” Kat shook her head and gave an exaggerated shudder before she turned to Cal. “No offense. Ava is beautiful and wonderful, but I’m not there yet.”

Cal shrugged, ambivalent to the conversations around him. He seemed adrift without Madison around, which brought Thomas’ words back to mind. “Where is Madison?”

“Having dinner with her sister,” Cal grunted, never taking his gaze off my sweet grandbaby.

That made sense. The whole reason Madison stuck around was to search for her sister. “It would’ve been nice of her to give you some advance notice that she wouldn’t be looking after Ava Rose anymore.”

Calvin rolled his eyes. “She still looks after Ava.”

Now that was news to me. I hadn’t seen Madison in what felt like weeks, maybe months. “It’s not safe for Ava Rose to spend time at a police officer’s house.”

Cal glared at me. “I’ll decide what’s safe or not for my child,” he growled. “And Maddie comes here to watch her because we’re friends. And she actually gives a damn.”

His insinuation was clear. I didn’t give a damn about anyone or anything. At least from Calvin’s perspective.

“Good to know.” I studied my youngest son for a long moment, noting the signs of strain and exhaustion that wrapped around him. From the lines around his eyes and mouth to the hunched set of his shoulders, Cal was a man angry and adrift. “Now we need to talk business, Calvin.”

“I’m listening,” he responded without giving me the fucking respect of looking at me.

“Look at me when I speak to you.”

He pulled his gaze from his sleeping daughter’s face. “I am.”

“Get into the police and FBI databases to see what—if any—forensics they have on the murders. We must know what they have as soon as they know it, before then if we can swing it.”

Calvin nodded but otherwise ignored me. “I’m already on it.”

“Perfect.” There was always so much business to deal with, but with the investigation into the deaths of Bonnie and Mueller, it piled up for everyone. I turned to Vanessa, who was whispering and giggling with Emmett at the far end of the dining table. “Vanessa.”

She turned to me with her deep blue eyes wide with surprise. “Yes. Ma’am?”

“Keep your ears open. Listen to the chatter at the card games and let me know if you hear anything relevant to the investigation.”

Vanessa was a good girl, pliable and eager to help. “Sure.” She turned to Emmett and then back to me. “You know, there was a police lieutenant at a game last week, said they had fuck all forensics—his words—so they were hoping for surveillance on all the paths that led to the crime scene.”