Chapter Twenty-Six—Mortician #4
“I’m sorry, Red,” he told her.
“You have every right to your opinion. For the record, I don’t want to lose Johnnie. I don’t want to betray Johnnie. I love Johnnie. Not the idea of him. Not the vows. Not the house or the money, Mortician. Him.”
“I know,” he told her softly.
She finished her beer, grabbed her car fob, and got to her feet.
“You wanted to meet with me,” Mort reminded her. “Sit down and tell me why.”
“First, answer my question,” Digger said, choosing that moment to open his fucking mouth and piss Mortician off again.
Kendall laid a hand on Mort’s shoulder. “This town has grown too fucking much for you assholes to lose such control. I have enough fucking problems with Christopher, who has zero impulse control. Maybe, it’s time to pack the fuck up and move to a little town in bumfuck nowhere.”
She was right. The police department was bigger with two precincts on each end of town. Most of them were still in the club’s pocket, but not everyone. That had been one of the projects the club intended to focus on after Christmas. Until Meggie got sick.
“Is whatever you two fought over classified as club business or can I, a mere woman, know what the fuck happened?”
Internally, Mort winced, but he refused to show his reaction. “That’s not fair, Red.”
“The fuck it isn’t. You motherfuckers stamp club business on shit and shut us the fuck out.”
“Fuck my question,” Digger said crossly. “What you want, Kendall? Me and Mort was having a private conversation. So say what you got to say and get to stepping, so we can finish our discussion.”
“It was a public execution, dumb ass, so fuck you,” Kendall replied. “And you’re infringing on my fucking time with him since my meeting should’ve started twenty fucking minutes ago.”
“I was late!”
“Do you think I care? You have no respect for me, Meggie, or your wife. I have none for you, so we’re even.”
Hurt settled into Digger’s features and his shoulders slumped.
“You want the sweet Kendall, come fucking correctly at me, or shut the fuck up. I have no time for assholes. Other than Johnnie,” she added without remorse.
Because, for all her changes, Kendall was still remorseless in so many ways. She was a fighter, cutthroat when needed, but always beautiful and brave, and Mort admired her deeply.
“Why were you strangling Digger, Mortician?”
“If I tell you, it’ll be a conflict of interest,” he told her.
A moment of silence passed as Kendall studied him and Digger before her eyes widened, then narrowed. “Jesus Christ, he’s fucked over Meggie in some way,” she breathed.
Mort clenched his jaw.
And, on top of everything, Kendall had superior instincts, almost on par with Outlaw’s. Her brain was spinning. Finally, she secured a swath of hair behind her ear and sat next to Digger again. “This can only be about money.”
“Red, baby, I don’t want to put you in the middle of this. You and Prez just got straight. It’s something you always wanted. You can’t start taking sides and hiding shit from him.”
She lifted a brow. “You’re his best friend. Aren’t you about to hide shit from him?”
It would be the only way to save his brother’s life. Resting his elbows on the table, Mort covered his face. “How much and why?” she demanded.
Digger cleared his throat. “A half million dollars and to build Bunny a house, then have enough left over to furnish it.”
“It would take more than that, Digger,” Kendall said.
“It’s why I gambled,” he mumbled, eyeing Mortician. “To increase the money.”
“No, you fucking gambled because you’re a jealous fuckhead and a dumb bitch,” Kendall replied. “You’re jealous of Mortician because he has everyone’s respect and admiration, so get the fuck off your pity party and admit the fucking truth. It’s the same fucking reason you ended up with Sharper.”
“I love Mortician,” Digger said, pounding on the table.
“Love is a fucking feeble emotion under the weight of having no fucking self-worth so try again. You used Meggie’s trust in you to go into her office and take her checkbook?” she asked.
“No. I was there one evening and Bunny told me to remind Meggie of something that needed ordering for a family dinner. I was talking to her, then Axel came in screaming because Ryder or Ransom was trying to shave his head. She left me in her office with her computer screen open.” He shrugged.
“I saw the account balance and, fuck man, I intended to replace it.”
Kendall and Mortician exchanged glances.
“How long ago was this?” Mort asked.
“Meggie was still pregnant,” Digger admitted.
“Meggie must’ve collapsed not long after,” Mort said with uncertainty. “Otherwise, she would’ve realized the money was gone by now.”
Digger nodded. “I copied all her information two days before Thanksgiving. She had everything open, Mort! She wanted me to take that fucking money. Her account information was up and even her password book was open.”
Kendall punched the side of Digger’s head. “Fuckhead, don’t blame her for your negative brain cells and thieving ways,” she hissed. “She was in her private office, and she trusted you.”
Grabbing his head, Digger glared at Kendall.
“What happened next?” Mort demanded.
“I logged into her account two days after she collapsed and realized it was connected to the account Bunny received her salary from. I emptied both accounts and added what little I had to a new account.”
The tension between Bunny and Digger made more sense now, though the motherfucker had lied to Mort again, claiming Bunny knew nothing. “I guess she think you only emptied her account? She don’t know about Meggie?”
“Or my account,” he confessed. “And she madder than a motherfucker at me that I took her money that she earned.” He shuddered.
“My wife looked at me with so much disgust and disappointment, I just wanted to curl into a fucking ball and die. She called me a fucking thief, Mort. A thief! I never thought…”
“Boo hoo hoo, you made your fucking bed,” Kendall said crossly. “Lie in that motherfucker.”
“I don’t want to lose her, Kendall. I love her. I never meant to do this.”
“Objection, asshole. You meant to do it, so hand that bullshit to someone else.” Kendall sank her nails into Digger’s arm, exposed because he wore a short-sleeved T-shirt.
“You know the fucked-up part? All you had to do was go to Meggie and tell her you wanted to build a mansion for Bunny, and she would’ve given you the goddamn money. ”
“Then that house wouldn’t have been from me,” Digger snapped. “That would’ve been a bitch ass move and I’m not no bitch.”
“I agree,” Kendall said with a sniff. “You’re a pathetic bitch.” She looked at Mortician again. “This is so fucking bad, but I know you love this idiot and so does Bunny. I’m reserving my thoughts on both your judgment, but you know what you have to do.”
Confess. Mort saw it in her eyes. He was so fucking angry with Digger, he didn’t know if he’d ever fucking talk to him again, but telling Outlaw about the theft wasn’t something he wanted to do.
“You asking me to sign my brother death warrant, Red. Once I tell Outlaw how Digger stole from Meggie, he going to want me to kill him.” If he didn’t tell Outlaw, then he’d get fucked up, too.
“Tell Outlaw your brother’s a miserable chief and a common criminal without insurance?
” Kendall squinted. “Are you fucking insane? I’d never do that.
I’m furious with Digger, but we’re family.
I love you and I love him—I don’t like him right now.
I don’t like Johnnie either at the moment, so I’ll live. ”
Mortician smiled at her.
“You do have to confess. You can’t keep this betrayal from Christopher and Meggie.” She drew in a deep breath. “But you saved CJ, Mortician. A life for a life. As fucked up as that sounds, it’s the only way Digger will survive.”
“I love CJ. I didn’t save him to curry favor with Prez.”
“You would’ve saved a stranger’s child,” Kendall agreed. “You’re a good man, but when you’re related to a stupid motherfucker, you have to use whatever is in your arsenal.” She smiled sadly, despair shining in her eyes. “I should know.”
Digger stiffened. “I’m not nothing like Johnnie!”
“Stupid is as stupid does,” she quoted, “so shut the fuck up.”
“Kendall—”
“She right, son, shut the fuck up,” Mort said.
The solution wasn’t ideal but it gave him a glimmer of hope.
“I’m beating the fuck out of you, so I suggest you stay quiet to save a few fucking stomps.
” He ignored Digger’s gulp and looked at Kendall.
“Now, baby, tell me, why you here. What do you need from me, Red?”
“I want to meet with Bash.”
Of all the fucking things he’d expected her to say, it wasn’t her desire to meet with a crazy motherfucker who was Outlaw’s enemy.
No! Fuck no. She’d just given him a way to help Digger.
Now, she expected him to help her place herself in danger while betraying the club?
She hadn’t said it, but it was the only reason she was coming to him.
Was he living on another plane? Had everyone else lost their fucking minds or was it only him?
“You’re fucking with me,” he managed.
She shook her head. “I won’t hide it from Christopher. I’ll tell him after, but I need to…maybe, I can get through to Bash.”
Digger scowled. “And maybe you can get fucking iced.”
“Kendall…Red…baby…” Mort’s goddamn world just couldn’t stay the fuck on its axis. That motherfucker kept tilting. “Bash not a motherfucker to fuck around with.”
“I need to ask him exactly what he told Johnnie and Brooks. But I don’t want to go alone. I don’t trust him.”
“You going with or without me, huh, baby?” Once she got an idea into her head, she wouldn’t stop until she saw it through.
“I must. I…there are things I need to know.”
Mort didn’t care what those things might be. He wanted her safe, so he needed information. If he couldn’t convince her to tell Outlaw, he would beforehand. “When?”
“As soon as I can arrange it.”
“Where?”
“I hope he’s slinking nearby, but I’m willing to go to Salt Lake City.”
“Why you want to see him so bad?” Digger demanded.
She flushed, met Mortician’s gaze, then glanced away. She had a reason, one she wasn’t comfortable sharing in front of Digger. Mort made a mental note to either text her or call her later.
“It don’t matter,” he told Digger, answering for Kendall. “Prez put her on the case. She got her reasons.”
“What? Now, you don’t trust me, Mort? I know she got a reason and you both just brushing me off.”
Kendall snorted, and lifted a brow at Mort, silently asking if he wanted her to blast Digger.
Mort shook his head and glared at his brother. “When the fuck you ever proved yourself trustworthy?”
Digger bowed his head as Kendall slid from the booth.
“You leaving?” Digger asked hopefully.
She nodded.
“Tee probably about to bring your fries. If you don’t want them, can I have them?”
“I never wanted them,” Kendall said sharply, opened her expensive handbag and pulled out her wallet.
“I got the tab, baby,” Mort said.
Kendall ignored him, throwing down a hundred-dollar bill. “You have enough on your shoulders, Mort,” she said crisply, and side-eyed Digger. “Every once in a while, someone needs to take care of you.
After depositing her wallet back into her bag, she snapped her bag shut, offered Digger one last glare, and swept away.