Ryker (Hope City #6) - Kris Michaels Page 0,49
to swipe a couple of stemless wine glasses. She held them as Tara filled them. “So, fill in the details. I haven’t seen or talked to you in almost two months. We have to make time for each other.”
They moved into a corner by the front door, just a few feet away from the kitchen in case someone needed them, but Sharon and her mother were in their element, arranging and organizing. “Right? You’re busy with your family and I’ve been spending all my time with Ryker.”
“How are you managing that? Hover Mother letting one of her birds fly the coop?”
Tara giggled when she rolled her eyes. “Mom is blessedly busy with Gage. But seriously, she’s been very supportive of my relationship with Ryker, even if my brother had a cow or twenty.”
“What? Who? You mean more than the normal macho positioning?” Tara swung her gaze past her and swept the room, her eyes landing on her husband. As if he knew she was looking, Carter turned in her direction and smiled back at her. A tinge of a blush rose to Tara’s face.
“Brody. He had a tantrum and had the audacity to bring up Ryker’s age. As if that was any of his business.”
“Why how much older is he?” Tara lifted her wineglass to her lips.
“Almost fourteen years.”
Tara’s eyes popped, and she immediately looked at Ryker. “No way.”
“Way. He’ll be forty-seven soon.” Brie took a drink of her wine.
“Girl, every woman in America wants her husband to be that buff when he turns forty-seven.” Tara shook her head. “Tell Brody to shove off.”
“Oh, she did.” Amber and Kallie strolled from the kitchen. Amber held a glass of wine; Kallie carried her usual—bourbon, neat. Amber chuckled, “He was a little full of himself for a while. I think he was more concerned with what the relationship would do to his and Ryker’s work association more than Brie and the Captain actually being together.”
“He doesn’t seem to have any problem now.” Kallie nodded toward the men. Carter, Sean, and Kyle had joined the conversation, but the topic must have changed because there was laughter from the huddle.
“Where are Rory and Blay?” Harper drifted from the kitchen with Erin and Caitlyn.
“And Bekki?” Caitlyn craned her neck around. “She was here a minute ago.”
“I’m here!” Bekki practically bounced out of the kitchen with a bottle of spring water in her hand.
“Oh, good. Excuse us, please.” Brie grabbed her wrist. “We need to have a conversation.” She hauled Bekki down the hall.
Bekki laughed and tried to grump, “What? I did nothing, I swear!”
“No, but you will.” Brie pushed her into the bathroom. “I need you to do something for me, and you can’t tell a soul where you got the information or Ryker will go through the roof.”
Bekki’s face lost all traces of humor. “What’s up?”
Brie drew a deep breath and detailed her conversation with Councilman Davis.
Bekki’s brows drew together. “I’ve been looking into other areas of graft within the city government and Councilman Davis’ name has come up more than once. Has anything strange happened? Anything at all?”
“Again, you can’t tell a soul.” She waited for Bekki to agree. “There were orders that suddenly vendors can’t fill and…”
“And? Come on, don’t keep me hanging.”
“Well, I don’t know if it’s related, but I’ve had my tire slashed and there are two guys that have been strong-arming me for money.”
Bekki grabbed her arm. “Oh my God, Brie! Have you filed a police report? Have you told anyone?”
“No, but I’ve bought a security system and Roger is having it installed while I’m taking time off. I know if those two punks see there is a system recording them, they’ll move on. They are low-level scum. I don’t need to run to Dad—or Ryker, for that matter.”
“I don’t like it, Brie. You need to make sure the police are aware of what those guys are doing.” Bekki shook her head and stared past her to the wall. “If I could tie the vendors that cancelled their orders to Councilman Davis, it could be the leverage I need to convince the station this is a story they should allow me to follow.”
“I wish you well. That man is slimy. He has a great public façade, but let me tell you, he’s a snake.” Brie shuddered.
Bekki stood and nodded. “I’ll look into it under one condition.”
Brie knew her sister—tit for tat was Bekki’s wheelhouse. “What’s that?”
“If those two scumbags show their faces again, you will call the cops and