“We should go together, since we live close,” Indy said to me. “I’d love to ride in your Camaro.”

Daisy was watching me closely, she was smiling.

I sucked in my lips. I really didn’t need this shit.

“I’ll pick you up, quarter to eight,” I said to Indy, “after I get back from the shooting range.”

“The shooting range?” Indy asked, eyes wide with excitement. “Cool! Can I go with you?”

I stared at her. Then I sighed.

“Yeah, give me your cell. I’ll program in my number.”

Told you I was a fool.

Chapter Eleven

We Sleepin’ at Your Place or Mine?

Indy and I pulled up to Heavy’s house at five thirty.

The Rock Chicks and I had all exchanged phones and numbers and Indy had called me that afternoon. When I told her I had to train with Heavy before the shooting range, she asked to come along to that too.

I’d said yes.

More fool I.

I pulled my exercise bag out of the backseat and led Indy into Heavy’s house.

“Heavy!” I called. “We’re here.”

“Who’s f**kin’ ‘we’?” Heavy came out of the kitchen and stared at Indy.

“Uncle Charlie!” Indy yelled when she saw him.

“India Savage!” Heavy yelled back, a huge, goofy smile spreading on his face. “Get over here, girl, give your Uncle Charlie a hug.”

They hugged each other. I stared.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

They ignored me.

“I didn’t know you were called Heavy,” Indy told him, leaning back in his beefy arms.

“Long story, girl. God, I haven’t seen you in ages. Not since that FOP picnic, what? Two years ago? Hear you’re shacked up with Nightingale,” Heavy replied.

Indy got all girlie and showed him her ring, wiggling her fingers for effect. “We’re getting married,” she said.

“About f**kin’ time you two got together,” Heavy replied, letting her go, “luckiest boy on the planet.”

I was still staring.

Heavy had never given any indication at all, whatsoever, that he was the kind of man who would allow anyone to call him “Uncle Charlie” without a swift upper cut leading directly to a KO.

Boy, I really did not know Heavy.

I should probably learn a lesson from this and research my benefactors a bit more in future.

“Helloooo?” I called.

Heavy grinned at me. “This is Indy Savage, Tom Savage’s daughter,” he said this like I didn’t already know it already. “Tom and I worked together when I was on the Force. I’ve known Indy since she was yay-tall.” He held up his hand to about thigh level.

Then something occurred to him, his grin fled and he blinked at Indy.

“What’re you doin’ with Jules?” he asked, morphing into Father Bear at the thought that Indy was turning vigilante and joining my crusade.

“We’re going out tonight for dinner after she trains and shoots,” Indy told Heavy. “I heard she’s good. I wanted to watch.”

Heavy kept staring at her.

“Honestly, Uncle Charlie,” Indy assured him, “I’m not getting involved with Jules’s other business. Lee would handcuff me to the bed again.”

Again?

I didn’t get to ask the “handcuff to the bed again” question because Heavy’s stare sliced to me and it was my turn to get the Father Bear treatment.

“Speakin’ of that, what’s this I hear of you goin’ hand-to-hand with Jermaine and Clarence?”

“I took Jermaine down,” I told Heavy.

“Word is you went in after ‘em, confronted ‘em. What I train you, girl, is for defense, not offense. Got me?”

“They had a couple of runaways,” I explained.

“Shit, Jules. Now you’re gonna have every f**kin’ asshole on the street callin’ you out. It’ll be like the Wild Fuckin’ West. You learn quick and you’re gettin’ strong but you go up against one of them motherfuckers without surprise on your side, they’re gonna wipe the floor with you.”

My back went straight. “Heavy, don’t worry about it,” I said.

“I do worry about it,” he retorted.

“Well, don’t,” I told him.

“I know you got Nightingale’s team at your back. They’re good but they got business to attend to, they can’t protect you every minute of the f**kin’ day,” Heavy went on.

“Vance won’t let anyone hurt her,” Indy decided to share, her face happy. Then she confided, leaning toward Heavy, “They’re going out.”

I looked to the ceiling, took in a deep breath and let it out on a loud, long sigh.

Damn.

When I looked back at Heavy he was staring at me again. “He f**k you yet?” Heavy asked.

“Uncle Charlie!” Indy snapped.

“Heavy!” I said at the same time.

Heavy kept his eyes on me. “Girl, that boy is a player. P-l-a-y-e-r. It wears a skirt, has a pretty face, long legs and a sweet ass, he’ll charm it then he’ll f**k it. You got all ‘a those in abundance.”

Indy was glaring at Heavy with her hands on her hips.

My eyes narrowed on Heavy. “Do not refer to women as ‘it’,” I warned. “This conversation is over.”

Heavy opened his mouth to speak.

“Over! O-v-e-r,” I snapped in my word-is-law voice, using his own word-spelling tactic against him to make my point and then I walked toward the garage door. “Let’s train.”

* * * * *

My phone rang in the car while I was pulling the keys out of Hazel’s ignition. Indy and I were parked in the lot outside of Zip’s.

The display said “Unknown caller”. I flipped it open.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” It was Vance.

My heart did a funny flip. I mentally told it to behave.

“Well, hello to you too,” I replied.

“Where are you?” he repeated.

“At the library,” I lied.

“You’re sittin’ outside Zip’s.”

At his words, I looked around but didn’t see any Harleys or black Explorers.

I caught Indy’s eye and she mouthed, “Who is it?”

I mouthed back, “Vance.”

“Jules,” Vance said in my ear.

“Where are you?” I asked.

“I’m standin’ in your living room, waitin’ to take you out to dinner.”