"What do you mean, we can't go?" Josh asked as everyone filed out of the conference room at the end of the meeting. "I sat back yesterday."
Dylan stood in front of Josh and I's path out, blocking us from exiting around the table. Owen stood behind.
"We need the two of you here."
I put a hand on my hip. "Is this because I made him mad? I'll say sorry if you want me to," I spit out but I wouldn't mean it.
"No," Owen said and I dropped my hand, the urge to scream at Dylan only lessening slightly.
"Owen's heading up the business at the house and I've got some other leads I need to check up on. After that, I need help with something," Dylan explained, holding his hands out to keep the two of us at bay.
"More paperwork," Josh muttered swinging his hands out dejectedly. His arm came in contact with my side and I held in wince as he hit my fresh tattoo.
"Sorry," Josh quickly apologized for the unexpected contact.
"Not paperwork, back-up," Dylan said. "Real work. Unless you want to join Owen..."
I opened my mouth to ask what work but Josh was already lighting up like a Christmas tree.
"Hell yeah!"
That was all the confirmation they needed before they left the room with us following. The two began looking over some paperwork in Owen's hand down the hall by the exit. From the hallway, I could see straight out of the hotel's main glass sliding doors, a few of the cars I recognized as my co-workers' were pulling out.
Dylan grabbed his keys from his pocket, the jingle filling the hallway as he twirled them around his finger. I couldn't hear what they were saying or see what they were looking at but it was clear he was also about to leave.
I turned to Josh who was mumbling about what movies we could watch while we waited.
"Go get your backpack," I said quietly under my breath. "Meet me in the parking lot."
"Uh, what?" He looked at me like I'd gone insane.
I glanced back to Dylan and Owen. Owen looked like he was also ready to leave and Dylan now had his phone out as the two talked.
"Now," I ordered as best I could. "Hurry."
That time, thankfully, he listened as he turned to the elevator. I went over to the concierge desk and started looking at the snacks they had on the back wall.
"Hi," I grinned to woman. "Do you have anything drinks to help settle my stomach?"
She started listing them and I saw out of the corner of my eye, Owen walk out of the hotel doors.
I started tapping my foot, anxiously trying to keep watching Dylan. The woman was looking at me expectantly. Oh, whoops. I had no idea what she said.
"I thought I was going to puke for a second. It passed," I put a hand to my neck as I lied. "The ginger ale, please."
She handed me a can and I fished in my purse for my room key, turning to my side as I did so. The bad thing about my purse, besides it being forever old and in dire need of a wash, was it was more of a tote bag. It had no individual pockets in it to keep things organized. The good thing was even as I found the card, I was able to keep pushing my hand around in my purse like it was an absolute mess and to Dylan, it would look like I was still searching for it if he happened to look over.
He was on his phone and hung up not a second later. Crap. He started to walk out and I quickly handed my card to the woman. She swiped it to charge the soda to my room and I walked into to the stairwell next to the elevator, throwing both the can of ginger ale and my room key in my purse without a second thought.
As I walked deeper into the concrete space, a barreling of feet came thundering down, causing my heart to go on high alert.
I peeked around the corner of the stairs, only to see Josh thudding down them with his backpack over one shoulder.
"Hey, sorry I took so long, I got my other strap stuck in the door on my way out and it was a whole ordeal," he rambled as he caught his breath, clearly excited. He probably thought I was going to lead him to some gang members again.
I shook my head. "It's fine."
The stairwell led both to the parking lot and to the inside of the hotel depending on which door you went through, you just needed your room key to get in from the parking lot. I pushed open that door as slowly as I could, trying to peer out and locate both Josh's car and Dylan's.
"What are we doing?"
"Following Dylan," I said quietly. Jay had used the stairwell to get in and out when I ran into him the other day and I was using it every day I snuck out of here. I doubted they had any surveillance in here so it was safe to talk.
I spotted Dylan crossing the parking lot, his car was parked at the far end and Josh's was close to us.
"Why...?" Josh asked.
"Because I think he's doing something shady. I don't trust him."
"That's our boss, Carson."
I glared back at him for a second. "If you want to go watch some stupid movie, go on. You asked what I was doing while I was on house arrest." I motioned with my hand toward the car park to show this was what I was doing. Not quite the truth but he didn't need to know the details and I didn't have a car or want to go alone.
"Give me your keys," I held out my hand.
When nothing landed in it, I looked back at him.
"It's my car," he argued.
"Yeah and I scored higher on the tests for tailing people. You got caught half of the time and it was just demos." I wiggled my fingers expectantly.
He sighed before dropping the keys into my hand.
Forty five minutes later we were perched in a tree and I was getting bored. Woods were behind us, a concrete wall was below us, and the Dacosta house was in front of us.
Travis was right.
Dylan had driven around for about twenty minutes before leading us there and he walked right in the house, no trouble whatsoever.
He had yet to come out so right now we were just sitting and waiting. We found two trees sturdy enough to hold us and each took refuge in them. I was sitting along one of the thicker branches that jutted out toward Josh's tree and he was near the middle of the one he was in.
Josh was currently loading and reloading his gun, trying to take his mind off things but it wasn't working because every thirty seconds he had something to say which I told him was going to blow our cover. The issue was there wasn't exactly Dacosta members scouring the grounds on guard duty so I don't think he saw much of an issue in worrying out loud.
"How did you know?" he asked, right on time.
I shrugged.
"Maybe he's asking them to leave."
"Do you not remember what they did to your arm and my neck?" I whispered. "Yeah. Maybe if Dylan asks nicely they'll just pack up all their things and we can have a going away party."
"That attitude is helping loads," he snapped.
I rolled my eyes. "So is you talking every chance you get."
Rustling came from below is and a crunching of leaves. I reached in my back pocket, pulling out my knife and flicking the cover off as I held it near me. It wasn't going to do much to a group of Dacostas, but at the very least, I could do some damage. Josh held his gun out hesitantly.
"I told you," I whispered to Josh.
"Shut up, Carson."
Right, because I was the one that had a chatty mouth. My eyes darted around and I didn't see anything at first. Maybe it was an animal.
But then I heard him.
"We come in peace, don't shoot us into pieces," Travis whispered, finally appearing as he came closer.
He was wearing black from head to toe, including gloves and a mask. He had a hood over this head and he looked up at me. Another figure was behind him dressed similarly. But he only had a bandana covering his face. Despite the hood, I could tell it was Ben from the little I could see of his face. They blended in slightly when they stepped in the shadows cast by the trees, but the second the sunlight hit them, they stood out.
I wondered why Ben went through the hassle of dressing this way but then I figured Josh would ask questions about why Travis was the only one. Josh probably thought the Caseys just always dressed this extra by now.
I heard the clicking of a safety on a gun and a lump caught in my throat.
"Josh," I scolded as quietly as I could. He had his gun pointed at them, alternating between the two.
Travis and Ben walked closer to us, not faltering at all by Josh's actions.
"Don't you know who they are?" Josh asked like the mere presence of Travis and Ben was burning him. I'm sorry, did he know who they were?
"I'm well aware. Put the gun away, they're not going to hurt us."
He didn't move so I scooted further down on my branch, careful not to fall or get to where it wouldn't hold me anymore. I just wanted to get close enough he could see me easier.
"Josh," I demanded and his eyes looked at me even though his gun was still pointed at my friends. "Put. It. Down."
He glanced back to Ben and then to Travis, who had the nerve to hold up the peace sign with one of his hands. I sucked in my lips to hold in my sigh, now was not the time for jokes. Slowly, Josh put the safety back on and put the gun back on his lap.
"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, glancing back at the Dacosta grounds to make sure no guards were near.
"Figured you could use some help," Ben answered.
"You two? No offense," I added the second part on quickly because it wasn't Ben that I doubted in something like this.
"I'm so, so good at sneaking," Travis bragged, catching on to what I was implying. I found that hard to believe, considering he was usually someone you heard before you saw him. But he'd managed to sneak up on us, so maybe I was wrong.
"How'd you know where we were?" Josh accused like they were stalking us, even though we were currently stalking Dylan.
Ben and Travis looked at each other before Ben answered, "Lacey's pretty easy to track."
I knew they'd put trackers on the car, it was easy enough for them to follow either Josh's car if they did his or Dylan's here. But they found us hiding out in a bunch of trees and suddenly it felt like the phone Travis had given me weighed tons again. They'd probably put a tracker on that, too.
The two started climbing the trees, Ben went up Josh's tree and he positioned himself on a nearby branch as he crouched, trying to keep as much of his black attire as he could out of sight.
"What are they doing here?" Josh asked through clenched teeth, casting Ben side glances.
"They might have been the ones that tipped me off about Dylan," I admitted quietly.
"Great. So we're getting advice from one gang while our boss goes and meets with another."
"Don't be a little bitch about it," Travis muttered, climbing up into my tree, sitting behind me on the large branch I was on. I wished his hoodie was off because no doubt he had a t-shirt or a tank top on underneath and I would've gotten a great view of his muscles as he climbed. Having a fake dead boyfriend really sucked.
I looked behind me at him. A cloth mask was over his face and this time, he had slots that showed his bright, blue eyes. But with his hood, unless he was looking right at you, his hood cast a shadow and made it hard to see his eyes.
"I could tell my boss about you two right now. I could arrest you right now," Josh threatened. Dylan would probably have a field day with that, if I was being honest. Handing Travis and Ben over would be like a five course meal right there for him and Josh would definitely be promoted.
"Everyone keeps threatening to arrest me but no one follows through with it," Travis groaned before his eyes found mine and I kept a steady hand on the tree. I didn't even need to see the rest of his face to tell he was smirking. His eyes looked so much brighter than I'd seen lately.
He continued talking as he stared, "What about you? You have some handcuffs we could make use of?"
My mouth opened slightly as I tried to think of something to say that wouldn't incriminate myself.
"Leave her alone," Josh butt in, causing Travis to look at him instead. I took a deep breath and looked back to the Dacosta house to focus.
"You're not going to do shit, vanilla," Travis' voice was quiet but confident as he egged Josh on.
"Can you please be quiet?" I asked, interrupting the two.
It was like my words had gone in one ear and out the other.
"How many times have I asked you to handcuff me now? I'm practically turning myself in," Travis reasoned as he continued to talk to me, not listening even a little bit.
I heard a very quiet sigh. "It's a lost cause when he's like this, Lacey," Ben said.
Everything was quiet for maybe fifteen seconds as Josh repositioned himself on the tree, moving so he was still on his but able to get slightly closer to me. He leaned in towards me and I kept my eyes on the house that our boss still hadn't come out of.
"I don't like that they know you," Josh whispered.
"We know you too, Josh. Don't feel left out," Travis was quick to say, making sure Josh knew he could hear him. I didn't doubt the second Josh moved closer, Travis' eyes were glued to him.
"Be quiet," I warned, turning to look at the both of them. "I'm serious."
"So am I," Travis whined, holding his wrists together toward me like he was about to be cuffed. I swear he was smiling.
I shook my head, turning back around to watch and heard Travis laugh lightly under his breath.
"We should be investigating them and the other gang. Not taking tips from them about our own boss," Josh suggested like it was some unheard of idea.
"You aren't suspicious about Dylan just waltzing into Sterling's house?" I asked.
"Sterling's dead," Travis was quick to correct.
"It's not his house," Josh said the same time.
I groaned. Silence found us for about five beautiful seconds.
"Wait, so you can confirm Sterling Dacosta's dead?" Josh asked and my mind flashed to Sterling's file back at the hotel with 'dead?' on it.
"Hell yeah," Travis gloated.
"Can you go on record saying that?" He prodded. It didn't matter if it was on or off the record, Josh was probably going to type up as much of what Travis said as soon as he got to the hotel room. He was thorough. Perhaps overly thorough but that's why he was number one in our program.
"Cute," Travis said patronizingly at the idea.
"I'm pretty sure Dylan already knows Sterling's dead. He's there," I reminded, trying to get Josh off the idea of asking Travis any questions on the record.
Silence, sweet beautiful silence and I was pretty sure it was only because Josh was once again reminded of the fact his boss was somehow involved with this gang.
"What's your name?" Josh interrupted my bliss. I turned to see him looking at Travis, and I couldn't help but wonder what name he was going to conjure up.
"Benjamin Acker," Travis said, placing a proud hand over his chest.
Josh looked at the real Ben and waited for his answer to the same question.
"Benjamin Acker."
Josh groaned. "Bullshit," he muttered under his breath and looked back at Travis. "I have a file with his name and picture on it so who are you?"
Apparently, Josh was paying more attention to the files than Ben and Travis may have suspected. Or they just didn't care and that's why they gave Ben only half coverage on his face. Josh did already meet Ben once, after all.
"At least buy me dinner if you want that kind of info," Travis answered, his hand to his chest still as he feigned looking offended. "I'm not some floozy."
Jesus Christ. I tried to do what I came here to do and tune them out. Unfortunately, nothing was still happening. Travis started swinging one of his legs back and forth, kicking my heel every now and then in the process.
"Would you cut it out?" I asked, trying to act serious but it was hard.
I didn't understand why he was acting so carefree all of a sudden and more importantly, in front of Josh. The fact that it was in front of Josh and it wasn't him being his "rude, don't talk to me, I have no personality" self was making ansty, anxious, and I could feel my palms starting to get sweaty.
However, as soon as we saw three people exit the Dacosta house and start walking down the driveway, we all froze. Even Travis, thankfully. I sat up straighter, as if that was going to help even though it was the distance that was the issue and Josh didn't know what we were doing so he didn't bring any binoculars. We weren't too far away though.
Dylan wasn't talking to them as they walked, it just looked like they were escorting him.
"Hey," Josh said so quietly I almost didn't hear him. "Is that...?" he began.
I squinted and then looked at Josh, trying to subtly shake my head no without drawing attention to myself. He didn't notice.
"Carson, that's the guy," he whispered.
"What guy?" Travis asked and his no personality self was back. What great timing.
"No one," I said, trying to shut Josh up.
Josh gave me a face. "You don't think so?"
"What guy, Joshua?" Travis repeated slowly.
"The one that choked Lacey," Josh admitted before adding a bit we all knew was a lie, "I took him out though."
I clenched my jaw, "Don't shoot him."
"Dylan's right there. I wouldn't want to hit him. I'd rather arrest him," Josh whispered.
I bit my lip as Josh talked, not wanting to talk over him or I'd have to raise my voice.
"I wasn't talking to you," I advised as I kept my eyes on the three on the driveway and my ears alert for any movement from Travis behind me.
"I won't hit your boss," Travis' voice was collected but the fact that he was suggesting it meant he wasn't calm.
Every inch of me wanted to scold Travis loudly, using his full name to let him know I wasn't joking around and to grab his attention but I couldn't.
Josh looked away from the Dacosta house and towards Travis, a doubtful expression on his face like there was no way he wouldn't be able to avoid hitting Dylan. I didn't need them getting in another argument right now over whether or not Travis could aim.
"I'm asking you not to." My voice came out soft as I stared at the driveway, making sure all three were still standing.
The two Dacosta men left Dylan at his car and I watched with my heart in my throat as they walked back into the house, each step taking forever. The last thing I wanted right now was for Travis to shoot one of them and have the whole entire gang on our tails as we fled, when he wasn't even supposed to be here. The Dacostas would have us surrounded in no time.
They made it back into the house unharmed and I felt myself relax my shoulders letting out a breath. I turned slightly to see Travis and he looked bored as he raised his eyebrows at me.
I was about to thank him for not causing a scene or more likely, our deaths, when shrill ringing filled the quiet air around us. I panicked. Had I left one of my phones on loud? The fright from the sudden noise and the panic to grab my purse for whatever was causing that noise had me twisting off the branch and falling backwards.
The fear was already in me from the phone so I didn't even register I was falling until Travis' hand was gripping my arm securely.
"Shit," Josh said and the ringing stopped. "Hello?"
I was going to kill him.
My legs were still on the branch and I had a death grip on Travis' arm with my free hand as I glared at my so-called-partner that forgot to silence his phone.
"Yeah, hey Dylan," he said, looking directly at me with panic in his eyes. I looked over at Dylan but he was in his car. He must have been talking because Josh wasn't saying anything.
I looked at Travis and his gaze was stuck on me as he held my arm, suspending my upper half in the air. He looked like he'd seen a ghost.
I mouthed 'Thank you' to him, not wanting to be overheard on the phone and pulled myself up his arm until I was steady on the branch again. I felt Travis keeping a hesitant arm on my back.
"At the jail?" Josh said aloud. "We're actually out. Yeah, we can just meet you there, you don't have to come back for us. Don't sweat it, we had to run up to the store," he paused and started climbing out of the tree. "Uh, Lacey needed girl products. You're telling me. We're about to be at the checkout so see you soon?" Josh hung up the phone and dropped it on the ground as he shook out his hands. "Holy fuck," he whispered to us.
I nudged Travis to climb down. Ben was already on the ground, wiping the phone off.
"What did he say?" I asked as I followed Travis out of the tree. He hovered behind me as I went down but didn't touch me, which I was grateful for. I didn't want to have to explain anything to Josh.
"He wants us to meet him at the jail to interview some people. Do you think we're getting arrested?" Josh panicked, his voice going higher.
I started walking away from the Dacosta grounds and towards the car, "Why are we interviewing inmates?"
The leaves crunched underneath our feet and I pulled my jacket tighter around me as the wind picked up.
"He said he wanted to get leads on the Casey gang," Josh said, giving a pointed look to both Travis and Ben. "Maybe we just show up with these two."
I put my hand on Josh's arm. "They helped us. Look, every good cop needs an informant, right? That's all they are."
Josh didn't seem convinced but I could tell the idea of being able to say informant was inflating his ego slightly.
"Do you guys know Sullivan Taylor?" he asked. "He said it was the hot girl's dad, Annabeth."
I heard Travis scoff.
"Hello, I asked you guys a question," Josh walked backwards, raising his voice now that we were a good deal away from the house.
"No," Ben answered. "Never met the guy."
I started wringing my hands around each other at the idea of talking to Annabeth's dad. She wasn't exactly pleasant so what was her dad going to be like? Why did it have to be him?
From beside me, I saw Ben and Travis share a look. Ben handed Josh his phone back and started asking him if he could be of help for any other names. Josh ate it up as he turned back around and the two walked in front of us.
"Lace," Travis said quietly. He tugged on my sleeve and slowed me down slightly, putting some distance between us and the other pair. His hand held my forearm for a second before he let go. I wanted more.
"Not many Caseys make it out of that prison," he warned, keeping his voice low.
I looked at him curiously. "What?
"It's almost all Casey members and the cops jump at any chance to throw another in a cell," he explained. "Or call the Dacostas on them."
I bit my lip as I remembered the last time to my knowledge that Travis went to the station and didn't make it home thanks to the Dacostas grabbing him and Annabeth.
"You should quit right now," he said.
I shook my head. I hadn't even gotten the chance to talk to Dylan about what he was doing with the Dacostas. I wasn't just going to let him off the hook.
"I'll be careful," I promised as Josh's car came into view.
Travis looked like I'd kicked a puppy in front of him.
"Be careful with Taylor," he warned.
He didn't say anything else as Josh and Ben were waiting outside the car and within hearing range. Without a word, Ben and Travis left, disappearing back into the woods.
Josh and I got into the car and I had an unsettling feeling in my gut as we started driving to the jail. Not necessarily at the fact that the cops were dirty because to everyone's knowledge, I was working with the cops. What worried me was that he'd specifically warned me against Annabeth's dad. He didn't say be careful with the cops. Or be careful with Dylan. No. Just Annabeth's dad because Annabeth didn't scare me enough.
The only reassuring thing was the entire way, a certain pair of headlights followed us. It could have been a coincidence. It could have been anyone. But my gut told me it was the two hoodlum looking guys I'd just left at the woods.
When we pulled onto the street for the prison, the car followed. I parked on the side of the road and watched as a small sedan that I recognized from in front of the safe house passed by us.
My heart melted at the thought they were watching to make sure I got there safely but then it plummeted when I turned the car off and exited, looking around. I noticed another very familiar car that I'd been in not too long ago parked down the road.
Jay's car.
I clenched my jaw. Was it really that big of a deal?
Josh got out and I saw Dylan's car up the road with his lights still on. He must have been waiting for us because he turned his car off and hopped out. I tried not to narrow my eyes at him but I just wanted to lunge at him and ask him what he'd done. I refrained. My eyes drifted to Jay's car. I could see someone inside but I didn't dwell on it to not draw Dylan or Josh's attention.
As we started walking towards the station. I paused.
"Wait, I want to leave my purse in the car," I said. I didn't want them going through it and spill out my phones. I ran back to the car, making sure I entered on the side that Jay, Max, or whoever was sitting in that car could see that I was definitely, absolutely, leaving valuables in this car and to not let it get robbed. I tried to mentally yell at them to watch the car.
After grabbing my ID and locking it, I gave Josh his car keys and we followed Dylan in. My hands were even clammier than before and I had to rub them on my jeans.
I shoved my hands in my pockets as we entered and stopped at the front counter.
"How can I help you?" a man dressed in uniform asked.
I was practically sweating. I wasn't a criminal, was I? I was. Not as much as the rest of my friends but I definitely helped and here I was, staring the crooked cops in the face. Dylan outranked them in some areas, not all, but I still found myself panicking. They didn't even know about the tattoo or my affiliation. I needed to calm down.
"Names?" the cop asked after Dylan said something.
Oh my god, I was going to jail. I handed my ID over to the man, rubbing my hands out on my thighs again so they wouldn't be so sticky.
"You wanted to speak to someone?" the cop asked.
"One of the previous Casey organization members," Dylan answered.
The cop laughed. "You're gonna have to be more specific than that, we've got an army of 'em back there."
"What?" I squeaked out. Three sets of eyes turned towards me questioningly.
"How many?" I asked, trying to even out my voice. I was going to be fine. Travis was outside. Probably. I doubted he would send Jay and not stay himself. Dylan couldn't have me arrested without proof. He had none and he couldn't lift my shirt up to see my tattoo without me screaming about harassment.
I got this, I repeated.
"Practically the whole place," the guy said.
I nodded. Cameron put his money towards hospitals, Sterling put his money towards dirty cops.
"Sullivan Taylor for now," Dylan said and the man nodded, calling someone.
Another cop came and ushered us towards the metal detector. I had to take my coat off while went went through it and I felt naked.
"What the hell was that shit?" Dylan whispered harshly in my ear as we collected our things on the other side of the metal detector.
"I just wanted to see how many were in here to interview." I shrugged, mentally telling myself to get my act together.
He seemed to either buy it or was just too annoyed with me to push the issue further. Regardless, we were taken to a room with open seating and small, circular tables. A cop flicked the lights on and the room looked untouched. If it was full of Casey members, I doubted many people came to visit these gang members. Despite looking untouched, everything looked dingy. Like all of the money Sterling had probably pumped into this place went to the cops. Why waste money on the inmates anyway?
Eventually, a gruff looking man was escorted in our direction. Sullivan Taylor had dark hair that was slicked back and pale skin but that could be due to spending years in the prison. His skin was leathery and when he sat down, he had to put his hands on the table for a moment for the cop to hook the large handcuffs separated by a large chain to the table. His fingers looked like they were busted in multiple places and never healed correctly and his fingernails were long destroyed. "AB" was tattooed on one of his fingers in small print, as well as a single rose on another finger.
He sat back in the chair as soon as the guard left the room and smiled. He had a chipped tooth on the side of his smile.
I sat up straighter in my chair, trying my hardest to act like I could do this. I didn't want to get this far to chicken out now. Travis wanted me to quit, he didn't want me to come and I refused. I couldn't let it be for nothing.
"Hi, Mr. Taylor. My name-" Dylan began but the man cut him off.
"It's Scully."
Dylan nodded. "Scully. My name is Dylan Sanderson and I'm investigating the local gang activity in the area."
Scully leaned an arm over the spare chair next to him.
"This is Josh Walton and Lacey Carson, my assistants. How are you?" Dylan was more polite than I'd ever seen him.
"Old, tired, and ugly."
Well, he wasn't wrong there.
That seemed to take Dylan off guard for a second because he hesitated, looking at the file in his hands. Scully took that as his opening.
"Carson? That's a strong name. You Irish?" he asked me.
"I don't know." My dad wasn't really talkative about any of that. It was just a last name to me.
"You don't know?" Scully asked, leaning forward as if he hadn't heard me correctly.
He stared at me almost challenging and I clenched my jaw, keeping my eyes on his.
"If you don't mind, we'd like to ask you a few questions," Dylan said.
Scully shrugged as if it was no big deal. It wasn't like he had anywhere else to be.
"Good. Now, I show that you have a life sentence without parole. I can't guarantee that will change but given the information you provide, I may be able to offer benefits or see what strings I can pull."
Another shrug and my stomach lurched. I didn't even know what he did but I prayed that nothing he gave was beneficial enough for Dylan to pull any strings. I didn't even want Scully to get a better lunch menu. Travis didn't trust him.
Dylan opened the file he had and pulled out the first item.
"How were you related to Mr. Callum Casey?"
I bit my lip from asking if that was Cameron's dad. It had to be. Callum Casey. I'd never heard any of the guys even utter his name. I don't even think Cameron acknowledged he had a father once upon a time.
"Cousin. Which you can't tell given my last name because my mom had to go and marry a Taylor. A fucking Taylor. Couldn't even keep it Irish. Now I walk around looking like I fucking shine shoes for a livin'," Scully ranted.
I squinted my eyes as he spoke. I didn't think he knew what a 'tailor' did but I wasn't going to correct him.
"Irish?" Josh interjected.
Scully looked at Josh like he was dumb and pulled up his sleeve to reveal the Casey tattoo, with all its Celtic marks. Only much like Annabeth's, his was branded into his arm. Once upon a time, maybe during his time, Irish traditions might have been strong in the gang but now it didn't seem to be so much other than a name and a tattoo.
Josh ducked back while Dylan leaned forward to examine it.
"How much do you even know?" he asked, offended at the mere thought of having to explain that the Casey gang was Irish.
"Scully, what was your job while you were actively a part of the gang?" Dylan asked, changing the subject as he leaned back, placing multiple photos of the current gang members I recognized out on the table.
"I was the dog," Scully said, pulling his sleeve back down. I nearly bit my lip off.
"You were the, you," I paused trying to get a hold of my tongue as I stuttered. "Y-You were the dog?" I asked, practically tugging the words out of my mouth. Dylan shot me a look.
Either Annabeth and her father had some sick joke that just wasn't funny or I was missing something.
"Hell dog," he clarified.
"What?" Dylan asked.
"You know," a sadistic grin found its way onto his face. "Sic 'em. Send 'em all to hell."
A shiver ran through me with how often Travis mentioned he was in hell and to have this man give himself the exact same nickname Travis had...Maybe it was a coincidence.
"Hellhound?" Josh asked.
"That'd be it." Scully said.
"Can you please clarify?" Dylan asked.
Please don't, I mentally begged him. I didn't want to know any bit of what this guy did as his job because it only hurt my stomach picturing Travis sitting in a jail cell with a life sentence, in the same situation this guy was in.
He grinned, showing his chipped tooth. "Depends. What's got you coming down here? Something happened."
Dylan pushed a paper with of the Casey house and then a picture of the Casey house destroyed side by side in front of Scully.
"A part of that was destroyed in a fire a few days ago and we believe that to be the Casey headquarters. They have nowhere to go, we want to put a stop to the organization while they're injured."
Scully nodded, a finger running over the picture. I could tell he was found of the place and he did nothing but confirm Dylan's suspicions that this was where the Casey's lived.
I was becoming less afraid and more enraged at this man each time he did something.
He looked up shortly after. "Two things. Two things make the Caseys what they are."
Dylan nudge Josh hard, who had the notebook and pen.
Scully reached his once broken fingers forward, grabbing all of Dylan's pictures and pulling them toward him. Dylan was taken aback by the action, looking for once like he didn't know how to react.
"Power." His fingers pushed two pictures away from the others. It was Finn and Cameron's.
Scully flipped through the pictures. He then reached towards Josh. "Rip me off a piece, boy."
Josh ripped off a piece of paper in the shape of a square. Scully grabbed it and Josh's pen, writing a name on it but his arm was too thick for me to see as he huddled over it and then he was quick to dive back into the pictures again.
"And fear." He pushed a picture of Travis and his piece of paper with the name 'Jay' written on it away from the stack, similar to before. My gut dropped as I looked at the picture of Travis as he gave the camera the middle finger. Not to mention, they didn't even know who Jay was and here this jerk was giving them brand new names to target.
"We actually believe Cameron Casey and Travis Miller to be dead," Dylan said.
"You know, I heard that, I did," Scully said in the fakest sincere voice I'd ever heard thus far in my life. Scully's face then turned amused, like I was looking at the joker. "But I also just heard only a part of the house got burned. A measly little section. You know why?"
He pushed Jay's paper and Travis' picture closer to Dylan and my blood ran cold. I tried to think of a quick topic change. He took a big sniff in, wafting the air up to his nostrils. "That's fear still in the air."