The Battlefield Series 7: Disguising the Truth (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read online

  She looked at herself in the mirror and stared at her long blonde hair and big green eyes, and in her mind she remembered a different woman than the one standing before her. She remembered a scared, weak, fearful woman recovering from three bullets to her shoulder, her chest, her leg. Each injury was worse than the next, and the doctors warned how close she came to dying. But she fought to live. That was her. She always fought to survive every struggle, every wall in front of her, every person or rule that said as a woman, she could not accomplish or achieve her goals. She looked at those negatives as challenges and being shot—surviving a government operation gone to shit—was no different. She was born a survivor. She made it through family problems, through hell and back more than a few times in her life. Surviving was what she did best, and being alone had worked out just fine for her.

  That was what made her such an asset to her department and to the government organization for which she worked. She was a loner, a fighter, a soldier in more aspects than even she realized until she was in the midst of the shit show that nearly cost her life. The one regret she would always have? Falling under Scallone’s spell, then having to sleep with Copias to protect Scallone, only for him to be the one to help Copias escape. It was the one thing that haunted her every night, and was the one thing she wished she could go back in time and change. That wasn’t possible, so all she could do was move on, and live, until God finally decided her time was up.

  Chapter 1

  “Where the hell are you?” Tobias asked Wallace.

  “I’m in Garland,” Wallace yelled into the phone.

  Tobias shook his head and chuckled. “You didn’t say you were going there.”

  “I thought I did. Listen, I need to go.”

  “When will you be back?”

  “Tonight. Late. Got some other shit to do, okay, Mom?” Wallace replied sarcastically and then hung up the phone.

  Tobias exhaled and placed the cell into his clip. He looked around. He was standing by the police department in Repose getting ready to meet with Cesar and go over some new residents and their information. As assistant chief of police, it was now part of his job to help Cesar stay on top of any potential problems. One problem in particular was with the Willis brothers and their cousins. It seemed that a few of them had taken pot shots at Cali months ago while in the woods. Now more recently the older Willis brothers, Turner and Crane Willis, were causing fights and harassing women.

  As he headed inside he thought about his brothers, Wallace, Stephan, and Scottie. Scottie and Wallace worked for the government, providing special training for individuals going undercover for special operations. They had been Special Forces and were assigned to an elite unit until recently retiring and going into specialized services. Stephan was retired from the service, too, a former Green Beret, just like Tobias. Stephan disappeared on some sort of assignment for about a year. He popped in here and there and looked like shit. He still didn’t stay long when he stopped in a few months ago. Their relationship just wasn’t what it used to be when they were growing up.

  Tobias hadn’t even wanted a civilian job, or anything like assistant chief of police but his good friend and fellow soldier Cesar thought it would be a great position for him. Also, Cesar wanted someone he trusted and who was highly trained. At first he wondered why Cesar would need such an experienced, capable person like him in the small-town police department, but Cesar explained about the different types of people who wound up in Repose. Sometimes trouble followed, and they needed to think outside the box, and to act with the power and understanding needed for those predicaments.

  “Good, you’re here. I just got this information from the sheriff in Croton. Check this out,” Cesar said to Tobias as he entered the office.

  Tobias looked at the police report as well as the black and white photo of a dirt bike.

  “That bike was stolen two weeks ago in Croton. Looks a lot like the bike Crane was riding when Zeke pulled him over doing wheelies through town last week, don’t it?”

  “Damn, he stole it,” Tobias replied.

  “Looks that way. The only way to prove that is to see if we can get the serial number off of it or find other distinguishing marks as we wait for him to show documentation of where he got the bike.”

  “Those numbers are probably scraped off by now,” Tobias replied.

  “I’m sure you’re right. I know we won’t be able to charge him, but the point is, he’ll know we aren’t stupid and that we’re on to him and his thieving ways.” Cesar replied.

  “So you want me to visit them?” Tobias asked.

  “Not alone. Bring Zeke with ya, or Jack. I have to go meet Cameron’s brothers, Goose and Monte. They just moved in with Cameron and Toro yesterday.”

  “What are their plans?”

  “Well, my understanding is that they are interested in opening up a business in town. I’m going to get some more information before they present to the board in a couple of weeks.”

  “So you’re going to stand here and tell me that you don’t have a clue as to what type of business they want to build here in Repose?”

  “I’m not at liberty to say.”

  “What?” Tobias exclaimed and placed his hands on his hips. “What is this crap? You force me to become assistant chief and don’t share information with me?”

  Cesar chuckled. “I forced you?” Cesar asked and Tobias raised one of his eyebrows up in challenge.

  Cesar chuckled again.

  “Okay, not a word. They may be building a sports bar.”

  “Really? But what about the Filling Station?”

  “It’s not going to take business away from Brooklyn. This place Cameron and his brothers are interested in building will be solely a sports bar. Flat screen televisions and sporting events with bar food only. It sounds really cool and will fit well with all the different people we have living in and visiting Repose. It’s just a beginning stage and they will need to get town board approval first,” Cesar told him.

  “Very cool. See? That wasn’t so bad,” Tobias said to him.

  “What do you mean?” Cesar asked.

  Tobias smirked as he grabbed his police Stetson. “Sharing information with your assistant chief of police.”

  Cesar chuckled. “You have a lot of things to work out, so don’t get all cocky.”

  “Work out?”

  “Yeah, like that piss-poor attitude you have with everyone you don’t know.”

  “Hey, people need to know who is in charge,” Tobias replied with a grin.

  “Everyone should feel like you’re approachable, not just the ladies out to land you and your brothers.”

  “What? Shit, Cesar, don’t go trying to play matchmaker for me and my kin.”

  Cesar snickered.

  “There is not a woman out there who would take you and your brothers on.”

  “Why not?”

  “Bad attitudes. All of you,” Cesar said and they headed out of his office.

  “Bad attitudes? I think my attitude is pretty straightforward. As a matter of fact, it’s a lot like yours.”

  Cesar turned to look at him as he dropped a file onto his secretary’s desk.

  “Adeline, can you enter this information into the computer and then copy the letter on the top and mail it to Clarence Walker in Goshen, please?” Cesar asked her.

  “You got it, chief,” she replied.

  He winked and headed out of the building with Tobias.

  “So how is your attitude a lot like mine?” Cesar asked and held the door open for Tobias.

  “I expect discipline, order, and respect. It’s my way or the highway and if people can’t adapt then that’s their problem.”

  “I don’t act like it’s my way or the highway.”

  “Well, maybe not so much nowadays.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, chief, maybe a pretty little brunette has made you a little soft. Good thing I got ya back, Cesar. Don’t worry,�
�� Tobias said and chuckled. Cesar shook his head.

  “Man, between you and your antisocial brothers it would be a miracle if any of ya settled down with a woman.”

  “Not looking to settle down. Looking to start living after surviving. That’s not too much, is it?”

  Cesar looked at Tobias and then he looked around them on the streets of town.

  “Not in a town like Repose. It’s a good town to set some roots in. It’s filled with good people who are more alike than most can even see. Have you heard from your brother Stephan lately?”

  “Nope. Been a few months. Hoping he’s back in time for our camping trip. Not holding my breath though.”

  Cesar nodded and then exhaled. “He’ll come around, when he’s ready. Whatever he was involved in obviously affected him.”

  “I wouldn’t know. Last time he was around he hardly spoke to us and then disappeared again.”

  “He’ll come around. Eventually. Let me know how you make out with the Willis brothers, and don’t go alone.” Just as Cesar said that, Jack pulled up in the patrol car.

  “See ya later,” Tobias said and then waved down Jack and told him about the plan as Jack got out of the cruiser.

  “I can’t stand those guys, and you know the serial numbers won’t be on the bike, right?”

  “Of course we know that, but our job will be to simply let them know we’re on to them and that this shit isn’t going to fly around here. So let’s go.”

  “Are we doing the good cop bad cop thing, because I make a great bad cop.”

  “I think I got the bad cop attitude thing covered. Let’s just get our point across.”

  Jack smirked as Tobias got into the police cruiser. Jack drove.

  “You know their M.O., don’t ya?” Jack asked as he headed through town.

  “They think they’re above the law because their family dates back to the beginning of the town’s establishment.”

  “Oh, it’s more than that. You see, Mr. and Mrs. Willis had five sons and one daughter.”

  “A daughter?”

  “Yes, Selena. She just got home from college a week ago. Beautiful young woman, totally opposite of her brothers and their wild criminal activities. Anyway, Mr. Willis and the mayor, Charlie Bennett, were good friends when they both fell for Ethel. That’s Mr. Willis’s wife. Anyway, story has it things got violent and crazy as both men fought over Ethel. Through the years Charlie apparently gave the Willis family a hard time on everything. He even tried charging them more for their lot of land and higher taxes. As the Willises started having children, their father started revolting against anything the mayor did. Then he got others on board and there was anarchy until the Cortland family stepped in to straighten things out and took over the board, establishing the rules upon which Repose was built, instituting basically everything Repose stands for. The mayor kept his position but throughout the years the Willis family and a few other families remained defiant to him. Their grievances go way back.”

  “What does that have to do with their children being criminals and not obeying the laws?” Tobias asked.

  “Well, there were other things over the years that made these families hate Charlie and some others and they just continue to act out. Aside from the boys taking those pot shots at Cali and the guys, they’ve done stupid shit to the younger kids causing Cesar’s mom to fall and break her ankle last year. They’re mean, nasty sons of bitches if ya ask me, and you don’t ever turn your back on them because they fight dirty.”

  “We’re the law. They’ll abide or else.”

  “Just warning you, Tobias. These men, the entire family are crazy.”

  When they arrived at the Willis house Tobias noticed a few kids in their teens he recognized and then some older guys in their twenties. The expressions on their faces were mean, sour, and angry and had Tobias immediately on guard. He had to remind himself that he had been to war. He had seen the mean and immorally despicable side of mankind who hated Americans and all that America stood for. These were just angry people who felt hatred toward one particular man and the set of rules the mayor helped to maintain and establish. No one was shooting any guns today. They would talk.

  “The bike is over there by the barn. See it?” Jack asked as he stopped the car and put it in park.

  “Okay, nice and calm,” Tobias said and Jack chuckled.

  When they got out of the car, not a soul greeted them.

  “Good afternoon, gentleman, we have a few questions for you,” Tobias said.

  “This is our property. You don’t belong here,” one of them said.

  “Now, Turner, there’s no need to be impolite. The assistant chief and I are here on police business,” Jack stated.

  “Get the fuck out of here,” another guy maybe in his twenties yelled from the barn where the bike was.

  “That’s Crane,” Jack whispered.

  “You. I want to speak with you,” Tobias said and started heading toward Crane. Jack followed.

  “Speak to me about what, assistant chief?” Crane said with an attitude, like he was making fun of his title. “Why are you harassing us and not doing actual police work? You don’t belong here on our land. No one comes up here on our property.”

  The other guys started yelling and came closer. One of the men was waving his arms in the air and looked like he was going to take a shot at Tobias.

  Tobias raised his hand, palm up. “You shut the hell up right now. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t really care. You’re in the presence of two officers and you will show respect. Now you. Where did you get the bike?” Tobias asked Crane, raising his voice. Jack kept his eyes on the guy Tobias just yelled at.

  “I had this bike. What’s it to you?”

  Tobias walked closer to the bike and checked it out. Sure enough, he could see where the serial number was scratched off and something was painted on it. He remembered that Cesar said to just make it known that the police were on top of them, but these guys were really pissing him off.

  “Nice paint job. Is that supposed to be a panther?” he asked and ran the pad of his finger along the undercoat of the painting and felt the raised metal where the numbers were scratched off.

  “It’s a poother,” Crane said.

  “A poother?” Tobias asked.

  “A cross between a panther and a cougar.”

  “Oh. Interesting. Fast and slick. Got it.”

  “So, you purchased this bike where?” Jack asked.

  “I had the bike for a while. Just started working on it recently.”

  “It was working two weeks ago when you got pulled over in town and was ticketed,” Tobias said.

  “Can’t have no fun around this town. Not with all the pigs around.”

  Tobias bit the inside of his cheek. “We run a safe, legit town. You sure there isn’t a different story attached to this bike?” Tobias asked.

  “It’s his. What the fuck is your problem?” Turner said, raising his voice.

  “Settle down, Turner,” Jack said to him. Tobias looked at both men who now stood nearly side by side.

  “Well, I’m going to give you a little information. You see, a bike just like this one was stolen not too long ago.” Tobias walked around the bike and checked it out thoroughly. “It looked identical to this bike.”

  “There are lots of bikes like these around,” Turner stated in a nasty tone.

  “We’re just checking on a lead, but I’m just saying that if this was the same bike that was stolen, then you would have yourself a serious problem.”

  “A problem?” Crane asked. Tobias locked gazes with him and used a firm, killer expression.

  “No one lies to me and gets away with it. I don’t do things the same way that Cesar or other cops around Repose do. I do them differently. You see, sometimes I don’t follow all the rules either. In fact, if it turns out that this here bike was the one that was stolen—let’s say you stole it and removed the serial number and even gave it a nice paint job—well, then it wo
uld mean you lied to me, Crane, and I don’t like liars. If that were the case then you just gained yourself a shadow. No matter where you are and what you’re doing, there’s no telling where I might be and when I’ll be watching you. So the next time you think about stealing, or committing a crime, you may want to check over your shoulder. I’ll be there, so when you fuck up, I can haul your ass in.” He pointed up at Crane’s face. “You understand me, boy?”

  Crane nodded.

  Tobias nodded back.

  “Well then, you go on and work on your bike. Thank you for your time.” He turned around and along with Jack started heading to the patrol car. He saw the other expressions aimed at them and held firm with his mean, I’m-in-charge glare. Once they were in the car and heading out, Jack smirked.

  “I thought we were to remain calm and friendly.”

  “I thought that was friendly.”

  “Really, Tobias? I think Crane shit his pants.”

  Tobias looked at him. “He should have. We’re the law, and what we say goes. When they see us coming they need to know that they need to respect us or there will be hell to pay.”

  “Well, how are you going to watch Crane all the time?”

  “I’m not. It’s a bluff, but if I was firm enough in the minimum, he’ll be looking over his shoulder worried. Then, every so often, I’ll come up behind him when he least expects it and it will be a reminder to not fuck up.”

  “I don’t know if that will work with him or his kin.”

  “Well, Jack, it’s their chance to respect us and the law. If they choose not to then no one can say we never warned them.”

  “I can see that happening with them. They just don’t find it important to follow the rules.”

  “Well then, it won’t be the last time we come out here, and if you’re right, then one of them will be in jail sooner than later anyway.”