Chapter Six

 

    It was absolutely killing Tony not to know what had transpired in the officer’s cabin. He had been worried waiting out in the car for as long as he had picking at his cuticles. He had been expecting his boss to come completely uncorked. Cops and his boss never really meshed well. . He sat and waited to hear some yelling and yet there was nothing. The watch had been quite still and peaceful as leaves slowly fell from the trees and collected on the cabin roof. If his boss were pissed off and had started yelling, those cabin walls would seem to be paper thin. Tony had heard Negan loose his shit plenty. It was a sound that even after all the years spent in his service did it ever not upset him but there had been nothing. Negan had been in the cabin for a good amount of time too. Much longer then he had anticipated so when Negan had returned to the car without his rose, smelling of beer and trying real fucking hard to conceal a smile Tony felt like he had to say something even if he knew it really wasn’t of his concern. He glanced back at Negan starring out his window gently grinning to himself. “I trust it went well, Sir?” He questioned to break the silence. Negan looked from the window to the back of Tony’s head rest. “I suppose.” He replied simply. Tony white knuckled the steering wheel, gripping it so hard that he just wanted to let out a scream. The beer that could be smelt on his breath was merely a hospitable exchange. It wasn’t uncommon for his boss to meet with someone and return smelling of whatever beverage or brandy that had been offered to him. It was the fact that he was missing his goddamn rose from his lapel that was chewing at Tony’s dire curiosity. That and Negan’s smile. His boss only smiled when it concerned his horses but then again, from what he could gather from looking at the officer from a distance that he would be hung like one. Tony wanted to cut threw this formality of his butler status and scream to him like a friend “Tell me EVERYTHING!” But he couldn’t and he knew that so he cleared his throat to try once more but from a different angle and he’d try to draw his own conclusion. “Do you suspect that the officer will play by the book or should we start buckling down the hatches?” He questioned. Negan knew that Tony’s inquiry had been a fair one. This would concern him as well in a big way. “He’s at a stand point right now. He’s a cop. He has the typical formality as well as the demeanor. “ Negan answered setting his feelings aside to give Tony the facts. “But you and I both know that that doesn’t mean jack shit. He’s fresh meat and 1/2 of Canton will consider themselves a pig roast.” He followed up with. Tony slightly nodded keeping his eyes on the road. “Has Mackey touched base with him?” He asked now looking for his boss’s eyes. “No. I don’t believe so. In fact, I know so.” He confirmed. “Hmm...” Tony hummed in disbelief. “That’s odd for Mackey. After all, he’s had that paper a full 24hours ahead of you.” Tony began to point out. “You know that Mackey is a Johnny on the spot kind of guy and he’s sickenly persuasive.” He added in true disgust. Negan nodded in agreement. “I’m surprised too, Tony. It’s unlike Mackey to have not been waiting on his porch steps.” Negan agreed. “But I may have the advantage over this one.” He offered. “Oh?” Tony edged. Now this was going somewhere with the dirt that he really was interested in. Mackey’s bull shit was nothing that they didn’t deal with on the daily but he had to play it off clueless and bit his tongue. “How so?” He asked in a collected tone but inside he was just begging for Negan to come out. “He needs a cat.” Negan answered. “What?” Tony asked shaking his head. Completely not what he was expecting. “He needs a cat?” He questioned unable to contain the elevation in his voice that found a feminine tone. Negan laughed. “Yeah. A cat. He has mice and I happen to have a barn full of mousers. I know just the one I’m going to collar.” He added. “You’re serious?” Tony now laughed taking the liberty. “Oh, you’re damn right I am.” Negan smiled finding his move to be quite appropriate for what had been exchanged between he and the officer in his cabin. Presenting him with a cat would be perfect. “Does he even LIKE cats? I mean cats are an acquired taste.” Tony continued to laugh. His boss had definitely come out of left field with this one. He would gift season court side tickets, black angus, a week at his Colorado condo but a fucking cat? No. This was too damn funny and his laughter couldn’t be bridled. “Doesn’t matter if he likes them or not. He’s getting a cat.” He laughed finding amusement as well with himself imagining Cash’s reaction when he presented the cat and bell. “And are we taking him this said cat this evening?” Tony asked with a snort. “No. It’s too soon and besides he’s busy. He’s picking up his new truck from the Ford dealership right now. He’ll be wanting to mess with his new toy.” He said but Tony found it interesting that he and the officer would just be discussing his mice problem and a new vehicle as if they were old friends. “Tomorrow. Tonight I’ll catch the cat and have the vet out on the morning. I needed to call him out anyway for River’s hoof. He can do a well check on the cat too.” He said relaxing a bit feeling hungry now at the top of the dinner hour and seeing his home in view. The lights were on and he knew that Minerva would have something prepared. Tony wanted to retrace the steps of the Ford dealership business that his boss seemed to have skimmed over. “Bob Mackey’s son owns that dealership that Officer Howlett is now at right now if I may be so bold as to remind you of, Sir.” Tony said with concern as he pulled up the cobblestone drive and into the garage. “Oddly enough, at this particular moment, I’m not all too concerned about Bob or Either of his asshole son’s.” Negan shrugged off. “I believe I have an advantage.” Negan stated hoping for so many reasons that his sixth sense was correct. “You have an advantage?” Tony questioned looking for an unspoken clarification but Tony knew damn well what that advantage was. Neither one of those Mackey boys were gay. He wanted to scream again that maybe his prayers that he had said sending Negan off to the officer’s door had actually been answered. The cop was a gay man too. Negan might not be out but he would know which way a man’s door swung. “Yeah. I think so. “ Negan answered plainly to disguise his own excitement and opened his door to exist on his own.