Chapter 27
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Jack
The past week and a half has been chaotic and ridiculous. Oh, and nerve-racking. Can’t leave out the fact that everyone’s about to lose it. Our nerves are beyond shot. There are way too many things happening around here. I can’t sort any of it out.
The Midnight Mavericks are still pulling stupid childish pranks around town. At random times throughout the day and night, firecrackers pop off. Not as many or with bricks like the first one at the garage. It’s just enough to be bothersome and annoying to the entire town. We wouldn't know it was them if Jay, Cloudy, and I hadn’t witnessed Trace and his guys throwing the first one.
The senior citizens in Willow Creek are freaking out. Naturally, half of them believed it was us and called the Sheriff’s Office. Our wonderful sheriff, Nathan Bowers, showed up at the Den yesterday. His beloved law-abiding citizens fear a biker uprising is coming. It’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.
That’s not all. It gets better. Exactly a week ago, red paint splatters started showing up around town in driveways, parking lots, and on the sidewalks. We haven’t figured out what the paint means, and no one has claimed responsibility.
Nick believes the two are the same group but can’t prove it yet. When both pranks happen, the traffic cameras blink in and out. When they’re thrown from cars, the license plates are missing, so Nick can’t run those. When they’re thrown by people running through town on foot, the person is always dressed fully in black and wearing a ski mask. We don’t have faces to ID.
The only reason Nick isn’t a hundred percent sure it’s the same group is because the cars throwing the firecrackers aren’t the same makes and models as the ones throwing the paint. And from their shapes and height, it’s different people on foot.
The last paint splatter was found yesterday morning in Angie’s parking lot. Jay’s garage was the night before. The last firecrackers went off yesterday around lunchtime, two days before Thanksgiving. The sound bounced off the buildings, preventing us from getting an exact location. When our wonderful citizens’ holiday shopping was interrupted, they called the Sheriff again. It’s when Nathan came to see us to get everyone off his back.
We’ve had two emergency Church meetings this week. The alert for this one went out ten minutes ago. It’s been quiet today. No paint. No firecrackers. I’m not sure what this meeting is about. Jay’s the last Viking to walk in before Worley Bird closes the doors.
“Settle down, Vikings.” Dad stands and slams the gavel. “Time for Church.”
Jay hurries down the aisle between the chairs and the wall to stand beside me. He’s carrying a small cardboard box. Jay has the same faraway look in his eyes as he does when he wants to stab somebody. My cousin is a bigger problem than the Mavericks and their little firecrackers could ever be.
“You bring a bomb or something,” I tease. Hoping he’ll relax.
“Something like that.” Jay’s eyes are darker than normal. When he does this, I look for him to shift into some crazed animal from a paranormal movie.
“Sorry to call you all in on such short notice again and the night before Thanksgiving. Jay just found something that might be important.” Dad turns toward us. “What did you find, son?”
Jay moves to the front of the room. “Uncle Jacob, I was mad when I called. Church might not be necessary, but we do need Nick.”
Our computer genius joins Jay down front. We’re working Nick overtime this week. He’s living off energy drinks, protein bars, and beef jerky.
“What did you find?” Nick keeps his eyes on the box in Jay’s hands.
“I’ve been taking the bike from the wreck apart to see if anything’s salvageable. This was hidden and attached to the speedometer.” Jay reaches into the box and lifts a small device up for Dad and Nick to see but doesn’t take it all the way out.
Nick snatches the device from Jay’s hand. He turns it face down on the table. He quickly disassembled the device with a small tool he had in his jacket.
“Was that a camera?” Dad points to the tiny pieces on the table.
“Yep, and an active one.” Nick puts the pieces back into the box. “I’ll take it to the lab and see what I can find.”
That wreck wasn’t an accident. Someone has had eyes inside the garage for over a week. Chills run up my spine. Are the Mavericks after Jay? My family can’t lose another member. No, we’re losing Jay. I’ll destroy every Maverick I can find if they even try to touch my cousin.
Bankz stands. “Pres, if I may?”
“If you’ve got anything right now, we’ll take it.” Dad motions for Bankz to continue.
“Just a thought here.” Bankz clears his throat. “We all know how stupid the firecrackers and paint are. Could they just be a distraction for whatever that camera has coming?”
Dad slowly turns his head toward Worley Bird. “He’s got a point.”
“If he’s right, and since Coombs himself was involved in the first prank, we may have a war coming.” Worley Bird’s words rip through the hearts of every Viking in the room.
We haven’t had an open declaration of a club war in over twenty years. I was just a kid then. We’ve had a few fights and battles over the years, but not a war.
My phone’s on silent. It vibrates in my pocket from an incoming call. I don’t answer it. If we have a war coming, Dad needs every member’s full attention, mine included. My phone goes off three more times while Dad’s giving instructions on the things we need to do to be ready. The safety of our families is at the top of the list. A loud pounding comes on the Church doors as my phone rings for the fifth time. Everyone turns and watches Worley Bird rush to the doors. The moment the doors are barely open, Mom pushes in and ducks under Worley Bird’s arm.
Mom stays just inside the door and points at me. “You need to answer that, Jack. Now!” That is all she says before she ducks back out again.
“Lily.” I frantically dig my phone from my pocket.
Jay and Rodeo are instantly at my sides. I feel like an idiot for not at least looking to see who was calling. Lily only has a flip-style burner phone, but it’s not her number on my screen. It’s Emily.
I quickly answer the call. “Emily, is Lily alright?”
“Uh. I think so.” She doesn’t sound sure or like Lily’s the reason she called.
“Put it on speaker,” Dad orders. I quickly hit the button.
“Emily, what's wrong?” The Mavericks have been quiet all day. If they hit the bakery while we were in Church, I’m riding straight to Chattanooga tonight.
“Jack, I don’t think these flower deliveries are from a secret admirer.”
Dad walks over and glares at my phone screen. “Emily Powell, did you really just interrupt Church to talk about flower deliveries?”
“Sorry, Pres, but I did.” Emily’s voice is heavy with worry. She wouldn’t call like this if it weren’t important.
“Miss Powell, we don’t have time for nonsense. I expect to see you in my office after you close the bakery today.” Dad is furious.
“Dad, wait. I don’t believe this is nonsense.” I also don’t think Emily should be in trouble. “Emily, you need to explain and clearly.”
“Okay. Flowers and their colors have different meanings. They’ve been used for centuries to deliver messages. At first, the deliveries were sweet. I didn’t think anything of it. I thought you might be right and one of us three had a secret admirer.”
Dad tosses his hands in the air. “For crying out loud.”
“Dad, please. Let her finish. Go on, Emily.”
“Well, the types of flowers started changing. I haven’t looked all of them and their meanings up yet, but they aren’t what you’d send in a typical bouquet. The ones today definitely deliver a message and it’s not a good one.”
“Is this true?” Dad looks around Church. A few members shrug. Most sit with blank expressions on their faces.
“It is,” Jay confirms. “Mom used to talk about flowers and their meanings.”
Jay’s mom doesn’t talk much anymore. After losing Jay’s dad, she withdrew from everyone but Jay for a while. She still helps out during holidays at the Den. In fact, she’s in the kitchen right now with Mom and Nana, preparing Thanksgiving dinner for tomorrow.
“How many deliveries have you gotten?” At least Dad’s listening now.
“We get one every day or two. I have them in the back. I’ll look their meanings up after we close.”
“What was today’s delivery?” I ask. It’s the reason she called, after all.
“Jack.” Emily’s voice shakes. “I think they’re for Lily.”
“What?” Panic flies through me. “Why do you think they’re for her?”
Every brother in the room sits forward. No one whispers a word. They know Lily came to us through Ariel’s Angels.
“There are three types of flowers in this box. They don’t go together at all. I think they’re for Lily because one is a white Calla Lily. It’s like the flowers are naming her. Another is red roses, like the first delivery, but they’re not pretty. This time, the petals are withered and look like they’ve been crumpled in someone’s hand.”
“That’s disturbing,” Rodeo mumbles.
It’s very disturbing, but there’s more. Emily said there were three types of flowers today.
I’m afraid to ask, but we need to know. “What’s the last flower?”
“Black Dahlias,” Emily replies.
Jay’s head snaps up. “That one means death.”
“Emily, let me talk to Lily.” Something greater than fear runs through me.
“She’s not here.”
Jay and Rodeo reach out to steady me.
“Where is she?” I demand.
“It’s her lunch break, Jack. When you’re not at the shop, she goes across the street to the market’s deli or the sub shop. She’s been to Angie’s a few times, too.” Emily’s explanation isn’t comfortable.
Dad snaps his fingers. “Nick, track her.”
I don’t know if Lily’s flip phone can be tracked. We should have upgraded her phone by now. What am I thinking? There’s probably a way to track every phone made nowadays. If not, I’m sure Nick created a way.
Nick clicks around on his laptop. In less than three minutes, he looks up. “She’s at the library.”
The library is halfway between the bakery and Angie’s. I guess it’s not a bad place for her to hang out on her lunch break.
“Books aren’t bad,” Worley Bird says.
“Emily, did you call Sandy?” This isn’t a normal order. Sandy updated her online form to where customers have to fill out every question. An email address is now required to place the order.
“I called both flower shops in town. They didn’t deliver this. We got really busy after Lily went to lunch. When it died down, the box was on the front counter.”
“A personal delivery?” Dad rubs the back of his neck. He feels the same eerie feeling as I do.
“Jack.” Nick taps the table to get my attention. “Libraries have computers too. If she used one…” He doesn’t need to say anymore.
Jay’s hand clamps around my wrist. “He’s here.”
I don’t look back to see how many brothers follow me out. It’s a lot. I run through the Den and straight out to my truck. If she’s in danger, I’m not about to put her on the back of my bike. Besides, it’s too cold today to ride with her. Rodeo jumps in the passenger seat. Jay follows us out of the parking lot in his truck. Bankz is riding with him.
In a way, I hope Joel Clark is here. I don’t want him near Lily, but I’d love to get my hands on him. I haven’t read the file Nick worked up on the scumbag or Lily’s. Dad has. I know it. All I got was his name and photo. If he’s here, I’ll find him. First, I have to get to Lily. Once she’s safely on club property, I’ll hunt her ex down.
When the tires hit the pavement, I slam my foot to the floor. We’ll be at the library in less than ten minutes.
“I’m coming, angel,” I whisper.
And I’m bringing an army of Warriors with me.