Chapter Twenty-Two
Bishop pulled into the yard at the clubhouse compound, shortly before dusk. He parked his bike and turned to look for Wrench. He needed to see Winter and make sure she was good. He needed to make sure she was occupied while he went out to the shop and paid a visit to the fuckwad.
He reached the truck a couple of moments after Wrench pulled it to a stop.
He went to the passenger door and helped her down before going to the back where Wrench was climbing up to unload.
The older man handed out Winter’s bag first. Bishop assumed he knew what had happened while they were gone and knew Bishop would want to get out there and make sure the fuckwad was handled appropriately.
Either way, Bishop took the bag and slung it over his shoulder before turning and urging Winter inside.
“How was your ride back?” he asked as they climbed the stairs.
“Good. I know it’s a pain in the ass to stop and let me in or out of the truck, but I appreciate it. I love getting to come with you on the rides, and I might eventually be able to handle the Interstates, but it’s just too fresh.”
“I know, baby.” He dropped her backpack on the bed and pulled her into his arms. He held her while she took several deep breaths.
She’d told him about the wreck that had claimed her father’s life and why she couldn’t handle being on a motorcycle on the Interstate.
He didn’t blame her and if she never got past it, he still wouldn’t have a negative thing to say about it.
She was brave enough to admit she couldn’t handle it rather than avoiding the situation or faking her way through it then ending up an emotional mess afterward.
When she’d had enough and moved to step away, he let her go.
“What are your plans?” he asked
“I thought I would take a shower, then maybe go downstairs and have a drink or two, maybe kick back in one of the recliners with a book if things aren’t getting too wild down there. Is there something you had in mind?”
Bishop shook his head. “I’ve got a couple things I need to check on at the shop.
It seems a couple of issues popped up with one of the bikes and I need to take a look because the owner will be here tomorrow to pick it up.
It’s gonna take Bulldog and I both to get it done before he gets here.
” He smoothed a stray lock of hair from where it drooped into her eyes.
“I wish I could go sit with you while you read, but I’ve got to take care of this. Will you be all right on your own?”
Winter gave a mirthless chuckle. “I haven’t been alone since I walked up to you at the street fair the other day.”
“Are we overwhelming you by being around all the time?” He watched her, worried that she’d gotten used to not being around a club. That she wouldn’t be able to make the adjustment to being around him and his brothers most of the time.
“No, not at all.” She turned away, peeled off her patchling cut, and hung it up next to the door before she sat on the edge of the bed and took her boots and socks off.
“You sure?”
She stood and moved toward him. Winter met his gaze as she continued to move in, bracing her hands against his chest. She leaned close and stretched up to place a chaste kiss against his lips.
“I didn’t realize how lonely I’d let myself get.
I’d made myself forget how nice it is to have family around in case you need something, even if that’s just a partner to help with whatever trouble you’ve thought up this time.
” She leaned forward and kissed him again, this time longer and deeper, as if she needed to show him how much she wanted him.
“You’re not overwhelming me, you’ve made me realize how much I need to either stay here or go home.
I love it here. I am perfectly fine on my own in the clubhouse.
If they start to get too wild downstairs, I’ll just come up here. ”
He pulled her close and gave her a searing kiss before releasing her.
“Sounds like a plan. Bathe, relax, do your thing. I’m gonna go get this job taken care of so I can join you.
I’m not sure how late I’ll be so if you need anything, call me.
” He knew she had his number because Hammer had let him know he’d put all the brothers’ numbers in while he’d been trying to figure out how Fuckwad had been tracking her.
Winter unzipped her bag and was in the middle of pulling things out when he leaned in, kissed the top of her head, and headed for the door.
He scanned the common room until he spotted Bulldog, then jerked his head toward the shop, letting his president know he was leaving. Before he made it across the room, Bulldog was on his feet and headed in his direction.
They were silent as they crossed the yard to the shop and let themselves inside.
They stayed quiet as they made their way into the pit beneath the floor.
Once beneath ground level, they made their way past most of the shelves where they kept tools and parts that would be used from under the vehicle.
Almost to the far end was one that looked like the rest, but was mounted to the wall instead of sitting on the floor, though you couldn’t tell by looking at it.
Bishop hit the hidden latch and swung the door open revealing a short hall.
He waited until Bulldog stepped inside and pulled the door shut behind him before he hit the latch to let them into the nearly bare room where the fuckwad harassing Winter sat zip-tied to a folding metal chair sitting on top of a large sheet of plastic in the middle of the room.
Ashes sat to one side of the door, arms folded across his chest, his head tilted back against the wall and his eyes barely more than a slit as he watched the gagged man.
“How’s it been?” Bulldog asked Ashes as he pulled the door closed.
“He yelled for a couple of hours. After a while I got tired of listening to it so I gagged him. He yelled for a while after that, but at least it was muffled some.”
Ashes stood, rolled his shoulders, and cracked his neck. “Is it time to have some fun with him now?”
“It is.” Bishop shrugged out of his cut, folded and tucked it under the plastic sheeting covering the only table in the room.
On top of the plastic sat an array of weapons and tools.
He picked up the homemade bludgeon. He swung it in a circle a couple of times, then smacked it against his palm a couple more as he walked around the chair where the fucker sat.
“Do you know why you’re here?” Bishop asked.
The fucker grunted and shook his head as he tried to answer but was muffled by the gag still bisecting his face.
“You want to let him answer?” Ashes asked without moving from where he leaned one shoulder against the wall, one leg bent and resting on the toe of his boot.
“Not yet,” Bishop said, walking around the chair.
“I think before we give him a chance to talk his way out of this, he needs to feel a bit of the fear he made Winter feel. What do you think?” He looked at Bulldog, ignoring the man who’d begun to fight his bindings, making the chair he was strapped to rock.
Bishop wondered if the idiot would manage to fold the chair with him inside it.
He swung the bludgeon as he moved around in front of the captive and hit him in the ribs. The fuckwad grunted, but didn’t say anything.
“I’m not sure he’s getting the seriousness of his situation. What do you think, Bulldog?”
“I think you’re right. Hammer said don’t go too far yet. He’s got a couple of leads we’re going to question him about.”
“What on?”
“I’m not sure. He didn’t say. Only that he had a few things he needed to double check and either he would be out or he would send Forge out with a list of things to question this ass-fucker about.”
“Basically, I just need to make sure he can talk. Give him a little motivation to tell us what we need to know?” Bishop said, not bothering to look at Bulldog as he spoke, still circling the chair and the target of his ire.
Bishop took his time beating the shithead. He’d only bruised a few ribs when the door opened and Forge stepped in, a steno pad tucked under one arm.
“Oh, good. I made it before it was too late.” Forge moved to stand next to Bulldog.
“Here’re the things Hammer wants us to find out.
Winter isn’t the first woman he’s pulled this shit with.
And from what we can tell, she’s lucky she got some help, because this fucker doesn’t know when to stop.
We’re going to need to take the gag off, though, so we can get some answers. ”
“What do you mean?” Bishop asked.
“Hammer found five other women this asshat has been linked to, who have disappeared in the last six years.”
“Five women in six years and he’s still free?” Ashes asked.
“Seems like the boys in blue can’t find enough evidence for the county attorney who is willing to press charges and risk not getting a conviction.”
Bishop nodded, knowing they’d need to get some answers on the other women. Bishop wasn’t sure how they’d get information out to the people who needed to know. Those women’s families should know what happened to them, even if they were left wondering if their killer would ever be caught.
“Cut the gag.” Bishop jerked his head toward the bound man.
Ashes got up, pulled a knife from the back of his belt, and cut the gag.
“Give us the first name,” Bishop said swinging the bludgeon again to slap the palm of his other hand.
“Brittney James.”
“What can you tell me about Brittney, Fuckwad?” Bishop asked, smacking his hand with the bludgeon again.
“Never heard of her,” Fuckwad said, blinking up at him.
Bishop let the bludgeon swing, hitting him in the ribs again.
“That doesn’t seem to be doing much. Maybe I should grab the pliers.” Bulldog stepped toward the table where the tools sat. “Should we start with fingernails or teeth?”
“Can’t take the teeth until we get the answers we need,” Forge spoke up.
“Better start with the fingernails,” Bishop said, watching fear cross Fuckwad’s face.
Good. Maybe he would talk sooner rather than later. It wouldn’t save him, but it might make his death at least a little easier. Maybe. That would depend on how badly the idiot pissed him off before it was time to end it all.
****
Four hours later, Bulldog and Bishop left the pit. They stopped and showered in the back of the shop, pulling on a pair of the overalls they kept there for while they were working, then their cuts on top of that, before heading back to the clubhouse.
“I’ll send Morgue out to take care of everything,” Bulldog said as he locked the door to the shop.
Bishop nodded. He was already thinking about Winter. What had she been doing while he was here? Had she given up on him and gone to bed?
He got to the front door of the clubhouse, took a few steps and paused, scanning the room. It only took him a moment to spot Winter, stretched out on one of the recliners, asleep, her e-reader lying facedown on her chest. He found himself smiling as he went to the bar and glanced at Billy.
Bulldog headed down the hall toward his office.
Bishop suspected he’d talk to Hammer and the two of them would do some digging before they hatched a plan.
If what that fucker had told them was true, they didn’t have long to rescue the last girl he’d kidnapped.
He claimed he’d been taking care of her and that he wouldn’t have killed her until he had Winter, but how much of that could be trusted.
Bishop suspected the girl was already dead but they’d have to go check, if only to be safe.
“How long’s she been like that?” He tilted his head toward Winter.
“About an hour. I suggested she go up to the room when she started looking tired, but she said she was waiting up for you.”
“Stubborn woman.” Bishop shook his head, pushed off the bar, and headed for her.
He stood over the chair staring down at her for a moment.
He loved that she looked so at peace, that she was comfortable and felt safe enough to sleep right here in the middle of the common room in what he considered his home.
He scooped her up, settled her so she was curled against him, and headed for the stairs. She stirred as he reached the third floor and headed for their room.
“What? When did you get back?” she mumbled.
“A few minutes ago.”
“Where are you taking me?”
“We’re going to bed, Spitfire.”
“Oh, good. I’m tired. But I didn’t want to go to bed without you.”
“So, you fell asleep in the common room?” He opened the door and stepped inside, still carrying her.
“Seemed like a good idea at the time.”
“Did anyone bother you?”
She shook her head then buried her nose against his chest. There was a lot he had to tell her, and some he wouldn’t, but that could all wait until morning. He helped her undress and tucked her into bed before stripping out of his cut and the overalls, and sliding in beside her.