But as he was jogging across the street to the opposite corner where the library was, his head turned so he could look to her old, beat up Cherokee in the side parking lot and his peripheral vision caught on something. So his head turned further and he saw his burgundy GMC Yukon still where he parked it on the street. He also saw a man he knew, a man he detested only slightly less than his father, leaning against the grill, arms crossed on his chest.

Shit. Fuck. Jesus.

This was something he wanted to ignore but couldn’t. It was time to have words, state where he was with this shit in a way that couldn’t be misinterpreted and hopefully, but doubtfully, move on.

He stopped jogging and started walking, eyes trained to the man, feeling his jaw get hard.

Clinton Bonar, his father’s associate which meant lackey, kept his eyes trained to Chace as he approached. He was wearing shades but Chace still felt the man’s eyes mostly through the nasty prickle on the back of his neck he always felt when he was around his father, his father’s cronies or their minions.

He stopped a foot away and looked down the two inches he had on the man.

Clinton didn’t speak, didn’t even tip up his chin in greeting.

Chace didn’t tip up his chin but he did speak.

“Dad back from his sick f**k fest?”

Clinton didn’t move but asked, “Isn’t it time you got over that, Chace? It’s far from unusual for a man or a woman to have certain penchants.”

“Wrong, Bonar, I know Dad’s penchants and they are very unusual.”

“He’s a virile man with a great deal of energy even at his age.”

“He’s a married man at his current age and was six years ago and for the last thirty-seven years.”

“A man needs what he needs and if he can’t get it at home, he’ll find a way to get it.”

Chace jerked up his chin. “Dad certainly does that.”

Clinton shook his head. “I’m uncertain why we’re talking about this.”

“Then I’ll do you a favor and fill you in. That would be because I’m remindin’ you that whatever the f**k he sent you here to do, I am not gonna do.”

“We’ve been getting that impression considering you aren’t answering or returning our calls.”

“Then you’re getting the right impression. I don’t want to hear from you and I don’t wanna speak to you. Any of you.”

Clinton pushed away from Chace’s vehicle so he was standing, not leaning, and said quietly, “There’s unfinished business.”

“Yeah, you’ve told me more than once,” Chace replied. “And I’ve told you, it’s not my unfinished business. It’s yours.”

“You know that isn’t true.”

“You’re not catchin’ this, man, but with me not talkin’ to you or any of your buddies, it is true.”

Chace watched him take a calming breath in through his nose before he continued, “We are aware that Darren Newcomb gave a copy of your father’s tape to Tyrell Walker and Mr. Walker made copies and gave them to a variety of residents of Carnal. We wish for those tapes to be collected.”

“Good luck with that.”

Clinton ignored him and kept going. “Newcomb’s also in possession of a variety of items we need returned.”

“Good luck with that too.”

Clinton shook his head. “I don’t think you’re understanding me, Chace. Newcomb has approached all of my colleagues, sharing he has these items and his intentions. He’s received remuneration for their return and has reneged on his part of that deal and asked for more remuneration. This cannot go on.”

“I can see you got a big problem there, Bonar, and I know you boys are thorough so I know you know this but I’ll tell you all the same. Newcomb lost his job, he’s a disgraced cop, no way in f**k he’s gonna find another position anywhere and his daughter has leukemia. He has no insurance but he does have a strong desire to do whatever the f**k he can to keep her alive. The shit he has to do costs a f**kin’ whack and is never ending unless, God forbid, she dies or she beats that shit. So my advice, settle in because he’s gonna take you for a long ride.”

“We all agree it’s unfortunate Newcomb’s family is suffering and we hope the outcome is a positive one. That being said, my colleagues feel they should make their own choices as to what charities they’d wish to receive their donations.”

“Then they shouldn’t have done stupid, f**ked up shit and got caught doin’ it by Fuller and his band of ass**le brothers. That’s also their problem and not mine.”

He leaned slightly forward, Chace’s body went alert so he wisely leaned right back but did it speaking. “I’ll remind you, your father is one of the men who might, if he stops paying, be exposed.”

“And I’ll remind you I don’t give a f**k.”

Clinton continued, “He’s exposed then your mother learns about his…” he paused, “inclinations. If you find them unsavory, a man, a police detective, imagine what it would do to Valerie.”

Chace leaned in this time and even seeing Bonar’s body go alert, he didn’t lean back.

“You got me with that shit years ago. I swallowed that bitter pill and jacked my life doing it.”

“If this is true, why did you approach IA and offer yourself to go undercover?”

“That pill wore off, Bonar, and when it did, I couldn’t live with that shit anymore.”

“You made a lot of powerful men very vulnerable doing that, Chace. They don’t like to feel vulnerable.”

“I don’t give a f**k about that either.”

“You made Valerie vulnerable.”

Chace successfully fought back the urge to suck in a sharp breath, and the stronger urge to grab the man by his fancy-ass silk tie and slam him to the hood of his car, before he replied, “Then it’s time I had a chat with my Mom. It won’t be pleasant and it’ll f**k her up but it’s better comin’ from me than from the media or one of your goons.”

“Chace, you are not understanding me and you need to understand me. My colleagues find this situation untenable, they want it to be over and they have the means to see to that in ways you will not like all that much.”

“Is that a threat?” Chace asked.

“You know these men don’t make threats.”

“Then here’s the same, you or they f**k with my mother or me, what I do they won’t like all that much.”