Chapter 36
Instead of sending someone else to the group home where Katrina and her supposed boyfriend were residents, after seeing the photo of Raven, Diesel had decided that she, Sgt. Brocard and Pratt would go to the group home themselves to speak with the director, especially now that they knew a boyfriend was involved. After checking in with the front desk, the three women waited for several minutes before a harried woman came rushing out to meet them.
“Hello. I’m Cynthia McBride, the director of the group home. How can I help you, detectives?”
Diesel studied the short woman with the curly blonde hair who was plump with her clothes out of sorts, as if she hurried to get dressed and just grabbed whatever was the closest thing for her to grab. Shaking hands with the woman, she noticed the palms were damp, as if she was sweating. Was it her normal disposition, nerves, or something else? She couldn’t tell just yet.
“Ms. McBride, thank you for seeing us on short notice. Nadia Delvino told us you would see us.” Diesel advised the woman, wiping her hands on her jeans when she pulled her hand back.
“Ah, yes. Ms. Delvino and a few of her officers have been looking for Katrina. I don’t know where the hell that kid is. She’s been a pain in the ass since the day she got here.”
“How so?” Pratt asked, studying the woman, like Diesel, not liking what she saw.
“Not following rules. Staying up late, talking back, refusing to help with the chores around the home. Had a few calls about her missing classes, things like that,” McBride huffed, as she righted her shirt and jacket.
Diesel couldn’t help but look over at Sgt. Brocard who quirked an eyebrow at the movements. It was like the woman was nervous. They knew she didn’t live there, so why were her clothes messed up how they were? Diesel pulled out her phone and sent Pratt a text:
‘Yo, check out the way she’s righting her clothes. Is it just me who’s suspicious of this twit or are your alarms going off too?’
When Diesel looked over at Pratt as she pulled out her phone and read the text, she caught Pratt’s shake of her head before she tilted her head to the side, truly studying the woman. Yep, Pratt was about to ask something that would set McBride on edge.
“What about Katrina’s boyfriend? Isn’t he a resident here?” Sgt. Brocard asked, trying to head it off just a little bit longer.
When McBride scoffed, the three women looked at each other quickly before turning back to her. “She doesn’t have a boyfriend. She has a man she was obsessed with. That’s all. She chases that man around like a lost little puppy.”
Diesel noticed the venom in the woman’s voice when she talked about Katrina or how she was ‘obsessed’ over a ‘man’ but still wouldn’t name him. “Ms. McBride, what man are you claiming that Katrina is chasing after then?”
Diesel gave McBride a glare that dared the woman to get any snottier than she already was. When the woman huffed, Diesel took a step forward. “I don’t give a shit if you have a problem with Katrina. That girl is possibly missing, and she is in your charge. Now, if you don’t want to cooperate without malice because the chick is with the boy you’re obsessed with, considering your words and actions, the fact you were disheveled when law enforcement showed up and the fact you failed to report a minor who is in your care as missing, I have no problem calling the city council, the county board, the state and social services to have you and this entire home under investigation for failure to do your job and possible sexual interactions with minors in your care. Now, which will it be?”
“Detective, it’s time for you to leave. Since you are out of your jurisdiction, you have no control over me…”
“Wrong answer. Ma’am…yes you behind the desk window. We need your attention while my Sgt., my partner, who has been more than generous in her words, makes their phone calls to both the city, county and state to get actions done. No one is to leave this facility and anyone who enters is to be vetted. Please make sure with me that this place is locked down properly. We will get more officers, both with our team and LAPD, which is the first call being made, since you do not want to cooperate.”
“Fine! I’ll cooperate!” McBride shouted, glaring at Diesel and Pratt.
“Nope! You had your chance and you’re done. Sit your ass down. Diez, she is yours. I’ll deal with the receptionist and getting this place locked down!”
Laura Pratt walked with the receptionist around the building to make sure the windows and doors were secured as best as they could in the location they were in. Pratt noticed that the woman seemed nervous during their walk, giving her side eyes now and then.
“Out with it, lady. The side eyes make me twitchy, and I feel you either want to tell me something or you’re afraid we will find something.” Pratt stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned towards the woman.
“Katrina hasn’t returned back to the home for several days. I believe at least, maybe…three days. The boyfriend is Reginald Newman. He goes by Razgor or something like that. He’s been involved with some weird cult thing around the time he was brought in. I honestly don’t think he’s young enough to be here. But anytime something is said, she threatens to fire me and make sure I can’t draw my pension. I only do this job a couple of days a week.” The older woman wrung her hands as she looked around the hallway, as if she’s afraid someone was going to pop out and ‘pop’ her.
“Is this Reginald here now?” Pratt asked, drawing her weapon.
“Y-yes. He came in about five, maybe ten minutes before you ladies did. He went to McBride’s office. He doesn’t really stay here, if you know what I mean.”
“Does McBride have cameras in her office that show the lobby area?” Pratt asked, pulling her phone out to call her sgt. to give her the heads up.
“No ma’am. Let me rephrase that. As far as I know, no. But then again, she could have something on her laptop or hidden that I’m not aware of.”
“Everything ok?” Sgt. Brocard asked when she answered the phone.
“Guy’s name is Reginald. He’s here in the building, showed up several minutes before us. The receptionist said he came in and went to McBride’s office. Do you see cameras in the lobby or around the receptionist’s desk?” Pratt cut straight to the chase when Brocard answered.
“No, on the cameras. I have McBride. Sending Diesel your way. We have LAPD and several from the team heading this way now.”
“Got it. I’ll wait here for Diesel. I’m down the hall from McBride’s office. Ma’am, is there any windows in McBride’s office or a way out from there that we don’t know of?”
“No. We’ve already sealed off the back way out. McBride doesn’t have a window in her office. Says she doesn’t like people being able to ‘people watch’ her while she’s working.”
Hanging up the phone, Pratt waited for Diesel, eased around the corner that would give her a good view of McBride’s office. Once Diesel arrived, both women walked towards the door with the receptionist. They had instructed her to knock on the door and act like she was looking for McBride.
When the receptionist knocked, Diesel waiting on one side of the door and Pratt on the other, they waited for the door to open. As expected, the office door swung open with a man stepping out to get into the receptionist’s face.
“What the fuck are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be with McBride?”
“Sorry, dumbass, McBride is busy at the moment. Thanks for answering the door,” Pratt smirked as she raised her weapon to the man’s head.
When the man whipped around, Diesel gripped his arm, jerking him around, face first into the wall as Pratt followed with her weapon raised towards him. Taking his left leg out, making him unbalanced, she pulled her cuffs and had him cuffed before he realized what was going on.
“What the fuck? You don’t know who you’re fucking with. You bitches are dead after my boss fucks your asses.” Reginald “Ragzor” Newman seethed through his teeth, struggling to get away from the two women.
“Yeah, and just who is your boss I should be shaking in my boots against? You know D, I haven’t shaken in my boots in fear since, well, ever. What about you, toots?” Pratt asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked at Diesel, biting the inside of her lips in thought.
“Hmm, let me think…yeah, nope. Never shook in my boots. Now, I’ve fucked with my boots on, unless that damn good fucking I got is considered shaking, or the fact he made me shake from the orgasm…”
“Well, if you’re going that route, yeah, the ole man has made me do that a time or two…or three…well, you get the point.”
“Bitches! That’s all you women are! Bitches! Good for nothing but to sink my dick into and fix my fucking food. Woody is going to tear you bitches apart.”
Pratt and Diesel looked over at each other before bursting into laughter, holding their stomachs as the male just looked at them in confusion. When both women wiped their eyes, sighing deep, they looked at Reginald and just shook their head.
“With a name like Woody, he probably would get one up on me since I’d be too busy laughing at his name. Now, enough bullshit, Reginald. Who and where is this Woody wood peckerless, Katrina and Raven? Be a good lil fucker and give us what we want, and we’ll talk to the DA for you.” Pratt advised, glaring at Reginald, staring him in the eyes.
“Fuck you, bitch! I don’t have to talk to you, cunts. Lawyer! Now!” Reginald yelled, glaring at both women with a smirk on his face.
“Kermit and Houston are outside with the van. They’re going to take twinkle toes here and McBride so we can question them. Nadia is on her way to handle the LAPD and help investigate this hellhole. Once we’re done with them, then we can get them into the department. Her captain is aware of the situation and is backing us up!” Diesel advised Pratt, walking towards the door as a knock sounded.
Once the office door opened, Pratt, Sgt. Brocard and Diesel escorted Reginald and McBride out of the back door to the waiting van where Kermit, Houston and Cowboy were waiting, with smirks on their faces. Giving all three men a nod, they placed the two in the van and stood back. They watched as Kermit gave them an injection that would knock them out so they couldn’t see or ‘calculate’ where they were going guestimate how long they were riding around. They were taking no chances.
“We’ll meet you guys at the house in a few. We’re going to talk to the receptionist for a few, then turn her over to the LAPD for them to do their investigation. Nadia’s captain knows what’s going on and is supporting this. We’re off duty and not here in a cop’s capacity, so he’s looking the other way. For now,” Diesel advised the others.
“Nadia stated that the Red Dragons have been a thorn in their sides for ages, but always stayed under the radar. What they’ve been learning about the Golden Fangs has their mayor and the governor now scared of them coming into California.” Sgt. Brocard advised the three men.
“Not only that, if the Golden Fangs move in, there’s going to be an all-out war between them and the Satan’s Outlaws. It’s going to be even more bloody than the Golden Fangs have doled out and it could be long. The Satan’s Outlaws are not a small gang like the others the Fangs have taken out and they are not pushovers. They will strike back and have no cares who they take out with them. My money would be on the Satan’s Outlaws.” Pratt admitted, her hands sliding into her back jeans pocket.
“I’m with Red on this. My money would be on them as well. California is their turf. I know they have chapters elsewhere, but California is their home turf. They will defend it to the death. Fangs are small compared to them, so they will lose.” Sgt. Brocard agreed, crossing her arms across her chest.
“Wait, I have an idea!” Pratt perked up, biting the inside of her lip as she looked over at Diesel with a twinkle in her eye.
“I don’t like that look in her eyes!” Cowboy admitted, looking over at the other two men who stared at the three women curiously.
“Set up a meeting with the head of the Satan’s Outlaws big man and give him the heads up on what’s happening in Cali?” Diesel answered in question knowing what her teammate was thinking.
“I think that would be awesome. But we know they don’t like cops!” Sgt. Brocard huffed, shaking her head. “They may not meet with us if we tell them we’re cops, and we want a meeting with them.”
“We won’t have to be the one leading it. Isn’t Viper one of the big boys in the biker world? Didn’t he broker a deal with them when it comes to getting word on his sister’s disappearance?” Pratt asked, looking over at Kermit, Cowboy and Houston.
“Wait, you want Viper to set up a meeting with Jackson Delbert, the head guy for Satan’s Outlaws, so you three can say ‘hi we’re cops and this is what’s going on and we want to warn you because oh yeah we’re getting in the middle of it but you can handle the dirty work and we’ll help the LA cops look the other way?’ you realize how absurd that sounds, right?” Kermit laughed, holding his stomach as he bent over.
“Yeah, that’s exactly what we want. As Viper’s wife, they will listen to me despite being a cop. Showalter will attend as Odin’s sister. We’ll have that as leeway. Plus, we’re warning them, if they aren’t already aware. And yes, where this is concerned, they touched my daughter. I’m not here as a cop. Yes, I’m using my badge to get in where I need to, but they fucked with the wrong cop. I may not have raised her, but she’s still my flesh and blood. I will use any and everything I can to find her and get her to safety. That also includes Viper’s little sister. If Jackson Delbert can help us find both, then you’re fucking right, Kermit. I will use everything within and without my power to find both Raven and Bella Marie. Right now, we’re in Los Angeles and that means using the Satan’s Outlaws to their fullest capabilities.” Diesel informed Kermit darkly.
“All I have to do is have Dom make a call to a particular godfather, or two, and we can make sure it’s all swept under the rug. Is it ethical? No, but I’m with Diesel here. You fuck with my child or one of my sister’s crotch goblins, I will use everything in my power and every fucking card I have on someone to get them back. If it results in you dying, then so be it. I’ll sleep like a fucking baby, and so will every other parent out there because that’s one less fucker to mess with kids out there. If I have to turn in my badge because of it, then so be it. I have other talents to fall back on. Hell, I have enough saved up to start my own business to do what cops can’t do. Like Diez said, we’re not here as cops. We’re here as mothers, sisters, daughters…women fighting back against someone who wants to use, abuse and harm us or someone we love.” Pratt venomously informed the three men.
“We come in peace, beautiful! We just don’t want you three to get into trouble. We support you guys no matter what!” Kermit said quickly, raising both hands in the hair.
Both Cowboy and Houston followed suit, raising their hands in the air as if they were showing they were there in peace. The three women looked at the men for several seconds before shrugging and smacking the van.
“Get these two to the spot. We’ll be behind you in about fifteen to thirty minutes. Nadia is on her way with the LAPD. I’ll let her know what we’re thinking of doing and go from there. I’ll talk to Viper about the plan and see if he will call Jackson to set up the meeting. If Viper and Jacko are there with us, I think it will work out. Showalter and I will definitely be there. If we need to have Odin with us, we’ll call him. I also want to run this by her as well.”
Diesel, Pratt and Sgt. Brocard stood and watched as the van sped away. The three women were silent as they contemplated their next moves. Things were moving now, and they all had a decision to make. The three women turned towards each other once the van was out of sight, looking amongst themselves.
“They are right. This can get really bad. What do we want to do?” Sgt. Brocard questioned her two teammates.
“I say we have a team meeting, including Bravo Squad, Toi and Angel. It’s a team decision, but my stance is this…this is Diesel’s daughter, that makes her family. I will gladly put my badge down and go all in for her. Just like I know you all would do if it was one of my kids or Raso’s. I know she would feel the same. But we present everything as a team and decide how we handle this as a team. Highlander, his team and Marcus need to be aware of how south this can go. This can affect their military careers at the same time. Although I can speak for them and their commander, they will probably say fuck shit up, don’t get caught and then sleep like a fucking baby, knowing one less asshole in this world to touch our kiddos.” Pratt nodded, her arms crossing her chest as she decided without hesitation.
“I’m with Laura. Diez?” Sgt. Brocard agreed, looking over at Diesel.
“Nothing for me to decide. I’m all in. I will gladly hang up my badge if it means finding my daughter and bringing her home alive,” Diesel agreed, following Pratt and Sgt. Brocard’s stance.
“Let’s deal with Nadia and the LAPD so we can get back and talk to the others.”