Strays

Bomb Drop

Chapter Fifteen

Stockton State Prison

Tully

When I got the call that Teller wants to meet with Juicy, all kinds of red flags go off in my mind. Juice was supposed to handle Linn this morning, but a rat got in the way before he could. My pretty Puerto Rican did manage to get the information we needed, though, so I count that as a partial win — for now.

We get into the room and the cuffs come off. I nod to Larry and he leaves us alone.

"Had to come up," I explain. "Only way I could secure the room. Pretty Puerto Rican's on his way."

"Okay, I appreciate it," he says, nodding.

Taking a breath, I start this meeting just like any other. "Talked to Otis. Heard our black-and-white problem's been solved."

"Yeah. He's a solid guy," he comments absently.

I nod. "Juice wasn't able to put Linn down. There's a rat I still need to sniff out. He'll get dealt with, don't worry about that. But he did get the confession you needed."

"That's good... for now."

I think for a moment, choosing my next words carefully. "And when that happens, what about Ortiz? Does that pay off his sins?"

"I'm not sure," he admits before shifting the conversation entirely. "I don't know how much she told you about how we took the news, but... I am happy for you guys."

Took the news? What news? "Thanks," I say, keeping my face stone-cold.

"You ready for things to change so soon after getting out?" he continues casually.

My lips purse. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"It's just... a baby really changes things. It did for me anyway." He shrugs. "I would've thought you'd want Jayce all to yourself for a while."

I know those words didn't just come out of his mouth in that order. My head snaps up. "What the hell are you talking about? What baby?"

"Jesus Christ." He freezes, realizing his mistake. "She didn't tell you?"

Suddenly, it's clear why my burner had so many missed calls. We've got new guards on my block, and I haven't broken them in yet enough to risk making a call.

"She told you before me?" My voice comes out flat, but inside it's chaos — heat crawling up my neck, pulse pounding in my ears. Crusher's gone, my future's balancing on a razor's edge, and now... this. A baby. And I'm the last to know.

Lighting up a cigarette, Jax says evenly, "I know it's some male thing, wanting to know before everyone else. But Jaycee doesn't work like that. Even when we're at odds, family's the first she tells everything to. It's ingrained in her."

I don't like the foreign feelings welling up inside of me, trepidation, dread, and frustration. This little girl is having the pretty Pecan Rican's baby. She told everyone before me. Things were murky before, but now they're drowning in shadows.

"So she's decided to keep it," I say flatly. "The baby, I mean."

He nods, eyes closed. "Yeah. It's the Irish in her. Very maternal."

It's then that we hear three sharp knocks, and the door opens. 

Juice

"Ortiz. Tully's waiting for you. Arms out."

I give the guard a confused look but comply, wrists forward. I assume this is about Linn. About how I failed. Sure, I got the information on who snitched, but before I could slip my shiv in, the guards busted in, cut him down, and tossed us both in the hole for three days.