Trained One ✓

Chapter 12

I exited the hotel with Jay and his two guys without any trouble, but then again, I'd been leaving the hotel around this time for the past week and a half. I didn't expect anyone to be up. They were all sound asleep in their beds and it made sense to be why no one could see to find many spottings of gang activity during the day. Everyone was out at night and if they were out in the daytime, well, they knew the backstreets better than my co-workers did.

As I went to leave the hotel and walk out onto the sidewalk, I noticed that Jay and his crew had veered off to the side and toward the parking lot. Quickly, I ran to catch up to them, falling into step next to him.

I looked up at him but he kept his eyes straight ahead.

"You have a car?" I asked.

His eyes found mine for a second and I saw the annoyance in them.

"You could have picked me up from the alley ways in your car but I've been walking around this whole time?" I accused. I didn't really mind but I still found it odd.

Most of the time, I saw the gang out and walking lately.

"And you parked it here?" My eyes widened as he unlocked a large sedan, the lights flickering as he did so. "Every other time I was with him, he dropped me off like, miles and miles from the hotel," I exaggerated, not wanting to say Travis' name out loud.

Jay rolled his eyes and looked innocently at me from the top of his car, his hands resting on the hood. "We're just three businessmen, coming in here for a meeting," he replied professionally. I realized that apart from the blood stain on his shirt and their massive size, they were all dressed very formal and his words could sound true to anyone who didn't know him.

"It would look weird if we didn't park here," he argued and hopped in.

The two guys got into the backseat and I felt bad. I opened the front door and stuck my head in, looking at them.

"Do one of you want to sit in the front?" I asked.

"No thanks," one said while the other shook his head to decline.

I hesitantly got in the front and moved my seat up as much as I could so the guy behind me could have as much legroom as possible. They were much bigger, both width wise and height wise so surely they would appreciate the extra leg room if they got the front seat but I guess not.

Jay started driving and it was weird to be in the car with one of the Casey members and not be flying at least twenty miles over the speed limit. He was actually going the speed limit, coming to a full stop at all of the stop signs, and using his blinker. Jay was probably a better driver than I was.

I turned around in my seat.

"I'm Lacey, by the way." I waved at the men.

One of them chuckled but tried to hide it with his hand.

"They know who you are," Jay said, keeping his eyes on the road.

I turned to look back at the guys in the backseat and one shrugged, guilty.

"You can call me Q and this is Max. We all know who you are," Q explained with a shrug, trying not to look too guilty. I tried not to point out that Max obviously was the odd man out of this 'letter thing' Jay and Q had going on. Though, I suspected Q wasn't the name on his birth certificate.

Sitting forward, I let his words soak in. That seemed to be a trend yet I never knew who anyone was. The girl at the hospital, Hannah, knew who I was after three years of time. Jay and Eli knew who I was before I knew them, Officer Gordon and all of the Dacosta gang knew who I was. And now apparently all of the Casey gang knew who I was.