Page 61 of Justice

Not long after Drake congratulated him, telling him he couldn’t think of a better guy to take care of a sweet girl like Tymeless, his ex-sister-in-law called him up and reminded him he had agreed to go to dinner with her and the new man in her life when things became solid.

With an alleged ring on her finger, the relationship was as solid as she needed, and she was ready to introduce him to Drake. So, against his better judgment, Drake was double dating with his ex’s family.

Slipping his cufflinks through the holes in his shirt, he listened as a story played out on the local news.

“Investigators are on the scene of what officials describe as an apparent drive-by shooting, outside the home of Deputy Director Charles Steele. If you recall, Director Steele was the lead investigator in the Senator Graham prison scam, where a number of state leaders were charged for their roles in the cover-up. It is not known at this time if this shooting is related to any open cases the Director was involved in.”

Drake turned off the television for fear Justice would hear the name and react. He’d done his homework and found the news feed where Graham turned himself in for the scams, and the fallout it created.

He watched as Justice stood in front of the mirror, putting in the diamond earrings he surprised her with when he returned from his last business trip.

“Two minutes, Drake, and I’ll be ready to go.”

“Take your time, babe. I don’t care if we miss the whole thing.”

Justice spins around, her eyes slit in confusion. “Then why did you agree to go?”

Drake clears the distance between them, wrapping her in his arms and placing a kiss to her throat. “Because Joanna is annoying as fuck and cried in my ear until I agreed.”

“Then how about we head on over there, have a quick dinner, and then have dessert when we get back here.”

“I like the way you think, lady.”

Forty minutes later Joanna sat across from us, going on and on about how she and this mystery man had spent time at his home in Naples, FL, enjoying coffee on his terrace and dancing until dawn at the private club he was a member of.

He was late, something Drake found extremely rude. He was giving the man ten more minutes before he called it, taking Justice back home and making her scream his name for a few hours.

“Oh, there he is.” Joanna stopped, looking over Drake’s shoulder and waving frantically.

Drake looked to Justice who had remained relatively quiet during the Joanna hour, sipping her glass of wine and rubbing his thigh under the table. As he stood to greet the man, he was surprised to find a familiar face looking back at him.

“Senator Jones, what a pleasant surprise.” Drake held out his hand to shake.

“Drake Hannigan, it’s been a while. How have you been?”

As Drake opened his mouth to answer, an audible gasp sounded from Justice.

“Babe?” he questioned, ready to kill whoever had placed the frightened look in her eyes.

Justice shifted her eyes to Drake, the fear dissolving and in its place the rage he hadn’t yet been introduced to.

“You know this guy?” she demanded, rising from her seat, and tossing her napkin across her empty plate.

“Justice, what’s wrong?”

Grabbing her purse, she pushes in her chair as she rushes past the Senator and toward the entrance.

“Excuse me, Senator. I need to check on her.”

Drake didn’t wait for a reply, he maneuvered around the other patrons, finally catching Justice as she stood haling a cab.

“Justice, mind telling me what the hell that was all about?”

She looks over her shoulder but continues to wave her hand over her head. Drake reaches up, pulling her arm down and spinning her toward him.

“You’re friends with him.” It wasn’t a question, but a bold and angry statement.

“I’ve worked with him, yes. Why are you pissed at me?”

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