Chapter 28
*~* Cannon *~*
Sitting in the debrief back at the clubhouse, everyone is stunned, angry, and frustrated.
None of us expected to find Bandit at the ranch, never mind dead.
He had been tortured from the injuries we all saw, and that’s another thing we don’t understand.
What could Bandit possibly tell Stephan that he didn’t already know about us?
It’s not like we are some secret underground organization that flits around in the dark.
How did he get him out of the rehab center?
It’s not like you can just walk in and escort people out at will.
There are procedures and paper trails to follow.
Why didn’t anyone at the center check with us or with Jamie?
We’ve never lost a brother in this way, and it isn’t going to sit well with Pres.
Bandit may have had his issues, but this is not how he should have died.
Pres is going to be an absolute nightmare to live with. He can’t even get revenge on the assholes who did it, as they were all dead by the time we got there. I suppose he’ll blame himself for that, too. Not taking action sooner, but who knew this was how it was going to turn out?
At least he never asked Grazer to collect the assholes from the shed. That should go some way towards easing his thirst for vengeance. I am so glad I am not one of them.
Bill and Tanner stayed behind and are calling in the massacre at the ranch. They are going to say they got a verbal report of shots fired and that’s what prompted their visit to the ranch. Bandit’s body had to remain there, which is something else that caused Pres to lose his shit.
Pres has said little about the people who did all this, perhaps because he doesn’t know much.
The guy from the limo, the boss, didn’t say too much about who or what they were other than dissatisfied business associates of Stephan’s.
Pres didn’t think they were a cartel or mafia, but they obviously weren’t low down on the criminal ladder.
The guy did say that Bandit was already dead when they arrived and that they had nothing whatsoever to do with his death.
Pres wants to talk to Jamie and see how Stephan knew where to find Bandit, though I’m sure that conversation is not going to end well, with his present frame of mind.
Fury will need to be in attendance for that, as will I.
I think I may need to be Pres’ voice of reason, or his devil’s advocate.
I think he might blame Jamie for something that she is not responsible for.
On a positive note, if there is one, I got my damn truck back.
There was a fancy hog on the bed of the truck too, so I brought that along for Mateo.
All shiny and polished chrome, it looks like the dog’s doodahs.
Not to my taste, and I love my hog anyway.
There was a lot of shiny metal in that building, and I’m surprised that none of it was taken as some form of reparation by those other guys.
Maybe too traceable, or maybe they weren’t looking for financial repayment.
That’s the trouble with prostitution and trafficking, you never know who is related to who. Likewise, with drugs. You don’t know who you're selling to and potentially killing. This could have been for any number of reasons that we may never get to find out.
Pres calls an end to the debrief, asking Fury to bring Jamie to his office. Fury looks like he is going to say something, but I step in and tell him not to say a word. Following Pres to his office, I shut the door and take a seat without being told.
“This is all down to Stephan, Pres. It is not Jamie’s doing.
You know that, right?” I ask him calmly and am not surprised by the vicious look I get in return.
“She did what we asked her to do when she found him a good rehab center. She looked into everything thoroughly and even had Bull run checks before having Bandit admitted. Go gently on her.”
Before anything else can be said, there’s a knock at the door. I call come in, as Pres looks as though he’s going to burst a blood vessel, his face is so red.
Jamie steps in, with Fury in close attendance.
I can see the tracks of tears on her cheeks, and her eyes are red and puffy.
She and Bandit had been friends. She’d saved his life, and he’d been there for her on more than one occasion.
This will have hit her hard. She sits in the chair directly in front of Pres’ desk.
“How did Stephan know where to get his hands on Bandit? Who else knew where he was?” Pres doesn’t stop for a breath. “How could Stephan’s men just walk in and take him from somewhere like that?” Jesus Christ. Talk about going on the offensive.
Before Fury or I can respond, Jamie leaps up and leans over the desk, slamming her hands on the hard wooden surface with the sound of a gunshot.
Shoving her face into Pres’, she says coldly, “You think I had anything to do with my friend's death? You think I would sell out a brother? I’ve spent years patching you guys up, and even saving your lives. You think I’d do all that just to sell you out?
What the fuck would I get from it? What possible reason would I have to tell Stephan anything?
You want to know how Stephan tracked him down?
You’re asking the wrong person. You should be asking Bull.
That’s what he does for you guys, isn’t it?
He’d know how Stephan could track someone’s whereabouts.
If this is all the respect you have for me, you fucking prick, you can shove your MC so far up your ass that it will never see daylight again!
” Jamie storms out of the office, almost taking the door off its hinges as she leaves.
Fury gives Pres a dirty look and follows Jamie.
“I love it when I give you a pep talk and you take it on board. We’ll be lucky if she looks at a splinter for any of us for the next month.
” I shake my head and he just glares at me.
“Anyone else you need to alienate before the end of the day?” Walking out of the office, I close the door behind me, noticing it doesn’t close fully anymore.
Everyone stays at the clubhouse tonight, even Fury and Jamie surprisingly.
We all drink and share stories, mainly about Bandit, of course.
Jamie, Pattie and Anya join us, but I guess any stories they have about Bandit are best left unspoken.
Pres comes out of his office for a spell, calls a toast to our fallen comrade and brother, then returns to his office.
Fury looks daggers at him the whole time he’s in the rec room.
I understand how he feels, but he isn’t helping the situation.
Tanner pays us a visit after he and Bill have worked their magic at the ranch and kept us out of it.
I mean, we weren’t involved other than we turned up too late for the party, but the law might see our intentions as something to further complicate matters.
Bandit’s body should be released in a few days, once all the autopsies are done.
That shouldn’t take long considering Bandit and Stephan were the only two bodies without bullet holes in them.
Barbara has been clingy in the rec room, and I think I’m doing her a disservice using that term.
She has been attentive and supportive sounds better.
I don’t think she knows what to do for me, if I’m honest. We’ve all seen far worse than what we’ve seen today, but she doesn’t know the horrors we’ve been through.
I can take all the attention she’s giving me without a problem.
Molly has been keeping an eye on Jamie, and she seems to be calm enough now. Jamie’s right, Pres can be a prick at times. Feeling a need for some fresh air, I take Barbara’s hand and we head out into the compound. Standing against a tree trunk, I hold her close and kiss the top of her head.
Pres’ voice comes out of the darkness. “Just so you know, you pair are not alone.”
Barbara jumps at his statement, and I reply, “I didn’t know you were out here, Pres. I needed some fresh air.”
“Yeah, well. I went to the shed and talked to the guys in there for a few minutes. They’re not saying much.”
“Not able to say much. You mean?” I doubt whether they are able to breathe by now.
“Oh, I haven’t killed them, if that’s what you mean. I wondered who Stephan had pissed off so much that they would wipe him out so completely.” He holds his hands up as if this confirms he hasn’t killed them.
“Any ideas?” I can’t imagine that any of them would have a clue.
“Not a clue. I don’t know what to do with them at this point. Maybe I’ll still give Grazer a call and let him decide. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it. I’ve had enough for one day.” With a nod to Barbara, Pres walks away to the clubhouse and leaves us to ourselves.
Alone again, I lead Barbara to one of the garden seats we have behind the Clubhouse. There are picnic benches too, for when we have one of our many outdoor shindigs. I sit and I’m pleasantly surprised when she sits on my lap and puts her arms around my neck.
“Are you okay, Bret? There’s been a lot that has happened in a short space of time.” She speaks softly and with such a caring tone, I can only love her more for it.
“Yes, Babe, I’m all good. The past weeks have nothing on some of the shit I’ve seen or been through.
I might be able to tell you about some of it one day, but no promises.
I will say this, though. If anything starts to cause me a problem in my head, you’ll be the one I come running to for help and guidance. ” I kiss her gently on the lips.
”That’s all I need to know, Sweetums. If you’re okay, I’m okay. There is one more concern I have, though.” She frowns at me as she says this. “I’ve been sitting on your lap, wriggling my ass, and you’re not hard. Have I lost my appeal so quickly?”
Adjusting my cock in my restrictive pants, she squeals when she feels it pulsing through the material. “Oh, there he is. I was a little worried for a moment there.”
“How about we go to our room, and you can be a housewife who needs a plumber to get her pipes flowing freely?” This makes me growl at the thought of it.
“I can think of nothing I’d like better than to have your plunger thrusting into my pipework, Mr. Plumber, sir. Let’s not be too gentle about it either, shall we?”
Resisting the urge to throw her over my shoulder, we walk sedately back into the clubhouse, through the crowd in the rec room and then to our room.