Jaxon kept her tucked against his side, one big arm wrapped around her waist like he was afraid she might disappear if he let go. She leaned into him, breathing in the smell of smoke and sweat and the faint trace of leather that was so uniquely him. Her Daddy. Her safe place.
Ezra cleared his throat. “I know this is hard, but I need to ask you both a few questions while it’s still fresh.”
Jaxon’s arm tightened around her. “Make it quick.”
Tazzy nodded, squeezing Jaxon’s hand. “It’s okay, Daddy. I can do this.”
She told them everything she could remember about the black SUV, the General’s cold smile, the way he had monologued about his brilliance and how he was going to make Jaxon suffer by watching her burn.
Her voice shook when she described Reggie being shot, but she managed to keep going. Jaxon stayed silent beside her, his jaw clenched so tight she could see the muscle jumping.
When she finished, it was Jaxon’s turn to explain what had happened after he got there and how the General had died.
Ezra nodded. “Thanks for talking with us now, while it’s all fresh in your mind. I know that wasn’t easy. We’ll go get statements from the rest of the team. You two can go get cleaned up. The DPD will handle the scene here.”
Jaxon stood and helped her to her feet, but they didn’t make it far before Liam stopped them. “Oh, I do have one more thing I’d like to mention. You said that you knew Tazzy was here because Phillip Thorne called and told you, correct?”
Jaxon tried to hide his irritation, but Tazzy knew him too well. “He did. If he hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t have made it in time. Still not sure why he called me, but I’m damn sure glad he did.”
Liam nodded. “He called us, too. Evidently, not too long after you talked to him. He told us about the General and said he was flyingback to California, and if we needed anything else, to contact him there.”
“What does that mean?”
“Nothing really. It just makes it harder to reach him. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but the new DA was putting together an indictment against Thorne based on some of the things that the General told us. According to the General, it was Thorne who was the mastermind behind all of the drug and human trafficking. Said his part was to look the other way. Of course, he would say that, but a lot of it made sense. And without the General, there’s no case against him.”
Jaxon grew still. “Are you trying to say Thorne told me where to find Tazzy in the hopes that I would kill the General?”
“Kinda ironic, you didn’t have to, isn’t it. Seeing as the General wound up killing himself,” Ezra said.
“I’d say Poetic”. Tazzy said, “And if you’re insinuating that Jaxon is lying, don’t forget there were witnesses.”
Jaxon pulled her closer. “I don’t think that’s what he’s saying, Darkling. Ezra’s a friend.” Turning his gaze to Ezra, he added, “And frankly, I don’t give a damn about Thorne’s motives. I’m just glad he called.”
Ezra nodded. “So am I, for Tazzy’s sake. It’s just too bad we couldn’t have gotten them both behind bars. Considering the amount of money involved, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing Thorne again.”
“We done here, Ezra?” Jaxon asked.
“You’re free to go,” Ezra said, waving his clipboard toward the road.
Liam McKenna gave them a respectful nod. “Take care of her, Jaxon.”
Jaxon lifted Tazzy onto the back of his Harley. God, it felt good to be sitting on his bike again. She wrapped her arms around his waist. Pressing the side of her helmet to his back, she held on tight as he started the engine, the familiar rumble somehow soothing. Instead of heading toward the warehouse as she expected, he turned the bike toward town.
She tapped his shoulder. “Where are we going?”
He didn’t answer. He just reached back and gave her thigh a gentle, reassuring squeeze.
They pulled up in front of the courthouse a few minutes later. Jaxon killed the engine and helped her off the bike. She looked up at the old brick building, confused.
“What are we doing, Daddy?”
He took her hand and led her up the steps without a word. Vivi was waiting on the top step, dressed in a simple sundress and a big smile.
Tazzy managed a smile and a wave. “Hi, Vivi. What are you doing here?”
Vivi smiled softly. “There was just something I had to do at the courthouse today.”
Jaxon didn’t stop. With no explanation whatsoever, he led her inside and straight to the probate judge’s chambers.