He looked down at Jussy. “Bianca?”
Her lips trembled and she nodded.
“Fuck,” he grunted and turned his attention back to Keaton. “You know she’s famous.”
Jussy’s body got tight in his arms.
He held her closer.
Chace nodded. “It’s early but from what she’s shared, this isn’t about that. It’s about this Bianca. We got guys up at her house and the crime unit is headin’ up there now to see if he left us anything.” His voice changed, went cautious and he said, “He used gloves so we reckon no prints but she tore through during the struggle and got some of his skin. We got that.”
Tore through…got some of his skin.
Christ almighty.
Deke closed his eyes and hefted up Jussy so she was resting right against his heart, her head tucked under his chin.
He opened his eyes and ordered Chace, “Call Krys. She needs clothes and shit. Get your boys to let Krys do her thing at Jussy’s place. She’s comin’ with me to my trailer.”
Chace’s body shifted. “Deke, man, this guy gave her girl a week to pay whatever he’s owed and said he was comin’ back. Not thinkin’ the trailer is a good idea. It’s remote and easy to breach.”
“She won’t be alone.”
“She’ll be a lot less alone and a lot safer she stays with Tate and Lauren or Lexie and Ty. They both got security systems.”
Deke set his jaw and said, “She’s gonna be with me.”
“Deke—”
“Jonas ain’t a kid anymore but they’ve had enough shit, it came right to their front door, they don’t need more. So Tate and Laurie are out. You know the same with Ty and Lexie and they do got kids, little ones and a lot of those fuckers. So it’s gonna be the trailer.”
Jussy was still trembling and his words made her do it more so Deke started stroking her back.
“Deke, dammit—” Chace started.
Deke cut him off. “You got the resources, keep a unit at the trailer. I don’t give a fuck. Won’t matter, I’ll talk to the crew and they’ll take shifts, keeping an eye. But she barely knows Tate and Laurie and I don’t think she’s even met Ty and Lexie. She needs to be with me.”
“I want to be with Deke.”
That came from Jussy.
Her voice didn’t sound right, scratchy and hoarse, and Deke checked it, hearing that too.
He made no response physically or verbally to Chace. He just stared at his friend to make his point.
Chace looked from Deke to Jussy and his face got soft. “Right, Justice. Whatever way you want it. We’ll do our best to put Deke’s trailer on patrol and if we can, keep units out there.” He looked to Deke. “Need you on speed dial, man, and you get the crew set up. Haven’t been to her house so I don’t know what we’re working with, professional or somethin’ else. Glass shattering says something else. Professional would get in another way and that’s the one bit of good news we got so far. But I gotta see. In the meantime, you don’t take any chances and we’ll have an unmarked follow you when you go, keep a look out to see if…”
He trailed off but Deke got him.
Whoever did this to her might have eyes on her. If they had an unmarked following them to Deke’s trailer, they’d spot a tail.
“Tate won’t get made,” Deke told him.
“Then I’m callin’ Krys and I’m callin’ Tate,” Chace replied and his gaze dropped to Jussy. “Justice, I’m gonna step out. Make a few calls. Sort a few things. Then we can let you go and you can get home with Deke. Once we process it, I’ll give you your phone before you go and I need you to make your calls and give me anything you got. Right?”
“I remember the plan, Lieutenant Keaton,” she said quietly.
Chace nodded.
“You keep a lid on this,” Deke demanded and got Chace’s attention back.
His words were firm when he replied, “We are.”
Deke meant Jussy didn’t need the media crawling all over this.
He figured Chace knew what he meant but Chace also knew they really didn’t need the media to be crawling all over this. After Dalton the serial killer and Arnie Fuller’s bullshit, Carnal had a definite reputation and that reputation was national. They were coming out of dark times and hitting the light. So Deke hoped like fuck not one cop in that building wanted to do anything that might threaten that.
He looked down at Jussy and she must have felt it because she tipped her head back and looked up at him.
Christ, the motherfucker did a number on her.
Deke beat that back and said, “Need you to sit in here two minutes while I talk to Chace.”
More scratchy and Deke had to beat that back too when she replied, “You can talk in front of me.”
“Need you to give that to me, Jussy.”
She stared at him. She pressed closer into him.
Then she relaxed and nodded.
He slid off the table, took her to a chair and carefully put her in it.
He noticed the ice pack she’d been using was on the table probably where she dumped it to run out when she heard him bellowing.
He reached to it, tagged it and handed it to her.
“Back on your face,” he ordered.
She nodded, took it, staring in his eyes the whole time, and put it to her face.
“Good, gypsy,” he whispered. “Be right back.”
“Right, Deke.”