Page 70 of Castling the Rook (Checkmate 3)

“What’s going on with Bishop?” All attitude and hip popping, Jess stops in front of the desk and glares. “I’ve been on his case for months, so I want to know what he was arrested for.”

We’re going that route then, I guess. Let’s all pretend we aren’t traitors to the oaths we took. “Alright. Fine. Murder in the first, one count.” I pick up the report Libby was reading earlier, snap it straight, and read the laundry list while the shy twin wanders the office. “Attempted murder, two counts. Possession of illegal firearms, five counts. Concealed carry without a license, five counts. Possession of three knives that are several inches longer than the law allows. Suspected possession of cocaine.” My eyes meet hers. “Alex thinks he tossed it before he was arrested.”

Her eyes narrow.

“Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute. Resisting arrest. Disorderly conduct. Wanton endangerment. Violating noise ordinances; those gunshots were loud, Jess. Littering. Conspiracy to murder a police officer.”

“What?!”

“Busted tail lights on his truck.”

Her eyes flare. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

“Nope. X is on a roll tonight. Bishop’s window tint was too dark and past legal, which is a big fat no-no around here, so X got him on that, too. His truck is too high and doesn’t meet regulations, so there’s that. And when they towed it to the impound and put it on the shaker, the side mirror fell off.” I shake my head with mock disgust. “That’s just poor upkeep of your automobile.”

If Jess Lenaghan wants to make a career out of being a defense attorney, she really needs to work on the way she grinds her teeth when she’s pissed off. “You’re kidding me right now, aren’t you? Alex went out to shut down a drug cartel, but he came back with window tint and a broken mirror?”

“And the lifts.” Now I’m just playing with her. For a year, I’ve been the only one on the inside, the only one who knew Kane and Jay’s secrets, but now I’ve found another. It’s almost a relief to know I’m not alone, even if she has no clue I’m on their side, too. She’s part of an elite club she has no clue about, but it makes me feel better, makes the load just that little bit easier to carry. “There are a few others thrown in, like parking across three parking bays at the truck stop, loitering, and X is pretty sure he saw Bishop littering.” Our eyes meet again. “Lucky the truck’s tags are still good. Only a month left on those, though, so Bishop should look into that.”

“You think you’re so funny,” she fumes. “You think its funny to hold this man’s life in your hands.”

“I’m doing my job, Jess. We’re all just doing our job, aren’t we?”

“I’ve heard that a thousand fucking times lately.” Turning on her heels, she stomps down the hall toward the cage, though she knows she’s supposed to have police escort. Jumping up from Alex’s desk, I dash around and intend to follow, only to stop and spin back when Jess explodes. “Is there a reason you’re making out with my sister, Kane Bishop?While behind bars?”

But it gets worse. So much fucking worse when Alex and Jules move into the office and stop by the computer that shows surveillance of the whole station. Cameras are positioned at the front entrance, in reception, in the halls, back dock, garage, and unfortunately for Jess and Kane… the halls that lead to the cages.

Alex is still wild eyed from his bust, but he holds his wife’s hand until he almost crushes it and watches the feed without blinking. “What the fuck?”

“Shh!” Jules bats Alex back and leans closer to watch the screen. I power up my computer and flip to the surveillance screen, only to find exactly what my boss and his wife are watching right now; Kane turning Jess’ face and touching her neck. Kane holding onto one blonde, while the other trips on her feet and scuttles back against the wall.

“That’s two sisters. And two giant ass secrets!” Kane snaps. I hear it twice; once echoing from the hall, then immediately after, through the computer. “You two need to get your shit straight.” I watch him point to one of them. “She’s Jessica. She’s dating a criminal. She’s been sexually assaulted twice since I’ve known her. She almost died both times.”

My eyes snap to Alex’s in disbelief, then back to my computer as Oz wanders in and his smile turns angry when he catches sight of X’s screen.

“But don’t think the stupidity belongs only to her.” Kane points at the crying twin. “You have an abusive boyfriend that Iwilltake care of, images on the internet I promise to have deleted, and some fuckin’ therapy sessions you need to attend.”

“Abusive?” Jess turns to her sister. “Images? Therapy? Laine!”

“Did you fuck someone other than me this week, Jessica?”

Oh fuck. Oh shit. Oh no.

Jules grabs Alex’s shirt and holds him down when he tries to storm down the hall. “Wait a sec!” she hisses. “Just wait a damn sec. I need to hear this.”

Jess’ anger reverberates through the whole station. “No, you jerk!”

Steam billows from X’s ears when he processes what they’re saying. That his sister is dating his criminal. That they’ve kept it a secret. That there are people in his circle willing to not tell him everything.

Kane points through the bars. “So that meansshedid. That ain’t my business, you can fuck whoever you want, but the images I saw were not consensual.”

“I’m done.” Alex shakes Jules off and storms around his desk. She chases him, pregnant and in heels, she chases, because this isn’t a fucking game to him, and she knows someone’s about to die.

Kane continues to argue with Jess in the hall. They hash out their shit and nail his coffin shut with every word they speak, then Alex makes himself known and drains every last ounce of blood from the girls’ faces.

I watch on my computer, rather than man up and step into the hall, as Alex and Oz approach the group with rage radiating from their every pore. “We have a whole fuckin’ lot to talk about right now.”

“Alex.” Shaking, Jess’ eyes move past the men and stop on her boss. “Oh my God. Jules.”

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