Chapter 21
Rex
“Tell me everything again.”
Doc sighs but agrees to my request, patiently walking us through the events leading up to Lena’s disappearance and what he found out afterward for the fourth time since his return.
I stop him when he gets to the part that’s been eating away at me. “Those were Lena’s exact words? ‘I’m not sure if I can stay if Rex continues to punish me,’ that’s what she said?”
“Yes,” he admits. I can tell he didn’t want to admit to this part. He knew how much it would pain me to hear it.
“Well then, there you have it. Lena left of her own accord,” I say, looking between my friends.
“She wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye,” Cole says.
“In case you’ve forgotten, that’s precisely what she did last time.
She left without a word, without even asking me if what she heard was true.
Who’s to say she hasn’t done it again?” I insist. They look back at me, silent.
They don’t know what to say because I’m right.
“This is what Lena does. As soon as things get tough, she runs.”
I try to hide my hurt behind anger and indignation. How dare Lena do this to me again? To my friends? Now that I know Mia is my daughter, she has no right.
“She didn’t run. She wouldn’t,” Judge interjects calmly.
“Judge is right. I was there, she didn’t leave voluntarily,” Doc agrees.
“She calmly climbed into the car with a woman, and they drove away. That sure as shit doesn’t sound like a kidnapping to me,” I snipe bitterly.
I wonder who the mystery woman is. There’s a whole part of Lena’s life and time away from me that I know nothing about.
I know so little about her past, too. Only that she was in foster care and that Big Joe was one of her foster parents.
Unfortunately, she went through a lot of shit before he came into her life.
I presume that’s why she does this, runs when things get tough.
It’s how she copes. She told me she often ran away as a kid. It seems some things don’t change.
Doc throws his arms up in exasperation. “A woman who was wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap to hide her face! Doesn’t that sound suspicious to you?”
“Has it not occurred to you that maybe that was for our benefit? That Lena didn’t want us to follow her?” I reply. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that Lena left of her own free will. That she left because of me. I’m the cause of the pain and worry on my friends’ faces.
“Jesus, you are so fucking stubborn sometimes!” Cole shouts, losing his temper. “This isn’t about you and your bruised ego. Lena and Mia, your child, are missing! Even if you’re right—which I don’t think you are—don’t you want to find them? Don’t you think you have a right to see your daughter?”
“And what if you’re wrong?” Judge adds.
I think about that for a second. What if I am wrong? What if the woman worked for Zeke, and he now has Mia and Lena?
Doc voices my thoughts exactly. “If you’re wrong and Zeke has kidnapped them, could you forgive yourself for doing nothing?”
He’s right, I owe Lena and Mia that much, especially Mia. She’s my kid, I gotta step up and start acting like it. Even if I’m right, and I still think I am, I still should try to find my daughter.
The fight goes out of me. “You’re right.”
I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t try to find them.
Even if Lena doesn’t want me—and I’m not sure I’d blame her based on the way I’ve treated her—I have to look for them.
I need to make sure they’re okay. As long as they’re safe, I can live with whatever Lena decides.
Even as I tell myself this, I don’t believe it.
Part of the reason I’m scared to find Lena is that she will reject me, that she’ll tell me she doesn’t love me—because I love her.
I feel the collective relief from the others.
Regardless of my feelings, I’d have helped them no matter what.
A big part of me still believes we’ll find Lena holed up somewhere, perfectly safe and happy to be rid of us, but they need to know.
If I turn out to be right, I’ll also need to be there to pick up the pieces of my friends’ broken hearts.
“So, what’s the plan? How are we meant to figure out where she went?” Doc asks.
Cole takes charge, slipping into his role as Prez.
“We need to track down any CCTV footage from where she went missing, and the roads nearby. Doc, you head back to the diner. See if anyone has any more info. Judge, you talk to your law enforcement contacts and see what they can do to assist. Me and Rex will do some digging into the Iron Vultures to see if there’s any talk about the kidnapping and the locations of all of Zeke’s properties. ”
With our tasks delegated, we don’t waste time talking further. We rush to our bikes, hopping on and tearing away, the rumbling sound of our bikes piercing the quiet.
Our first call is to meet with our Iron Vultures informant, a former barmaid turned prostitute named Trish.
She’s a club girl that most of the Vultures have fucked and a coke head, which means she tends to overhear a lot of info, and she’s easily bought with a couple of grams here or there.
She’s also a stone-cold bitch, but I think most of that is a front, a survival tactic.
I feel sorry for her mostly and blame Zeke and his buddies for how she’s turned out.
They’re the ones who fucked her and used her, getting her hooked on drugs.
Lena used to work with Trish. That’s how Trish became our informant. I met her for the first time when Lena went missing, and I was trying to find her.
“Lemme guess, you’re here chasing after Lena again?” Trish asks dryly as she opens her door and sees us there.
Zeke didn’t extend the same offer of free accommodation to Trish as he did to Lena, especially now that she no longer works as a barmaid for him. So, Trish lives away from the Iron Vultures’ clubhouse, which is good for us since it would be a lot harder to pay her a visit on their property.
“Did you hear something?” Cole asks.
Trish raises her eyebrow at Cole. “That depends on how much the information is worth to you.”
“Can we come inside?” I ask, eager not to risk being seen by Zeke’s cronies that might be nearby.
She shrugs and moves aside, walking into the dirty living room. She’s wearing an oversized, ragged t-shirt and lace panties. Her pale, stick-thin legs are bare. The apartment is a mess, littered with trash and takeout containers. On the coffee table are clear signs of recent drug use.
Trish catches my disgusted expression. “I’m gonna clean up before my first client arrives. You didn’t call ahead, so you can’t judge me for not being ready for guests,” she says defensively before flopping down onto the couch.
I hold up my hands in surrender. “I didn’t say a word.”
Trish gives me a dismissive glance before turning her attention to Cole. “Sit next to me, Cole,” she says, patting the filthy couch.
He does so reluctantly. I choose to remain standing, partly because I don’t want to come in contact with whatever’s on the couch, but also so I can keep an eye on the door.
“So, how are you handsome?” she purrs, batting her lashes at Cole. “Is it wishful thinking that this is a social visit?”
“Fraid so, darlin’. Lena and her daughter Mia have gone missing.
We think Zeke mighta’ took them. Know anything about that?
” Cole knows she won’t say anything without us forking over some drugs or money.
Cole opts for cash, producing a twenty from his pocket.
We’re not into dealing hard drugs, a bit of pot here or there maybe, but that’s about it.
Trish grabs it as though it might disappear if she isn’t quick enough. “I don’t know why everybody is so obsessed with her. Why go chasing after her when you’ve got perfectly good women here?”
Cole shrugs. “I don’t have time to explain what makes Lena special to us, she just is. And as the saying goes, why go out for burgers when you’ve got steak at home?”
Trish rolls her eyes. “First off, I never got that saying. You can’t beat a good cheeseburger. Secondly, you ain’t got shit at home cos Lena ain’t there.” Trish cackles at her own joke.
“So where is she?” I growl. “I’m growing tired of these games.”
Trish looks at me, unimpressed. “Always so grumpy. Can’t you be a bit more fun like Cole here?”
Cole is a pretty serious person, but he’s also better at turning on the charm than I am. I let him take over again. If I have to pry the information out of Trish with force, I will, but I’d prefer it if Cole could charm it from her.
“Seriously, though, Trish. Do you know anything about Lena and Mia being taken?” Cole asks, taking her hand in his and looking into her eyes.
She swoons, as they all do, and nods. “Sure, it’s all the Iron Vultures have been talking about for weeks. Frankly, it’s getting boring. Zeke’s been trying to find Lena for ages.”
“Why?” I blurt.
“Because the kid’s his, of course,” Trish says, her tone implying we’re stupid not to know this.
Cole and I exchange a glance. We both know this isn’t true.
But interestingly, Zeke thinks she is, which can only mean one thing.
Lena was lying when she said she didn’t sleep with Zeke.
When I realize what that means, that he must have raped her that night, rage bubbles in my veins.
If Zeke were here right now, I’d shoot him dead.
I also feel terrible for Lena. I wish she trusted me enough to tell me, but I’m sure she had her reasons.
This is one lie of Lena’s I can understand.
By unspoken agreement, Cole and I decide not to reveal that I’m Mia’s father.
“So what does he want with them?” Cole asks.
Trish shrugs. “Who knows. Zeke gets really possessive, though, and he’s pretty old-fashioned about family and all that. There’s been talk of a wedding. But he and Mary Beth ain’t been fucking for long, so who knows.”
“Mary Beth?” Cole asks, his brow raising with surprise. “As in the Mary Beth who used to be in the Soaring Eagles?”
“The very same,” Trish replies, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep drag.
“And she’s Zeke’s woman?”
“So it seems, but if you ask me, Zeke’s just using her for information about y’all.” Trish waves a hand lazily at us, smoke drifting through the air. Ash drops onto the floor. She makes no move to pick it up or use an ashtray.
Cole looks at me again. I know we’re thinking the same thing. If what Trish is saying is true, then Mary Beth is probably the woman who took Lena. It would explain why Lena acted like she knew her.
Cole brings the conversation back around to the most important thing. “So, Zeke has Lena and Mia. Do you know where he’s keeping them?”
Trish narrows her eyes and takes another long drag. “Now, that information is going to cost you a heck of a lot more than twenty bucks.”
Cole pulls out a one-hundred-dollar bill.
Trish’s eyes light up greedily, but she plays it cool.
“Maybe I don’t want cash. Maybe I want you two boys to fuck me senseless, show me what Lena’s getting.
Maybe you’ll see that Lena ain’t worth all the fuss.
” She smiles and spreads her legs, stroking herself.
I snort with derision. “Not fucking happening.”
She pouts. “Well, that’s a shame. Guess you don’t wanna find her that badly after all.”
I’m beyond pissed that she’s behaving like this.
I feel ashamed of myself for believing Lena left voluntarily.
I almost sat back and did nothing. I feel rage at Zeke for what he did, for hounding Lena and now kidnapping her.
And I feel fucking petrified of what he might do to her and my little girl.
I can’t take it anymore. I want to wipe that smug expression off Trish’s face. I explode, losing my temper. I do something I’m not proud of, that I’ve never done before, I lay my hands on a woman in anger.
I grab Trish by the throat, and her eyes go wide with fear.
“Enough games,” I snarl. “We’re never going to fuck you, and you should be ashamed of yourself for begging for it.
It’s pathetic. You’re pathetic,” I sneer.
Trish starts to cry. “I know this is a foreign concept to you, but Cole and I are loyal. We would never cheat on Lena. Now, you can tell us where she is, or I can make you tell us,” I say, my voice low and deadly.
Trish claws at my hand, trying to speak, but I’m lost to the white hot rage I feel. I haven’t lost it like this in a long time. Not since Jen died.
“Enough,” Cole says.
It’s enough to bring me to my senses and realize what I’ve done. I release Trish, and she coughs and splutters. I move away, but I resist the urge to apologize. We still need the information from her.
“Fucking psycho,” Trish spits, brave now that Cole is protecting her. “If you want it rough like that, you gotta fuck me while you do it.” She’s putting a brave face on, but I can tell she’s shook up.
“Trish,” Cole barks. A warning. He’s had enough, too. “Tell us where Lena is.” He places another hundred in front of her.
She realizes that we aren’t playing around and quickly snatches the money up.
“I heard Zeke took her to his party house. It’s this big old colonial manor in the middle of the countryside.
It’s mostly in ruins, but he used to throw big ole parties there years ago when he was a teenager, and it was abandoned.
Not many people know this, but he actually bought the place and is currently restoring it.
Zeke has big plans for the future, wants to be the next Pablo Escobar. ”
I laugh at the admiration in her voice. “And I wanna be the Pope. Neither is gonna happen. Zeke’s a small-town drug dealer and common criminal.”
“Shows what you know. Zeke’s got connections, big ones, with some Mafia guy.”
“Sure he does.” I don’t believe it for a second. Though I’m sure Zeke likes to posture and pretend.
Cole shoots me a warning glare and I realize I’m wasting time with this petty argument. “So, where is this house?”
Trish shrugs. “I don’t know the address. It’s a couple of hours away, and I was driven out there.”
My heart sinks. We were so close, but we’re no closer to finding them. Every minute that passes puts them in more danger.
“But I could show you.”
If Karma exists, this is undoubtedly my punishment for laying my hands on Trish.
“Alright then, you’re coming with us,” Cole says.
Jesus Christ. The last thing I want is for some annoying drugged-up whore to come along for a road trip. But we’ve got no choice. Trish is our best chance of finding Lena and Mia.
They say that God works in mysterious ways. I think that sometimes he’s got a sick sense of humor.