Skeeter

by KJ Dahlen

  Then his past comes back to haunt him and he needs my help. I may not know bikers but I know my way around a courtroom. He says the charges levied against him are false and I believe him. I know he’s being set up and so does everyone else there, the question is who’s behind it?

  Then his enemy comes after us and that’s a mistake, she never should have made. She should have stayed in the background because now the boys won’t stop until she’s dragged out into the light.

  Last Of Moose....

  Minutes later, the police showed up and took Cindy’s body away. They took statements and finally the clubhouse was quiet again.

  Moose looked over at Jackson and shook his head. “I’m still claiming Brinn. She may be your kid but she’s my woman.”

  “That may not be up to her. She’s a Morgan and she needs to know what that’s all about.” Bart growled.

  “It is up to me Judge,” Brinn told him quietly. “There is no evidence I’m a Morgan and as I’m over twenty one, I don’t ever have to find out one way or the other. I have a man that doesn’t care who I am or where I came from and you know what? I don’t either. I’m old enough to go where I please and I’m happy where I am.”

  Bart started to say something when Jackson held his hand up. “Stop dad, she’s right. Maybe now is the time to restart our lives. I’m tired of the rat race of New York. Maybe it’s time to move to a gentler time and place. Maybe Texas should be our new home base.”

  Bart turned his head to glare at his son. “Are you crazy boy?”

  Janice began laughing. “I think that’s a brilliant idea brother. Mind if I join you? I’m sure I can hang my shingle just about anywhere.” She looked around at the Savaged Souls. “I hear that Bounty Hunters can always use a good lawyer.”

  Gunner shook his head as he smiled.

  Jackson smiled too, as Liberty threw herself at him. “Do you mean it dad? We could move here and be a family?”

  Jackson nodded at his daughter. “Yeah baby girl, maybe it’s time to be a family for a change.”

  Chapter One

  Later that same afternoon after everything settled down again, the Judge was sitting off to one side, he was present but not part of the festivities. He refused to see things the way the rest of his family did. He kept checking his watch.

  Jackson didn’t care and neither did Janice.

  Finally though, Jackson had enough. He turned to him and suggested, “I think it's time you went back to New York, Dad. The girls and I are staying here for a while. Janice is free to do what she wants but I’m staying here. I’m sure you have court and will want to get back for that. Take the plane home.”

  “And when will you be back?” Bart asked his son.

  Jackson stared at his father for a moment then finally told him, “If you must know, I may never come back and you know what? That would be all right with me. I may move my company down here and I think that would be okay too. In fact, I’m thinking maybe I can start up a second company down here. I'm not sure as I don’t know what I’m going to do yet.”

  “The Morgan’s are from New York.” Bart growled under his breath.

  “Maybe it's time for a fresh start Dad,” Jackson told him.

  “I agree Dad,” Janice spoke up in her quiet way. “New York is a nice place but it is not the end of the world. People do survive living in other places. I like it here too.”

  Bart seemed to deflate. “This is such a disappointment.”

  “Why Dad? Maybe it's time to slow down a little bit and enjoy life. You should think about it,” Jackson suggested.

  Bart turned his head to glare at Brinn. “This is all your fault, you know that right girl?”

  Brinn just shrugged. “Think what you want old man. But as I was taken as a baby, I really had no say over the events. That was all my mother right? She’s the one who threw me away and you’re doing the same as she did, all over again. You are both rejecting me and blaming me for things I have no control over. What kind of man does that make you?” She reached into her pocket and drew out the small charm she found amongst her mother’s things. She leaned over and carefully set it down in front of him. “This belongs to you and your family. I have no use for it, as you won’t allow me to claim it. You’ve made it very clear I have no right to claim you as family and for once, I’m glad. I don’t want your name or your money. Now, you can go home and breathe easy old man. I never wanted it before and I have no use for it now. Moose told me he’d take care of me and with him by my side, I will learn to take care of myself. If Jackson is my dad, all I want from him is the right to call him family. Nothing more, but nothing less either. To me, blood doesn’t mean a damn thing. I would love it if Liberty were truly my little sister and I would love to get to know her as such. Same with Janice being my Aunt.”

  “And me? What about me? I’m your grandfather you silly twit.” Bart grumbled.

  Brinn shook her head. “See, just saying things like that. No, you are not my grandfather. You will never acknowledge me as such, so I don’t have to acknowledge you either. I’ve lived my whole life with people like you looking down on me and I don’t have to do that anymore. Go back to New York and live your life in your Ivory Tower where none of the little people can sully the bottoms of your shoes. I’d feel sorry for you but it wouldn’t make a difference, so why bother?” Brinn got up from her chair and walked down the hall to her room.

  Liberty stared at her grandfather with tears in her eyes. She didn’t say a word but she got up too, and went after Brinn.

  Jackson got to his feet and glared down at the man he loved once upon a time. “Go home old man. I don’t think you’re welcome here anymore and you have no one to blame but yourself. I’ll have my belongings packed up within the next few weeks. Liberty and I will be staying down here.” He turned and walked over to where Moose and a few of his brothers were standing while watching the drama unfold.

  Janice stood up as well. “I’m staying here too Dad. I can finally breathe what feels like fresh air again. I came here to prove Brinn didn’t belong in our family but I’d rather be part of her family than part of my own anymore. You showed me that much just now, with your hateful words.”

  Bart had just lost everything and he didn’t even realize it yet. He just sat there dumbfounded for a moment. He’d come here with the expectation of taking his family back with him and now, he was going home alone. He checked his watch again and looked up at Jackson. “Are you going to take me back to the airport?”

  Jackson shook his head. “No dad I’m not, but I will call a car for you. I’ll need the rental to find my way around this week. I have to find a place to live and office space to bring my company down here.” He shrugged. “I’ll get you back to New York but I’ll need my plane to head back this way.”

  Bart got to his feet and glared at him. “You’re making a mistake boy, a very big mistake.”

  Moose growled. “Brinn is not a mistake.”

  Bart didn’t want to start another argument so he clamped his mouth shut and headed toward the door. As he was about to open it, a loud knock sounded on it. He frowned and stepped back.

  Gunner and Boone walked around him to open the door.

  A Law Officer stood there with an older woman.

  She stepped forward and looking at Gunner she asked, “Is Franklin Kirby Howard here?”

  Gunner looked over his shoulder at his men. “Skeet, you got company,” he called out.

  The man they all knew as Skeeter stepped forward. Looking at the officer and the woman next to him he addressed her, “I’m Franklin Howard. Who are you and what do you want here?” he asked as he saw another vehicle enter the parking lot.

  The other car stopped just outside the doorway. His soon to be ex boss, Captain Dallas Brinkman stepped out of the driver’s door. “Damn it Calista, I told you I would bring him in. You didn’t have to do it this way.”

  The woman turned to face the Captain. “Yes I did, Dallas. And you know why. When any officer
of your office comes under a threat like this, he can’t just turn his back on it. He needs to be served with the proper paperwork and he needs to be brought in and questioned.”

  “What the hell is going on here?” Skeeter asked with a frown.

  The woman Dallas called Calista turned back to Skeeter and handed him an envelope. “Franklin Kirby Howard, you have been served.” Stepping back, she motioned for the officer next to her. “Arrest him.”

  Dallas moved forward and glared at her. “You don’t need to arrest him. He’ll come in on his own. Just give me a minute to explain what this is all about.”

  “What the fuck Dallas?” Skeeter growled. “What is this all about?”

  Janice moved forward and when she came to his back, she suggested, “Why don’t we sit down and discuss this properly?” She touched Skeeter lightly on the back.

  His muscles tightened into hard knots as he turned his head to her and nodded at the people gathered. “Come on in and let’s get this over with.” Skeeter turned and made his way to a table.

  Everyone followed as they all sat down.

  Gunner, Boone and the other brothers of Savaged Souls, all stared at Skeeter then at the Captain.

  Skeeter opened the envelope and read the papers he’d been given by Calista. It was a legal form of a court proceeding that turned out to be a warrant for his arrest. He handed it to Janice then looked directly to where Dallas was sitting. “What the everlovin’ fuck is going on here Boss?”

  Dallas rubbed his hand over his face and sighed. “Mendoza cartel sixteen years ago.”

  Skeeter paled. His past was here to bite him in the ass, only it wasn’t his past, his secret to tell. This was Trace’s secret and Trace died sixteen years ago, thanks to the Mendoza cartel. Trace had been his first partner all those years ago. “Well fuck.” He growled.

  Chapter Two

  Skeeter glared at Calista, then he turned to his boss, Dallas. “I made my report sixteen years ago about what went down back then. What happened? Why the sudden change?”

  “A young girl came forward. She was looking for you. She gave your name as her father,” Dallas told him in a nutshell. “She looked pretty beat up, Frank. She said she lost her mom five years ago and was living on the streets and finally, had the chance to get over the border. She claims she’s been looking for you for a while now.”

  Skeeter nodded, as he didn't look surprised by the claim the girl made. “But how did she get my real name? I went by an alias back then? We both did.”

  “You both?” Janice asked sharply. “Both, as in who else was with you?”

  “My partner Trace Coulier. We went in undercover in August of that year and I came out the next May. Trance never made it out of Mexico. We were betrayed and he died in a shootout just before we could get out. In fact, we both took bullets just on their side of the border. I made it across but Trace never did.” He curled his hands into fists as he remembered back to that awful day when everything went down. “I waited until after dark, then I went back across the border and dragged his bloody body back with me.” Shaking his head he commented, “Hells bells, they shot him enough to stop him from being able to walk away but then they went back and tortured him until he bled to death. He didn’t die easy, I can tell you that much. I still hear his screams sometimes.”

  “Why did you wait so long?” Calista glared at him. “The girl told us her mother said she was watching and he was laying there for many hours and no one got close to him. She claims you didn’t do anything until his screams stopped and you knew he was dead.”

  “Lady,” Skeeter growled. “I was pinned down by enemy fire on my side of the border the whole fucking time. Not to mention I had three of their bullets in me at the time. By the time I got to someone who would help me, I damn near died from blood loss, myself.”

  “And yet, you survived, didn’t you? When you know Trance Coulier didn’t,” Calista pointed out.

  “Ms. Jones,” Janice spoke sharply. “Watch your attitude. He hasn’t been charged with anything yet and your attitude is not helping this situation.”

  Calista turned to glare at the other woman. “And just who do you think you are to tell me anything?”

  Janice raised an eyebrow. “I’m his attorney and my name is Janice Morgan.”

  Calista frowned and Dallas looked surprised. Apparently, even they heard her name and reputation.

  “Janice Elaine Morgan?” Calista asked. “Out of New York?”

  Janice nodded.

  “Do you have a license to practice in Texas? If you don’t, then your opinion doesn’t matter here,” Calista stated. “Don’t forget Counselor, we know the law here in Texas too.”

  “Is that right?” Bart finally spoke up. “Then you know enough not to piss off a Supreme Court Judge, don’t you?”

  “She’s not a judge, she’s just a lawyer.” Calista got snotty.

  “Perhaps not, but I’m her father and I am a Judge,” Bart informed her. “And I do not appreciate your attitude toward any attorney, let alone my own daughter.”

  “I do apologize your Honor, but as I pointed out, she has no legal say in this matter if she isn’t registered by the state of Texas,” Calista reminded him.

  “That won’t take long lady. So like she said, mind your manners here,” Bart growled. “You really don’t want her as an enemy.”

  Dallas cleared his throat. “We do need to treat this right. So Frank, you’ll have to come down to the office for some questions. Some of the information we have is sensitive.”

  Skeeter nodded. “Let me get my stuff together and I’ll ride over there with you. I need to get my wallet and some other items.”

  Calista stood and nodded at the officer. “Go with him to make sure he doesn’t leave through the back door.”

  Janice got to her feet. “That isn’t necessary. He’s already agreed to go with you.”

  Calista frowned but for once, she held her tongue. But she still motioned for the officer to tag along with him.

  Dallas cleared his throat.

  The officer stayed put.

  Calista crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Dallas.

  Janice looked over at Skeeter. “I’ll go with you.”

  “You can’t be with him during the questioning. You aren’t his attorney, at least not in Texas and no civilians are allowed,” Calista pointed out snidely.

  Bart growled and reached for his phone. He made a call.

  Even Calista knew who he was speaking too. She began to sweat as Bart’s conversation was heard by the whole room.

  “I’d like to speak to the Governor please. Tell him it's Justice Bart Morgan.” A moment later he said, “Jim, Bart Morgan Supreme Court Justice here. What does my daughter Janice have to do to be able to be recognized as an attorney at law here in Texas? She wants to represent someone and someone on the staff of the Rangers won’t recognize her as such.” He paused and listened for a moment. Then he looked over at Dallas, “He wants to know her name.”

  “Calista Jones,” Dallas told him. “She’s our court rep.”

  “Her name is Calista Jones and I understand she’s a court rep for the Rangers.” Bart listened for a moment then handed the phone to Dallas.

  Dallas listened for a moment then ended the call. He turned to Janice. “The Governor of the state of Texas has endorsed you as an attorney here temporarily until the paperwork can be turned in to get you certified in this state. You may accompany us to the office and be present in the questioning.” He turned to Calista and told her, “You are now on probation because of your disrespectful attitude, not only with Frank but also with Ms. Morgan. You cross the line again, and you're gone. Do you understand that?”

  Calista flushed red and glared back at him, then she turned her glare to Franklin and Janice then finally, to Bart. “Yes I understand. But I was just doing my job.”

  Skeeter turned and walked down the hall to his bedroom, when he returned a few minutes later, he was holding a file and
he nodded at Dallas. “I’m ready. I’ll drive my own vehicle as I’ll need a way to get back.”

  Dallas glared at Calista but agreed to his terms.

  Calista kept her mouth shut but she made sure there was no doubt about her opinion. She stomped over to the door but before she went through it, she looked over her shoulder and glared at Skeeter. “You better show up, or I’ll get a statewide warrant for your arrest.”

  “And that would be your last act as a Ranger,” Dallas warned her.

  “I’ll be there.” Skeeter growled.

  Calista stormed out of the clubhouse.

  Dallas shook his head.

  “Why does she seem to have such a problem with Frank?” Janice asked.

  “Calista had a hard life growing up,” Dallas explained. “Then this girl comes into our office looking for Frank. She takes one look at this girl, because that’s all she is, is a girl. She’s all of fifteen and she thinks Frank left her mother and her behind. She was born in July and they left Mexico in May, so she had to think he knew her mom was carrying his child.”

  “There’s only one problem with that,” Skeeter stated. “I’m not her father. I never slept with her mom.”

  “We can sort this out at the office,” Dallas replied. “Calista wants to hear what you have to say.”

  Skeeter nodded and looked over at Gunner. “We’ll be back.”

  Gunner gave him a slow nod back. “Good luck, you might need it with that witch.”

  Skeeter and Janice walked out and got into his vehicle. They followed Dallas and Calista and her officer followed them.

  As they covered the miles, Janice looked over at Skeeter. “So, you have a daughter?”

  Skeeter shook his head. “No, she’s not mine. She’s actually Trace’s daughter.”

  “Then why does she think you’re her father?” Janice frowned.

  “I don’t know,” Skeeter admitted. “Her mother thought Trace would take her with him when he went back to the states. When we left that day, she wanted to come with us but Trace wouldn’t let her. I didn’t even think she was surprised but then, she asked what about the baby she was carrying.” He shook his head. “Trace told her if she would sleep with him, how did he know she didn’t sleep with everybody who asked. He wanted to know if the baby was even his.” His hands tightened on the wheel. “He was a real bastard that day, not only to her but to me, after she ran off.”