Chapter 20
*~* Ghost *~*
Idon’t feel great about asking this of Salem, but I can’t think of a better option at such short notice. Sitting opposite her, I can see the cogs turning in her mind while she stares at me.
“I can find somewhere else, but it will take me at least twenty-four hours. This guy has made three attempts, and each time he has upped the ante. There is no connection between the MC and here other than through me, and I have no connection, as such, with the Doc. Give me the twenty-four hours and I’ll get them moved to another secure location.
” I watch for a reaction, and I’m glad I’m not playing poker right now.
“If he hasn’t made the connection in twenty-four hours, it’s unlikely he will at all. You need to stay away though and make sure that son of yours knows to stop contacting me. In fact, you’d better take his phone.”
“I wasn’t aware that he was contacting you.” This is news to me. I knew he was tongue-tied when he met her, he even called me ‘Pa’ in his confused state.
“I knew he liked me, and we swapped numbers when he stopped by. He’s only been the once as I wasn’t comfortable alone with him.
Not that he did anything, it’s just that I’ve not had any of that type of attention before.
I trusted that Bruno was correct when he took a liking to him and I trust his instincts.
I’m sure that he likes me more than I like him, if you get my meaning.
There’s going to be a difficult conversation at some point in the near future.
” She waits for my reaction, and I try not to let it show that he may not react well to her rejection.
“If you need help with that, let me know. I don’t know how he’ll take it. I’ll be sure to ask him to stay away for the near future, though I’m new to the father/son dynamic, so I’m not sure how he will take it coming from me.” That worries me more than I care to admit.
“No, let me do it. If he takes it to heart, it’s better that he blames me than you.
You will be his support buffer, and that could be a good thing for your relationship.
Without being hurtful, it isn’t going to impact my life if he hates me afterward.
” Salem looks over at Jamie and Mateo. “I have a place in the woods that you can stay at for the time you’re here.
It is well hidden, and if you are careful about staying away from here, you should be fine.
There’s a radio that you can contact me on if you need to, but I’d advise that you only use it in an emergency.
I’ll come to you once every twenty-four hours to start with and then play it by ear from then on. ”
“I thought we’d be moving on after twenty-four hours. That’s what it sounded like,” Mateo asks, and I’m not sure if he’s directing that to me or Salem. Before I get chance to respond, she beats me to it.
“Ghost knows damn well that if your killer hasn’t found you in the next twenty-four hours, he’s not as good as he thinks he is.
You’ll be safe here as long as you do nothing stupid.
If you do something stupid, you’ll not only put yourselves at risk, but me as well.
Do that, I may just kill you myself and dump your bodies on the side of the road somewhere for your killer to find.
” Standing from the table, she looks at me.
“Have they got any luggage or stuff that I should be aware of?”
“Only what they are wearing and their phones. We’ve had that conversation already.” I give both Jamie and Mateo a stern glance to remind them of it.
“There’s a Faraday bag in the safe-house, I’ll show you when we get there. If you drop your phones in there, it will stop anyone tracking them. You want to see where they’ll be staying in case anything happens to me?”
“No, I’ll leave them in your capable hands. If I were expecting anything to happen to you, I wouldn’t be here.” The thought makes my blood run cold. I don’t think for one minute that whoever this assassin is, he will make the connection, but, and there’s always a but, I could be wrong.
“I’ve had to deal with some unsavory people in the past. I’m sure me and the boys here will be safe enough. Let’s get moving, it’s not too far through the woods but there are places you need to avoid on the path.”
“A regular Pocahontas here,” Mateo states, and must immediately regret it as Salem turns on him.
“You want to compare to me a Native American woman, that is the last one I’d choose.
Try Lozen, Woman Chief, or Dahteste. They are worthy of their place in history.
Pocahontas married an Englishman and died young far from home.
Not someone that I would want to emulate, thank you.
” She gives him a look that would shrivel a lesser man.
“My apologies. When I can, I’ll study those women that you mention, and in future, I’ll try to keep my humor factual.” He grins at her, and I see her face take on a light blush.
“Do that. Now, let’s get a move on.”
I watch them walk away and head back to the van. There’s going to be a tough conversation with myself and Whack when I get back to the clubhouse. An even harder one with Fury, I’m sure.
Leaving the van behind the clubhouse, I walk in and head straight for Pres’ office. Seeing the door open, I knock anyway, and when he looks up, he waves me to a seat in front of his desk.
“Everyone safe and back here now, then? That’s a relief. What else have you got on our suspected killer?” Whack leans forward, places his elbows on the desk, and steeples his fingers.
“You might want to get Bull and Fury in here so we don’t have to go over it twice, Pres.” I’m not looking forward to telling it once, so twice wouldn’t be good.
Whack calls for Bull and texts Fury. Surprisingly, Fury walks in the door in a matter of seconds, so was obviously here somewhere. Bull is only a minute behind him.
“Take a seat you two and pay attention. Let’s see if we can’t nail this fucker and put this to bed once and for all.” Whack leans back and nods at me to carry on.
“Jamie was talking in the van and told me about a homeless guy she was thinking of helping. Apparently, he lives in his car, and she’s seen him several times, but never in the same place.”
“Is that it? That’s all you got?” Fury looks like he’s about to get up and leave the office.
“She also said he looked like he could do with a haircut and shave from Thorn, because he had long gray hair and a long gray beard.” I wait for that to sink in before I continue.
“That was what she said about the guy that hit her in the truck with the balaclava. That was what Bandit said about the shooter. Mateo didn’t get a good look at the bomber, but he saw the junker roar away.
I asked him about it later. You said you thought you saw a junker tailing her, but he obviously turned off when he spotted you behind him.
I don’t think we’re looking for two people here.
” I watch Fury as the realization sinks in.
“He can’t be that hard to find then,” Fury states.
“I bet we find the junker burned out somewhere. He can’t be stupid enough to keep the same cover when he’ll know that Mateo saw him drive away, surely.” Bull looks around the room, and I think he’s right.
Whack gives us his thoughts. “I think he has either gone to ground or he’s sitting in a hotel somewhere, already planning his next move. Let’s boost security around the clubhouse and be extra sure that there is no way to get at Jamie.”
“I need to speak to her and make sure she’s okay. This is a lot for anyone to take in.”
“She’s all good, Fury. Her head’s in a good place with everything. That is a strong woman that you’re going to tie down.” I know what’s coming next, and it’s not going to be pleasant.
“Well, thanks, but I still need to see her.”
As he gets up from his chair, I drop the bombshell. “You can’t see her, Fury. She’s not here.”
All eyes turn to me but Fury’s burn into me. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“She’s not at the clubhouse. She is somewhere that has no ties to the MC, her business, or even her life. She can’t be found, and she’s safe. You have my word. I’d give my life to save her.” I stand and wait for him to live up to his name.
He walks up to me so we are nose to nose. Here we go, I think to myself and prepare for combat.
*~* Fury *~*
Staring into Ghost’s eyes, I’m ready to do battle with this asshole until he tells me where my woman is.
Who the hell does he think he is, hiding my woman away from me?
I protect her, I save her life, not him.
That’s when I hear a little voice pop up from the back of my mind.
If you thought anything about me, you’d be thanking him, not wishing him dead.
I can feel my inner demons fighting within me.
Half of me wants to go to war over this, but I now have half that is telling me to step back and use my head, not my fists.
Seeing Ghost in a different light, I step back.
I see the surprise in his eyes, but his body remains tense, ready.
I wonder for the first time if I could have taken this man down.
I don’t think I want to find out without a better reason than this.
“Alright. You have her safe. If she’s not, or she gets hurt, we’ll be back here. Where’s Mateo? I notice he hasn’t been mentioned yet.”
“Mateo is with her. I knew you’d asked him to protect her, and I also knew that he wouldn’t leave her side, no matter what.
He’s a good man, and you chose wisely. The assassin won’t get to her unless he goes through me, and that will never happen.
We need to find this guy, though. We can’t keep her hidden for the rest of her life. ”
“I can only do so much. Looking for an ex-homeless guy who may have lived in a burned-out junker won’t get me many results on Google, guys.” Bull shakes his head, looking a little lost at what to do.
“I know what we can do to keep her safe. I have a plan.” Grinning like a maniac has Whack shaking his head at me.
“No. Whatever it is, no. I’ve seen that look before, and it always either leads to trouble or some hair-brained scheme that involves total mayhem. We’re not doing it.” Whack continues shaking his head, but I don’t care.
“Let’s at least hear it, Pres. You never know, he might just have something,” Ghost looks at me and gives me a chin lift to speak up.
“Simple, and I should have thought of it sooner. We kill her.”
Bull is the first to break the total silence in the room.
“That’s your master plan? To stop some deranged assassin from killing the woman who you’ve just confessed your undying love and affection for, the woman you want to marry when this is all over.
You seriously think killing her will save her life?
What-the-ever-loving-fuck-are-you-taking?
You’ve had more than one too many of whatever they are. ”
“Well, it’s not exactly genius, but I see where he’s going with this.
If Jamie is dead, then the focus shifts to Fury himself, and he’s much easier to defend and to use as bait.
We could lure the assassin out in no time and then resurrect the good doctor.
It could work except for the killing of Jamie, of course.
” Ghost gives me a chin lift, and I’m pleased with myself.
All we have to do now is kill Jamie without her knowing!