Chapter 3 #2
As soon as we stepped out of the room, Viper started in. “You got any idea how much blowback we could get from you bringing this girl here?”
“Didn’t have much choice in the matter.”
“There’s always a fucking choice, Shotgun.”
“I’ve done some fucked up shit, brother, but I’m not the kind of man who can just let a girl die for the fuck of it,” I answered, sounding harsher than I’d intended.
“Maybe I was wrong to bring her here, but if Doc can help her, then maybe she can tell us who did this shit to her and why they decided to toss her in our strip club’s dumpster.
For all we know, that shit was done on purpose, and if that’s the case, we need to know who’s behind all this. ”
“He’s got a point,” Hawk replied. “Everyone around here knows we run Stilettos, so there’s a good fucking chance that—”
“Enough. I got it,” Viper interrupted. “Just know if this comes back on us, I’m holding you two responsible.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth, Menace’s burner started to ring. He quickly answered and said, “Whatcha need, Diego?”
Menace’s eyes widened as he listened to Diego on the other end of the line.
After several moments, he said, “Let them look around outside, but tell them it’s after hours, and if they wanna come inside, they need to have a warrant.
” He paused for a moment, then said, “Just do what you can to stall them. I’ll be there in ten. ”
When he hung up, Viper asked, “What the fuck was that?”
“Two patrol cops just showed up at Stilettos. An anonymous call said they saw some guys toss a body into our dumpster.”
Without any further explanation, Menace bolted towards the front door with Viper, Hawk, and me following close behind.
Viper and Hawk got on their bikes. Since I’d left mine at the strip club, I rode back over with Menace.
When we pulled up, there was a cop car parked out front with its lights on, but no one was in sight.
We parked and immediately headed around back.
As soon as we turned the corner, Diego was talking to two officers.
They were both in uniform and had their flashlights out surveying the dark alley.
If Diego’s expression was any indication, he was completely freaked out and struggling to keep it together.
He quickly stepped away from the cops and rushed over to us.
“They’ve already checked the dumpsters and stuff, but thankfully, they didn’t find nothing. ”
“Then, what the fuck are they still doing here?” Wasting no time, Viper walked past Diego and over to the two officers. “How’s it going, boys?”
“It’s going,” one of them answered.
“What brings you out tonight?” Viper stopped as he got closer, and a mix of surprise and relief crossed his face while studying one of the officers. “Tate? Little Tate Morgan? I’ll be damned. Is that really you?”
“Yes, sir. It is.” Morgan reached out and shook Viper’s hand. “It’s been a long time.”
“I’ll say. Last time I saw you, you were just about to start high school.”
“That was about ten years ago, sir.”
“Damn. Where has the time gone?” Viper chuckled. “How’s your dad been making it?”
“You know Pop. He’s always into something.” Morgan shook his head and smiled. “Driving Mom nuts with all his projects around the house.”
“Sounds about right.” Viper took a quick glance around the alley. “You find what you were looking for?”
“No, sir. Didn’t find anything suspicious, so I’d say the anonymous caller had it wrong.”
“What exactly did they say?”
“Just that they saw someone dump a body in one of your dumpsters, and that we needed to come check it out.” Morgan shook his head.
“Probably some asshole trying to cause y’all some trouble, but I don’t see any reason to waste any more of your time or mine.
We’ll get out of your hair and let you get back to your night. ”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“It was good to see you, Viper. You should stop by and see Pop sometime. I know he’d enjoy seeing ya.”
“I’ll do that.”
We all followed them back around front and waited as they got back in their patrol car. Before Morgan closed his door, he said, “You guys have a good rest of the night, and just give me a call if you come across anything we should know about.”
“Will do.”
Once the cops pulled out of the parking lot, Viper looked over to us and said, “Something isn’t adding up.”
“I can’t disagree with you there.” Hawk ran his hand over his face with a grumble. “Somebody dumped the girl here for a fucking reason, and we gotta find out what it is.”
Viper let out a deep breath. “I’m gonna need you to check out the surveillance footage from tonight and see if you can find out anything.”
“You got it, Prez. I’ll get right on it.”
Viper turned his attention to me. “I want you with the girl. As soon as she comes around, I want her talking. I need to know anything and everything she can tell us about what went down tonight.”
“Understood,” I answered with no complaint.
Even though I was the enforcer and not a fucking babysitter, there was something about this girl that had me wanting to keep an eye on her. So much so, I was already itching to get back. As Viper started walking over to his bike, he called out to Menace, “Let me know if you find anything.”
“You know I will.”
Hawk and I got on our Harleys and followed Viper back to the clubhouse.
I didn’t want to look too eager, but I couldn’t help myself from speeding ahead of the others.
I wanted to get back and see how the girl was doing.
She was in pretty bad shape when we left her with Doc, and there was a good chance she wouldn’t pull through.
While death was something I’d become accustomed to, the thought of this chick dying didn’t sit too well with me. Actually, a lot about this whole situation didn’t sit well with me, but there wasn’t a fucking thing I could do about it.
As soon as Viper and I got back to the clubhouse, I headed straight for the infirmary.
I walked in and my stomach twisted into a knot when I caught sight of the girl sprawled out on the gurney.
Her clothes had been removed, revealing the horrific state of her battered body.
Deep bruises covered her torso and face, her eyes were swollen shut, and she was lying perfectly still as Doc finished stitching up one of her larger wounds.
The sight shouldn’t have fazed me. I’d mangled plenty of men over the years, but seeing her like this brought bile up to the back of my throat. In just a blink, I was thrown back in time with images of Lindsey at the scene of the accident.
Blue and red lights were flashing, cops and medics were rushing around like madmen, but Lindsey lay perfectly still—she was bleeding, her face almost unrecognizable, and her clothes were tattered and soaked in blood.
The medics raced from one area to the next, doing what they could to save Lindsey and her friends, but one was already gone with another barely holding on.
I stood there helplessly, watching as they zipped up the body bag, concealing her friend’s mangled body.
Sensing that my mind was somewhere else, Doc gave me a gentle nudge as he asked, “You all right over there?”
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“You sure? ’Cause considering everything, I’d understand if you weren’t.”
Doc was one of the few people who knew the whole story about my past. While it wasn’t a topic either of us discussed, it meant something that he was looking out for me.
Trying my best to collect myself, I let out a deep breath and stepped over to the gurney.
“I’m sure, but what about her? How’s she doing? ”
“She’s a lucky girl.” He finished the last stitch, then started applying a bandage. “The guy who stabbed her either had no clue what he was doing or was a pro ’cause the internal damage was minimal. I was able to patch her up with just a few stitches.”
“Good. I take it she hasn’t said anything?”
“No. She’s been out since y’all brought her in.” Doc looked over to me. “I’m sure Viper is eager to get her talking, but it’s gonna take some time. Poor kid’s been through a lot.”
“So, how long are we talking about here?”
“That’s up to her, brother.” Doc took a sheet and covered her. “The fact that she’s made it this long shows she’s got some fight in her. She’s gotta hold on to that, and maybe...just maybe, she’ll make it through this.”
“Damn.” This girl had me all kinds of fucked up.
The memories I’d worked so hard to push to the back of my mind had risen to the surface and were gnawing at me, pulling me back into the darkness.
It was a feeling that had me wanting to shut down and forget this shit ever happened, but I didn’t have that luxury—not when I had no idea who the girl was, and I had no doubt that Viper would feel the same. “Viper’s gonna come unglued.”
“It is what it is.” Doc shrugged. “I’ve done what I can. Now it’s just a matter of waiting. I’m gonna go get some shut eye, but I’ll check on her in a couple of hours.”
“I’ll stay here with her just in case she decides to wake up.”
“Don’t think that’s gonna happen—at least not for a while.” He checked her stats once more. “I’ve given her some pretty heavy sedatives and pain meds. I figure she’ll be out for a while.”
“I’m still staying.”
“Suit yourself.” He motioned his hand behind me. “There’s an extra cot around back and some blankets.”
“Thanks, brother.”