Page 390 of Sticks and Stones
Crime didn’t stop.
And inPhilly, it snowballed.
As they reached Julian Mercer’s gate, Gene pressed the buzzer, and they heard a man’s voice.
It gave Gene terrible déjà vu.
Yeah, they’d been here before, and with Javier Hughes. It was the same rich guy’s tone that put him on edge, and always would.
“Yes?” came the voice.
Gene saw the camera, and he held up his badge.
“Agents Cantrell and Blackhawk to see Julian Mercer. We’re with the FBI.”
There was a pause, and just when they expected to be told to kick rocks, there was a beep, and the gate began sliding open.
“I’ll meet you at the door, Agents.”
And with that, they had access.
Only, Gene wanted to be directly to the point with his partner, and he wasn’t willing to negotiate this. As they drove up the drive, he laid down the law.
“Ethan Jackson Blackhawk, I swear to God if we end up with another man with a Native fetish, I’m going to have to be institutionalized. Don’t smile, don’t you dare bring that grin out, or I’m going to put you over my knee.”
It made him laugh.
Blackhawk leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“Don’t worry. I’m never smiling at another man again except for you. Lesson learned. They are out of luck,” he admitted.
Well, thank God for that.
“I can’t go back to the Javier Rodeo but with another wackadoo. I sincerely hope this guy is sane. I’m already tired, and we haven’t been here all that long.
He understood.
“I’m not saying shit, but I can’t help if the men like my face,” he joked.
Gene just rolled his eyes.
Sadly, his partner was right.
As they rode up to the house, they parked and got ready to handle this. The parking area was plowed, and spacious. Together, they took in the place.
It.
Was.
Big.
It made Javier Hughes look like he was poor, and that was saying a lot.
It was crystal clear that the Mercer family was rolling in money.
“How did they get rich?” Gene asked, since Gabe had called and interrupted his partner updating him.
Blackhawk shared what he knew.
