CHAPTER SIX
“The Graveyard Saints are on every watch list in North America. They’re accused of murdering politicians, taking hits on rival gangs, criminal families, and running drugs, women, and guns. All the fun stuff,” said Hiro. “I have more than a little experience with men like this.”
The entire room quieted, staring at Hiro. They knew what he was talking about but Olive did not.
“Hiro?” she whispered.
“Winter. Her grandfather imprisoned her in his gang since childhood. She was abused beyond most human limits but she survived. No one here will let you fall into those hands. Especially not me,” he said quietly.
“I-I don’t understand any of this. I don’t know these people,” she said calmly.
“We’re trying to get some facial recognition on the two that were in the shop the other day,” said AJ.
“So far, we’ve got nothing and that’s part of the problem with GS, they tend to hide their faces when they’re working.
We found your birth record Olive. Actually, we found it when you came as a child. ”
“I knew that,” she said softly. “I just didn’t want to see it. I figured if they gave me up it was for a reason. Was my mother one of theirs? Was she used by them?”
“No,” said AJ resolutely.
“What?” frowned Iggy. “Then how is she connected?”
“Olive’s mother was part of the Graveyard Saints. She was born into the club. Her father was a road captain. Later, after her father died, she married the president of the club. He was thirty years older than her.
“When she was fifteen, there was a party at their clubhouse with hundreds of people. Neela, her mother’s name, was already a riding member of the club. She’d left high school and was home-schooling, or at least what passed as home schooling to keep the authorities away.
“At this particular party with more than two-hundred people, there was a college kid, Terry Baldwin. Terry wanted nothing to do with the club but according to witnesses, your mother was, uh, mature for her age and seduced him. Several attendees reported that Neela must have drugged him. His friends said he’d never acted so out of character before.
They disappeared into the living quarters.
“A few hours later, he reappeared looking terrible, puking, headache, all the signs of having been drugged. A few months later, he saw your mother in town, pregnant, he confronted her.
“She admitted to being pregnant but wanted nothing to do with him. She said she’d have the baby alone and raise it in the club.
She was already seeing someone on the side.
Your father, rightfully so, was concerned about charges of rape.
After all, she was fifteen and he was nineteen.
He even went so far as to get an attorney and wanted to petition for parental rights. ”
“While she was pregnant she was already seeing someone else? How could she do that?” asked Olive with tears.
“Honey, in those sort of clubs, what we call one-percenters, the rules are different. Sometimes, there are no rules,” said Rush.
“Your mother’s name, as I said, was Neela. Neela Porter. Her father was Slinger. That’s all we have on the name,” said AJ.
“Wouldn’t it be Porter?” she asked.
“Probably not. It’s doubtful her parents were ever married.
There’s not a record for her. Terry tried to fight for his rights but every attorney told him to walk away and be grateful he wasn’t charged with rape.
He didn’t accept that. He wanted to be accountable for what he did.
He took a huge risk and snuck back into the club one night, very late, while everyone had partied for hours.
He found you, alone. You were upstairs in a room in the corner.
He actually sent a letter to his attorney giving him all the details.
“He tucked you into his coat, went out the backdoor and ran. You moved from town to town until he finally settled in the New Orleans area.”
“Then why am I alone?” she asked spilling tears.
“Your mother and the club came looking for you. And him. He was okay with them finding him, but not you. He took every dime he’d saved and gave it to a distant aunt and uncle,” said AJ.
“Ida and Milford,” she whispered.
“They were really a great-aunt and -uncle,” said Hiro. “He gave them about ten-thousand dollars and said he’d be back as soon as he could find a way to keep you both safe. There’s no way of knowing but we think the Graveyard Saints got to him. But he didn’t give up your location.”
“But why? Why do they want me? I don’t have any money. I can’t help them in any way,” she said nearly hysterical.
“It’s not about money,” said a soft voice from the doorway. Winter stepped inside, hugging her husband, kissing his cheek. He frowned at her. “I’m okay. She needs to hear this.”
“Hear what?” asked Olive.
“To them, you’re just property Olive. They would pass you around like a plate of cookies, letting each man, and woman, have their turn at you.
Sexually. Physically. Mentally. It wouldn’t matter.
You are nothing to them unless they see value in you, in which case they would sell you to the highest bidder.
“Most likely your mother is married or connected to someone high up in the club now. If they got to you, even if by some miracle they didn’t abuse you, they would sell you to someone who would use you,” said Winter.
“They said they needed me to end a feud,” she said looking at Winter. Winter could only nod.
“Someone in a rival gang wants you as a bride or their equivalent of a bride. Chances are the situation would be the same with them. Whatever is going on with them, this rival gang probably wants someone tied by blood to the club,” said Winter.
“No work for a few days,” said Skull. “We’ll let Rush and the boys figure out what to do.” Razor looked at Iggy.
“You know how to ride?” he asked.
“Yes, sir. Since I was a kid,” said Iggy.
“These aren’t kid bikes, Iggy. These bad boys require a skilled rider. We don’t mind lending you a bike but don’t wreck it. You’ll owe your life to us,” he smirked.
“Got it, sir.”
“Wait, you’re not seriously going after them are you?” asked Olive.
“Oh, fuck yeah,” said Gator. “We are going after them.”