Mack waved to her, then found Luca in the room and headed over. When he slid into the seat across the table, Luca got a look at the dark circles under his eyes.
“Long shift?”
“I got off late last night. It’s been a long few days, so I slept until about an hour ago.”
Luca nodded. “Smart, resting while you can.”
“I have today off. I might go see a movie later or something. And get some food, because there’s nothing in my apartment.” He glanced aside at Dolly, who held out her carafe of coffee. Mack upended his mug, and she poured. “Thanks, Dolly. I’ll have the ham and Swiss sandwich.”
“You got it.” She glanced at Luca. “And for you?”
“Cheeseburger and fries.”
“I’ll be back.” She turned and wandered away.
“How is it going, being an EMT? You like it?”
Mack shrugged one shoulder. “It isn’t exactly what I expected, and I’m still a rookie, but being closer to downtown means some nights are back-to-back calls. I’m pretty sure Hammer expected me to go back to school, not just get an EMT cert and go to work.”
“I think he just wants you to find something you enjoy doing. Preferably something legal.” Luca smiled.
“I knew for a fact it wasn’t going to be something boring.” Mack shook his head. “Not after fighting wildfires for two years and everything that happened.”
Luca took a sip of his coffee. “Boring can be good sometimes. A little bit of peace is good for the soul. But I get what you mean about needing something high-energy. Transitioning to being an investigator has been interesting.”
“I’m just glad things have settled down a bit.” Mack sniffed. “Hammer is here, and he’s with his family. Dad is…whatever.”
“Have you talked to him at all?”
Mack shot him a look. “I know you’re still investigating that whole thing and you went to talk to him. One of the old ladies at church, her son is a corrections officer. He said he saw you come in and talk to my dad.”
“Sorry. I could’ve given you a heads-up,” Luca said. “But I need him to tell me what he knows about this shadow syndicate. Rousseau isn’t giving us anything.”
“You really think there’s some criminal empire in Renegade?”
“If there is, I want to know. I don’t want to bury my head in the sand.”
“Seems like you’re just asking for trouble, digging up things people don’t want anyone to know.”
Luca studied the guy. Barely into his twenties, but in some ways, he seemed like he was much older. And yet in others, as if he was more vulnerable than he should be. “You’ve had to face a lot the last few months. Realizing the kind of man your dad is and him going to jail. All those charges.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m anything like him.”
“No one would ever believe you were.” Luca wondered something. “Did you become an EMT to help people, to try and convince everyone that you’re a good guy?” If someone in his life was hassling him about being the son of Alden Jenkins, Luca wanted to have a word with that person.
“I already have a big brother, Sax. I don’t need another one breathing down my neck.”
“Fine.” Luca spread his fingers, showing his palms. “I’ll back down. But seriously, if anyone is giving you a hard time, you should tell me or Hammer.”
Dolly delivered their plates, and Luca reached for the ketchup, squirting some beside his fries.
Mack lifted one half of his sandwich. “Because I need my big brothers wading in to fight my battles for me?”
“I know what it’s like to take a job so you can be someone other than who everyone thinks you are. That’s why I joined the Army, so I could figure out who I wanted to be and everyone would know I was on the right side because of what uniform I was wearing.”
Mack eyed him, taking a big bite.
“My older brother was already in jail by then. I finished out high school in foster care because it was better than being on the streets. Soon as I was done, I signed up.”