“Hi, baby. You havin’ fun?”
She bobbed her head. “Uncle Shutter’s taking me for ice cream later.”
“Wow,” I breathed out. “That sounds fun.”
“Can you come with us?”
“I’d love to, sweetheart, but I have to work.” I set her on her feet, and she went to join the other kids by the pool table.
Shutter joined us and grinned. “You look rested.”
“When did you get babysitting duty?” I asked.
“Darlene’s got no one to watch Nova,” he said. “Willow offered to do it, so I’m on pick up and drop off.”
“You’re a better man than me.”
Shutter chuckled.
“You still gonna be able to make the run today?” I asked.
“Yeah, brother. It’s all handled.”
“She’s stuck, NoNo,” Cat piped in. “If Darlene was a bitch, it might be a different story, but you know she’s a sweetheart.”
I raised my hands in surrender. “Not my business.”
Cat patted my chest. “Yet, you have lots of opinions about it.”
I sighed. “Point taken.”
My sister grinned. “I have always appreciated the fact you’re a quick learner.”
Doom walked in and stalled. “What are you doin’ here? I thought you were helpin’ Posey out with her stove.”
“Bigger problem,” I said. “Is Rabbit around?”
“Yeah,” Doom said. “He’s back in the office.”
I nodded and gave my sister another hug before heading down the hall. Our historic barn had been converted into the clubhouse back in the sixties. Doc’s family had owned the land for centuries and rumor had it, it was a stop on the Underground Railroad back in the day. Doc’s maternal uncle had started the club and handed it off to Doc right before he died.
The building now housed a large communal space with a large kitchen, a bunkroom with a bathroom, another two bathrooms, several offices, and a conference room on the first floor. We recently finished the remodel of the third floor. All of the officers’ bedrooms were up there, each with private bathrooms, and a movie room. Our second floor now had nine bedrooms and a bunkroom with bathrooms. Doom and a few of us also tricked out the basement to act as a panic room should we ever need it.
I knocked on the door Rabbit used as his office.
“Come in,” he called.
I pushed in and found Otter sitting in one of the chairs, his woman, Shiloh on his lap.
“Hey, honey,” Shiloh said, standing to hug me. “How are you?”
“Been better,” I admitted, as I sat in one of the chairs across from Rabbit’s desk. “You got the day off?”
Shiloh was a registered nurse and she used to work a shit ton of hours, but ever since they’d had their baby, she’d backed off. Her having more time for Otter settled him and he was a lot more relaxed.
“Yeah,” she said. “A much needed one. Sounds like you might need a break too.”
“Yeah, it’s been a week.”
“Sounds like it,” she murmured, sitting back in Otter’s lap.
“You got somethin’?” I asked Rabbit.
“Yeah,” Rabbit said, handing me a file. “Slumlord is a compliment when it comes to this asshole.”
“Fuck,” I breathed out as I read the file. “The building doesn’t look that bad.”
“Substandard contracting, appliances with recalls that haven’t been fixed. Several residents have moved out and complained, but he’s got deep pockets, so he buries them in litigation and they eventually give up. He even made a hush payment to an elderly woman’s family whose range had caught fire, much like Posey’s.”
“Goddamn motherfucker.”
“You got enough to confront him with that, but if he gives you any shit, I’m ready to fuck his life up… electronically, of course.”
I smirked. “Of course.”
“You meetin’ with him today?” Otter asked.
“Sure am,” I confirmed, closing the file with a thwap. “He’s gonna wish he was never born.”
“The pool house is empty,” Shiloh said. “Doom just finished the reno. If Posey needs a place to crash for a while… or longer, she’s welcome to it.”
“My sister may need it,” I said.
“She doesn’t want it,” Otter informed me.
I sighed. “Did she happen to say why?”
“Nope.”
“Right,” I said.
“Posey really is welcome, Shadow,” Shiloh pressed.
“Thanks, sweetheart,” I said. “That takes a load off.”
Rabbit chuckled. “Let me know if you need backup.”
“Thanks, brother. I appreciate the info.”
“No problem. Good luck.”
I nodded and headed up to my room. After a quick shower, I changed, grabbed what I’d need for my shift at the firehouse, then figured I’d spend a little time with my sister before I headed over to Posey’s.
When I walked down to the great room, I found my sister sitting alone by the fireplace, reading a book. “Where’d everyone go?” I asked.
She looked up and smiled. “Ice cream.”
“You didn’t want to go?”
“A chance to sit by a fire and read? No, I didn’t want to go.”
I smiled, sitting beside her. “How’s your eye?”
“It’s fine, NoNo.” She closed her book and set it on the table next to her. “Is your girl taking Otter and Shiloh’s place?”
“My girl?”
“Don’t kid a kidder, big brother. Everyone’s buzzing about the girl you brought to family night.”
“I didn’t invite her,” I pointed out. “Quin did.”
“And yet, you monopolized her time the whole night.”
“Just how often do you gossip with Shutter?”
She chuckled. “Don’t change the subject.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
“Well, you’re not gettin’ everything,” I said. “But she’s cool, even if she does do yoga.”
Catalina raised an eyebrow. “Is she a creepy yogi-type?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. “She’s cool.”
“If you’re interested, she must be.”
“Why aren’t you takin’ the pool house?” I asked.
“It’s too far from work. If, and I mean, if, I’m going to move, it needs to be closer to the airport.”
Otter and Shiloh’s home was the other side of Savannah, which would be a bit of a haul.
“You’re gonna move, Cat, but I get why you’d want to be closer to work.”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue with me. “When do I get to meet this mystery woman?”
“Soon,” I said. “We’ll set up dinner.”
“Wow, you really like her.”
“Yeah. I really like her.”
She smiled. “That’s good, No. I want you to be happy.”
“Same, sissy.”