CHAPTER TWELVE
“What the fuck do you mean right under our noses?” frowned Ham. He turned and saw another familiar face as he walked slowly toward them.
“Morning fellas,” said Luca.
“Morning, Luca. We’re in the middle of something. Is there anything wrong?” asked Gator.
“Uh, well, I think I’m what you’re in the middle of,” he frowned, twisting his hands.
“What? AJ, what the fuck is this all about?” asked Ham.
“Luca Aucoin is Olive’s father,” he said matter-of-factly. “He was given a new face and identity by the bureau when he handed over evidence on the Graveyard Saints. Mama Irene was asked if she could find work for him that would keep him out of the public eye.”
“And she did,” frowned Gator shaking his head. “Damn.”
“Please don’t blame her. I’ve done nothing wrong except to deceive all of you in my name. I’m a good man. When my name was changed after I dropped off Olive, I thought it was over. I never dreamed that they would find her again.”
“Luca, or whatever you name is,” said Rush, “why wouldn’t you tell us all this before? Why wait? That poor kid was lonely. She needed family.”
“She needed to be safe,” said Luca. “Luca is my name now. It’s been my name for nearly twenty years. My face is different. All of it. My only job was to make sure Olive was safe.”
“Did you see how she was living at her aunt and uncles?” frowned Moose.
“I saw,” he said nodding. “But if I had taken her, it would have shined a light on me and the press would have found out who I really was. Then she’d be in more danger. I gave money to Ida and Milford and I tried to keep my distance.”
“Damn, brother. I get why you did it but you did it the wrong way,” said Ham.
“I know that now,” he said nodding his head.
“We hit on a record that was flagged in a way that only we would know,” said AJ.
“I made a few calls to the right people and they informed us that the flag was for a protected witness. That’s when all the gears fell into place for me.
If Olive’s father was a good enough man to get her out of that hell-hole and then make sure she was safe, or at least he thought she was safe, it made sense that he would testify against the club. ”
“Why haven’t you?” asked Christian.
“The FBI kept saying it wasn’t enough. That there wasn’t enough evidence to truly shut them down and put them, especially Neela, behind bars. But I was exposed. I couldn’t go back.”
“Fucking feds,” muttered Ham. “You have to tell her, brother. She wants to meet her father.”
“She wants to meet a man that doesn’t exist any longer,” said Luca. “If I tell her who I am now, she’ll be in more danger.” The men looked at Iggy who had an unreadable expression on his face.
“No. No, that’s bullshit,” he said shaking his head. “She’s safe here and you know it. Telling her who you really are won’t endanger her. It will tell her who she really is. Do you understand how fucked up it is to make her believe that fucking woman is her only living, breathing blood?”
“Iggy,” said Ham softly.
“No fucking way. You’re going to tell her who you are or I will,” he said with a fierce expression. Luca stared at the younger man and nodded.
“You’re right. She deserves to know.”
“Before you go off and introduce yourself,” said Ham. “We need details of what’s happening in that club. How the hell did Neela get to be president?”
“That’s easy,” said Luca. “When I took Olive, Neela’s father was acting Road Captain. She was just fifteen, a kid. She told me she was nineteen and I believed her. She spiked my drink and gave me an aphrodisiac. I was out of it.
“When I came to, I left as fast as I could. Seeing her pregnant made me feel like fucking shit. I begged her to let me make things right. Her father paid me a visit one night and said if I went to the cops and told them what happened, he’d gut his little girl and rip that baby from her belly.”
“Fucking hell,” muttered Rush. “Her own father.”
“At first, I had no intentions of taking the baby but when I learned that she was dating the old president of the club, I had to. That dude was pure evil. At least fifty, if not older and he was sleeping with her every night.
“I kept thinking if she were my daughter I’d never allow that to happen. Then I realized that my daughter was inside those fences and would end up like that. Somehow Neela got the prez to agree to give her control of the club when he died. He mysteriously died two years later.
“I didn’t give a shit. I took my daughter in the dead of night when they were all too drunk or high, or both. I carried her from state to state to state, never looking back. I cleaned out my savings and my trust left by my grandparents.
“Then one night in Madison, Wisconsin, I heard the rumble of engines and knew they were there. I just knew it. They started asking questions that thankfully, no one would answer. We left again and I realized they were following me and my face, not a baby’s.
“So, I went to the feds with everything I had. Documents I’d taken the night I took Olive, recordings, everything.”
“Are you fucking joking?” frowned Ham.
“No. I wanted something to ensure my safety. I didn’t realize that it wouldn’t matter. They’d find me and kill me anyway and where would Olive be? So, I left her with Ida and Milford and thought it was the right thing to do. I know now it wasn’t, except it led her to all of you.”
“And the feds? What are they saying?” asked Christian.
“They say there’s someone on the inside getting more information for them. They wouldn’t tell me who and they wouldn’t let me speak to them. I know I should have come to all of you sooner but the feds told me not to say anything to anyone. I’m sorry. I understand if you have to fire me.”
“We’re not firing you, Luca. Is it Luca?” asked Rush.
“It is now,” he smirked. “I’ve been called Luca for so long I wouldn’t have a clue how to respond to any other name.” Rush nodded.
“Well, we’re not firing you but you will tell Olive.”
“Tell Olive what?”