Framed (12 page)

“Princess, that’s not how it works in big-bad-SEAL-land. Kade has claimed you whether you understand that or not. We respect that. If he says he doesn’t want you involved, then you’re not involved.”

“Amen,” my father joined in, but I ignored him.

“You do whatever he says, no questions asked?” I asked surprised.

“If Kade said
lie on a sword for me
, I’d ask how large of a blade,” Prez answered with conviction.

“You’re that close?”

“Kade’s put himself in front of bullets for us, more than once. I’d gladly lay my life on the line for him,” Mickey answered just as earnestly as Prez.

”More than once?” I gasped.

“More than once . . . That man would risk his life for anyone he cared about. His parents abandoning him and Kyle the way they did made Kade fiercely loyal to anyone who earned his trust. And you, princess, have earned his trust. He said to keep you out of it and that’s what we plan to do.”

I narrowed my eyes at the two SEALs then turned and looked at Kyle. He smiled.

“What are you smiling at?” I snipped.

“Just thinking I can’t wait for Kade to get out so we can watch the fireworks. He’s bull-headed protective, and you’re stubborn as hell. It should be interesting.”

“Whatever,” I mumbled, and the whole patio erupted in laughter.

***

“I thought you said you had this handled?” Prez hissed when he got a look at Kade during visiting hours on Saturday.

“I’m alive, aren’t I? Doesn’t get any more handled than that.”

“Kyle said your shrink was gonna see about getting you moved to a new cellblock.”

“He was, but I told him no. I already know who’s gunnin’ for me. I don’t need to learn who the players are in a new block.”

Leaning back in his chair, Prez nodded. “All right, just make sure you stay alive. I didn’t drag your ass through Hell Week for my health.”

Kade grinned. Leave it to Prez to think he dragged Kade through anything.

“I seem to remember it differently. Wasn’t it me who had to keep you from ringing the bell all week?”

“You have me confused with D,” Prez chuckled.

“You have me confused with Slater,” D gruffed.

“Slater may have been a rich boy, but he was no quitter,” Kade reminded D.

“That he wasn’t. We’re hoping he has time in-between physical therapy to hack into Consolidated. We breached their walls last night, but their system is state of the art. It’s gonna take a hacker of the highest caliber to tear down their firewall.”

“Is he still in Vegas?” Kade asked.

“Yeah, rehabbing and hacking like usual. West is working for his brother.”

“I heard that. He’s playing bodyguard to the rich and famous.”

“Right. Making a shitload of money, too.”

“I take it since you breached Consolidated’s walls that you came up empty elsewhere?”

“We’ve got cameras that don’t point in the right direction and residents asleep. The wife said he was spooked, but didn’t know why. It stands to reason that if he was a pillar of the community and wasn’t having an affair that only leaves his job. A big company like Consolidated has to have skeletons in their closet. We figured he might have stumbled across an unlocked door and paid with his life.”

Kade agreed with that assessment, but was disappointed it had come to that. He was sure when they started digging they’d find a camera somewhere close that would have told the tale of Sutton’s murder. Shifting in his chair, he grimaced when one of the stitches in his side tweaked.

“Heard you had a visitor yesterday,” D grinned. Kade raised a brow, waiting for him to continue. “Harley told me at dinner last night she saw you in the infirmary.”

“You had dinner with Harley?” Kade asked with veiled anger, pinning D with his eyes.

“She was at her dad’s when we arrived. We brought Kyle with us so they could all meet and hear how the mission was going,” Prez jumped in when he got a look at Kade’s face.

“Kyle was there? Did he say how Pops was doing?”

“He’s barely hanging in there, Kade. He’s waiting for you to come home.”

“Jesus. I should be there,” Kade bit out. “I owe that man more than he’ll ever know and now I’m causing him more grief.”

“You will. We’ll figure this shit out, my brother. Don’t lose hope.”

Time was up, so Kade rose from his chair.

“Tell Kyle I’ll make it up to him when I get out.”

“I’ll tell him.”

Kade nodded, then stood and shook his friends’ hands before turning to leave. When he was out of earshot, Prez turned to D and whacked him behind the head.

“What the fuck was that for?”

“I’m hoping if I do it enough, it will knock some sense into you.”

“What’d I do now?”

“You told a man rotting in prison you had dinner with his brother and his woman, that’s what.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah, fuck. I wasn’t gonna bring it up and rub it in his face, D. He doesn’t need to know what happens outside these walls other than the investigation.”

“I wasn’t thinking, man.”

“Clearly. Tell me again how you made it through BUD/S with a brain the size of a peanut?”

“Easy, I stayed close to you and Kade.”

“Mmhmm, remember
that
the next time you decide to open your mouth.”

***

Leroy J. Stubbs, better known as Fat Bastard, started life in 1967 as a chubby baby and grew to be an even larger man. He always, even when he was a kid, had the ability to sniff out an opportunity that would benefit his pocketbook or make life easier. His intellectual prowess and ability to lead men had served him well while being incarcerated at Renault Correctional Facility. In the seven years he’d been there for murdering a scumbag who’d tried to take over his pharmaceutical (street drugs) territory, he’d organized a crew that put the fear of God into any inmate that dared to challenge his power. That included the guards. There wasn’t a man inside Renault that he hadn’t been able to handle. That is, until Kade Fucking Kingston came along.

A fucking SEAL on his block. A fucking highly trained, extremely smart, kill-a-man-as-easily-as-most-men-breathed, SEAL. On
his
fucking block. And to top it all off, he was in for murder. That automatically elevated him to a contender for Fat Bastard’s position as the Godfather of cellblock C.

He’d waited for Kingston to make his move, to recruit his men, but the SEAL never made a noise. He’d actually tipped his head in respect to old Leroy to let him know he wasn’t interested in his position and Leroy had been shocked. He didn’t like many men, but he respected the SEAL for not interfering, which made the hit that had been taken out on Kingston a bitter pill to swallow. A job was a job to Leroy, but in this case, he’d hesitated when he’d gotten the word from Drum that his services would be needed.

It didn’t take old Leroy long to figure out that if someone had a guard in their pocket they were powerful. And if they wanted Kingston dead, it was because they feared the man. That made old Leroy wonder. Kingston had maintained his innocence during his trial, said there were three other men involved. Leroy and everyone else in cellblock C had just brushed it off; everyone is innocent, even when they’re caught in the act. But this hit on Kingston made Leroy look a little closer at the SEAL. It was then it occurred to him that just maybe Kingston
was
innocent, and those responsible were trying to silence him.

And don’t that just beat all.

It was like fucking Shawshank Redemption at Renault.

That being said, Fat Bastard still had a reputation to protect and word would spread quickly if he hesitated. It only bothered him for about a minute before he’d put the hit out on Kingston, a hit that he was having difficulties completing. Which, of course, also posed a problem to his reputation.

Needing an edge where Kingston was concerned, he’d asked around about the man. He’d heard through the grapevine that Kingston’s friends had shown up this week vowing to get him out. Hearing that, it didn’t take a genius to figure out the reason his nameless benefactor had wanted Kingston dead. He was afraid of what they would uncover.

Unfortunately, that information didn’t help Leroy though. He needed Kingston neutralized if he wanted his reputation intact, so he puzzled over his problem.
How do you kill a man that can’t be killed?
That had been the million-dollar question Fat Bastard had been toying with while Kingston recovered in the infirmary.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find, the Bible tells us.
Leroy’s momma had preached that to him his whole life, so Leroy asked God to show him the way. And he did in the form of Hightower . . .

Renault Correctional Officer Ian Drum, a man who applied as a correctional officer to keep an eye on Kingston, approached Fat Bastard as he took his nightly meal. Standing next to the Godfather, he placed his hand on the table and leaned in, trying to intimidate the man.

“Our mutual friend wants to know what’s taking so fucking long,” Drum asked.

“You think it’s a cake walk taking out a trained killer? If so, do the fuckin’ job yourself,” Leroy growled.

“I’m not being paid to take him out.”

“No, you’re just being paid to turn off the cameras and hand over the keys.”

Drum narrowed his eyes at Fat Bastard then made a move to grab his baton as a show of force.

Drum was a decent sized man, but he didn’t have enough bulk for him to think he was intimidating. He had beady eyes, a nose that had been broken more than once, no doubt due to his arrogant belief he was a force to be reckoned with like Kingston.

Fat Bastard scanned his face and could see he was bluffing.

“Put your hand on that baton and the next supply of meth you receive for your personal use will be laced with rat poison,” Leroy vowed. Drum hesitated for a moment, then pulled his hand back as Leroy grinned sarcastically at the man.

“Tell our mutual friend if he wants to neutralize Kingston in order to stop his friends from looking for the killer, he only needs to throw his weight back at the man. I’d say in the form of a threat against someone he cares about.”

Drum jerked back, surprised that Leroy figured out why their nameless friend wanted Kingston dead.

“You think we haven’t already thought of that? If Kingston’s family is touched, it might put a spotlight on the murder.”

“I figured as much. However, if you threatened his woman . . . “

“He doesn’t have a woman. And even if he did, she would have been off limits as well.”

“Also true. But
if
he became involved while he was in prison that would be a different story . . . What if I told you he has recently become involved with someone?”

“While in prison?” Drum scoffed.

“Under the watchful eye of Renault’s finest.”

“Who?”

“The pretty dog trainer.”

Drum’s eyes searched the cafeteria for Kingston and found him with his dog at a table with Cooter Hays.

“He’s only been to one class with the woman.”

“That may be, but my source tells me she visited him in the infirmary yesterday, and they got hot and heavy.”

“Bullshit. No way they’d let her in there,” Drum growled.

“My source told me she came in with the shrink and he was detained talking with the doctor.”

Drum chewed on this information for a moment. It might work if it was solid information.

“All right, I’ll watch them in class on Monday. If it appears your information is solid, then I’ll pass it along.”

“It’s solid. No way in hell that crackhead lied to me if he wants his fix,” Leroy explained. “Now you have what you need to shut him down without lifting a hand against him, so move along, Officer Drum. I don’t want the stench of a corrupt guard lingering while I eat my one-star meal,” Leroy ordered, turning back to his food.

Drum moved on slowly, grumbling low under his breath, but Leroy could still feel eyes on him, so he raised his head and looked around the room. They came to rest on Kingston, who was staring back at him with blank eyes that put the fear of God in him. It had been a long time since Leroy had felt fear like that, but seeing those blank orbs of Kingston’s bearing down on him did it. He broke out into a cold sweat.

Fuck, but I don’t need that man coming after me.

Raising his glass of water, he toasted the SEAL and smiled. Kingston didn’t seem impressed by his show of contrition if the narrowed brow and taut line of his jaw were anything to go by.

Leaning towards his second in command, Leroy muttered, “Call off the hit on Kingston,” as he continued to smile at the big SEAL.

“Why?”

“Cause I’ve decided to be a magnanimous motherfucker. The man served in the military; he deserves a pass.”

“What about—“

“Call off the fuckin’ hit or I’ll direct it at you,” he hissed.

“You got it, boss,” the other man muttered, lowering his eyes from Fat Bastard.

“Can’t a man change his mind without every-fuckin’-one questioning him?”

“Yes, boss.”

“That’s right. I’m the boss. You do as I fuckin’ say. I’m a benevolent motherfucker who can take you out or spare your life with a snap of my finger. I say Kingston deserves a pass, so he gets a fuckin’ pass. You dig me?”

“Crystal clear, boss.”

“Good, now hand over your extra roll and I’ll consider being a benevolent motherfucker towards
you
.”

“Are you looking down my shirt?”

“Yep.”

“You’re supposed to be paying attention,” Harley mumbled as she stood from adjusting Buck’s collar. A collar that didn’t need adjusting but it gave her an excuse to spend more time with Kade. They stood off to the side while the other inmates practiced, hoping not to draw attention to themselves. They both knew if they were found out, she’d be pulled from IDTP. Neither wanted to lose what time they had together while they waited for Prez and D to clear his name. However, Kade hadn’t seen Harley since Friday in the infirmary and his last memory of her was stroking her velvet skin as he cupped her breast. Having her bend over wearing a V-neck tee was guaranteed to catch his attention. Or any man’s for that matter, so he figured they were safe. The guards would be more suspicious if he didn’t look.