“Dunn and I ran into him the other week in the empty lot where the old warehouse used to be,” Leah said.
“What was he doing there? The Blood Fury hasn’t owned that lot for a while now.”
“He was talking to that blonde. He said she had gotten lost and was only trying to help her. I didn’t think they knew each other, but apparently my instinct was wrong.”
Marc’s eyebrows rose. The PD dealt with Judge Scott and his cousin, Deacon, a lot since they owned Justice Bail Bonds on the other side of town. However, they both began to wear the Blood Fury MC’s colors last year when the MC was resurrected by the deceased former president’s son. Not one cop at Manning Grove PD was thrilled to hear or see that club be reborn since the Fury had caused a lot of problems prior to it imploding over twenty years ago.
Murder and mayhem had been their M.O.
“She doesn’t look so lost right now since she’s holding Judge’s hand. The little girl must be hers. She looks just like her.”
“First time I saw the girl,” his wife answered.
As Judge began to set up their folding chairs, the little girl spotted them and took off at a run, little bells jingling on her sneakers.
Both Judge and the mother screamed, “Daisy!” at the same time.
Daisy ran up to both of Marc’s sons and Oliver and yelled, “Hi!” at the top of her lungs and did a floppy side wave. “I’m Daisy!”
Austin and Jax both glanced up at Marc, unsure what to do.
Marc shook his head. At this rate, his sons would need help learning how to flirt with girls. He nudged his oldest. “Say hi back.”
Before any of the boys could say anything, Daisy announced, “I’m five. Will you be my friends? I don’t have any friends to play with yet.”
Leah shot Marc a look.
He took the reins since his sons apparently lost their tongues. He placed a hand on Austin’s shoulder just as Judge and the blonde reached them. “This is Austin. He’s six.” He put his other hand on Jax’s knit-cap covered head. “This is Jax. He’s four. That’s Oliver, he’s the same age as you.”
“Hi!” Greg bellowed, getting to his feet and coming to stand near Marc, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I’m Greg! I’ll... I’ll be your friend.”
Daisy dropped her head back and stared up at Greg. “Hi, Greg! How old are you?”
“I’m...” Greg tilted his head, and wrung his hands together as he tried to remember. “I’m...”
“Thirty-two,” Marc whispered to him.
“Thirty-two!” Greg echoed.
“Oh! You’re old!” Daisy said and stuck out her bottom lip in a dramatic pout.
“Daisy!” her mother scolded her.
“Well, he is, Momma!”
Greg laughed. “I’m old.”
“Hi, Greg,” the blonde greeted. “I’m Cassie. And Daisy is my daughter.”
“Hi, Cassie!” Greg greeted with a half-wave and a big smile. “You’re really pretty. You here to watch Max in the parade?”
“Thank you. I’m not sure who Max is?” Cassie asked, her brow lowered.
“Max is the Chief of Police around here,” Judge explained. His green eyes hit Marc’s and he jerked his chin up in greeting. “Marc.”
“Judge. Surprised to see you here.”
“Ain’t my thing, but Dutch is playin’ S—” He snapped his mouth shut and glanced at the kids. “Daisy wanted to sit on Santa’s lap, give him a list of demands, and also watch the parade.”
Marc nodded, glad the biker didn’t blow the secret that Dutch, the local garage owner, was playing Santa like he did every year, and that Santa wasn’t real. The kids didn’t know yet and he wasn’t sure if even Greg knew the truth.
Marc glanced down at Daisy who looked tiny standing in front of Judge, then up at Cassie. “New in town?”
“My sister and her husband live here. Daisy and I came right after Thanksgiving.”
“Staying?” Marc asked.
“I don’t know yet.”
Marc didn’t miss the look Judge gave her with that answer.
Leah spoke up. “I saw you that night in the empty lot. I was the pregnant one in uniform.”
Cassie turned to her. “Yes. The night I got... uh... lost.”
“Mmm hmm,” Leah answered. “Lost. You show her how to get around town, Judge?”
Judge’s lips twitched. “Yeah. She’s learnin’ her way.”
“How are things with the MC?” Marc asked. “Staying off that mountain?”
“Yeah, no more repos up there,” Judge said, his face unreadable and not because of the long, bushy beard covering it or the gray knit cap pulled low over his forehead. “Trip learned his lesson.”
That wasn’t what Marc meant, but he had made his unspoken point that he knew what happened last month up there between the Shirley Clan and the MC. He didn’t know all the details but he knew something went down.
But if it wasn’t for the MC, or the Shirleys, Levi wouldn’t have come into Matt and Carly’s life, so he wasn’t going to give Judge a lot of shit about it. Or even dig.
No one had come down that mountain to file a police report and he doubted they would. The Shirleys lived by their own law and hated the PD.
Just like the MC did.
However, Marc was grateful for Autumn letting his youngest brother adopt her baby. They all were.
“Carly’s bringing Levi,” Marc warned. “Autumn and Sig coming to watch the parade?”
“Don’t think so. Don’t think Sig wants her in town right now. See you’re workin’ the parade. Guess your brothers are, too. Figurin’ you don’t need me to watch over Levi. But if you do, I’m here, just in case.”
Marc studied the man for a long moment. Judge had taken on the role of Sergeant at Arms for the MC. That meant he was the muscle behind the club and was in charge of protecting its members and everyone else who fell under that umbrella. Marc had done some research on motorcycle clubs after Trip came back to town and began to rebuild the Fury. He wanted to be prepared. They all did.
He knew the women and children who belonged to club members were considered “property” of the club. And by Judge offering to keep an eye on Levi, the man probably still felt responsible for protecting Marc’s newest nephew, even though the baby was now a Bryson.
Protected by a family of cops instead of bikers.
“My wife will be here with them. As will my Pop. He might be retired but he’s still a cop and a Marine at heart. So, I think we got it covered. Adam and Matt will be sticking close, too.”
Judge pulled at his long beard and nodded. “Got it handled, then.”
“Yeah, but appreciate the offer.”
Judge tipped his head and stretched a hand out to Daisy. “C’mon, kid.”
The little girl pursed her lips. “I want them to be my friends.”
“’Nother time,” Judge told her. “Sure you’ll hang with them when you start school.”
That had Marc’s ears perking and he noticed Leah’s had, too. “So, she is staying in the area?”