CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
-:- RUGER -:-
My heart is just starting to settle down from the shock of someone shooting at Penny. We had only just moved into the place, so how the fuck did anyone know where we were?
Buzz, Drag, BS, Stitch, Wings, and Meat all came over and escorted the SUV to the clubhouse. I drove our SUV but had attached my bike trailer because I didn’t want to leave my bike at the house.
Herb and Terry from Wood Supply dashed over and boarded up the window. I’m thankful they were so quick, but I think they were as shocked as we were that this had happened.
Mia, Jo, Bitty, Blake, and Star were all ready when we arrived, helping get Arabella and all the things we brought with us up to my room. It’s a bit on the tight side as Mia has placed a crib in the room ready for use.
“Officers, Ruger, church now!” Axel shouts, and we all jump to attention, quickly making our way inside and taking a seat.
Once we are all settled, I notice Specs is frowning at his keyboard, but I look away when Axel speaks. “Okay, Ruger fill us in.”
“I can’t tell you much, Pres. We were getting settled for the evening and were about to eat.
Penny was at the sink rinsing dishes when the window exploded in front of her.
She has a slight cut on her arm, but nothing else, thankfully.
It wasn’t until I turned that I saw the bullet hole in the wall.
” Rubbing the back of my neck because honestly there is nothing there to help us.
Knocking on the door has Buzz quickly stepping over and opening it just enough to see who it is.
After a little mumbling, he opens it, and Lincoln walks inside.
“Sorry for butting into the meeting, Pres. But I needed you to know I’ve added the house to the security checks, and they’ll pass by every hour.
Not on the hour, but randomly throughout every hour.
The new guys are all prior military, so they know how to look past the obvious. ”
Axel nods. “Take a seat, Lincoln.”
Once Lincoln is seated, Axel looks over at Specs. “What have you found?”
Specs keeps looking at the laptop monitor but replies.
“Okay, Pres. First thing I wanted to check was that crazy bitch was still in the facility. Which she is. But it looks like she is moving around the place far more than she did originally. Makes me think she’s being given more freedom than she should have. ”
“How do you know she’s moving around more?” I ask.
“I got the admin to tag the bitch. She’s wearing a name bracelet with a tag in it.” Specs grins.
“Fuckin’ hell…you reckon it’s that bitch?” Beer asks.
Shaking his head, “Not directly.” We all wait to hear what more he has to add.
“I reckon she has someone doing her dirty work. Let’s be honest, no one else will give a shit about what Penny is doing, where she is, or anything else.
This crazy woman wants Ruger. She is the number one nutjob.
Stalker at the limit is what she is. But I’m hacking into the facility's security cameras. I’m trying to find out what has been going on. ”
Lincoln asks me quietly what the place is called, and handing me his phone I type in the name before handing it back. “I’ll get Delta to look. She’ll probably be in before you, Specs.”
“If this bitch has anyone taking potshots at Penny, Arabella or Ruger, then she’s one we need to visit Nell.
Those kinds are relentless, and it ends either with her dead or her victim dead.
We are not losing Ruger, Penny, or Arabella.
Specs, keep digging, Lincoln keep Specs informed if Delta finds anything, but both of you keep me informed.
Ruger, Penny stays here until further notice.
She works for us, basically, so she is off with pay until further notice.
” Axel looks at Lincoln for confirmation on the last, and he gets a nod, so that’s not an issue.
We get settled into our room, and with Punkin asleep we settle down ourselves.
My mind is buzzing with how crazy this woman has to be to have tried to kill Penny.
I have to be proud of Penny, she’s taken this in her stride, and all her worries have been for Punkin and me.
None for herself, but she’ll learn she is more than a little important to me, and I’ll take out the bitch if I get the chance and not lose any sleep over it.
****
This morning is hard as our normal routine is out the door.
I’m going to the realtor’s office with Bones this morning.
Penny is staying at the clubhouse, and Nyx has told everyone that if Arabella is here, then she will be with her ladies.
I can see Axel having a fit about the place being overrun with old folk.
After finishing breakfast, I kiss Penny’s forehead as I grab our dishes and take them to the sink for Sybil to rinse and put in the dishwasher.
I like the way they rotate what they do as that way they never seem to get into a rut.
Meat has settled with having the three of them in his kitchen, and I’m impressed that he has somehow gotten them all doing things his way.
My phone vibrates, and taking it out of my jeans back pocket I see a message from Bones.
Bones: I’m heading to the realtor. You still coming?
Ruger: Yeah, on my way
I quickly inform Penny I’m out and will see her later. She’s not happy about being here but knows it’s for the best right now. Star is busy persuading her to go to her house for a while, and by the look of it she’s winning.
Arriving at the realtor’s office, Bones sits astride his hog waiting. Giving me a chin lift, Bones settles his helmet on the handlebars before walking over to where we enter the realtor’s office.
There are two people in the realtor’s office when we look around. One is Terrance who is dealing with Arrow, Bones and Lincoln. The other is the owner of the business, Gordon Stollen himself. He’s the one I need to speak with regarding Penny’s lease.
Bones heads toward Terrance, and I walk toward Gordon, who will not like my attitude I can guarantee. “Good morning, Mr. Stollen.” I keep it polite for the moment at least.
“Good day to you. What can I do for you this morning?” Gordon is sickly sweet, and I feel like putting him out of his slimy misery.
“I wanted to speak with you regarding Penny Crosby’s lease, and to return the keys for the place.” I step forward and take the seat across from his desk, all the while keeping eye contact.
“Oh, let me check the lease.” Gordon pulls the keyboard on his desk toward him, and taps in some details before looking at the monitor. “Ah, yes. Mr. Knightworth, the owner…”
“Don’t give a shit who the owner is. My issue is with a realtor who will allow someone to overcharge on a lease. Ethics are in question here, are they not?” I keep my cool, maintaining an enquiring look.
“Well, um, ah…” Gordon blusters.
I place the keys on the desk, and give him another hard look. “The keys are back in your possession, which means you owe Penny Crosby half the month’s lease.”
“No, the lease states…” Gordon tries to bluster again.
Slowly standing I lean over the desk, causing Gordon to lean back in his seat. “I’m telling you to return the half month you owe her. Send the compensation too, because as yet you haven’t done that. Get it done or I’ll be back to see you, and it won’t be a pleasant meeting.”
Bones steps over to me and has the keys to the house he wants to look at. “Everything okay?”
“Fine, isn’t it, Gordon?” I am not as polite this time. This shows him I’m taking no shit from him.
“Yes…yeah…no problem here.” Gordon spins his chair away from us and fiddles with the bottom drawer of his desk. I give Bones a chin lift that we are heading out, and we walk out of the office quietly.
Riding over to the house that Bones likes we park outside and place our helmets down.
I lay mine on the seat as I turn, and then give the house and frontage a good look over.
“You know, this hedging has created a nice barrier between you and the neighbors.” Which I say while giving a side eye to the nosy neighbor, who at this minute is behind the drapes watching.
“I’ll have her sorted out in no time. Don’t worry about her. Let’s go in and see what it’s like inside.”
I follow Bones into the house, and I’m surprised that the place is spotless. It’s well decorated, and everything is in excellent condition. “Mr. Simpson must have loved this house, Bones. It feels loved and lived in and it has been kept well.”
“Yeah, it has. You are spot on that the place has a feeling of love, too. It’s welcoming as you walk in the door.”
It doesn’t take us more than an hour to walk through the place.
It’s a large house. I didn’t realize that it has five bedrooms, the master with an ensuite.
It has a full bath on the second floor, and a half bath on the first. Beautiful kitchen with a huge walk-in pantry, utility room, dining room, living room, and office.
“I’d add a porch on the back I think. Somewhere you could sit and watch the sun come up or set.” Bones looks enthralled with the place, and I can understand why. It’s a stunning piece of property.
“You gonna put an offer on the place?” I ask as I turn to look at him while he locks the place up.
“Yeah, I think I will.”
An hour later, I am walking back into the clubhouse. Bones put his offer on the place, so now it’s a wait and see what happens scenario. I hope he gets the place because it’s damn stunning.
There is a lot of activity going on I notice as I grab a bottle of water from the fridge in the kitchen. “What’s happening?” I ask Sybil as she empties the contents of the mixing bowl into a baking pan.
“Buzz apparently found the young man that you all were looking for. They’ve got him in BS’s office at the moment. I don’t think he’s in deep trouble or he’d be up the compound in the…” whispering, “shed, building or whatever you want to call it.”
“Oh, okay, thanks, Sybil.” I kiss her forehead and walk out of the kitchen and into the common room. Nobody is around, so I wander over to BS’ office to see what’s happening.
Standing in the doorway, I watch as Axel, Drag, Buzz, Wings, BS and Stitch all ask questions of who I now know is Jack. I know that because that’s what Buzz keeps calling him.
“Why did the man want you both to torch the place?” Axel asks.
Jack stutters, “I didn’t know he wanted any of that done. I just went along to support my friend who needed money. I need money, but I’m not going to steal and burn places down.”
“Your friend died, did you know that?” Stitch asks, and we all see Jack's reaction clearly.
“Yeah, he’s dead, and you know…he was gone bad.
He’d started taking drugs, and I was distancing myself from him slowly.
But I don’t have friends, so I was trying to get him to clean up.
” Jack rubs his cheeks with both hands before looking at Axel.
“I did nothing wrong. I was just there as support until I saw what he was going to do.”
“You have a good option to consider now. We’ll offer you a room, food, clothing and a small salary at the end of each week.
In return, you do what you are asked, when you are asked.
If you have any problems, you come to me.
I’m the President, and everyone is answerable to me.
You will be the first prospect we have had at the club in a long time, so if you do this, don’t let me down.
” Axel stands before turning to BS. “Find him a room if he stays. He’ll be under your watch, just as the others were.
See about getting him a bike, one he can fix up as he goes along.
He has to learn the same as we all did. We can’t have a prospect without a fuckin’ bike. ”
Jack’s eyes are rounded in shock and surprise. If he misses this opportunity, he’d be a fool, and he’d more than likely eventually end up like his so-called friend. Dead, that’s what he’ll be.
It only takes a short while before I see Jack with a prospect kutte on his back. Amelia is fussing around him, telling him in no uncertain terms that he needs to fatten up some. I can agree with that, as he looks like he hasn’t had a good meal in quite some time.
Wings stands next to me, and in a low voice mutters, “Tonight, we’ll go look for ourselves. I’ll get Chaos and see if Meat wants in, but not sure about that as I heard he’s on a promise from Star.”
“What does that mean, on a promise?”
“Well, if he behaves himself he’ll be getting himself some.” Wings grins.
I’m still unsure. “Getting some what?”
Wings looks at me like I’m crazy. “Sex, Ruger. He’ll be getting himself some on a promise…sex.”
Not really knowing how to respond I just give him an ‘Oh’ before walking away, thinking maybe I could get an ‘on a promise’ from Penny!