Bear Meets Girl
Page 85
What do you want? he asked, already fed up at seeing her face.
There was a big mess last night, eh? Glad to see youre okay, though.
Im not in the mood to play this game with you. What do you want?
Just wondered why you attacked my people.
They attacked us first.
Attacked you? Or attacked those cats and the politically correct Group?
This is bullshit. Why dont you just tell me the truth?
And what truth is that?
What you want with Whitlan.
Who says I want
I like how you didnt ask who he is. Just went into your denials. Gray began to wake up and without even looking away from Baissier, Crush slammed his fist in his brothers head, knocking him out again. You havent fuckin changed a bit. Have you, Mom? That is what you told us all to call you, right? Mom?
You always were an ungrateful little fuck.
And dont forget disloyal. Crush stood. Send all the meat puppets you want. Come after me all you want. But if you worked with Whitlan on anything, for any reason, I will nail you to the cross.
Its always a pleasure to see you again, Lou.
Yeah, he said, walking out, fuck you, too.
Holding an ice pack to his head, Chazz settled down across from his foster mother. Hed be honest here ... he didnt really know what was going on. But he knew Peg could get rather ... fixed on things. And right now she was fixed on his brother. It didnt help that the idiot couldnt play along, for just a bit. He always had to be such a hard-ass.
Now what?
Peg Baissier sat back in her chair, her hands steepled under her chin. Ill tell the families the boys died in the line of duty.
And Lou? Peg slowly raised her gaze and Chazz shook his head. Cant we just let it go? He cant hurt us.
You know I would never hurt your brother. Right. Of course, she wouldnt. Still ...
Is it true?
Is what true?
That you blew his cover?
From what I understand, that was an accident and had nothing to do with me. And those who slipped up were reprimanded.
Uh-huh.
Chazz, honey, I would never hurt your brother. Hes a pain in the ass, but hes still my foster son. That means something to me.
Okay. But dont hurt his dog, either.
Oh, my God! I would never hurt his dog. She shook her head. Honestly, stop listening to Lous craziness. I wouldnthurt his dog, Im not going to hurt him. But I do not want this thing to snowball, either. This is how wars start, and we cant afford that right now. Understand?
Dont worry. Well handle it.
Excellent. Peg focused on her computer screen and Chazz stood, reaching down to grab his unconscious brothers arm. Come on, idiot. Lets get you an ice pack.
Thirty minutes after the last Crushek was dragged from her office, one of Pegs trusted men walked into her office, closing the door behind him. The black bear sat down and waited until she spoke.
We need that boy distracted until we find that motherfucker Whitlan and take him out. They had to take him out. They had to. Peg raised a finger. But Crushek is to remain unhurt. Peg knew thered be no coming back from that among their own.
Distracted or devastated? Because hes made some interesting friends lately.
I dont really give a shit, I just want him out of my way. She simply couldnt afford to have that boy find Whitlan first. Anyone else, especially one of those dogs or cats, she could easily dismiss as more evidence the other species were out to get her and the rest of the bear community. But among the bears, whether he knew it or not, Lou Crushek was known as an honest cop and bear. If he came out against her, especially after all these years without saying a word one way or the other ...
No, they had to find a way to keep Crushek busy until she finished this.
Peg flicked her hand, dismissing her employee. Make it happen. Let me know when its done.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Crush sat at his desk and Dez, sitting at her desk with her legs up, lifted her sunglasses long enough to take a look at his face. You didnt look like that last night, did you?
Dont you remember?
Im running on two hours of sleep. I dont remember shit. She pointed at a Starbucks coffee cup on the desk.
That mine? he asked.
You think Id be fuckin pointing at it if it wasnt for you? she snapped back.
Are you going to be like this every fuckin morning?
Yeah. As a matter of fact I am going to be like this every fuckin morning.
Hey! Gentry snapped, standing beside their desks. What did I say?
Dez seemed to mull that over for a few seconds before replying, Dont annoy you?
And what are you doing? Youre annoying me, thats what youre doing. She motioned at the elevator. Lets go.
Where?
There was a big mess last night, eh? Glad to see youre okay, though.
Im not in the mood to play this game with you. What do you want?
Just wondered why you attacked my people.
They attacked us first.
Attacked you? Or attacked those cats and the politically correct Group?
This is bullshit. Why dont you just tell me the truth?
And what truth is that?
What you want with Whitlan.
Who says I want
I like how you didnt ask who he is. Just went into your denials. Gray began to wake up and without even looking away from Baissier, Crush slammed his fist in his brothers head, knocking him out again. You havent fuckin changed a bit. Have you, Mom? That is what you told us all to call you, right? Mom?
You always were an ungrateful little fuck.
And dont forget disloyal. Crush stood. Send all the meat puppets you want. Come after me all you want. But if you worked with Whitlan on anything, for any reason, I will nail you to the cross.
Its always a pleasure to see you again, Lou.
Yeah, he said, walking out, fuck you, too.
Holding an ice pack to his head, Chazz settled down across from his foster mother. Hed be honest here ... he didnt really know what was going on. But he knew Peg could get rather ... fixed on things. And right now she was fixed on his brother. It didnt help that the idiot couldnt play along, for just a bit. He always had to be such a hard-ass.
Now what?
Peg Baissier sat back in her chair, her hands steepled under her chin. Ill tell the families the boys died in the line of duty.
And Lou? Peg slowly raised her gaze and Chazz shook his head. Cant we just let it go? He cant hurt us.
You know I would never hurt your brother. Right. Of course, she wouldnt. Still ...
Is it true?
Is what true?
That you blew his cover?
From what I understand, that was an accident and had nothing to do with me. And those who slipped up were reprimanded.
Uh-huh.
Chazz, honey, I would never hurt your brother. Hes a pain in the ass, but hes still my foster son. That means something to me.
Okay. But dont hurt his dog, either.
Oh, my God! I would never hurt his dog. She shook her head. Honestly, stop listening to Lous craziness. I wouldnthurt his dog, Im not going to hurt him. But I do not want this thing to snowball, either. This is how wars start, and we cant afford that right now. Understand?
Dont worry. Well handle it.
Excellent. Peg focused on her computer screen and Chazz stood, reaching down to grab his unconscious brothers arm. Come on, idiot. Lets get you an ice pack.
Thirty minutes after the last Crushek was dragged from her office, one of Pegs trusted men walked into her office, closing the door behind him. The black bear sat down and waited until she spoke.
We need that boy distracted until we find that motherfucker Whitlan and take him out. They had to take him out. They had to. Peg raised a finger. But Crushek is to remain unhurt. Peg knew thered be no coming back from that among their own.
Distracted or devastated? Because hes made some interesting friends lately.
I dont really give a shit, I just want him out of my way. She simply couldnt afford to have that boy find Whitlan first. Anyone else, especially one of those dogs or cats, she could easily dismiss as more evidence the other species were out to get her and the rest of the bear community. But among the bears, whether he knew it or not, Lou Crushek was known as an honest cop and bear. If he came out against her, especially after all these years without saying a word one way or the other ...
No, they had to find a way to keep Crushek busy until she finished this.
Peg flicked her hand, dismissing her employee. Make it happen. Let me know when its done.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Crush sat at his desk and Dez, sitting at her desk with her legs up, lifted her sunglasses long enough to take a look at his face. You didnt look like that last night, did you?
Dont you remember?
Im running on two hours of sleep. I dont remember shit. She pointed at a Starbucks coffee cup on the desk.
That mine? he asked.
You think Id be fuckin pointing at it if it wasnt for you? she snapped back.
Are you going to be like this every fuckin morning?
Yeah. As a matter of fact I am going to be like this every fuckin morning.
Hey! Gentry snapped, standing beside their desks. What did I say?
Dez seemed to mull that over for a few seconds before replying, Dont annoy you?
And what are you doing? Youre annoying me, thats what youre doing. She motioned at the elevator. Lets go.
Where?
