Chapter 8
Worley
Nanny and Ciara gasp.
“Easy, love,” Mack says.
“What just happened?” Doctor Hanson’s voice holds a little fear.
Ciara steps back, bumping into me. I place my hand on her back to steady her.
“It’s all right.” I turn to Jude even though he can’t see me. “Right?”
“Oscar, turn the lights back on,” Nick yells angrily.
The lights stay off.
“Doctor Hanson, my associate is about to restore your power. We want that conference room available within three minutes, or the next all dark you get will require an electrician and the power company,” Jude states firmly.
Wow. His company can do that? We might need to ask Nick more about Slone Security. His brother has helped him a lot with our IT issues. We never thought to question it. Now, I want to know exactly who we’ve been working with.
The moment the light come back on, Doctor Hanson quickly swipes his badge to open the door to the back of the building. Good choice on his part. Jude Harrington is a scary man. He looks all business, but his threats shouldn’t be taken lightly.
“Follow me.” The doctor leads the way to the conference room.
Nick goes straight to the TV monitor. Within seconds, a man who is obviously his brother pops up on the screen.
“Watson, good to see you, little brother.”
“Shut up, Oscar.” Nick tosses a hand up. “Just help us find Harley.”
“Don’t worry, Watson.” His brother clicks away on his keyboard. “We’ll help you find your girl. You can take her back to Tennessee and marry her, or claim her, or whatever it is you bikers do.”
“Oscar, shut up,” Nick says between clenched teeth.
Jack walks up to Nick’s right, Jay on his left. Mack glares at our computer nerd. Nanny slowly raises her hand to cover her mouth. I have no words. I notice everything, but I missed this.
Jack tosses an arm over Nick’s shoulder. “Nick, why’s your brother telling you to claim my sister?”
Oscar snaps his fingers. “Yeah, claim. That’s it. Weird concept, but oh well.” He goes back to typing.
“Um.” Nick swallows hard. “He’s an idiot. Ignore him.”
“He doesn’t sound dumb to me,” Jay says.
Oscar pauses and looks up. “They don’t know?” He leans back in his chair and bursts out laughing.
“Sherlock, focus.” A man in a three-piece suit pops Oscar on the back of the head. He nods to us. “I’m Sebastian Slone. We’ll help you find your daughter.”
“Hit him again.” Nick huffs and glares at his brother.
Sherlock sits up straight and shrugs one shoulder. “It’s not my fault Mom likes me best.”
Oh, good lord. I’m glad I’m an only child. These two have already gotten on my nerves.
“See.” Nick motions to the TV screen. “He’s an idiot.”
“An idiot who’s helping you.” Sherlock continues to click away on the keyboard.
“Seriously, Sherlock. Focus. What do you have on their daughter?” Jude asks.
“Wait.” Jay points at the TV. “Y’all call him Sherlock.” He points to Nick. “And he calls you Watson. It’s not because it's your last name. Is it?”
Nick groans and drops his head back. “No.”
Leave it to Jay to make the connection. It’s another thing I missed.
Jay pats Nick hard a couple of times on the back. “Looks like you have a new road name, Dominic.” Jay will make sure the name sticks.
Nick’s eyes bore holes into his brother. “When I see you, I’m taking you out at the kneecaps.”
“Anytime, little brother. You know where I am.”
“Tell them what you found,” Sebastian Slone orders.
Sherlock nods. “I believe the sighting tip the cops got tonight was actually Harley and Josiah trying to throw them off.” His eyes meet Nick’s. “Sadly, it appears to have worked. The cops' radios have them scrambling around town.”
This man hacked into the police radios? I don’t think I want to know how that’s possible. It can’t be legal.
Nanny steps around Nick. “You will find her, though. Right?”
Sherlock pauses. Every muscle in his face drops as he looks into the tear-filled eyes of our club Queen. “Yes, ma’am. We won’t stop until we do.”
“Have you got anything on them?” I ask.
“I’m scanning every camera I can find in the area on the opposite side of town. The tip was on the south side. They’re probably heading north. I expect them to steal a car. Nothing has been reported yet, though,” Sherlock replies.
“So, they’re still in town?” Jack sounds hopeful.
Sherlock sighs. “It’s possible. They may have already gotten a ride out, but if you want to send a team into town to search, focus on the north side.”
Jay nods to Jack. “We should do that.”
Mack offers Jack the keys to one of the SUVs. “You boys go. Be careful.” He looks between the Slone Security men. “Will one of you go with them?”
“I’ll go.” Smoke follows Jack and Jay.
“How long has Josiah been here?” Chief asks the doctor.
Doctor Hanson shakes his head. “I’m sorry. I can’t give you patient information.”
“You will drop the privacy crap.” Chief walks closer with each word. “We have an active case with two people missing. If harm comes to either of them because you withheld something, I’ll drop you in the middle of a third-world country with nothing but the clothes on your back.”
Doctor Hanson’s eyes widen. “Two months.”
“You know this man.” It’s not a question. I know he does.
Chief nods. “He’s from my hometown. No one knows why he left. He comes from a good family. They want answers. His wife and son are an emotional mess.”
Nanny’s hand flies up to cover her mouth again. She squeezes her eyes shut. Mack quickly pulls her into his arms. Great. Just great. Josiah Edwards has a wife and kid. What was Harley thinking, getting tied up with a married man? Bringing her here didn’t help her at all.
“You go get the other two doctors.” Mack releases Nanny and backs the doctor up against the door. “We’re gonna sit down and go over everything about Harley, Mr. Edwards, and about what happened tonight, or I’m going to start hurting people.”
“Okay.” The doctor fumbles with the door handle. “Give me a minute.” He finally gets the door open and rushes down the hall.
Mack’s eyes meet mine. “Make sure everything at the Den and our homes is good.”
I nod once. This is what I’ve done long before I became the club’s VP. I keep as many Vikings as safe as possible.
I slip out of the room and call Hendrix. He answers on the second ring. I don’t bother with formalities. “Things good there?”
“Yep. Closed the club down an hour ago. Everybody’s safe at home. Any word on Harley?”
“Not yet. Jack, Jay, and one of Slone Security’s guys are out searching now.” I rub the back of my neck. ‘Watch over Nina and Lauren tonight. I trust Westbrook, but he’s drunk. He might be a handful for them. I’d rather it not be a prospect.”
“Gray’s a good man. He’s passed out in Jay’s guest room. The ladies are upstairs. I’m on the couch. Trust me, Worleybird. I have things handled,” he assures me.
Jay’s guest room is on the first floor. With Hendrix on the couch, his eyes on that door. The ladies are safe tonight.
“Thanks, man. Keep me posted.” I sigh deeply. I hate being so far from home, trusting my job to another brother. Hendrix is doing great, though. “I’ll keep you posted on things from here.”
I end the call and slip my phone into my pocket. For a moment, I stare out the front window into the darkness. Nothing out there but the wind and cold.
“Oh, Harley. Where are you?” I whisper.