Chapter 36 #2
“I just… don’t think I would be here without him… alive, I mean.” Gut-wrenching anger bubbles under my skin at the thought of her not being here, but I understand her need to fully know what happened that night.
I step out of the truck, helping her out next before weaving our fingers together.
“I love you,” I say into her hair and then take a whiff of her intoxicating scent. I let it seep into my nostrils, relaxing me. I tuck her under my arm as we make our way through the parking lot and into the clubhouse.
I spot Cal standing in the doorway of Church.
He nods his head back, telling us a meeting is set up.
I can feel Jenna’s tense shoulders rise as she starts to speed-walk toward the door.
Keeping a tight hold on her hand, we both place our phones in the lock box outside of the door and step into the room.
I drop down into an open seat, pulling Jenna into my lap and securing my hands around her.
She thoughtlessly wraps her arms around my neck, still focused on the men in front of us.
“Okay, we’re alone. Tell me what you know,” Jenna says immediately when the doors close, sealing all the club’s officers inside.
Cal shoots me a look. He gave me a full rundown of what we might be dealing with earlier, but I have a feeling they found out a hell of a lot more. I nod at him, signaling that he can speak freely in front of her.
“Officer Mike Stevenson went undercover with the Reapers MC about nine months ago. He gained trust quickly and rose in the ranks just as fast. Within four months, he was a patched member.” Cal pauses, grabbing his laptop off the table behind us.
It gives me a moment to digest this information.
It doesn’t make sense. It takes at least a year for someone to prospect, and even then, you have to prove extreme loyalty.
Stevenson becoming a member in just four months seems unrealistic, and someone must have been pulling strings in the background.
Cal begins typing quickly on his laptop and then turns the screen in our direction.
CCTV footage from Main Street is enlarged on the screen.
Stevenson is off to the side, wearing a hoodie pulled close to his face.
It looks like he’s in a serious conversation with a short brunette.
Her hands are flailing in the air, and then the woman slams into his chest for a tight hug before storming off in the other direction.
“Ace found this yesterday. It’s from the day after we found Jenna and took out the Reapers.” He looks at Jenna with a soft expression, trying to comfort her. She starts to speak, not taking her eyes off the screen or looking at any of us.
“That’s her. That’s my friend Jill. You can’t see her face, but I know it’s her,” she says, pausing for a moment, almost lost in thought.
“Right before he… or Officer Stevenson helped me escape, he told me to tell Jilly he was sorry. That kidnapping an innocent was never in the job description. Why wouldn’t he have just called in backup when I was taken if it wasn’t part of his assignment?
Why aren’t you all arrested? And what does Jill have to do with any of this?
” The last part she almost whispers, looking around the room at all of us.
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out. It doesn’t make sense that he didn’t call it in unless he has gone rogue.” Cal turns the laptop back to himself. “Can you give me more information on Jill? I’m assuming her last name is Stevenson?”
“No, her last name is Monroe—Jill Monroe. But I can assure you they’re related.
When I saw him, I instantly knew they were.
Their facial features are so similar.” She pauses for a moment.
“They also have the same tattoo behind their ear.” I watch as Jenna unconsciously rubs the spot under her right ear.
“Hmm, okay. I can start looking and see what I can find. Don’t worry, Jenna.
We’ll find her and figure out what the hell is happening with the two of them.
Can you tell me about the tattoo?” Cal types as Jenna describes the small rose with the word Lost written beneath Stevenson’s.
A look flashes over Ace’s face, but he does well to right his expression.
That tattoo is one we have all seen before, but it can’t be the same woman.
He shifts his eyes to me before turning the laptop around, displaying the woman Jenna described to us.
I grip the side of the chair until my knuckles turn white.
At about the same time I make the connection, every other member in the room does too. The space becomes deathly quiet as I feel Jenna turn in my lap.
“Yeah, that’s her! Wait… what’s wrong?” she asks as she surveys the varying expressions on the men around the room. I pull Jenna into my chest as if anticipating what is about to happen. Heavy footsteps from the back of the room make their way next to us.
“Bear?” Jenna asks curiously.
“That can’t be your friend,” Bear says in a voice that would make grown men cower, but Jenna just peers up at him with a worried expression.
“No, Bear, that’s—” Before Jenna can get out the rest of her sentence, the laptop flies across the room, shattering against the back wall.
“She’s dead! What is this? Some sick game you’re playing here?” He moves to get in front of Jenna, but I stand quickly, pulling her behind me.
“Don’t you fucking dare,” I growl. I stare into the eyes of one of my best friends and see nothing but pain and confusion. Without turning, I keep my voice calm as I talk to Jenna.
“Jenna, that woman we just saw on the screen isn’t Jill Monroe but Macy Butler—Bear’s supposed dead wife.”
THE END.