"How are you?"
"I am finally eating at least once a day and sleeping mostly through the night," he said, professing to a broken heart. Laura felt the pangs of mourning the loss of their relationship, as well. The elevator stopped and the doors opened up. Both Will and Laura were heading to the same place, indeed.
Will reached around her and opened the door for her in a gentlemanly gesture. His body brushed hers, making her catch her breath.
"Well, well," greeted Detective Frank Vasquez. "If it isn't the dynamic duo." Will shook the detective's hand. Everyone sat. "I didn't mean to make anyone uncomfortable by calling this meeting. There's a rumor going around that your little brother is making quite a name for himself in the gang he's gotten involved with. Will, were you in an altercation with this gang at Carl's Little Bar a while back?"
Will shrugged. "I knocked some guy flat on his ass. He got in our face while we were having a drink. I wouldn't call it a full-blown altercation."
Detective Vasquez leaned back in his chair and grinned. "That's actually the technical definition of an altercation, Will, and apparently the Marauders aren't forgetful. My guy on the inside said that they are kicking around a little revenge."
Laura interjected, "I thought the guy in the bar was a biker."
"He was," replied Will.
"But Lucas is with a gang," she countered, "and I thought you said bikers had a code."
" We have a code, sweetheart – I mean Laura. The Knights’ Disciples have a code. There are good clubs and bad clubs. Lucas, unfortunately, is in with the bad guys. They can offer him protection against the gang who harassed him, but he's going to owe them now."
Detective Vasquez said, "That's kind of what I am getting at. I think they're going to call in a debt, initiate young Lucas and pay you back for humiliating them at one of the most popular biker bars around."
Fear racked Laura's body. She was young and fit, but her heart beat so hard in her chest that she thought she was going to have a heart attack. She struggled to withstand the emotional pain she felt. She lost her mother and father and had to become the only parent to her kid brother. If she lost him, she would have no one. She didn't have it in her to withstand the loss of her next and last family member.
Will put a hand on her thigh. "Hey there," he said soothingly, "take a breath. It's going to be okay. We'll get him back."
"We've tried everything," she said before dissolving into full-blown sobs. As she cried hard, Laura could hear the guys rush around. There was the definite sound of someone grabbing a tissue box and someone cracking open a bottle of water. She felt a warm hand rest between her shoulder blades, grounding her, calming her.
"Here," Will said handing her the water.
Laura sipped and then she took the tissue Frank offered to clean up her face.
Detective Vasquez looked her directly in the eye. "We're doing our best to extricate Lucas from the situation as we are all the kids while they are still salvageable. I'm obligated to brief you, but you shouldn't feel as though you're to blame for any of this. You haven't had any more incidents of vandalism on your home, have you?" Laura shook her head. "Good. Not being pestered otherwise?"
"No," she answered shortly. Suddenly she was exhausted. "Thanks for filling me in."
"You know," Will began very diplomatically, "Frank, you could just keep me apprised of the details and if there is something pressing that Laura needs to hear, I can tell her. That way we don't upset her unnecessarily."
"That's okay. I have to hear this," she insisted.
"Laura," Will pleaded.
"It's actually a good idea. I have to keep Will informed every step of the way because his guys are the most organic way we have to learning firsthand what their next move is. We can't afford to have you distressed."
"Did you drive here?" Will
"I am finally eating at least once a day and sleeping mostly through the night," he said, professing to a broken heart. Laura felt the pangs of mourning the loss of their relationship, as well. The elevator stopped and the doors opened up. Both Will and Laura were heading to the same place, indeed.
Will reached around her and opened the door for her in a gentlemanly gesture. His body brushed hers, making her catch her breath.
"Well, well," greeted Detective Frank Vasquez. "If it isn't the dynamic duo." Will shook the detective's hand. Everyone sat. "I didn't mean to make anyone uncomfortable by calling this meeting. There's a rumor going around that your little brother is making quite a name for himself in the gang he's gotten involved with. Will, were you in an altercation with this gang at Carl's Little Bar a while back?"
Will shrugged. "I knocked some guy flat on his ass. He got in our face while we were having a drink. I wouldn't call it a full-blown altercation."
Detective Vasquez leaned back in his chair and grinned. "That's actually the technical definition of an altercation, Will, and apparently the Marauders aren't forgetful. My guy on the inside said that they are kicking around a little revenge."
Laura interjected, "I thought the guy in the bar was a biker."
"He was," replied Will.
"But Lucas is with a gang," she countered, "and I thought you said bikers had a code."
" We have a code, sweetheart – I mean Laura. The Knights’ Disciples have a code. There are good clubs and bad clubs. Lucas, unfortunately, is in with the bad guys. They can offer him protection against the gang who harassed him, but he's going to owe them now."
Detective Vasquez said, "That's kind of what I am getting at. I think they're going to call in a debt, initiate young Lucas and pay you back for humiliating them at one of the most popular biker bars around."
Fear racked Laura's body. She was young and fit, but her heart beat so hard in her chest that she thought she was going to have a heart attack. She struggled to withstand the emotional pain she felt. She lost her mother and father and had to become the only parent to her kid brother. If she lost him, she would have no one. She didn't have it in her to withstand the loss of her next and last family member.
Will put a hand on her thigh. "Hey there," he said soothingly, "take a breath. It's going to be okay. We'll get him back."
"We've tried everything," she said before dissolving into full-blown sobs. As she cried hard, Laura could hear the guys rush around. There was the definite sound of someone grabbing a tissue box and someone cracking open a bottle of water. She felt a warm hand rest between her shoulder blades, grounding her, calming her.
"Here," Will said handing her the water.
Laura sipped and then she took the tissue Frank offered to clean up her face.
Detective Vasquez looked her directly in the eye. "We're doing our best to extricate Lucas from the situation as we are all the kids while they are still salvageable. I'm obligated to brief you, but you shouldn't feel as though you're to blame for any of this. You haven't had any more incidents of vandalism on your home, have you?" Laura shook her head. "Good. Not being pestered otherwise?"
"No," she answered shortly. Suddenly she was exhausted. "Thanks for filling me in."
"You know," Will began very diplomatically, "Frank, you could just keep me apprised of the details and if there is something pressing that Laura needs to hear, I can tell her. That way we don't upset her unnecessarily."
"That's okay. I have to hear this," she insisted.
"Laura," Will pleaded.
"It's actually a good idea. I have to keep Will informed every step of the way because his guys are the most organic way we have to learning firsthand what their next move is. We can't afford to have you distressed."
"Did you drive here?" Will
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