“Hey,” she greeted Max, trying not to chew nervously on her bottom lip. After closing his office door, she took the seat that he indicated with a tilt of his head in front of his overflowing, but organized, desk.
He narrowed his blue eyes on her. “What’s up? Not sure why you’re here on your day off.”
“I heard about the raid last night.”
One dark eyebrow lifted, and he sat back in his seat. “How about that. I heard something interesting, too. It went something like this… One of my off-duty officers badged one of the agents so she could ask questions. I only have two ‘shes’ on my force and I know Leah wasn’t on County Line Road in the middle of the night. Not when she has her hands full with two boys, a baby girl and a man-baby. That rules her out from being the one running around sticking her nose in the feds’ business.”
Normally, they would get a good laugh at Max poking fun at his brother, Marc. Today, neither laughed.
“I’m actually surprised to see you this morning, but also glad you’re here so I didn’t have to call your ass in to explain yourself.” He leaned forward slightly. “Why were you there and how did you know what the hell was happening?”
Jet grimaced and her ass cheeks clenched slightly. “Hear me out before you flip out, okay, Chief?”
“Glad you remember who the hell I am, Officer.”
“First, I just want to say that I respect—“
“Don’t lube me up first, just give it to me quick and dry. How did you know what was going down?”
“I didn’t.” Truth.
“Then why were you on County Line Road in the middle of the night, especially on your night off?”
“I…”
Max lifted an eyebrow again. “You…?”
She blew out a breath. She wasn’t sure if she should reveal what was going on between her and Rook. But she was sure they wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret for long since the club now knew.
Or all of the members of the club would know soon if they didn’t already. News traveled fast in a town like Manning Grove. She was sure it traveled even faster in a close-knit brotherhood.
“A while back I caught some of the Fury members going up the mountain.” More truth. So far, so good.
He pressed his palms to his desk blotter and spread his fingers, staring at them for a second. “After I told you to stay away from there?”
“I was doing my normal patrol.” That truth had a bit of a bend in it.
Max lifted his head and gave her a dubious look. “On Copperhead Road.”
“Yes. I occasionally drive past there to keep an eye on things but stay off the mountain like you said.”
“I have a feeling I’m not going to like this story.”
Jet couldn’t argue that. “One night I stopped two Fury members coming down the mountain and tried to get some info from them. If they were going up there…”
“Why were they going up there?”
“The why they wouldn’t share, but I at least hoped they’d share what they saw.”
“Who asked you to do that?” The question was asked way too calmly and made her more anxious than if he had yelled it.
“No one. I decided to take the initiative on my own.”
“I told you to stay away from that clan and you didn’t.”
“I did.”
“Semantics. You tried to back door your way up there by using the MC.”
“I figured it was another way to find out what was going on up there.”
He laughed but it didn’t sound humorous. Not even close. “You expected bikers to share with you, a law enforcement officer, details of any illegal activity.”
Put that way… Yes, it had been a lame attempt, but at least it had been an attempt.
“Who?” Max asked.
“Who?” she echoed, delaying the inevitable.
“Who were you planning on partnering with in this little endeavor of yours?”
She frowned. “Does it matter?”
Max’s angular jaw shifted hard. “Most of those guys are ex-convicts, Jet. Not the best people to partner with.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“Tell me, how much intel did you get from these Fury members?”
“I didn’t.”
“Of course you didn’t. And do you know why? It wasn’t your place to know. It was mine. You think the feds don’t keep their finger on the pulse of these sovereign nations? They’re threats to our national security. When van loads of them start shifting around and crossing state lines, the feds sit up and take notice. They’re going to sniff out what these crazies are up to and that’s what they did.”
“So, no one tipped them off?” The club would be relieved to hear that.
“Nobody had to. The local clan was small compared to some of the other factions in other states. The FBI was watching the larger groups and, of course, the main players. Clans that could do a lot more damage than the Shirleys. Well, until now. The Shirleys landed heavily on their radar once they brought in those vans of men from the other factions the feds were watching.