Page 61 of True North

I took the rocks, tucking them in my pocket where I intended to keep them all day long, just as she asked. I might not get anything out of that kind of stuff, but if it helped ease her or her daughter, I would gladly do it.

“Thank you, Cheryl. I’ll keep them on me, I promise.”

She took my face in her hands and pulled me down to press a motherly kiss to my cheek. “Look out for yourself today, okay? You’ll do what you need to do because you’re a man of honor, but no unnecessary or foolish risks. You hear me?”

I grinned down at her. “Yes ma’am.” With that, she patted me on my shoulder and sent me on my way.

Archer was grinning like an idiot the moment I climbed into his truck. “Aw, did Mommy pack you a lunch for your first day?”

I reached across the console and punched him in the arm. “You’re making fun, but don’t come bitching to me when you get hungry and I’ve got an Italian sub to fill me up.” His expression instantly changed, bouncing from the lunch kit to the house and back again. “Uh-uh. Don’t even think about it. You don’t get to make fun, then ask her to make your lunch too.”

His expression pulled into a pout as he shifted into drive and headed out. “You know, you can be a real jerk sometimes.”

I stood in in center of the bullpen, facing the entire squad, arms folded over my chest and feet planted shoulder-width apart.

Archer took a completely different position. He was sitting on the desk behind me, the picture of relaxation, but I knew the truth, he was scanning each and every one of these assholes, taking their measure and scouting who could potentially be a threat.

“Who’s that guy?” one of the uniformed officers asked, condescension in his tone as he jerked his chin at Archer.

“This is Archer Crews. He’s new to the Ashland Police Department.”

Simmons stood from his desk, moving in Archer’s direction. I wasn’t sure what he was playing at when he lifted his hand Arch’s way and said, “Simmons. Looking forward to working with you.”

Archer simply stared at his hand before slowly dragging his eyes to the man’s pinched face, not deigning to uncross his arm and shake his hand.

When Simmons realized it was pointless, he moved to me. “Chief,” he said with a tilt of his chin. “I know we might not have always seen eye-to-eye, but I’m ready for that to change. I’m looking forward to working for you.”

I took stock of the sniveling piece of shit, knowing his stomach was probably turning at having to say those words. He didn’t mean it. And at the first opportunity, he and every one of the pricks in this building would shove a knife straight in my back without hesitation.

“Hand over your piece.”

His brows slammed together in confusion. “What?”

“I said hand me your gun. Now.”

He hesitated before unclipping his holster and removing his Glock. As soon as he handed it to me, I passed it back to Archer to be unloaded. Then I plucked the badge right off his shirt.

Leaning in with a shit-eating grin, I spoke loud enough for everyone to hear me. “Told you I’d be the one to take that badge away.” My smile fell, my voice going hard. “Now get the fuck out of my building.”

“What?”

“You’re fired.” Scanning the room, I spoke to every other person in there, aside from Archer. “That goes for every single one of you. You’re a disgrace to the badge and the people of this town. Therefore, you’re no longer needed.”

“You can’t just fire us!” one of the fuckwits in the back of the bullpen called out.

“Can and have.”

Simmons’s face started to glow red as he took a step closer to me. “You think you can take us all on? Just you and, what? That guy?” he finished, sneering Archer’s way.

The man in question stood up and moved to the double glass doors, pulling them open to let in the crew of deputies Sheriff Clarke had loaned me until I could rebuild my department with solid, trustworthy police.

His eyes went round as the men and women I’d hand selected lined the walls, braced and ready for action if necessary. And they weren’t the only ones I had at my back. “You were saying?”

His entire body began to vibrate with rage. “You’re going to regret this, Hastings.”

“Not today, I won’t. Now get the fuck out, or I’ll remove you myself.”

The silence in the room was practically deafening as the shame of Ashland moved out the doors. And they were in for another surprise as soon as they got outside. I watched, positively delighted, as the men stiffened at the sight of the leather clad bikers standing in uniformed lines on either side of the building’s entrance. Pope and his men were standing sentry outside the building, ready to handle shit if anyone decided to be stupid. Which, with this group of assholes, was a strong possibility.