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CAM WALKED INTO THE eighteen-story high rise located in downtown Houston. He crossed the transparent domed entry way and to the elevators. Pushed the button.
Should he just jump into it? Or should he make nicety talk first?
Fuck, he hated this shit.
Firstly, because he hated asking anybody for anything. Always one to be self-reliant.
Secondly, he'd most likely get shit for not bringing Bree by to visit lately.
Thirdly, the mayor had no reason to help out any of the Wolfe brothers. Unlike Jags, Cam knew his marriage to the mayor's daughter would earn him no consideration.
Lastly, Ajay would make a terrible police officer. Ever since he got home from war, he'd been on edge, fidgety and hitting the bottle and smokes hard.
The elevator door opened. Cam entered and pushed the button for the eighteenth floor.
Ajay simply wasn't balanced enough right now, not for police work, line cook work or any other kind of work. He needed more time to acclimate.
But Jags disagreed.
And Jags wanted this for Ajay.
And he wanted Cam to help make it happen.
And Jags always gets what he wants.
Fuck.
The elevator reached the top and Cam walked across the extravagant oval lobby.
Receptionist waved him toward the closed double doors. "He's expecting you. Go right in."
Cam entered. He walked past the cobblestone hutch and bookcase and to the matching desk. Opposite Cam, the mayor peered at his monitor, giving Cam no mind.
"Mayor?"
"Yes. Yes. Just a moment." Absently, he tilted his head, gesturing to the cushy chair to Cam's left.
Cam waited.
Waited.
And waited.
Sighing, he sat in the cushy chair. Leaning forward, forearms on his thighs, Cam glared across the desk at his wife's father. The man. The myth. The legend.
Fuck, he hated this shit.
The mayor turned his focus from the monitor, smiled. "This should be good."
Hands on the arms of the cushy chair, Cam made to stand up and leave.
Hesitated.
Forced himself back into the fucking cushy chair.
The mayor scoffed. "Should definitely be good. What can I do for you Cameron?"
"Ajay's applying to be a police officer for the Montgomery Sheriff's department."
The mayor smiled. He rested his arms on the desk and clasped his hands. "And this is my problem because?"
"He's got priors and he failed the psych evaluation."
The mayor sighed, deep and long. "Has it occurred to you that maybe Ajay wouldn't make a very good police officer?"
"Oh yeah."
"And yet here you are." The mayor curled a fist in front of his mouth, significant contemplation in his narrowed gaze. "Four times now we've made reservations at the Papas Bros Steakhouse. Four times we've had to cancel those reservations."
"Things been crazy at the restaurant."
"Of course. Do you have an approximation as to when things will not be crazy at the restaurant? I haven't seen Maggie since the wedding. I don't think its too much to have dinner with my daughter and her husband from time to time and by 'time-to-time' I mean every week. Sunday evenings work best for me."
Cam sighed. "Every week? Can't promise anything."
"You want me to help with your Ajay problem?"
Cam huffed. "Yup."
"Give me what I want and I will do everything in my power to get what you want."
Grimace. "Fine. Dinner. Third Sunday of every month."
"Done."
Cam slapped his palms on the wooden arms of the chair. He stood and went to the door.
"Wait."
Cam looked back.
"I'll see what I can do about the priors. But I can't get him past the psych eval. Or rather I won't, even if I could. Fair enough?"
"Yup."
––––––––
THE MAYOR ENTERED DETECTIVE Felton's office. "Good afternoon."
Detective Felton waved him in. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm here about Ajay Wolfe's application."
"No."
"You haven't even heard me out."
"Guy's a menace. A total fucking nut case."
"He's one of the military's finest. You'd do well by having him on your side as opposed to against it."
"Drum up all the black mail material you want. No fucking way am I giving that guy a gun and releasing him to the public."
"All I'm asking is to overlook the priors."
The detective scoffed. "He'll never pass the psych eval."
"I know."