Chapter Fourteen Why?
Briget
It got so quiet, you could hear the Mac truck engines rumbling from outside. We all stared at the very last person we ever expected to have lunch with.
Deacon Walker sat at the end of the table. Slowly raising his arms due to all the weapons aimed at him, he smiled at me. “Well, hello BB, how are you?”
I blinked at him. I never thought he would know about the BB name. Then again, as far as any of us knew, he was two things…An FBI agent and evil. “I have been better,” I replied. “Those ninja guys tried to kill us.”
“I felt pretty sure they wouldn’t,” Deacon replied. “Walkers are not easy to take down.”
“You’re a Walker too!” Glory exclaimed angrily through gritted teeth as she rose from her seat and aimed her gun right at his head.
“And I am no different, no one has taken me down either, little Glory,” he stated with a smile on his lips. “And please watch yourself, you need to be careful with that weapon.”
“No, I don’t need to be careful. I could end all our suffering right now and right here in two seconds or less.” She cocked her magnum and kept it trained on his head.
“If you care about your family,” Deacon stated as he looked around at the angry faces. “You will all lower your weapons.”
I felt my stomach tighten. The man had some trick up his sleeve of course. Why else would he show up here, then sit down to talk with people he had wronged and tried to kill already. He had something planned, but what?
“That sounds like a threat,” Fate stated. “You are in no position to—”
“Oh, but I am,” Deacon cut him off. “You really think I’d show up without a plan? I advise you to all put your weapons away. If anything happens to me, the people you love will no longer be…well…alive.”
“Which people?” Bones asked.
Deacon looked over at him. “Well wow, if it isn’t the President of the Rebel Saints MC, the original chapter, no less. Bones himself. I have to say your loyalty to my cousin Hawk is extraordinary. You and your men uprooted your lives for fucking months, man. Just to protect the Walker family.”
“All I wanna know is why,” Fate spoke up.
Deacon swung his curious gaze over to him. “Why, what?”
“Why are you here at all…” Fate glared at him while pointing his own weapon at him. “Why terrorize your own family. Why try to kill your Aunt and Uncle, your cousins. Why stalk, kidnap, bomb, and hurt people that are supposed to be your blood?”
“Wow, that is a lot of whys.” Deacon laughed as he looked highly amused. “I’m not sure I have time to answer all of that.”
“He believed his psychotic- killer- mother was in the right.”
We all looked up.
Talon had appeared in the restaurant and said this as he aimed his gun at Deacon. “She burned her childhood house down at twelve, killing her little sister and her parents. What a wonderful child, right? She murdered Deacon’s father, burned him alive and all the man had ever done wrong was that he wasn’t his brother Jacob. Olivia Walker only did all she did so she could be with her sister’s husband. By committing that murder in a long line of murders, she separated Deacon from his own brother. Left them both fatherless. Murdered his uncle next with a knife to his heart and took him from his wife and kids. And that was because Jacob turned down her offer of infidelity when she asked him to run away with her. You see, she had gotten rich by feeding young people drugs and peddling baby flesh for cash. Oh yes, what a saint she was.” He scoffed in disgust. “Everything she did was because she was sick, jealous of her own sister and demented. But poor ole Deacon was raised by her, so he is just as sick and he refuses to see what she was. So there is no why…he’s just a cold blooded killer.”
No one moved or said a word.
Finally, the smile on Deacon’s lips had disappeared and his eyes glittered with rage.
Talon nodded at him. “Did I miss anything, cousin ? I bet I did. She had tortured, raped and murdered so many people. Who could keep a body count?”
Deacon glared at him and bit out, “All of you had better lower your weapons.”
“And why would we do that?” Fate asked him.
“You do want to see your dad again, right?” Deacon asked as he stared at Fate.
Liberty, Justice and Fate, all froze.
Glory did not pause as she seethed, “You motherfucker!”
Legend who sat next to her, patted her hand as he whispered a warning to her, “Careful now.”
Deacon stared at them then grinned at Glory as he asked, “So is this your man, Legend?”
Glory almost growled at him.
Deacon chuckled as he shook his head. “Glory, Glory Hallelujah. You’ve got a temper, little girl. Better reign that in.” He nodded his head at Legend. “You need to listen to the good doctor.”
“You are a liar,” Talon accused Deacon. “There hasn’t been enough time for you to have taken them.” His phone then buzzed.
“You’d better take that call,” Deacon urged. “It is about the truth. Your parents are missing.”
Talon glared at him.
“Better hurry,” Deacon added with a smirk.
Talon grabbed his phone from his pocket and slowly raised it up to his ear to listen. Whatever he heard made his face pale. He then muttered, “I’m coming.” Lowering the phone, Talon glared at Deacon as he announced, “Ma and Jarret were taken, ten minutes ago.”
Horrified gasps went around the table.
Deacon nodded. “Now, you at least have an answer to why I came in here so boldly. I always have a backup plan. Unload your weapons and toss them onto the table.”
No one moved.
Deacon’s grin had returned now as he announced, “If you don’t and I am harmed or delayed, your parents will die.”
The guns all lowered as ammunition chambers were opened and bullets hit the table with resounding pings. Then heavy metal clangs rang out as the guns landed on the table as well.
Deacon looked over at Talon as he slowly lowered his arms. “You’d better run along now, Weston. Your family needs you.”
Talon shoved his gun into the back-waistband of his jeans and shook his head. “I can’t leave until you do.”
“Look Captain,” Deacon said as he raised an eyebrow at him. “You aren’t in charge here. If I am not in my copter in ten minutes, poor Ma and Jarret Walker will be history.”
“Go!” Glory yelled at Talon.
He shook his head and glanced at Bones. “I will call.” Turning, Talon headed toward the door.
Despite my fear and nervousness, I stood from my chair and raised my hands up to show Deacon I wasn’t armed. “I don’t use guns, so don’t get nervous, Mr. Deacon.”
His smile grew while he stared at me as if I entertained him somehow. “Yes, guns and you wouldn’t mix well. But I hear you are real handy with a bat.”
I blinked at him, but I wasn’t even gonna ask how he knew that.
Cocking his head at me, he queried, “What is it that you need, Lil BB?”
Fate growled at his sweet, flirtatious tone.
Swinging his gaze over to him, Deacon laughed. “Oh, it’s like that, is it? No worries, cuz. While she is lovely, she isn’t my type.” He again focused on me. “I do think she’s adorable though.”
“Please let Ma and Jarret go,” I pleaded with him. “I mean after you get away. They are old and they only have so many years left. Please don’t hurt them?” My eyes filled with tears as I couldn’t bear the thought of them suffering or being gone from this world. I glanced at Fate. It would hurt him and his family so badly. Someone had to try to talk with this madman.
Looking concerned, Fate reached up and tried to get me to sit back down. “Briget…”
I shook my head at him. No way was I gonna sit back down yet. If this man killed their parents…I couldn’t even think about what that would be like for Fate and the entire Walker clan.
Silence fell as everyone seemed to be in a suspended state of shock or dismay.
Deacon stared at me and simply said, “Ok.”
“Ok?” I gasped as I asked hopefully, “You will spare them?”
“Yes, Briget.” He smiled warmly at me as he nodded his head. “But that means you will owe me one.”
I batted my eyes at him. “One what?”
He stared at me then tossed his head back to laugh.
Fate took my hand and whispered, “You can’t trust his word, Briget.”
Deacon’s laughter stopped as apparently he had heard this whispering. “I beg your pardon, cousin.” He stared at Fate. “You and I have never met. Fate, right? Jarret sure has imagination, I gotta give him that. Yes, I am aware that Talon hates me. No less than I hate him. But ask Liv or her boyfriend, Logan. If I give you my word, it sticks.” He looked at me again and said, “If I get out of here unscathed and am free, I will have the old couple set loose. However, the war is still on. And it will be on until I say so. Redemption and Talon have their own ideas, but never underestimate me.” He stood from his chair and looked around at us all. “Texas Walkers…I bid you Adieu.” He then headed toward the back of the restaurant, leaving through the rear exit.
Suddenly, we could hear a strange but very loud humming sound.
“Helicopter,” Bones stated as he raised another gun he had hidden in his vest and rushed toward the back.
“STOP!” I yelled at him as I reached out and grabbed his shirt.
Bones’ body almost slingshot backwards. He then shook his head and easily pulled away from my grip.
“I mean it,” I threatened as I raised my finger up to his face. “We made a deal!”
“He is a pathological liar, Briget,” Scarlet told me from the table. “You can’t believe him.”
I sighed and shook my head as I clung to the hope that he wouldn’t kill them. He looked so genuine when he agreed to my request. I hoped he did want to be gracious or whatever. I didn’t care why. I only cared about what he’d promised. “We cannot lose Ma or their dad. He will keep his word. Even if it is just to spite Talon, he will spare them.”
Bones’ cell pinged. He shook his head as he looked down at his phone seemingly to read a text he just received. “My men say that his copter is gone.”
Fate came over and gently took my arm. “Maybe you should sit down, Briget,” he said softly.
Gazing up at him, I realized I was shaking from head to toe.
“The fuck?” Bones exclaimed as he stared at the phone.
“What?” I asked breathlessly. Anymore bad news and stress today and I might just pass out.
Bones looked around. “That chopper left someone behind.” He rushed toward the back exit.
I immediately went to follow him.
Fate kept a hold of my arm. “Wait a minute!”
“Let go!” I said as I yanked my arm from his grasp.
Shaking his head, Fate took my hand and we both headed back to the exit.
Everyone from the table followed us.
When we arrived outside, I heard it.
“The man ain’t all there, I tell y'all. He’s got a huge hole in his screen door!”
At the sight of her, I sucked in a breath and exclaimed, “Ma!”
Standing next to Jarret, she turned and saw us all coming through the door. “Thank heavens! You are all safe.”
Us women all gathered around Ma, hugging her as we cried and laughed at the same time.
Laughing, she raised her arms finally. “I’m okay, girls.”
Legend pushed himself through the little crowd and asked Ma, “Are ya hurt?”
Ma shook her head. “No, Dr. Legend…his men were gentle with me. But they gave my Jarret a black eye.”
We all looked over at Jarret.
He was talking in low tones with his sons and Bones, “I’m not sure what his motives were, son.” Jarret stared at Liberty. “He had his men pluck us up from the side of the road. That was after we got that flat tire. I believe he had the tire shot out. But before we knew it…The guards around us had been tranc-darted. Then from the brush…” He took a deep breath and then went on, “A red light appeared and sat right on Bea’s forehead. A voice ordered me to drop my weapon. And I did.”
We all listened now as Ma swiped tears from her cheeks.
“When they went to tie Bea up,” Jarret went on. “I didn’t want them touching her, so I struggled and got punched. It didn’t hurt. What hurt was the fact that we were all taken down so damned easily.”
“He didn’t kill anyone?” Legend asked.
Jarret swung his gaze over to him. “Not that we know of.”
“When they got to Jarret’s vehicle, my men reported in,” Bones interjected. “It appears that no one was harmed. That’s not his MO usually.”
“What I cannot figure out is why he just up and let us go?” Ma asked.
The entire group looked from her over to me.
To say my cheeks flushed and I felt like I was in the spotlight, would be underplaying my embarrassment.
Fate finally spoke up, “Briget asked him to let you both go.”
Jarret stared at me. “And he agreed just like that?”
I nodded.
“He said some shit like she would owe him one,” Fated added as he looked angry. “The hell she will.”
Jarret stared at him, then looked over at me to ask, “You’ve met Deacon before this?”
Nodding, I tried to explain it, “When Belle was first approached by him, we thought he was a real FBI agent. He spoke to me a few times in our apartment hallway.”
“How odd for him to just agree so easily,” Jarret concluded. “And why did he come here, where you all were?”
“He wants to confuse everyone,” Justice gave his opinion. “Keep us guessing.”
“He also thinks it’s funny,” I added. “And he really looked thrilled to meet all the Texas Walkers in person.” I shrugged. “I could tell he really was entertained for a little while. The madder you all got, the happier he looked.”
Justice stared at me and shook his head. “That may be true but he’s a true strategist, according to Liv. But in reality, he did not agree to let them go because he cares at all. He did it to make a point.”
“And that is?” Fate asked his lawyer brother.
“He’s in charge, he makes the rules,” Justice replied.
“Yeah, and he even said that,” Glory spoke now. “The war goes on until he says it doesn’t.”
“Totally a narcissist,” Fate said as he nodded.
“It also shows us something else,” Liberty spoke up.
“And what is that, son?” Jarret asked him.
“He knows all our moves. I would assume he also knows where each family member is.”
“And that means he knew we were at the Connor House all along?” Ma asked the scariest question of all.