Chapter 6 Abbey
The old Californian bungalow belonging to Caroline Thatcher looks deserted, as if the owner fled in a hurry. Ringo’s men scour the house from top to bottom for any leads, all while with every passing second, the rage inside me grows.
I’m back to where I was before Bobbi was born. Terrified for her safety, only this time she isn’t hidden safely inside my womb. She isn’t even remotely close to me.
She’s with strangers. Strangers who may or may not be caring for her the way she deserves.
“Angel, you’re going to wear a hole in the carpet,” Ringo says from the entryway of the shitty little living room, and I shoot him a glare, annoyed when he doesn’t even flinch.
“You’re really going to give me shit now?” I snap, and he holds up his hands in surrender.
Shit, I’m practically vibrating with anger, ready to explode.
“Why don’t you sit down? The guys are nearly done.”
That does it. I see red, his calm tone scraping against my last nerves, making it feel like he’s telling me to calm down, even though he never actually says it. A strangled scream tears out of me as I grab the first thing within reach and hurl it across the room.
“I don’t want to sit down!”
The TV suddenly blares to life, triggered by the crash of what must have been the remote I threw, and a news reporter’s voice fills the room.
“The spate of gang-related crimes in the area has increased, and locals are starting to fear for their safety. Everything from local boys being taken and killed, to a supermarket and an airfield turned into war zones, and now, a massacre at the local hospital.”
The camera pans out, showing Fox Pines Hospital in the background, with a solid wall of police and emergency vehicles lining the front. Behind them, coroners move in and out, carrying black body bags and loading them into a waiting van.
“Sources say we are amidst a bikie gang war that has somehow become entangled with a questionable church, and the drama surrounding the young girl who went missing weeks ago. Abbey Delany.”
I stiffen.
“I’m Abbey Musgrove now, bitch,” I mutter, right as Ringo’s big hands land on my upper arms, pulling me back against his chest.
“You tell her,” he chuckles, kissing the top of my head.
“Locals are putting pressure on law enforcement to forget about the pandemic and focus on the safety of citizens, especially after learning a motorcycle club has acquired a property on the fringes of Fox Pines.”
“Fuck,” Ringo mutters under his breath, just as Smitty’s voice cuts in.
“It’s begun. They know we’re here now. Guess I’ll have to start wearing my best smile for the cameras.”
Glancing over my shoulder, I see Smitty grinning, completely unfazed by the news.
“You’re not concerned?” I ask as Ringo releases me and moves to the remote, flicking the TV off.
“Nah. This shit happens every time we relocate. Locals get their panties in a twist until they realise we’re not here to cause trouble.”
I scoff, jutting my thumb towards the now black screen.
“Pretty sure that news report contradicts that.”
Smitty shrugs. “They’ll all know the truth in the end, and then, they’ll bow when I ride into town.”
I snort a laugh, and Smitty shoots me a wink.
The man is truly delusional.
“We can’t find anything of importance.” JD’s voice has me turning to the entry as he tries to school his grim expression. “No laptop. No devices. She did leave an old driver’s licence behind. But that’s about it.”
Stepping forward, Ringo holds out his hand, and JD passes him the ID card.
“It’s a start,” Ringo mutters, glancing at it. “Send a picture of it to Lewy. Ask him to pull up every record he can find on Caroline Thatcher and her family. Maybe she’s hiding away with someone, or owns a property somewhere else.”
JD nods, accepting it back. “Will do.”
“Uh, fuck,” Smitty mutters, and we all turn to see him peering out the front window. “Pigs are here. Looks like the nosy neighbour next door ignored Vender when he told her to mind her own business.”
My eyes widen as I glance out the window too, spotting three police cars blocking us in, and six cops striding up the gravel driveway, hands on their holsters, ready to draw their guns.
“Fuck, call Zimora,” Ringo snaps to JD, who I notice is already doing that as he presses his phone to his ear, while Smitty hurries out of the room calling to the other men in the house, “Pigs incoming!”
I spin in a panic as Ringo moves to me. “We’re breaking and entering, aren’t we? Am I about to get arrested? Are they Allen’s men?”
“Shhh,” Ringo murmurs, his big hands coming to my arms, rubbing soothingly as his whisky eyes lock with mine. “We’ll tell them we came to visit a friend and found the place empty. That we’re concerned for her welfare. There’s no need to panic, Angel.”
Two of the officers walk past the front window, trying to peer in through the white sheers, and my heart kicks into overdrive, flipping in an uneven rhythm inside my chest.
“No… shit. They will take me away from you,” I whisper, my gaze darting towards the back of the house.
“Uh-uh, Angel. Running will get you shot. Let’s just see how this goes.”
Thump. Thump. Thump.
I jolt at the sound of a fist pounding on the door, and I expect Ringo to step forward and answer it, but instead, Smitty strolls casually down the hall like he owns the damn place and opens the front door.
“Ladies. Good to see you.”
Ladies? Did he just call two male officers, ladies?
“We’ve had a report of a burglary in progress. Are you the owner of this property?”
“What?” Smitty gasps overdramatically, and when I flick my panicked gaze to Ringo, I find a smirk tugging at his lips.
Why aren’t they worried?
“Shit, Ringo, is someone stealing stuff?” Smitty asks, shock lacing his tone, and Ringo scoffs, shaking his head at his President’s dramatics before stepping into the hall where the cops can see him.
I try to stop him, but he’s too strong, and he frowns, pointing at the floor by my feet. “Don’t move.”
I want to yell at him for bossing me around, but also… he used that tone. The one that has me obeying without question.
I’ll be a brat later just to annoy him for using his sex Dom voice on me while we’re fully clothed and clearly not playing.
“Hello, Officers,” Ringo sighs, stepping up behind Smitty. “Let me guess, the old bat next door called to say we were breaking in?”
I know Ringo told me to stay put, but I can’t help edging closer to the window, squinting through the sheers at the two officers glaring at my husband through the open door.
“Who called us is not your concern,” the older officer snaps. “Answer the question. Are you, or anyone with you, the owner of this property?”
“No, Officer,” Ringo answers just as Smitty cuts in.
“Define owner.”
I roll my eyes on Ringo’s behalf.
Why is the President of an outlaw MC basically like a child?
“Excuse me?” the officer barks, and I stiffen at the sharp edge in his tone, my gaze scanning the front yard for the other officers.
I instantly spot two standing in the driveway, but I can’t see the other two.
“The truth is, we came to visit a friend,” Ringo explains.
“When she didn’t answer, we broke in through the back door because we were worried.
We haven’t heard from her in a while, and well…
” Ringo stalls, and even though I can’t see him from where I’m standing, I can still picture him gesturing over his shoulder.
“She’s gone. Looks like she packed in a hurry.
We were about to contact Caroline’s family to see if they’ve heard from her. ”
“No need,” the older officer barks, waving one of the other officers over. “We’ll handle that.”
“Fabulous,” Smitty claps loudly, making me jump.
Jesus, this man. Why is he like this?
While the older officer speaks quietly to the one he waved over, the younger cop bellows in through the open door. “Everyone outside! Line up on the front lawn!”
My heart thrashes harder as I hear the heavy boots of the other club brothers echo through the house, making their way to the front.
“Hey, it’ll be okay.” JD’s voice startles me, and a mousy squeak flies from my lips before I can stop it.
My eyes go wide as I slap my hand over my mouth, while JD’s gaze snaps to the front door.
“Did they hear that?” I whisper, and even though he slowly shakes his head, I know he’s lying.
He can’t be sure, so I glance back through the white sheers to see the two officers, frowning as they peer in.
“Everyone out now! Or this won’t go well for you!”
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I’ve never been in trouble with the police before. The only time I’ve dealt with them was when I went to them for help, only to learn they wouldn’t.
They are all in on it.
As the men start filing out, Ringo steps back into view, holding his hand out to me.
“With me, Angel. Follow my lead.”
I glance from my husband to JD, who gives me a reassuring nod, so I step forward, taking Ringo’s hand. I feel a little steadier the moment he touches me, and he slowly leads me out of the house behind his club brothers.
The second we step outside, I feel every officer’s gaze lock onto me, tracking my movements as Ringo guides me onto the lawn, keeping me at his side.
The only thing that slightly calms me is how casual the other guys are. They’re not scared of the police, even though they carry guns… oh shit. The guns! Our guns!
Ringo’s hand tightens in mine, clearly sensing my tension, and I lean closer, whispering under my breath.
“The guns.”
Peering down at me, Ringo simply winks. “What guns?”
I’m about to snap at him when I remember how smoothly he slid mine from my grip earlier, setting it on the kitchen counter when we discovered the house was empty.
“Everyone step an arm’s width apart,” one officer yells, as the other two I couldn’t see earlier emerge from the back gate, nodding to the oldest officer.