CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
-:- RUGER -:-
Today, the furniture is arriving. Knuckles, Mav and Colton are going to help me move everything where Penny instructed me to place things.
Yeah, she even gave me a plan, a blueprint if you like.
Bed here, chair there, and crib angled in a corner.
It’s very specific I have to tell you, and I’m a little worried about what will happen if we don’t get things just right.
“Come on, Ruger. The stuff will be here in fifteen minutes. Let’s get the door open and ready. Open doors to all the rooms so we are set and do not have to put shit down to open doors,” Mav, the ever-efficient suggests.
We four go around the house opening every door. Now we are prepared, and when the large van arrives, we help the driver and his teammate haul it all inside. Placing the furniture into the appropriate rooms before I pull out the plan.
Working as teams we get the furniture into place, using the blueprint as a guide, and when we are done, we take a seat in the kitchen around the island. “That was good work, Ruger. I hope Penny is happy with where we placed everything.” Mav takes a drink of the coffee I’d placed in front of him.
Colton snorts, “Well, if she’s not it’ll be Ruger that hauls it around again.”
Knuckles chuckles. “I’m pleased Harris had the dishwasher, washer and dryer fitted. I hate plumbing anything. But you know I like the mudroom, Ruger, wish I had one now I’ve seen yours.”
“Yeah, it’s ideal, and I would have had one, too,” Colton adds.
Mav smiles. “I may add an extension on the back of the cabin. It could be an excellent addition where all coats, boots and suchlike are left. Especially when kids come along.”
“You got something to tell us?” I ask.
“Nope, not yet anyway.” Mav smiles, and I can see we are getting no more information on the subject.
Heading to Arrow’s place to speak with Hammer I know I’m going to do the right thing. I’m hoping Hammer is going to be okay with my returning to the team.
Parking my hog, I walk onto Arrow's place and head to Hammer who is standing with Harris, and they are discussing something about the yard by the way they are pointing.
Seeing me walking toward them, Hammer says something to Harris, who gives me a nod and walks away. “What can I do for you, Ruger? Your place is done. You don’t have a problem do you?”
“No, the place is great. We love it, and everyone seems to think the mudroom was a fantastic idea. You may get some of the brothers asking for extensions on their properties.” Hammer nods, but I keep speaking. “I want to know if I can rejoin the construction team after the wedding?”
“I don’t have a problem with that, Ruger. Always wanted you to come back. It was always a temporary thing as far as I understood it.”
“Great, I’ll speak to the bosses when I get to BaronsSecure and tell them I’m leaving soon. They have more security officers now, so I’ll not be leaving them in the shit.”
Hammer slaps my shoulder and gives me a nod. “Missed you, Ruger. We were always a good team of four. You were never going to stay at the security company as I’ve said, it was only temporary so don’t worry about leaving.”
Walking into the bosses’ office Lincoln and Arrow are sitting at their desks and watching monitors. “Hey guys. I want to put in my notice. After the wedding, I’m going back to work in construction.”
Lincoln spins his chair, as does Arrow, and they both nod. Lincoln speaks before Arrow can. “We knew it wasn’t going to be forever, but I had hoped you would like it enough to stay.”
“I like construction. It’s been good to me. I make up the team along with Hammer, Sting and Brag. I want to be home nights with Penny and Punkin, and not riding around the streets looking for trouble.”
“I get that, Ruger,” Arrow sighs. “But are you gonna go to my place and plan out my yard?”
“Fuckin’ hell, I’ll call on the way back to the clubhouse and look at the yard. You know the house is about done don’t you?” I add.
“Yeah. Hammer told me on Sunday, and I’m ready for it to be done.
I know it’s a large place, and we had that delay for the enormous windows on the side of the house.
But that will be amazing when you can sit in there and watch the sunset in the evening.
” Arrow turns back to his monitor when something dings.
His attention is gone, and so has Lincoln’s.
It seems that the conversation is over and done, a bit of an anticlimax, really.
Turning to leave the office I come face-to-face with Forest.
“Hi, Ruger, how are you doing?” Forest asks.
“I’m fine, and you?” I grin because this is as normal as you can get as a biker.
“Good. Hang about and hear what I have to say. Lincoln, Arrow, I have news about the Mr. Shipman thief.”
“Oh, right,” Arrow says as he swivels his chair again.
Forest continues, and I lean against the door frame listening.
“The fucker had a stack of stuff he’d stolen from various places at his house.
He’d not tried to hide it. It was all nicely stacked in piles in his spare bedroom.
Anyway, he has been charged, and even his lawyer admits he doesn’t have a leg to stand on, so he will end up doing time. ”
“It was a good catch. He was in the process and he was caught on the business camera feed we had placed. It can’t be disputed what he was up to,” Lincoln looks at Forest. “The method we are using seems to be a good one. Will it help in cases like this to get the convictions that you need?”
“Yeah, because you can’t dispute the visual evidence.
It’s covered as not fake with your contracts stating you will place cameras in strategic areas, to cover the most vulnerable places in any business.
It shows that it is normal for you to do that.
You have the evidence of other businesses that have the same setup, so it is validated. ”
“That’s what I thought. We have tried to cover all bases, giving the client the best cover that we can.
Security is always developing, and I wish some businesses would realize that although it’s expensive, it is better than losing thousands of dollars to thieves.
” Lincoln turns back to his monitor when a ding sounds.
I’m not sure what the dings are, but it always has one of the bosses checking the monitors.
“How’s Delta doing? Did she settle in okay?” Forest asks.
Arrow replies with a smile. “She’s great. Settled in just fine and is checking constantly for new clients, background checks, and the latest scam schemes.”
“There are a lot of scams going on,” Forest sighs while rubbing the top of his head, then fingering his hair down.
“Delta spotted one yesterday where they are making calls to people making out their banks have been breached.
Then they get all the information they want and clean out the person's account. Delta sent out a mass email and text message to our clients, brothers and relatives telling them to say nothing, press no key on their phone, and just close the call.” Arrow shakes his head, showing his disgust for this disgusting practice.
“Yeah, both Heather and I received one, and I passed it on too.” Forest takes a step toward the door, obviously finished with this visit.
“I’m going to call at your place, Arrow. Anything you particularly want?” I ask and hope he’s not going to give me a huge fucking list of shit.
“Nope. I’m going to get a gardener to sort out the yard once you’ve done the fire pit, cookout area and patio. Go for it, just do what feels right to you.” Arrow dismisses me as he turns his back to his monitor and places his headphones on.
“Come on, Ruger. Looks like both of us are done here.” Forest chuckles, and I have to agree with him.
Back at Arrow’s place, I’m walking the yard.
I can see the ideal positions for the three areas Arrow wants done.
The patio will be great if I put a small wall around it and the fire pit just to the side.
If I make it large enough I can incorporate a seating area with the fire pit.
The cooking area I can put to the side of everything else, just out of the way so it’s not going to be an issue when kids are around.
I’ll build the barbecue into the structure, and if I add a pizza oven and a small smoker, he’ll be set for years to come.
I draw my ideas roughly on a notepad which Hammer gave me after he asked why I was back.
I get the measurements and make sure I have them all recorded so that when I get back to the clubhouse, I can draw this out properly and get the go-ahead from Arrow.
It’ll be done by the construction team because I’m taking nothing on as extras even for brothers.
I want as much time as I can get with Penny and Punkin.
Back at the clubhouse Specs calls me into his office as I pass his door. “What’s up?” I ask as I step inside his office.
“I’ve got the papers back. You just gotta sign them, and I’ll get them recorded.
” Specs hands me a folder. Looking inside, I grin.
I grab a pen from his desk and sign both copies in the folder, handing it back to him.
“I’ll get it sorted. You keep this copy, and welcome to being a daddy,” Specs grins.
I take the copy he hands back to me, and I grab an envelope from the shelf at the side. Fold the paper neatly and place it inside. “Thanks, Specs. I appreciate you doing this.”
“No problem, brother. That’s what I’m here for.” Specs turns back to his keyboard and again I’m dismissed, but this time I walk out with a spring in my step and head to Axel’s office.
Axel is in his office alone, which is unusual, but I explain what I have as I hand it to him. He takes it out, checks it and gives me a smile. “That’s fuckin’ good, Ruger. You’ll be a good father, I’m positive of that.”
“Thanks Axel. Appreciate you saying that.”
I tell him my idea of presenting the information to Penny, and he grins, liking the idea. Now that things are set, I’m ready for this wedding. House ready-tick, wedding set to happen-tick, back to construction-tick, Punkin adopted-tick, everything is fucking awesome-tick.