Would they see him as a leader who brought the gang through tough times, or a coward who took the easy way out? But hindsight is twenty-twenty and David couldn’t make decisions based on his legacy. He needed to make decisions that were for the good of the club, for the members who were standing before him now, not some hypothetical people from the future.
The picture of a life free of the game had been so enticing to David; it might be the same for some of the others. David grabbed Olivia’s shoulders and kissed her deeply, but their kiss was cut short as the members of God’s Reapers came into the house.
“I need to take him,” Olivia whispered, and she reached up and kissed him one last time before pulling away. The Reapers were moving through the house, talking to each other and whispering in low voices. It was a sort of code, and David understood it. They didn’t like Olivia. Yes, she had helped them this one time, but she was still a cop and she was still the enemy. A snake might bite and kill the wolf attacking you, but that doesn’t make the snake your friend.
Olivia hefted Rick onto his feet. He had been gagged and tied up on the floor facing the wall. But now as Rick stood, David could see that his silence was a choice. As Rick was turned to face David, he stared into David’s eyes, and his look was one of pure, calculated fury. He did not struggle against his bonds but settled into them, as if to remind David that they were no true bonds at all. Rick had a lot of friends, and David had just made a lot of enemies.
David didn’t think to offer Olivia a hand in dealing with Rick. He was sure that she could handle him on the drive back to Marina’s Crest. Besides, it would look better if she brought him in alone. David didn’t know if she was going to mention the help from the Reapers or their relationship. She gave him one last look over her shoulder—pushing Rick before her—and a smile. Then, the door was closed, and David was alone with his brothers.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Rick made no movement on the ride to the station. Olivia had locked him up in the backseat, buckling him into his seatbelt and taking off down the dusty road. Rick had not stopped looking at her once. Every time she looked in the rearview mirror Olivia could see him staring at her. It made her tense and nervous, and she was worried that he might be planning something. However, as Marina’s Crest came into view, he remained motionless.
The elation at finding out that David was alive and unharmed had not quite worn off yet. Olivia had spent the last few days in a near constant state of tears, and now she was almost crying again, but they were tears of happiness and relief. Having Rick in her car helped as well. She had him, not only did she know about the drugs, but he had just tried to recruit David to kill her. If nothing else stuck, that charge would, and it was enough to send Rick away for a long time.
Olivia arrived at the precinct and parked her car. She opened Rick’s door and finally removed the gag.
“You didn’t read me my rights; this doesn’t count as a real arrest. You amateur, you’ve just thrown your whole case away!”
“And that would be true, if I was an officer of the law arresting you. But as of two days ago, I am suspended, so this is a citizen’s arrest,” Olivia said, grabbing his arm and hauling him out of the car. “And you’ve watched too much television. You only get your Miranda rights after you’ve been arrested and the questioning starts. You know, that’s like on the first page of our training manual, but everybody always gets it wrong.”
“You’re lying!”
“Whatever keeps you quiet, man,” Olivia said, shaking her head.
“I can give you money, lots of money, hundreds of thousands of dollars. Don’t you want to be rich? Think about it. Don’t throw away a chance at easy happiness.” Rick was rushing now, his
The picture of a life free of the game had been so enticing to David; it might be the same for some of the others. David grabbed Olivia’s shoulders and kissed her deeply, but their kiss was cut short as the members of God’s Reapers came into the house.
“I need to take him,” Olivia whispered, and she reached up and kissed him one last time before pulling away. The Reapers were moving through the house, talking to each other and whispering in low voices. It was a sort of code, and David understood it. They didn’t like Olivia. Yes, she had helped them this one time, but she was still a cop and she was still the enemy. A snake might bite and kill the wolf attacking you, but that doesn’t make the snake your friend.
Olivia hefted Rick onto his feet. He had been gagged and tied up on the floor facing the wall. But now as Rick stood, David could see that his silence was a choice. As Rick was turned to face David, he stared into David’s eyes, and his look was one of pure, calculated fury. He did not struggle against his bonds but settled into them, as if to remind David that they were no true bonds at all. Rick had a lot of friends, and David had just made a lot of enemies.
David didn’t think to offer Olivia a hand in dealing with Rick. He was sure that she could handle him on the drive back to Marina’s Crest. Besides, it would look better if she brought him in alone. David didn’t know if she was going to mention the help from the Reapers or their relationship. She gave him one last look over her shoulder—pushing Rick before her—and a smile. Then, the door was closed, and David was alone with his brothers.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Rick made no movement on the ride to the station. Olivia had locked him up in the backseat, buckling him into his seatbelt and taking off down the dusty road. Rick had not stopped looking at her once. Every time she looked in the rearview mirror Olivia could see him staring at her. It made her tense and nervous, and she was worried that he might be planning something. However, as Marina’s Crest came into view, he remained motionless.
The elation at finding out that David was alive and unharmed had not quite worn off yet. Olivia had spent the last few days in a near constant state of tears, and now she was almost crying again, but they were tears of happiness and relief. Having Rick in her car helped as well. She had him, not only did she know about the drugs, but he had just tried to recruit David to kill her. If nothing else stuck, that charge would, and it was enough to send Rick away for a long time.
Olivia arrived at the precinct and parked her car. She opened Rick’s door and finally removed the gag.
“You didn’t read me my rights; this doesn’t count as a real arrest. You amateur, you’ve just thrown your whole case away!”
“And that would be true, if I was an officer of the law arresting you. But as of two days ago, I am suspended, so this is a citizen’s arrest,” Olivia said, grabbing his arm and hauling him out of the car. “And you’ve watched too much television. You only get your Miranda rights after you’ve been arrested and the questioning starts. You know, that’s like on the first page of our training manual, but everybody always gets it wrong.”
“You’re lying!”
“Whatever keeps you quiet, man,” Olivia said, shaking her head.
“I can give you money, lots of money, hundreds of thousands of dollars. Don’t you want to be rich? Think about it. Don’t throw away a chance at easy happiness.” Rick was rushing now, his
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