Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Sway followed her brother through the garage, weaving in and out of rolling toolboxes and oil barrels. Music blasted through the speakers, making it hard to gain his attention. She didn’t know why her brother felt the need to hang out with the Royal Bastards MC. It wasn’t that she had a problem with them, she just didn’t know them. Tesh never brought them around the shop, or around her, for that matter. The idea of her brother hanging out with an outlaw motorcycle club made her nervous. Nervous for her brother. “Tesh, I’m talking to you.”
It wasn’t unusual for her and Tesh to disagree, but the argument over the Royal Bastards was getting old. It seemed like ever since her brother started hanging around the club, it had attracted some unwanted attention to their shop. She wondered more often than not if the two were related.
Rounding the bumper of one of the cars, she almost slammed into Tesh. His strong hands gripped her shoulders, steadying her. She stared into eyes the same colour as hers. Light grey, the colour of winter. His usual short black hair was shaggy and in need of a cut. Touching his cheek with her hand, Sway worried over Tesh. “I asked you why you’re in such a hurry.”
She felt like she was chasing an errant child trying to avoid being punished. She wanted to scream at him to stop. Shaking her head, Sway watched Tesh grab his wallet and keys from the desk. He almost ran her down when he turned and came out of the office.
When Tesh tried to continue walking away, she held tight to his hand. “Tell me where you’re going. Please,” she begged him.
“Sis, it’s nothing you need to worry about. I’m heading to the Royal Bastards clubhouse for a poker game.”
Searching Tesh’s face for any sign that he was lying, Sway decided the discussion wasn’t worth the fight. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Dropping her hand, she let go of her brother and watched him walk out the back door. Knowing Tesh, he was heading somewhere other than just the clubhouse. They had been harassed by a local group of thugs who called themselves the Bloody Scorpions. They wanted protection money, and Tesh refused to pay it. She worried about what they would do to them if Tesh continued to refuse.
She also worried he would confront the guys harassing them. Sending up a silent prayer, Sway hoped Tesh would stay far away from the Bloody Scorpions. The problem was, when Tesh made up his mind, there was no talking him out of it. She was too damn young to have so much worry weighing her down .
With nothing else to do, she went back to working on the bike build she’d been trying to get finished. They needed the money the custom bikes brought in, but sometimes, it felt like owning the shop was more of a burden than anything.
Seeing her brother’s car slowly roll past the front windows of the shop, she stopped her work. Setting down the screwdriver, she walked over to the window and watched as the car drove out of view.
Then the sky opened up, dropping large snowflakes onto the street. As the snow began to fall on the already snow-covered ground, Sway sighed. It wasn’t unusual for October to bring snow, but they’d had two storms already. “It’s gonna be a long, hard winter.”
With the thick, dense snow falling, it dimmed the light from the streetlamp. She eased against the windowsill, watching the night with a heaviness in her heart. Turning back from the view, she turned the music up. Focusing on the bike she’d been working on, Sway attempted to block out the uneasy feeling that had settled in the pit of her stomach.
Two hours later, Sway locked up the shop and headed upstairs to her apartment. Once inside, she kicked off her work boots by the door and pulled her ponytail down. Running her hands through the long, thick length, she massaged her scalp. Stepping into the kitchen, she opened the fridge and found it completely empty. When was the last time she had done the marketing? She couldn’t recall .
She’d just have to go out to eat. Passing the window, she pulled back the curtain a little and glanced down at the street. Everything was covered in a heavy dusting of snow, making the area look clean. Underneath all that powder, the streets were still as dirty as always. There wasn’t enough snow in the universe to wipe away the filth that covered the outskirts of Old Montreal.
Three blocks over was the heart of Old Montreal, where the streets were full of tourists darting in and out of boutiques, restaurants, and pubs. White lights adorned the awnings, light poles, and storefronts. For those who didn’t live there, it made a perfect picture.
With everything covered in snow, she’d have to walk if she wanted dinner. Dropping the curtain, she headed for a quick shower. Maybe Lottie could meet her for a bite, but she was probably already at a club or entertaining her boy toy. Laughing at the thought, Sway stripped out of her work clothes as she stepped into the bathroom. Like most nights, she’d eat dinner alone.
Sway was swimming in a thick, white froth of snow when the sound of a bell ringing broke the silence. Fighting her way out of a dream, she tumbled off the sofa as she searched for her phone. “Bonjour,” she said, trying to clear her sleepy vision.
“Est-ce Sabine Roussin?”
“Oui.”
“Votre frère a eu un accident. Il est au Centre de Traumatologie Mulder.”
Sway’s chest tightened. Her heart hurt, and her breath stopped as she thought about her beautiful, full-of-life brother being in the trauma centre. “Je suis en route.” Hanging up, she scrambled from the floor and darted to her bedroom to get dressed.
She pulled on jeans, a sweater, and her winter boots. Pulling back the curtains, she stared out the window, noticing that the sun was peeking over the rooftops and the storm had dissipated. Grabbing her jacket and keys, she rushed out the door.
The streets had been swept, making it an easy drive to the hospital. Her thoughts ran wild as she made the thirty-minute trek. When she ran into the hospital, Sway found the information desk busy with multiple people wanting to know about loved ones who had been brought in during the storm.
Phones rang, begging to be answered. People screamed at the receptionist, demanding answers to their questions. Others argued amongst themselves as they gave into the desperation of not knowing what had happened to their family members. Sway knew Tesh was there. What she didn’t know was where he was in the damn hospital or what had gotten him there.
Trying to have patience, Sway had the good mind to jump behind the damn desk and give the receptionist a hand. When the couple in front of her walked off, she sighed loudly.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes. My brother, Tesh Roussin, was brought in. ”
Sway watched the woman type on the keyboard until she finally glanced up at her.
“Your brother is in ICU on the third floor. Just head down the corridor to the elevators. Once you get upstairs, speak with one of the nurses for more information,” the receptionist said.
“Thank you.” Hustling down the hallway, Sway found the elevators. Her fingers tapped her thigh as she watched the numbers light up as the elevator headed to the first floor. Standing behind the small crowd also waiting on the elevator, Sway could have screamed.
Two police officers stepped up bedside her as the doors opened and allowed her in. As they stood in front of her, she listened as they spoke about a man being beaten within inches of his life the night before. Then she heard her brother’s name. Her knees went weak just as the elevator doors closed, and she fell against the wall, trying to keep upright. One of the officers grabbed her by the arm, helping her regain her balance.
“Are you okay?”
“No. I think you were talking about my brother.”
“What’s your name?” one of the officers asked her.
“Sabine Roussin.” Sway saw the look on the young officer’s face when she said her name. It showed sympathy. “Can you tell me what happened to Tesh Roussin?”
“Let’s talk somewhere private.” Staring at the young woman, he hated this part of his job. This, and telling a family their loved one was deceased .
When the elevator door opened, they walked over to a family room where they could talk. “What’s happened to my brother?” Sway asked before the door closed them inside the room.
“We aren’t sure what happened exactly. A witness reported that your brother was attacked by a group of men.”
“Can you tell me who the witness was?” She watched the officer thumb through his notes.
“Jerome Michel,” he said. The cop noticed a change in her facial expression. “Do you recognize the name, Miss Roussin?”
“Yes.” Sway knew who Jerome Michel was. “He and Tesh had been mates in school.” He was a lowlife thug who ran cons all over the area. She’d be looking up good old Jerome. “I’m glad someone saw what happened.”
“We’ll be speaking with Mr. Michel again later at the station. If you need anything, be sure to call the station.” The officer handed her a business card.
Sway looked at the card and then at the officer. “Is that it? You’re going to speak with Jerome and the investigation will be closed?”
“No, we’ll keep looking for anyone who can shed more light on the situation,” the cop assured her.
She hated that her brother was now a situation. “Was my brother anywhere near the Royal Bastards clubhouse?”
“No. He was miles from there. Why do you ask?”
“He sometimes hung around those boys. ”
“Everything points to a random attack. The area he was in is known for being rough.”
Thanking the officers, Sway watched as they walked out. She’d find everything she could on Jerome. Knowing some of her brother’s dealings weren’t exactly legal, she would bet money he had been dealing with his school mate without her knowing. The one thing she wouldn’t be doing is reaching out to the cops, no matter what she found. The last thing she needed was the cops coming around the shop.
Walking down the corridor, Sway found Tesh’s room. Squaring her shoulders, she gently opened the door and stepped in. Sway froze as she stared at her brother. He lay in the bed, his dark hair a contrast against the white pillow. He seemed small lying there under the hospital blanket while machines beeped and moaned softly, monitoring Tesh’s vitals.
Moving closer to the bed, Sway saw her brother’s face was covered in bruises and lacerations. His hands were the same. Tesh had fought for his life, that she was sure of. Sliding a hand underneath her brother’s, Sway gently held it. “What did you get into last night?”
The door opened as a nurse walked in. Her shoes squeaked against the sterile tile floor. “Don’t mind me, I’m just checking on the patient,” the woman said. Her voice was soft and soothing. Something told Sway the woman probably helped many distraught family members with her easy way, but Sway was too numb for a soothing voice.
“My brother’s belongings, where would I find those?”
“Everything is bagged up and put in the closet right over there.” The nurse pointed to a small cupboard across the room.
“Thank you.” Waiting until the nurse left the room, Sway let go of Tesh’s hand and went to search his clothes for anything that might help her figure out where he’d been or possibly who he’d been with.
Pulling out the bags, Sway put them on the small fold-out vinyl sofa. At the sight of his blood-covered clothes, she swallowed the lump that was stuck in her throat. Digging in the pockets of his jeans, she found nothing. Searching the shirt her brother had been wearing, she found a receipt for dinner but nothing else. In his coat pocket, she found a torn piece of paper with what looked like an address scribbled across it along with a word: Funhouse. Folding it, she stuffed it into the pocket of her jeans. At the bottom of the bag, she found his car keys and wallet. Putting those in her purse, she put the clothes back in the bags to take them home later.
She’d call the auto shop and have one of the employees look for Tesh’s car and have it towed back to the shop.