Shadows Redeemed (Garrison Security Innovations #4)

Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

PARKER GRIPPED THE STEERING wheel tightly as he pulled up to the small apartment complex on the outskirts of New Orleans, where Jacob said his friend, Dominick, lived. At least the man lived there the last time Jacob spoke to him, which, granted, wasn’t recently.. Who knew if things had changed with as long as Jacob had been under?

Parker stared at the front of the building. He hadn’t seen Dominick in years, not since high school really, when he and Jacob were inseparable and before his brother had entered the police academy. But if anyone knew what Jacob had gotten himself into, it would be Dominick. The two had stayed in touch no matter how deep Jacob went undercover. The man was Jacob’s outlet, his venting post.

Taking a deep breath, Parker slid out of his car and headed toward the apartment door, steeling himself for whatever Dominick might say. Jacob had told him to stay away from the man, which made Parker’s antennae go up. Surely, the man knew something. As he knocked on the door, he only hoped his old friend would help—for Jacob’s sake.

After a few moments, the door creaked open and a dark-haired Dominick peered out, his brow furrowed. “Holy shit. Parker? Wow! What’s it been? Ten? Twelve years? What are you doing here?”

Patrick sighed, feeling his shoulders slump slightly. “It’s about Jacob. I need your help. Do you mind if I come in? It’s kind of important.”

The man hesitated, then sighed as he opened the door wider to let Parker enter, stepping back and to the side. “All right. Come on. But if you’re here for what I think you are, you need to stay out of it. I’m warning you, your brother’s in deep with some dangerous people who want his head. You’ll only get hurt. You’re a teacher, dude. Go back to school and let your brother play cop.”

Parker stepped past Dominick into the cramped apartment, his heart pounding as he ignored the man’s suggestions. “You’re right. That’s why I’m here. I need to know what you know. I know Jacob tells you everything. He always has. So… you have to tell me what’s going on.”

“You think those idiots Nealey and Sullivan haven’t come here demanding the same damn thing?” He closed the door, shaking his head. “What makes you think I’m just going to tell you?”

“Because he’s my bother and I’m not one of those dipshit detectives. If you know something that can clear my brother’s name, then I need you to share it with me. Now!”

Dominick ran a hand through his hair, looking troubled. “Look, it doesn’t matter. The Broussards are after Jacob, as are the cops. Neither side is full of people you want to mess with. The Broussards are mixed up in some seriously shady shit, and the cops, well, they’re pissed because they think your brother killed one of their own.”

All right, Jacob left that part out. Not surprising. It didn’t matter, however. “That’s bullshit, and you know it. And Jacob wouldn’t get himself mixed up with the Broussards. He told me he was undercover.” He slammed his fists onto his hips as he spun in a circle, trying to find the answers he needed.

Dominick moved over to the recliner and dropped into it. “I don’t know the specifics, or what to tell you. From what I heard, it has something to do with a big drug deal that went bad and a cop was shot because of it. A witness claimed they saw Jacob do it. My guess? Your brother got in over his head, and now the Broussards want him dead and the NOPD wants his head.” He shook his head. “Listen, I meant it. You need to stay out of this. If the Broussards find out you’re snooping around, they won’t hesitate to come after you as well.”

Parker felt a chill run down his spine. “I can’t just sit back and do nothing. He’s my brother, damn it. And he’s innocent. I’m going to help him, no matter what. I had thought you’d have his back as well. You two are supposed to be best friends, after all.”

“Watch it. The fact he’s my best friend is why I haven’t told those bullshit cops your brother’s out at that dank hangout of yours.” He shook his head again. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. These people are not to be screwed with. You’re going to get yourself hurt, if not killed.”

Parker said nothing, just blew out a breath of frustration and headed back to his car, his mind racing. Drugs. A cop dead. The Broussards and the NOPD after Jacob. It was worse than his brother knew. He had to clear his brother’s name, and do it in a way that both the Broussards and the NOPD left Jacob alone. It was the only way to keep him safe.

Determined, Parker drove to the Bayou Bar, a dimly lit establishment on the edge of the city known to be a hangout for the Broussard family according to some of the people he talked to already. If he could find a Broussard and get them to talk, maybe he could get some answers. Real answers. Even if whoever he found didn’t want to give the answers, what they didn’t say might do the same thing without them even knowing about it. At least, it would if he learned anything from following Sage and his brother around, as well as the brief time he spent with Sage’s mentor. Being a detective was all about paying attention.

As he pulled into the bar, he took a moment to gather his nerves. He knew he was likely walking into a dangerous situation, but he had to try. Jacob’s life depended on it. With a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and pushed open the door, stepping inside.

The bar was smoky and dimly lit, with a few patrons scattered around the room. Parker scanned the area, looking for any sign of the Broussards. It didn’t take long before his eyes landed on a young man, perhaps a couple of years younger than him, sitting at the bar, nursing a drink. Parker recognized him from the papers, his chiseled features and dark hair, which revealed his Broussard ancestry.

Taking a deep breath, he approached the man, trying to look as casual as possible, and slid onto a stool beside him. The kid had one hand wrapped around a glass of whiskey while his other held his smartphone, browsing at… A dating site?

Parker chuckled as he shook his head. “Do you actually have luck on those sites?” He flagged down the bartender and ordered a vodka on the rocks.

The kid shrugged. “Rarely, and when it does, some of those girls are wiiiiillllld.” He bobbed his head as he laughed and waggled his brow.

Parker did his best not to roll his eyes. “So much for true love, huh?”

“Hey, who wants love these days?” The man shook his head, chuckling as if he knew the secret to life. “Women lead to trouble, and no one needs that.”

Parker scoffed. “Ain’t that the truth?” Then he cocked his head to the side as he looked over at the man, narrowing his eyes for a moment. “Hey, wait. Didn’t I see your picture in the paper? You’re a Broussard, right?” He leaned back on his stool as the bartender set his glass in front of him. “You don’t even need that dating app, I bet. What woman wouldn’t want a night alone with a Broussard? Your family’s practically royalty around here.”

The man narrowed his eyes as a dangerous expression clouded his face. “What do you know about it?”

He shrugged. “Just what I’ve heard from my brother. He works for your family. Jacob Franklin. Maybe you know him.”

The man’s eyes widened for a quick second before he schooled himself into a mask of neutrality. “You’re Jacob’s brother, huh? Well, I’m guessing you haven’t talked to him lately or you wouldn’t be here.” He lifted his drink and took a slow sip before setting the glass back on the bar and turning to face Parker more. “Not smart to come in here. We’re not real big fans of your brother right now. You could get yourself hurt just to send him a message.”

Parker reached out and pulled his glass closer as he looked over his shoulder for any muscle who lingered in the shadows. Luc was not the type to go without protection at his beck and call. “I know what you think he did, but he didn’t do it. I’m trying to prove that. If you know anything that could help, it would be greatly appreciated.” He turned back around, picking up his drink and taking a slow sip as he watched the man in the mirror behind the bar.

The man snorted and took a sip of his drink. “Sorry, pal, but I got nothin’ to say to you except tell your brother when we find him it won’t be pretty. You see, your brother owes us a lot of money, and we intend to collect. One way or another. And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay the hell out of our way or suffer your brother’s fate.”

Frustrated, Parker slid his hand off his glass as he opened his mouth to argue, but before a word slid out of his mouth, someone grabbed his arm from behind, jerking him upright, his stool scraping against the wood floor.

“You got a problem, mister?” a gruff voice asked from behind him.

Parker glanced over his shoulder once more to see a large, burly man snarling behind him. He must have been hiding in a shadow because he wasn’t there a minute ago. At least it proved Parker was right about Luc’s need for protection. “Um, no problem.” His heart raced as he tried to remain calm. It had been too long since he had been in a bar brawl. “Just having a friendly chat here. That’s all.” He held a hand up. “My mistake. I’ll just be going now.”

The man leaned in closer. “That might be the best idea you’ve had today. You don’t want to be disturbin’ Mr. Broussard’s quiet time.”

Parker’s stomach twisted as he jerked his gaze back to the younger man still sitting at the bar, acting as if there wasn’t a struggle happening right beside him. “Look, Jacob’s innocent, and I’m going to prove it. Tell your father that. Tell him Parker Franklin always makes good on his promises. He doesn’t need to go after my brother. I’ll find who took his drugs. I swear it.”

The man shook his head as he lifted his glass into the air, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “Too late for that, I’m afraid. Your brother’s made his bed, and now he has to lie in it.” He then turned to Parker and sneered. “Perhaps you should lie in it as well.” He gave a quick uplift of his chin and the man who had Parker in his grip jerked him the rest of the way off the stool and dragged him toward the front door.

“Let me go! Look, listen to me. I’ll find your drugs. It wasn’t my brother!” But his pleas fell on deaf ears.

The thick-bodied brute slammed Parker into the door, tossing him roughly to the dirty sidewalk outside. Parker landed with a thud, the wind knocked out of him. As he lay there, gasping for breath, he heard a car door slamming, but couldn’t move to see who it was.

“Well, this looks familiar.”

He rolled to his hands and knees, the grit of the sidewalk digging into his skin even through his pants. Looking up, he noticed the familiar smirk of the redhead he had thought his brother was too good for. “Sage?” A quick glance behind her showed several others, most with arms crossed or their hands on their hips as they stared down at him. He turned his gaze back to the fiery redhead. “You came.” He looked behind her once more. “And you brought help, it seems.”

She crossed her arms over her chest as she thrust a hip out, smirking once more. “Yeah, and from the look of it, you need it. What the hell were you doing in there?”

He groaned as he pushed himself to his feet, brushing off his pants as a low chuckle rumbled out of him. “Oh, you know. Just getting the lay of the land.” With a deep breath, he stood, stretching his back. “The Bayou Bar is a well-known hangout for the Broussards. I wanted to know where they stood on Jacob.”

“And?”

He looked at her. “It’s not good, and I’m not sure how much longer he has. I need to figure this out. And fast.”

She sighed, dropping her arms to her side. “Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m a big softie, huh? Come on. Follow us back to our hotel and you can figure us out.”

He tilted his head. “Hey, how did you even know I was here?”

She laughed as she pointed to one of the men behind her. “Meet Blaze. He’s great with computers, and every phone is a just little computer. Now let’s go.” Without another word, she spun on her heel and headed to an over-sized van.

Parker stood there for a moment, his gaze fixed on her ass as it swayed back and forth. Jacob, you were an idiot for letting her get away from you.

He sighed as he headed to his own car.