The brown-headed man stopped and his eyes pinned Shirleen. “I’m glad you reminded me. Why don’t we talk about those boys, Miz Jackson? Tel me again how you, of al people, became a foster parent?”
I didn’t even know the guy and I knew that not only was he angry, what he’d just asked was not so vaguely threatening. I knew this because the air in the room went heavy.
“The boys were in my caseload at the Shelter,” Jules said to the man. “I did the background checks on Shirleen.” The man turned to Jules. “Your dedication is impressive, Mrs. Crowe, considering you were in Intensive Care when these two were placed with Miz Jackson.”
Uh-oh.
My eyes moved back to Mace. He had his arms crossed on his chest and his feet planted wide. He also had a look on his face that said, if this guy didn’t stop being such a jerk, Mace was going to rip his head off.
“That’s enough, George,” Hank said quietly.
“Yeah, Nightingale, it’s enough,” George replied, voice stil angry. “I’ve had nothing but shit from you and your men al f**kin’ morning.”
Hank’s eyes narrowed and I took back my earlier thought that he was less intense and more laidback then the rest of the men. At that moment, he was even scarier than his brother.
“We went through three boxes yesterday morning, George,” Hank clipped. “Not to mention, six days ago, there were four drive-bys and Stel a f**kin’ got shot.”
“That wasn’t reported,” George shot back.
When Hank spoke again, his voice was vibrating, he was so angry. “It sure as f**k was. Mace and Luke made statements and we had three squads on the scene while the incident took place. Furthermore, we got five hundred witnesses to rifle fire at a f**kin’ club on Friday night.”
“None of that was linked to Carter,” George returned.
“For f**k’s sake, George,” Eddie exploded. “Lee got the cal before the drive-bys!”
“Hearsay,” George replied.
“You’ve got to be shittin’ me,” Vance snapped.
George’s gaze swung to Lee. “You get the cal on tape?” Lee’s eyes were on George and I changed my mind again. Perhaps he did scare me more than Hank.
Not taking his eyes off George, Lee said low, “Hank…” and I got it immediately that if Hank did not handle this George guy, Lee would and it might get messy.
But Hank was already talking and he wasn’t paying attention to Lee, his eyes were also on George.
“We’re done,” he said.
George turned back to Hank. “I’m tel in’ you Nightingale
–”
Hank interrupted him.
“A week ago, the windows of my house were blown out by an AK-47, my fiancée in the house at the time,” Hank snapped. “And I’ve known Shirleen since I was ten f**kin’
years old. She’s family. And someone broke into her house this morning and dril ed three rounds into the wal of her livin’ room but they were aimin’ at her. ” George had the grace to look a might uncomfortable but stil hanging onto stubborn and angry as he glared at Hank.
Thus began a tense staring contest that went on until Hank broke it.
Hank broke it.
“Done,” he repeated then without another word he walked out of the room.
Al the men (and women) stared at George.
George stared at the door.
Then he looked at Eddie. “He wouldn’t be that stupid.” It was Eddie’s turn to cross his arms on his chest and with one look at him, he went to the top of the list of Hot Bunch Boys Who Scared Me Most. “We played your game, you f**ked us and this mornin’ Shirleen nearly got her head blown off,” Eddie said, his voice tight. “Now, hombre, we’re gonna f**k you.”