The Zoo Crew (Zoo Crew series Book 1)

by Dustin Stevens

  Drake's eyes narrowed. He could sense there was more coming, something Wise was trying to avoid mentioning.

  "What about Sheriff Spore?"

  "What about him?" Wise asked.

  Drake tried to read the man across from him. To determine if he was being elusive or didn't know what Drake meant.

  It appeared to be the latter.

  Drake let it go for the time being. "Why aren't they being held as well?"

  Wise frowned and sighed again. "They have asked for, and the sheriff has recommended, leniency in exchange for full cooperation."

  Bile rose in the back of Drake's throat. He could imagine what Ava's reaction would be if she were sitting here.

  Still, he maintained a face that revealed nothing.

  "Leniency?"

  "They will be given community service. Placed on probation. Fined. The charges will stay off their records."

  "Those sound like slaps on the wrist considering the charges you rattled off. The kinds of punishment handed out for misdemeanors, not criminal offenses."

  Wise kept his fingers interlocked. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. "You have to understand, right now the mayor is sitting in county lockup, going to prison for a very long time. This is not the time to try and wipe out a large chunk of the Missoula County aristocracy."

  It was everything Drake could do to keep from flying across the desk. From using the new club on his left hand to make Wise's face look like Ava's toes.

  Still, he maintained his composure.

  "Is this still about the upcoming election?"

  Wise's frown deepened. "It's complicated."

  "Hmm," Drake said and thought about their exchange.

  It was clear he hadn’t been called in for a social visit. He wasn't even called here out of professional courtesy. Despite the fact that he had tried to involve the DA's office, they had no reason to extend him the same.

  "So why am I here right now?"

  Wise leveled his eyes on Drake. "They also want the civil suit dropped."

  Drake smirked. Twice. "The same civil suit you told me to file?"

  "The same civil suit I'm advising you now to drop."

  "Advising me?" Drake asked. "On what authority?"

  "As a representative of the United States District Attorney's Office."

  Drake smirked again, found it amusing that the man who just a day before wouldn't even listen to him now wanted to use the weight of the office to quash him. He rose to leave.

  "You know, this is a very small town," Wise said. "And you're not even out of the starting blocks on your career."

  The implication, again, was clear.

  Drake went for the door and rested a hand on the frame, turned to the look at Wise behind his desk.

  "Right now, my partner is lying in a hospital bed across town. As much as I can tell you'd like an answer, I'm not at liberty to give one.

  "What I can tell you is this. You're right. It is a very small town. And whether it happens in civil court, or the court of public opinion, we'll make sure you are all crucified for this."

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  Drake could hear voices long before he arrived.

  They sounded heated. At the very least animated.

  It was hard to be sure though. Drake didn't speak a word of Spanish.

  Every impulse in his body told him to stay far away and let this conversation run its course. Still, he had news to share, and he thought Ava might appreciate a break.

  He didn't have to knock and damned sure didn't make the fatal mistake of clearing his throat. He just stepped into the doorway and let his wide shoulders throw a shadow over the light pouring into the room.

  Both women stopped speaking at once and turned to look at him.

  From the bed, Ava offered a forlorn smile.

  From the chair beside it, a woman that looked like Ava in thirty years just stared.

  "I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt," Drake said.

  "No, it's okay," Ava said. "Mama, this is Drake."

  Drake stepped into the room and extended a hand to her. "Pleasure to meet Ms. Zargoza."

  She returned the shake. Very limp. Cold eyes stared at him. "I'm sure," she said. She made no effort to hide the contempt in her stare.

  "You were just saying you'd like a cup of coffee, right?" Ava asked.

  Her mother nodded. Stood. Circled around Drake, paused just past him and turned her chin to her shoulder. "Thank you for rescuing my daughter."

  She didn't wait for a reply before stomping out of the room, heeled shoes clicking against the tile.

  Drake waited for the sound of them to fall away, then walked around to the right side of the bed.

  On the left, Ava's leg was suspended by a sling hanging down from the ceiling. A heavy cast covered everything from her knee to mid-foot. Thick gauze wrap enveloped her toes.

  "You'll have to forgive her," Ava said. "She was even less thrilled about me coming to Montana than I was."

  "I find that hard to believe."

  Ava managed a half smile. Dark circles belied both eyes. Her usual glossy, coiffed hair was in a messy bun atop her head. Designer clothes were replaced with a baggy hospital gown.

  It was the most real Drake had ever seen her look.

  "How you feeling?" Drake asked.

  "Like a pendulum," Ava said. "They'll pump me full of drugs, I fly high for awhile. Fall asleep for an hour or two. Then they wear off and the pain comes rushing back."

  Drake looked at her leg again and imagined what it had looked like the night before. The way it flopped about as he carried her to the truck.

  "Ava, I am so, so sorry. For everything."

  Ava rolled her head to the left against her pillow and looked at her leg suspended above her.

  "Yeah, I don't suppose I'm going to be doing much salsa dancing for awhile am I?"

  Drake snorted. "I imagine even with that thing on you're better than most of the people in Missoula."

  "If by most you mean all, then yes."

  A pair of matching half-smiles crossed their faces.

  "Besides, I'm guessing you'll be on the first plane to Baton Rouge as soon as you're fit to travel?"

  The smile faded from Ava's face. "There's still nothing there but a pile of rubble. Why would I go back?"

  Drake was unable to hide the surprise on his face. "You hate it here. I can't imagine this helps much." He made a gesture to the door. "And based on..."

  He let his voice trail off. No need to spell it out for her.

  "That's why we were arguing," Ava said. "She wants to drive me out of here this weekend. I told her I intend to stay."

  Drake pulled the chair up closer beside the bed. He rested his wrists on the edge of the mattress and lowered himself into it.

  His gaze focused on the opposite wall.

  "You look sad," Ava said.

  "No, not at all," Drake said. "Just, surprised, is all."

  "That's what mama said too. I told her I'm no quitter."

  "I don't think anyone would call you a quitter if you left," Drake said. "Besides, it wasn't your idea to be here anyway."

  "Hmm," Ava said, rolled her head to stare out the door. "She's a very nice lady. This whole thing is just hard for her right now."

  "I took no offense. I can't even imagine."

  Ava pulled her eyes from the door, back to Drake. "I hear you saved my life."

  Drake made a face. "It was my fault you were there to begin with."

  "Don't do that," Ava said. "I'm a big girl. I wanted in on this case. There was nothing you could have done."

  Drake kept his eyes averted, tried his best to mask the guilt he felt. "Who told you that anyway?"

  "Sage stopped by a little bit ago. How's your hand?"

  Drake held up the cast for her to see. "I'll live."

  Ava reached over with her right hand and folded it atop his. Gripped half cast and half flesh.

  Neither one spoke for a long moment.
<
br />   "I just came from the DA's office," Drake said.

  "And?"

  "They only plan to prosecute the mayor and her sister."

  "What?"

  Drake paused, realized the question wasn't one of disbelief. She really had no idea what he was talking about.

  "There's a lot you missed," he said. "I'll fill you in when you're feeling better."

  The half smile returned. "Thank you. What about our civil suit?"

  Drake smirked. "They want us to drop it."

  The smile faded. Her eyes bulged a bit. "What did you tell them?"

  "I told them I'd have to talk to my partner."

  Ava looked him in the face. Arched an eyebrow. "Anything else?"

  Drake stared back at her. Eventually his face cracked into a smile. A small chuckle followed.

  "I told them to go to hell."

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  Drake had one last visit to make.

  This time the voices he heard were softer. Sounded much more pleasant. Were spoken in a language he understood.

  Drake ducked just inside the door and wrapped against it with the back of his knuckles.

  Beth and Ella both looked up at him. Smiled.

  Beth was seated in the bed, the back of it inclined to forty-five degrees. She wore a light pink cardigan over her hospital gown and an enormous smile.

  Ella sat beside her in a chair. Her feet were propped on a corner of the bed. Many of the bandages had been removed from her face and hands.

  "Hello, hello," Drake said as he stepped inside.

  "Hey there," Ella said.

  "Hello yourself," Beth replied.

  "So tomorrow's the big day huh?" Drake asked.

  Beth rubbed her stomach. Gave a nervous smile. "Tomorrow morning."

  "Good for you," Drake said. "We'll all be here when you come out. Help you welcome the little...?"

  He twisted his head to the side, gave an expression that relayed his uncertainty.

  "Girl," Beth finished for him. "I'm having a little girl."

  "A little girl," Drake echoed.

  "And I'm keeping her," Beth said. "After everything that's happened, there's no way I'm giving her up."

  Drake's eyebrows raised. A surprised smile crossed his face. "Wow. Congratulations. To both of you."

  Both women smiled, blushed a bit.

  "Also, I was going to wait until tomorrow to tell you, but now works too," Beth said. "I'm going to name her Annabell."

  "Annabell," Drake repeated. "Very...Southern. I like it."

  "My mother's name was Anna. And your last name is Bell, so..."

  Drake's jaw dropped open. "You didn't...I mean..."

  Beth smiled, waved a hand at him. "There's no way I could ever repay you for what you've done. This was the least I could do."

  "Yeah, but still..."

  Beth cut him off. "And there just wasn't a whole lot I could do with Drake."

  Drake broke into a laugh. Shook his head. "No, I don't suppose there is. Thank you, and you're welcome."

  Amiable silence settled over the room for a moment.

  "You guys going to stick around here?" Drake asked.

  "Well, we were just talking about that," Ella said.

  "Now that I won't be getting the money for carrying the baby, we're not real sure," Beth added.

  Ella reached over and took Beth’s hand. "We'll figure it out together though."

  "Well, I might be able to help with that," Drake said. "Last week, Ava and I filed that civil suit on your behalf. It's scheduled for a preliminary hearing in a couple of weeks."

  "Meaning?" Beth asked.

  "Well, now that we know who all was involved," Drake began, "to quote Ava, it means you're going to get paid."

  Both girls smiled.

  "What about the others?" Beth asked.

  "They're still at the Hawthorne now. I was going to talk to them tomorrow. See if they wanted to be named as parties or not."

  Beth laid her head against the pillow. Her eyes glistened beneath the overhead lights.

  "Thank you. Thank you so much."

  "My pleasure."

  Beth paused a moment, took a deep breath.

  "You're going to keep this up and I'm going to have to name the poor child Drake after all, aren't I?"

  Epilogue

  Drake sent the text message before stopping to see Beth. He didn't know how long he'd be in with her, but he sent it anyway.

  Figured he could wait around if need be.

  As was, he timed it just about right.

  Drake stayed with Beth and Ella until a nurse informed him visiting hours were over. He gave Ella a hug and kissed Beth atop her head.

  Told them both he'd see them in the morning.

  He found Sage just as she was exiting the operating suite. She looked very tired, but was smiling just the same.

  "I was wondering if you'd remember," she said. No formal greeting at all.

  Drake feigned being hurt. Made a face. "Come on now. It's Wednesday. Have I ever let you down?"

  Sage offered another sleepy smile and drifted over so her shoulder bumped into him. Said nothing.

  Drake looped an arm around her. She slid a hand around his waist.

  "Thanks for looking out for me last night," Drake said.

  Sage ignored the comment. "How's it feeling?"

  "Eh," Drake said. "The cast itself is worse than the pain."

  "Just wait until it starts itching," Sage said.

  Drake snorted. He'd already encountered that once today. A fate worse than hell.

  Together the two of them wound their way to the cafeteria. Enjoyed the easy silence of being together.

  The hospital hallways were barren as they made the familiar walk to the cafeteria. Most of the staff was already gone for the day. Very few visitors ever went into the back halls.

  A few nurses looked at the pair of them and smiled. An orderly nodded hello.

  "So, sadly, no Firetower tonight," Drake said. He dropped his arm from Sage's shoulder and pulled open the door.

  "Damn," Sage said. "I had my heart set on it too."

  "I ordered in something else though," Drake said. "Hopefully that'll work."

  Sage made an inquisitive face and stepped through. She smiled as she saw Ajax and Kade sitting at a table along the far window.

  A stack of sandwiches sat between them. An order of wings for Ajax.

  "Oh, dinner and a show," Sage said. "How'd you manage to pull this one off?"

  "I promised to buy them dinner," Drake said.

  They shared a laugh and went to join their friends along the back wall. They offered hugs for Sage, fist bumps for Drake.

  Conversation was light for the first few minutes. It had been a long day. A long couple of days. They all ate ravenously.

  When nothing remained of the food but a vapor trail, all four settled back into their seats.

  Kade burped. Ajax looped an arm over his back rest. Drake fought the urge to loosen his belt.

  "So, to what do we owe the pleasure of dinner?" Sage asked.

  "Courtesy of the world's greatest tightwad no less?" Ajax added.

  Drake smiled, didn't try to refute the statement.

  It wasn't wrong.

  "Just my way of saying thank you," he said.

  Sage offered a polite half smile. Ajax rolled his eyes.

  Kade waved a hand back and forth in front of him. "No no no. None of that. We're not going to have you acting like you owe us because of all this or something."

  "That's not how we roll," Ajax added.

  Drake pursed his lips, tilted his head and weighed their words. "I'm not thanking you for helping with this. I mean, thanks, I do appreciate it, but that's not what this was about."

  Ajax and Kade both stared at him. Sage made a motioning gesture with her hand.

  "This summer..." Drake started, but thought better of it. Instead he decided to cut straight to the chase. "It's good to be back. With family."

 
Sage smiled. Ajax and Kade both nodded.

  Drake didn't elaborate further. He didn't have to. They all got the message.

  Comfortable silence again fell over the group.

  Kade picked some melted cheese from his sandwich foil. Ajax slurped on the last of a soda. Sage checked her watch, begrudgingly rose to leave.

  "So I was thinking," she said. "Maybe hit the Flats in the morning? We did miss today."

  "I was thinking the same thing," Drake said. "I'm just wondering how that'll go dragging this thing around. Not supposed to get it wet, right Nurse Keuhl?"

  "Not unless you want to cut it off and start all over again," she said. "You could always just wrap a plastic bag around it."

  "I'll figure something out," Drake said.

  "I heard on the radio this morning they're calling for the first dusting up at Snow Bowl this weekend," Kade said. "Won't be long and we'll be trading fishing rods for ski poles."

  "Your hand be ready in time?" Ajax asked, nodded towards the cast on Drake's arm.

  "I'll figure something out," Drake said again.