Page 47 of Snagged By Hook

“Can you drive, Nova?”

“What?” She couldn’t understand. There was a dead body, and Linda calling the cops, why would she need to drive?

Before she could ask him why, Linda shouted.

“Carl. The Bastards are here.”

“Even better.”

“Hook?” Nova didn’t realize how much she needed him to hold her and tell her everything would be okay until that was an immediate possibility.

“Yeah, sweetheart, your ol’ man is here. He’ll take good care of you.”

“In there,” she heard Linda say just from the porch.

She stood on shaky legs. The second she caught a glimpse of Hook, she slammed into him so hard he grunted. He wrapped her in his strong arms and didn’t let go. He didn’t silence her sobs or try to direct her emotions. He just let her feel what she felt. He was good at that.

Hook angled them so she couldn’t see Brent, but she watched the other men in the room over his shoulder. Zombie clasped Carl’s hand in his.

“We’re in your debt for protecting what’s ours. We can erase all traces and take the trash out. The gun clean?” She followed Zombie’s nod to where the gun sat on the carpet next to where she’d been just moments ago.

“Gun’s legit, don’t need no cleaners. Get my girl and your club out of here. Linda’s going to call the pigs in about two minutes now. I’ll meet them chin high.”

What?

Nova scrambled out of Hook’s arms. “Carl, no. I can’t let you go to jail for me. I’ll stay and explain. It was self-defense.”

Carl just shook his head.

“Then, then, let them fix it. Go home and enjoy chili night.” Nova couldn’t let Carl pay the price for her stupidity.

“Sweetheart. Look at me.” When she met his gaze, he smiled at her. “I’ve got maybe two months. Two months that’ll cost my ol’ lady the rest of our savings just to keep me comfortable.”

“But—”

“But nothing. The great state of Utah can foot that bill while I’m waiting for a trial that I’ll never make it to. Plus, if I let your ol’ man’s club clean it, you’ll have to pretend the human trash bag is still out there somewhere. And while he didn’t deserve the freedom his death brought, you and that precious child do. Go live the life you deserve, free of that son of a bitch.”

Nova nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for being a father and grandfather to us.”

Carl scooped up the picnic blanket, wrapping it around her shoulders, and led her to the door. He stopped in front of Linda, who was lingering at the threshold as he’d instructed her not to.

“You and June are our family in every way that matters.” Linda nodded her agreement. Neither of them said the rest, but she knew it because they reminded her often.Family takes care of family.

Carl let go of Nova and stepped just outside, wrapping his wife in a hug. Nova stepped back into Hook’s embrace, not wanting to intrude on their private moment. Linda was sacrificing more than anyone. She and Carl had been together for over forty years. She’d often told Nova she couldn’t remember her life before Carl.

Carl cleared his throat. “Go on home, love, open the garage, then make that call before it’s too late.” Linda nodded and turned to leave. Carl watched her from the door for a few seconds before turning back around.

“If it’s okay with you, Prez?” Carl was asking Zombie something Nova didn’t understand, but Zombie nodded. “Hook, pull your sled into our garage, keep it from prying eyes so you can drive my daughter out of here. The rest of you should get gone too. It’s about to get very porky soon.” He chuckled a little.

Hook released Nova and approached Carl. He clapped his hand and pulled the older man into an embrace. “I can’t ever thank you enough for taking care of my family, and not justtonight. I’ll be returning that favor. Linda will want for nothing. She’s our family now too, and we take care of what’s ours.”

“Normally, I’d say you don’t owe me a thing, but I ain’t too proud to accept on Linda’s behalf. It’ll do me good knowing she’ll be cared for.” Hook stepped outside, and she heard his motorcycle fire up and pull into the garage next door.

Nova ignored the conversation between Zombie and Carl about connections on the inside.

“Let’s ride,” Zombie declared, and the club filed out, mounting their bikes.

Hook was leading Nova out the door when she remembered… “My phone. I dropped it, it’s here somewhere.”

---