Chapter 20
20
MILA
“What do we know?” Brody’s voice sounded through the speaker, and I stared at Ethan. We knew we were also on speaker because when Brody called us last night, he said they’d scheduled a morning meeting with the whole team for an update.
“He’s still in Devil’s Lake.” Ethan began. “The tracker's been on his car for two days and hasn’t moved.”
“Have you been back to the house?”
That was Striker’s voice. I’d know that deep, almost growly voice anywhere after spending a few months in close contact with him.
“We went again last night to monitor,” I replied. “My hope was that he would leave and we could get into the house, but no luck.”
“I’m not sure you should go into the house,” Brody said. “It could be dangerous. We don’t know anything about this man.”
“I agree,” another voice began speaking, and since it sounded so much like Brody, I realized it had to be Jax. “The best thing to do right now is to trail him. We need to know more about him, where he goes, where he works, if he does work, and especially who he spends time with.”
“Got it,” Ethan replied.
“Hard to believe he has a nine-to-five job if he hasn’t left his house in two days,” I pointed out.
“I agree,” Jax replied, but his voice changed. “Can only assume if he works, he does that from home or he has something on the weekend.”
My eyes met Ethan’s again, and I knew we were thinking the same way. “There’s no way his work is legit, right?”
“No, not a chance. He was affiliated with Daniel Sullivan,” Jax replied. “Other than Beth, everyone at Daniel Sullivan’s home voluntarily worked for him. We know Samson was there.”
“We also know Sullivan didn’t trust him and thought he was shady,” Striker added. “Says a lot about a man who Daniel fucking Sullivan didn’t trust.”
"True,” I agreed. “Considering Daniel’s businesses were shady, you’d think he’d like someone like Samson.”
“Maybe Daniel considered him competition,” Ethan pointed out.
“That’s what we need to find out.” Jax agreed. “Now that we know he’s there, we need anything you can find on his business dealings. If he has any, where they happen, who they’re with. We’ll get a hell of a lot further following a business trail than a personal one.”
“You still planning on meeting that couple tonight?” Brody asked.
“Unless you tell us not to,” I answered.
“Go. If the tracker alerts you that Samson’s on the move, find a way to leave and follow him, but my gut says you need to go tonight.”
“I agree with Brody,” Jax said.
“Stay alert in there.”
“Hi, Nick.” I smiled when I heard his voice. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”
He chuckled, but his tone was serious when he spoke. “They said it all, but you and I know places like the one you’re going to tonight, Mila. Or at least that’s my feeling from the description the couple you met gave you. If half of what they implied was true, it sounds pretty fucking similar to the places where we spent too much time.”
“I think you’re right,” I admitted. “Don’t forget there’s a huge motorcycle ride starting tomorrow.”
“A place like they described to you will bring them in. If any of them ride in tonight, they may be there.”
“We’ll need to be careful,” I surmised.
“You’ll need to watch your back at all times,” Nick reminded me, and he was right. I’d almost forgotten how bad those places could be.
Almost.
Tonight would take me back to a place in my mind that I don’t want to revisit.
“Looked up the address you gave me for the bar. It’s a place called Smokin’ Joe’s, classified as a bar and strip club. They have a current liquor license, and all their shit’s in order, so they’re running a legitimate business inside those walls,” Kyle chimed in.
“Or they have a legit front for what they’re actually running,” Nick pointed out.
“Couldn’t agree more, brother,” Kyle replied. “But they’re smart. They keep their shit surrounding the business current so no one bats an eye in their direction. That business is not on anyone’s radar as far as I can tell.”
“Any Kevins mentioned in the ownership of the business or building? Anything like that?” I asked.
“Negative,” Kyle replied.
“Dammit,” I cursed. “I’d hoped the Kevin they mentioned might be the one we’re watching.”
“I know. We did too, but this might be a breadcrumb trail to him, so follow it,” Jax replied.
“We’ll need you to check in tonight after you leave,” Brody spoke, but his voice sounded tense. “In the meantime, if you can get any traceable information on Samson, we can help you from here. Kyle’s doing a lot of digging, but he’s been hitting dead ends.”
“The only thing I know for sure is that he owns his vehicle. I ran the plate you got, and that’s definitely his car, but it looks like he paid in cash because he owns the title and never had a loan for it.”
“He’s good at staying under the radar.” I sighed. “We’ll get you something,” I promised, but I said a little prayer that I could keep that promise.
“Don’t put yourself in danger finding shit on Samson. If all you can do is surveillance, we’ll take it.” Jax spoke. “I don’t want to send in anyone he might recognize from the raid on Daniel Sullivan’s house because I’m afraid he’ll bolt if he knows we found him. If something is happening inside that bar that involves Samson, and you need another man in the building, I can send in Landon, but he’s the only one who wasn’t there besides you two.”
“Does he have enough training?” I inquired.
“Enough to get by,” Jax admitted. “But he’s never done surveillance, and he’s too impulsive to be in the field on a mission that requires us to stay invisible.”
“I'm sitting right here, you know.”
I looked at Ethan and laughed when I heard Landon’s voice and even harder when Jax replied, “Yeah, I know.”
Ethan chuckled. “Guess shit hasn’t changed since we’ve been gone.”
I heard laughter and then Brody’s voice. “You need anything else?”
“Not right now.”
“Alright, then we have a plan. If anything doesn’t feel right tonight, get the hell out.” Brody continued. “Tonight might give us something, and it might not, but it’s a lead worth following.”
“Understood,” I answered.
“Just get him,” Striker spoke up. “If you need someone to stay in the shadows and watch your back while you do it, I’m available.”
“No, you aren’t.”
I lifted my eyebrows when I heard Brody’s voice, but Striker continued talking. “Can’t keep me on this leash forever, brother.”
“He wants Beth,” Brody pointed out. “If the only way to get to her is through you, he’ll do it. I’m not sacrificing anyone to get this guy. We’ll get him, but only if we’re smart.”
When silence was all we heard, I spoke, “We won’t let you down.”
“We know that,” Jax said. “We’ll wait to hear from you.”
Silence loomed, and I knew Jax had disconnected, probably so he could move on with the meeting and end what I’m sure was a stare off between Brody and Striker.
“He’s getting impatient.”
I threw my phone on the bed and met Ethan’s gaze. “That’s not good. He’s unpredictable when he’s impatient. We saw that with Beth.”
Ethan studied me. “I think those circumstances may have forced him to be more unpredictable than usual.”
“I pulled my legs up and sat with them crisscrossed. “Do you think you would’ve reacted the same way he did? I mean, if you loved someone the way he loves Beth?”
“I’d do whatever it takes to protect the people I love,” he admitted, and I believed him. I watched how he was with his sister and niece.
I smiled sadly. “Well, let’s hope we never have to test that.”