Page 40 of Coty

“We’re going to walk in here. You can stomp if you need to. You can glare holes into every cop in this building, but you’re gonna stay quiet. Got it?” Hendrix lays it out for his best friend. He doesn’t release Bankz until he nods that he understands.

Mack follows close behind Nanny as Sheriff Bowers escorts her into the Sheriff’s Office. Bankz runs to catch up with his dad, and they walk in behind Lil Mama.

“Jay.” I nudge his left arm with my elbow and glance down at his right hand.

Without a word or any sign that he heard me, Jay closes the knife and slips it into his pocket. I’m gonna need help. There’s no way I can keep Jack and Jay both under control. Maybe I should stick close to Jay. Jack’s got his dad. Jay’s a loner. Always has been.

“I got him.” Cloudy Daze comes out of nowhere. He tosses an arm over Jay’s shoulders. “Come on, Blade. Let’s go in here and listen to these not-so-wonderful men in uniform spew out a bunch of nonsense. Idiots. The whole lot of them.”

Jay still doesn’t speak. At least he listens to Cloudy and quietly walks into the Sheriff’s Office. With Jay taken care of, I can keep an eye on Jack so our Prez can be there for his wife.

Worley and I pause at the door and face the rest of our family. “Vikings, go home, to work, or to the Den. We’ll take care of this and have Nanny and Lil Mama home as quickly as possible.” He points and moves his arm to gesture to all of them. “But don’t any of you do anything. Don’t retaliate. Church at six. Dinner after.”

They all grumble and look defeated. I know how they feel. Everyone gets in their cars and leaves without any more problems. Townsfolk watch from across the street with their phone held up. Great. Social media will have a field day with this.

I look up at Worley. “You alright, man?”

He presses his lips together and takes a couple of deep breaths before meeting my eyes. “I just watched my club Queen, my best friend’s ole’ lady, walk into this building in handcuffs. No, Rodeo. I’m not alright. I’m pissed. I never want to see anything like this again.” He turns, about jerks the door from its hinges, and storms inside.

I follow him in, expecting our brothers to be halfway calm. It’s a hope quickly dashed. The room is in total chaos.

Mack jabs his finger at Sheriff Bowers when they try to take Nanny behind the counter. “Don’t put my wife in a cell, Nathan!”

“She’s under arrest, Jacob. She has to be booked,” Sheriff Bowers says.

“Book her, but no cell,” Mack demands.

“Put me in a cell!” Lil Mama yells.

“Dar, hush,” Nanny pleads.

“Nope. Lock me up!” Lil Mama gets louder. “Lock me up!”

Sheriff Bowers closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He nods to the two deputies holding Lil Mama’s arms. “Book her, and put her in a cell.”

The deputies nod and carry Lil Mama back to the booking area.

Bankz goes insane and rushes toward the counter. “Don’t you dare!”

Hendrix grabs him from behind again and literally drags him outside. Big Papa even holds the door open for them. The out-of-hand Viking is out of the building.

“Look.” Worley walks up to the counter. The female officer at the desk glares up at him. He pays her no mind and focuses on the Sheriff. “Our lawyer will be here in less than twenty minutes. Book ‘em. Put ‘em in an interrogation room. We’ll post bail and take ‘em home.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Sheriff Bowers nods.

The front door flies open. A woman with long brown hair in a fancy business suit rushes to the counter. Pretty. Never seen her before.

“See that you handle things in a timely manner, Sheriff.” She adjusts her purse strap on her shoulder. “Judge Simmons just set bail for Mrs. McLeod and Mrs. Banks. Get the paperwork ready, and I’d like to see my clients.”

I glance at the others. They’re doing the same. No one knows this woman, but she seems to be on our side.

“And who are you?” Sheriff Bowers is as confused as we are.

“Oh.” She pulls out a fancy business card and hands it to him. “I’m Ciara Hollis, attorney for the McLeod family.”

“Hollis?” Sheriff Bowers stares at her in disbelief.

We’re all shocked. Robert Hollis is Granddad’s friend. Robert moved his firm to Nashville thirty years ago. His firm has always represented the Viking Warriors.

---