Chapter Twenty-Four
The Negotiated Consent
Ziggy
I stood in the hallway, unwilling to follow anyone until I saw where they were taking her. They didn’t stop me; an officer and a male nurse patiently followed me down the hall. When the lady pushing Ro’s gurney popped a door labeled radiology open and wheeled her inside, I nodded, satisfied that she was in good hands and that I’d find her, if that frantic howling of hers started up again. I knew the cops wanted to speak to me, and I wasn’t a snitch, but I also knew they’d have access to those campus records.
They’d probably already seen the database or call logs or whatever the fuck they used. There was a good chance they already knew the day had started off with a disturbance, one that I was involved with.
“Mr. Nash, I’m Officer Von with the Alton police department. Would it be okay if we stepped back to Ro’s room to talk while we wait for radiology to finish up?”
I shifted, finally taking a good glance at the police officer that had joined my cause.
“Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I kind of took over your interrogation back there.” I sheepishly grinned and fell into place beside her as we started down the hall.
“Ah, you were doing a fine job and asking all the right questions, so I left you to it.” She briefly placed a sympathetic hand on my shoulder when I hesitated at the T in the hallway. Her other hand gestured in the necessary direction, and I flashed her a tight, appreciative smile.
I entered the room first, walked to the countertop in the back of the room. I turned, resting my weight against it, as I faced her. Von shut the door behind her, and flipped on the lights, which had been dimmed at some point during Ro’s admission and the struggle that followed.
“First, I’m sorry you’re going through this. I can’t even imagine.” She sat down in one of the two heavy, plastic chairs that flanked the blood pressure device on the wall. “Do you have any idea who would do this to your wife? Does she have a conflict with anyone?”
I took a deep breath.
“Wyatt,” She began, and the use of my first name jarred me a bit. “I apologize, I did investigate a little while they were settling her at first. You’re Wyatt Nash, president of the Dirty Savages motorcycle club, aren’t you?”
I gave a dry, half-hearted, grunt and stared at her.
“I don’t–” Her eyes widened, and she shook her head, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to suggest anything by that statement, I was only explaining where I’d heard your name before. Do you have reason to believe there is anyone who would hurt your wife due to her own experiences, or those that might include you or your club?”
I cleared my throat and decided to let a few things roll off my back like water, rather than verbally spar with the woman. “I don’t know the man, but I was called to pick her up at the university today after she was assaulted.”
I could tell by the momentary shift in her expression, before she began to frantically scribble, this was news to her. I inwardly cursed myself and watched her write. I should have just kept my mouth shut and handled the Deuces.
“This happened today, you said?”
“Yuh.” I grunted.
I rubbed the back of my neck and abruptly asked, “Is it okay if I smoke in the parking lot while you check with campus PD about that little prick?”
“Uh– Yeah. Yes, thank you, Mr. Nash.” She snapped her notepad shut and stuffed it in the breast pocket of her uniform, only to pull a cell phone from another pocket.
I left her to it and hauled ass for the exit. I didn’t smoke, I just wanted some air, and to get the fuck away from the badges. The doors slid open as I approached and I closed my eyes, drawing in a deep breath as I made my way through them.
“Zig!” Henny barked.
I opened my eyes to find all of them rushing toward me. Griz hauled me into a side hug and Henny flanked me on the right. Everyone spoke at once after we’d put some distance between us and the door.
“How you wanna do this, Zig?” Cane excitedly asked. His vibrant, blue-green eyes glistened with adrenaline. That boy wasn’t right. He had a thirst in him that went beyond savage. He didn’t need a reason; he just needed directions. It was deeper than personal when Cane unleashed, making people suffer was cathartic to that motherfucker. He’d made a craft out of extracting hope and inducing fear long ago, it was his favorite pastime.
“Do we even know what happened yet? Like– What do you mean, how? What are we even doing?” Sauce piped up.
His eyes had dark circles around them. His cheeks were getting gaunt. The sight of him shocked me to silence. Why had no one told me my son was spiraling again?
My life was a series of dumpster fires. Every time I put one out, ten more popped up. Each one burned brighter than the last. It started with Ruby, and it hadn’t stopped since. In fact, the shit was getting more rapid-fire as I got older! First Menace ran off with Sammy. Then there was the brewing mob war, that I wasn’t sure if we were even clear of yet. Now I had a wife with a smashed face, and a son rolling around in the mud like a fuckin’ pig.
I wanted to spit. I wanted to smack him.
He knew it, too! His beady, little gaze snapped away from mine and just when I was about to call him out for the open disregard for our club’s laws, and his own wellbeing, Cane fired up again.
“The motherfucker beat the brakes off a woman with our President’s property patch inked on her throat like crowned jewels. There ain’t no question of what we’re about to do. I just need to know how he wants me, or us to go about it.”
Cane leaned into Sauce as he educated him. Henny was standing on the other side of Sauce and didn’t bother offering them any space, effectively pinning him there for the fireworks.
“We’re goin’ to war, Sauce,” Henny rasped.
“Fuckin’ right we are,” I agreed. “I’m gonna knock twenty-second street, and South Roxana off the goddamn map.”
“Church tomorrow, then?” Talon asked.
I grunted, my head tipping in a slow nod.
There was nothing else to say, they slowly disbursed.
Cane lingered, walking with me as I headed back toward the glass doors.
“You sure you don’t want me to lay down a little shock and awe, boss man?”
I watched as Sauce struggled to start his bike and slowly shook my head, “If you want to do me any favor at all, man, watch him for me.”
His head whipped around, until he realized what I was staring at, and he nudged my arm, saluting me with his chin.
“You don’t worry ‘bout nothing. I got him.” Cane reassured.
He hurried toward his own bike, calling out on the way, “Hey, Sauce. Wait up, fucker.”
I smiled and headed inside.
“Mr. Nash,” The nurse who’d stayed with us earlier, gestured for me. “The doctor said she could have ice chips. I know she was parched, and I gave her a spoonful just now. If she wants more, you can give her some if you’re so inclined, I just wanted you to be aware. Doctor says we’re awaiting imaging, then we’ll know if the next step is observation or emergency surgery. Either way, doctor expects the orbital area is fractured, if not crushed. That is technically a surgery, but it has to be done by a reconstructive surgeon, and they move at their own pace. So, if the word ‘emergency’ is used about the eye socket, they could be here by morning. Maybe lunch. You understand? If it is used in regard to brain imaging, she will be flown right away to St. Louis.”
I blinked, processing the very frank information dump that had just occurred.
“I– Yeah, I– I think I do.”
Officer Von raised her hand when she spotted me and started my way. She paused a few feet from the nurse and patiently waited until the woman ventured back behind the counter.
“Alright, I’ve received the records from the University. They list a home address of–,”
“Ten-twenty-four South Lawn Street.” I finished for her.
“Yes. Great. So, I have some concerns to be frank and with the account that your wife gave of making dinner, I think it would be best to go ahead and search the house. I know you probably will not cooperate or give consent; it’s not the nature of your organiz–”
“Shut the oven off,” I clipped.
“Mr. Nash?” She paused her speech and stared.
“I don’t give a fuck about you going in my house. You don’t need a warrant, just do me a solid and shut the oven off.” I slowly nodded hoping she’d see the bargain in this and save me a trip home.
I really didn’t want to leave Ro.
“You’re giving me consent to search your home address?”
I nodded with a bit more conviction. “Yes. If– you shut the oven off. Oh, and lock the door after you determine the place is secure, hm?”
“Uh– yeah.” She seemed flabbergasted for a moment.
Once she recovered herself, she enthusiastically shot out her hand for me to shake.
I didn’t have anything to hide in that house. It was my home, the place I’d raised my children. I was a Dirty Savage, not a dumb one.