v Ashley - Golden Trail

It wasn’t much but it was something.

Layne’s eyes went to Devin and Devin nodded. Layne needed to tell his man in LA. Marissa didn’t need to know, it was unlikely any of this shit would blow west, but his man needed a head’s up, just in case.

“Colt, Sully and me went to the Captain yesterday with what we have on Rutledge. He’s called an investigation,” Merry went on.

“Just like that?” Layne asked.

“Not exactly. Cap wasn’t big on us keepin’ this under our hats but he had his own suspicions. He said he didn’t want to think that of a cop in his Department which was why he didn’t move on it himself. What he means was, he’s too fuckin’ lazy not to mention worried what it’d say about him that a cop turned under his watch,” Merry replied.

“Rutledge been picked up?” Layne asked.

“Yep, late afternoon yesterday. They were still talkin’ to him after I got home from here last night,” Merry answered.

“Did he roll over?” Layne asked.

“Investigation is off-limits to those officers not assigned to it but since he went home last night, my guess is no,” Merry answered

“He bolted?” Layne asked.

“Not yet, got a man sittin’ on The Brendel,” Merry replied.

“He’ll bolt,” Layne stated.

“I know, the interesting thing will be, where will he bolt?” Merry returned and Layne’s eyes went to his. “Goulding is stupid but Rutledge is a piss ant. He’s not gonna wanna go down for other people’s shit.”

“You think they can get him to inform?” Layne asked.

“No, I think he’s gonna go lookin’ for help outta this tough spot,” Merry answered.

“Wanting to keep his job?”

“No way, wanting a lifetime guaranteed lounge chair in Brazil or wherever the fuck he intends to go.”

“Shakedown,” Layne muttered.

“Be my guess,” Merry replied. “He’s not keepin’ whatever money he got from her in his accounts, we know that, it’s probably in his mattress. But he lives at The Brendel. Roc tells me his clothes are nice. He drives a top of the line, Hyundai Genesis Coupe. He has a standard of living. He’s the type of man who’s gonna wanna keep it. He’s not dumb, but he’s just stupid enough to make that play.”

“So we’re not done yet, you reckon?” Layne asked.

“Nope,” Merry answered.

Layne’s eyes went to Devin. “Bugs.”

“Can I finish the Colts game?” Devin asked.

Merry pulled out his phone and flipped it open. “Let me see where Rutledge is. He may be watchin’ the Colts too. Obviously, I know nothing about illegal listening devices being planted in the home of an officer of the law, but I might be able to arrange to know when Rutledge leaves his apartment, where he’s going, if it’s safe for someone, say, theoretically, to plant illegal listening devices, and I might be able to arrange for that someone to know when Rutledge is on his way back.”

Layne turned away from Merry and grinned at the mouth of his beer. Then he took a slug.

Merry ascertained that Rutledge was home and asked for updates on his activity. Devin and Dave wandered inside, taking Blondie with them. Merry shook another cigarette out of his pack.

“You might not wanna light that, brother, since I intend to talk to you about Mia,” Layne told him and Merry’s eyes cut to Layne.

“Don’t go there,” he warned.

“Sorry, I’m gonna,” Layne returned.

“None of your business, Tanner.”

“She cheat on you?” Layne asked.

“Tanner –”

That meant no.

“Bust your balls?” Layne cut him off.

Merry looked away and lit his cigarette.

“Was she shit in bed?”

Merry exhaled and then his jaw got tight.

That meant no too. A big no.

“You think about her when you fuck your other women?” Layne pushed and Merry’s eyes sliced to him.

“Shut it, Tanner.”

“You do,” Layne murmured.

“Fuck off,” Merry clipped.

“Not doin’ any of those other women a favor, closin’ your eyes and thinkin’ of Mia,” Layne remarked.

Merry was silent.

“You can fuck your way through the ‘burg, you care about her and can’t get her outta your head, you’re never gonna find that again,” Layne told him.

“Roc’s had a tough weekend, brother, don’t think she’ll wanna rush out to your backyard and wade into a fistfight between her brother and her man,” Merry threatened.

Layne ignored him and advised, “Get back in there.”

Merry didn’t respond.

“Look around and learn, Garrett, don’t waste time.”

Merry took a drag from his cigarette.

“You did me a favor, brother, you took a chance and pushed me into makin’ the right decision. Now, I’m returnin’ that favor,” Layne stated.

Merry wrapped three fingers around his bottle of beer, lifted it and took a pull.

“It’s all around you, Garrett, wake the fuck up,” Layne whispered and Merry didn’t turn his head but his eyes slid to Layne.

“What?” he asked curtly.

“Colt and Feb, Cal and Vi, Roc and me. Jesus, just look at Cal. Fuck, what happened to him? Now I see him laughin’.” When Merry made no comment, Layne went on. “I remember Mia had a wicked funny sense of humor.”

Merry looked away.

“This is what I know,” Layne started. “Life was what life was for me and after Rocky, it was never great. What sucks more is knowin’ that Rocky led a life that also wasn’t great. That sucks more, Merry.” Layne stood and looked down at Merry who kept his eyes to Layne’s yard and he fired his parting shot. “If Mia feels the way you feel, don’t you wanna stop that?”

Merry closed his eyes and swallowed.

Layne turned and walked into the house.

Layne’s eyes shifted to Devin, who was sitting in an armchair, his head nodding. He needed the couch.

“Dev,” he called and Devin’s heard turned to him. “Try the sectional,” Layne advised.

“Will do, you get your woman upstairs,” Dev returned.

Layne looked down at Rocky who was stretched out with him on the couch, half on him, half off.

He curled up, taking her with him, her head came up, she looked around, pulling her hair out of her face.

Her eyes semi-focused on Devin.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “I fell asleep.”

“No problem, girlie,” Devin whispered back.

She looked at Layne then climbed over him, got to her feet and Layne rolled off the couch right behind her. She lurched toward the stairs, Layne got close and put his hands to her hips, guiding her while calling behind him, “’Night, Dev.”

“’Night, boy.”

They got to the stairs, Rocky bent double, mostly crawling on hands and feet up them while Layne tried not to laugh. She lifted up at the top and staggered into the bedroom. He let her go, closed the door and turned to see she was at her side, reaching under her pillowcase. He watched as she tugged her clothes off, put on his tee, threw back the covers and did a face plant in the bed.

Layne changed, joined her there and turned out the light.

Rocky shifted into him.

“’Night, baby,” she mumbled into his chest.

“’Night, sweetcheeks.”

Her arm tightened for half a second around his stomach and then she was out.

Layne stared at the dark ceiling while his hand moved, sifting into her hair, he pulled it out of her face, off her shoulder and neck, so it all fell down to the bed and on his arm.

Lying there, it occurred to him that life was now just life.

Therefore Tanner Layne smiled before he closed his eyes and fell asleep with his lips tipped up.

Saturday, 1:37 p.m., two weeks later

“I can’t believe Gram’s movin’ back here, that is so cool,” Tripp remarked from the back of the Suburban. He was sitting behind Layne, Keira was in the middle, Jasper behind Rocky.

They’d just seen Vera off at the airport. She was going home to put her condo on the market and sort her shit out. When she came back, she was taking over Rocky’s rental because, even though The Brendel had a waiting list, they were not fond of letting people out of their rental agreements. To get out, Rocky would have to pay through the nose. The market was good in Vera’s area but she wasn’t going to wait it out, just sort her shit, put the stuff she couldn’t pack in at Rocky’s in storage and she was going to take her time finding a place to settle in the ‘burg. The Brendel’s rent was a little steep but Layne was going to help until the agreement ran its course and Vera was in her own space.

Rocky was moving in the minute Vera returned, sooner, if Layne could talk her into it. She, however, didn’t want to move in until she’d signed the divorce papers, an event that was scheduled to happen late next week. He could see why she wanted that which was why he was letting her make that play.

Layne’s eyes went to the rearview mirror to look at Tripp then they looked out the back window to see the Calais peel off. Devin had followed Vera to return her rental car and driven her to the airport where Layne and his family met them, Vera checked in, they had a drink and they all waved her off as she headed through Security. Now, they were still on I-465.

Layne had no idea where Devin was headed and he’d probably never know. Though it wasn’t home to Ohio. Devin had stayed put on Layne’s couch for the last two weeks and helped Layne with some of his cases. He seemed in no hurry to head back to Cleveland. Layne expected there would be a conversation later on down the line considering Vera and Devin had grown tight but he was glad that conversation had not yet happened. Things were settling. Roc was seeing a therapist twice a week. She liked her. The good life was shifting to beautiful and Layne didn’t want anything to rock that boat, such as having his best friend and mother officially hooking up.