Chapter 44
CHAPTER 44
B EAST
It’s early when I pull into the parking lot of the county morgue.
Inside, I find Sheriff Coulter and Dr. Beaver waiting for me. They’re standing in the county morgue in front of a set of remains, a sheet covering them. The stench is foul. Decomp and salt water.
“Do you know who it is?” I ask the sheriff.
“No. But I thought you might notice a distinguishing mark or an item of clothing.”
He thinks this might be Dodger.
If the remains do belong to him, then it will pick at the slowly healing scab that has allowed the club to move forward since Dodger disappeared. It will bring a lot questions. Especially if there is enough left of the body to show his death was no accident.
Beaver pulls back the sheet and an odorous waft of decay and death hits me.
The remains are black and bloated from decomposition and some of the skin has sloughed away from being in the water.
“Do you recognize him?” Beaver asks.
“Yeah, I do,” I say, my eyes roaming the remains and noting the familiar tattoos on his hands. “It’s Gunner McIverson. The President of the Unhinged Psychos.”
“Jesus,” Coulter mutters, looking at the remains. “Someone shot half his face off.”
“Yes, that’s probably what killed him,” Beaver says.
“I would’ve thought that was obvious,” Coulter says, turning gray as he looks away. “Don’t you people use Vaporub or something when looking at these things?”
Beaver hands him a small tub, and Coulter scoops out a dollop to put under his nose.
“I say it’s probably the cause of death only because I haven’t done the autopsy yet. The facial wound could have been done after death to discourage identification.”
“And who would want to do that to the club president?” I say, thinking out loud.
Sheriff Coulter turns to me. “Is there some new turf war going on that I should know about?”
“It wasn’t us,” I tell him. “He could’ve gone in the water anywhere between here and Bracken’s Lot which is the start of Psychos territory. It’s a long coastline.”
Sheriff Coulter runs a hand through his hair, still struggling with the smell. “I don’t like it.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t either,” Beaver replies. “I just found another bullet wound and its right in the heart.”
“Do you know how long he’s been in the water?” I ask.
“I’ll have a better idea after the autopsy. But my guess is, he’s been in there at least a week.”
Sheriff Coulter gives me a pointed look. “You know, this is the second president of a motorcycle club to go missing in four months. If someone is making a point, you might want to keep your eyes and ears open.”
“That’s not what is at play here,” I say.
“What does that mean?”
“It means the Unhinged Psychos have a new president.”
In Church, I bring the club up to speed.
“The sheriff could be right, Beast. Someone could have a thorn in their side about motorcycle club hierarchy and be trying to prove a point,” Lars says.
“Boney?” Bram suggests.
“I doubt it. His hard-on is for the Knights and this land. No, no this feels more like in-house cleaning to me. And I have an idea who did it.”
Viking straightens in his chair. “You suggesting this was Gaston?”
“The Psychos would kill him,” Gambit says.
“Not if they don’t know,” I say. “Think about it. Dodger goes missing and then Gaston challenges me for the position. Now he’s wearing an Unhinged Psychos cut and their president washes up on the beach.”
“Goddamn,” Lars mutters.
“You really think he’s gunning for the position of president?” Bear asks.
“He always was an entitled asshole,” Lars grumbles. “He probably thought he could run the club better than Gunner so he took the steps to make it happen.”
“I’ll speak to Roxy. See if any of her girls have heard anything. They might not discuss business while getting their dicks played with, but politics won’t be off the table.”
“There’s another possibility that some of you will be thinking but not game enough to say it,” Axe says.
“Which is?” I ask.
“They haven’t found Dodger’s body?—”
Viking almost upends the table to get to Axe. But Lars and Bear hold him back.
He sneers at Axe. “Shut your goddamn mouth.”
“It’s a fair enough question,” Axe says. “If he’s not dead then where the fuck is he?”
“Dodger would never turn his back on this club,” Viking seethes. “Why would he?”
“I don’t know. But Dodger disappears the same time this synthetic phantasia appears on the street.”
Again Viking goes for Axe.
“Enough,” I bark. “There’s no point in killing each other over empty assumptions and what ifs.” I look at them both and give them a clear warning. “This stops and doesn’t continue out there. You got it? We need to stay strong as brothers. Not weaken this club with in-house fighting. Do I make myself clear.”
Both men nod, and Lars and Bear release Viking.
“Fucking hallelujah,” I snap as I bring the gavel down on Church.
I’m sick of discussing Gaston and Dodger.
And truth be told, I just want to get back to my room and fuck my wife.