Rock Chick Reawakening (Rock Chick 0.5)(49)

Shirleen was a tall, full-figured black woman with a very large Afro. She was wearing purple and looked like she’d come to that warehouse from choir practice at a church where all the women vied to be best dressed.

Standing opposite them, there was a man built like a linebacker. His dark hair was thick and wavy, his dark-brown eyes were alert and locked on Marcus. He was wearing jeans, brown boots, and a long-sleeved cargo shirt.

Lee Nightingale.

At his side was a man known on the streets as Stark. His last name. His first was Lucas but everyone called him Stark, unless you were someone he’d allow to call him Luke, and there weren’t many of those. He had black hair, dark-blue eyes, a full beard that was trimmed precisely along his jaw, and he was wearing black cargo pants, a tight, black, wicking shirt, and black combat boots.

And last, there was a man on his knees. His hands were not bound. But his head was bent forward and it looked like he was listing.

Shirleen and Darius had been playing.

Perhaps Nightingale and Stark, too.

Though, at a glance, Marcus noted it was only Stark who had cut, bloody knuckles.

Marcus stopped and looked behind him.

Brady jerked up his chin but it was Louie who moved forward.

He went to the man on his knees, grasped him by his hair, and yanked his head back.

The man grunted but nothing else. However, he looked like he’d keel over if Louie didn’t keep hold of him.

Although his face was blooded and very swollen, there was no mistaking he was the man Marcus saw in the video in Smithie’s security room.

The man who’d raped Daisy.

He nodded to Louie, who let him go.

He swayed so Marcus ordered, “Make him keep his knees.”

Louie dropped his eyes to the man.

Marcus looked to Shirleen but he said nothing.

“Figure that’s my invitation to take my leave,” she muttered, shot him a grin, and said louder, “Time’s right, Marcus, Shirleen’ll be wantin’ to meet your girl.”

Shirleen was a resourceful businesswoman.

She was also loyal as they came.

“I’ll be certain that’s arranged.”

Her grin got wide and white, then she looked to Darius.

Eyes to his aunt, he tipped his head to the door.

She nodded to him, looked through everyone in the room, except the man on the floor she walked right up to.

“Aunt Shirleen,” Darius growled in a low, warning tone.

“You’re a pig,” she whispered down at the man on his knees.

His head swung not entirely in his control to the side in order to look away.

Shirleen stood in contemplation over him for several long moments before she turned and walked from the room, her high heels sounding loud in the open space.

When that sound disappeared, Marcus looked to Nightingale.

“Darius tells me this was you.”

Nightingale tilted up his chin. “Got a new tracker. He’s good. So far, no one’s been able to hide from him. When we were getting nothing in Denver, we set him on it. He found this guy in Montana. Persuaded him to share his story. That being, Smithie gave Jimmy Marker the guy’s name from credit card receipts. Marker rolled up to his house with some squads, so he knew your woman pressed charges. He was twitchy, not sure how she’d play it, so he was also on the lookout. Before the boys could get into position, he took off out the back. He waited until the coast was clear, got as much together as he could, and left town.”

Marcus gave him a nod and looked to Stark but said to Nightingale, “In future business, you don’t need a second.”

“Luke’s here because he helped Vance do the persuading and he’s feelin’ the need to see this through,” Nightingale responded.

That explained the bloody knuckles.

“Your tracker?” Marcus asked, eyes still on Stark.

“Vance needs clear of certain things,” Nightingale answered.

This meant his tracker was an ex-con.

It was good to know Nightingale was protective. It said a great deal. It was also good to know Nightingale hired with a view to the future, not judging what was in the past. That said more.

Marcus spoke directly to Stark. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Stark was known not to be a big talker. This he proved by not replying but also not moving.

“You don’t want to be here,” Marcus warned.

Stark spoke again without speaking, doing this crossing his arms on his chest.

Marcus looked to Nightingale. “You should take your man and go.”

“I’m feelin’ the need to see this through, too.”

Marcus held his gaze. “Detective Marker is not going to close this case.”

Nightingale did nothing but put his hands on his hips.

“Your father is a cop, your brother is a cop, and your best friend is a cop,” Marcus pointed out.

“Yeah, and none of them are here,” Nightingale returned.

“You’re also not going to dissuade me,” Marcus shared.

“Am I doing any dissuading?” Nightingale asked.

Marcus studied him.

Then he told him quietly, “I’m protecting you.”

A flash shot through Nightingale’s eyes.

Rage.

“I saw that f*ckin’ tape,” he bit out. “And just sayin’, so did Vance and so did Luke. So I think you more than anybody get me when I say Luke and me feel the need to see this through.”