Hearts and Aces (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 7) by Kaylie Hunter (great books for teens txt) 📗

with black rotted teeth, a lip sore that looked like herpes, and puss-filled welts on his face that were likely from a meth habit. It was the extreme visual for a kid with just a few cavities. Nicholas paled, walking toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Hattie asked.

“I’m going to go brush my teeth again,” he answered, opening the door and leaving.

Hattie patted Tech’s shoulder. “That was perfect, Mr. Tech. Thank you.”

“I do what I can,” Tech said, laughing.

I sat back in my chair and looked at Hattie. “You look tired. Do you want me to take the kids off your hands?”

“I’m fine. Perhaps they’re wearing me out, but I’m flying back to Texas next week so I’d like to spend as much time as I can with them until then.”

“If it gets to be too much, holler. One of us can take over. Do you need an escort back to the house?”

She shook her head. “Tyler’s waiting for us downstairs. I’ll take one of the pizzas with us if no one minds. Saves me from having to cook.”

“I think we’re about done,” I said, tossing the crust of my third slice onto a paper plate. “I’m stuffed.” I stood and grabbed the bottom pizza boxes which hadn’t been opened. “Want me to carry these downstairs for you?”

“If you could, dear,” Hattie said. “The stairs are a bit steep.”

“I’ll take them,” Bridget said, glancing up at the clock. “It’s almost time for Casey to call back. Beth and Carl, let’s grab Tweedle and go back to the house.”

“We’re being kicked out, aren’t we?” Carl asked, pouting.

“Yup,” Bridget said, pulling him along. “It’s always best to have fewer witnesses.”

Beth looked like she wanted to argue but followed Bridget.

I moved around the table and gathered the paper plates and napkins, throwing everything in the trash. Tech moved the partial box of pizza to his workstation and picked up another slice. He’d already eaten half a pizza himself.

My phone rang. Seeing it was Reggie, I answered, “What’s up?”

“Well…,” Reggie drawled out. “You know how I’m the cute, adorable one?”

“What did you do?” I asked as I walked out of the war room and looked around the gym.

“It didn’t seem fair that Blake spent all those years looking for Allie and then he was locked out of the investigation.”

“Reggie? Where the hell are you?”

“We booked an air taxi to fly to Indiana. Now we're in a car rental about ten minutes from Milo Sprigston’s place.”

“Damn you, Reggie! What the hell is wrong with you!”

I could hear Blake in the background. “I told you she’d be pissed.”

Reggie put a hand over the phone, but I could still hear him. “She’ll calm down. She loves me.”

“I can hear you, idiot!”

Wayne, Jerry, and a few other guys came running up the stairs. I motioned them into the war room. I put the phone on speaker before setting it on the table.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Reggie asked.

“Blake could lose his shit—and kill the guy!”

“Oh.” There was a pause followed by Reggie whispering into the phone, “You think he’d do that?”

“Jesus, Reggie,” Wayne said. “Kelsey’s right; you’re an idiot.”

“I’m tracing Reggie’s phone,” Tech said. “Reggie, take the next left, then in two miles take a right. I’ve already texted Casey to wait until you get there. They’re prepping for a reconnaissance mission.”

“Sweet,” Reggie said.

“I’m going to beat the snot out of you when I see you,” I hissed toward the phone as I fisted my hands. “How the hell can you even afford an air taxi? They cost a small fortune.”

“I might’ve put it on your charge card,” Reggie admitted. “It was worth it, though. We got to Lafayette in less than an hour.”

“You are paying the bill.”

“But, sis, you’re rich,” Reggie said. “You won’t even notice the money gone.”

“Not the point! It wasn’t your money to spend!”

“Now you’re just being mean.”

“Just get to the rendezvous point to meet up with Trigger and Casey. We’ll discuss the rest later.”

Wayne leaned over and disconnect the phone. “Blake’s only worked protection duty, and Reggie, well,” Wayne shrugged, “Reggie is Reggie. We don’t let him go on ops without supervision.”

“Red Dog to base,” Casey’s voice called over the conference room speaker.

“This is base. We hear you loud and clear, Red Dog,” Tech said.

“What’s the deal? Why are Reggie and Blake on their way?”

“The better question is, how many tranquilizer guns do you have?” I asked.

“Uh… Got two rifles, two handguns, and fifteen tranq cartridges.”

“I was sort of kidding, but…” I looked over at Wayne to see what he thought of the idea.

“It would be safer,” Wayne agreed, nodding. “Donovan put me in charge while he was out of the country. I’ll back your decision.”

“Are you two serious?” Casey asked. “You want me to shoot Reggie and Blake?”

“Affirmative, Red Dog,” I said, grinning toward the phone. “Drop them into dreamland.”

“Man… I don’t think I can do that. What happens the next time I need one of them to cover my six?”

“I’ll shoot them,” Trigger said. “No problem. They know I work for Kelsey and have to follow her orders.”

“You sure?” Casey asked him.

“Kelsey?” Trigger asked. “I need final confirmation. I see their SUV approaching. Are you ordering me to shoot them with tranquilizers?”

“Yes. Do it. Be sure to shoot them in the lower body, though. We don’t want anyone losing an eye.”

“Consider it done,” Trigger said, sounding excited.

“Red Dog, turn on your body camera,” Tech said as he laughed. “You too, Trigger.”

The far left and center TV screens sparked to life. Casey and Trigger were standing behind their SUV with the hatch open. We watched on the center screen, labeled Red Dog’s cam, as