Chapter Twenty-Eight #2
“I don’t know their real names,” Benny said quickly. “Most use first names only. One’s a woman named Carla. Another’s some guy called Mitch. I swear, that’s all I know. The motorcycle club doesn’t tell me everything, and I don’t ask. I’m just the middleman.”
“Who gets a percentage,” Tank said.
“Yeah.”
“When you loaned money to Julie Cormick, did the MC back it?” Rags asked.
“No. That was mine. She sent you here?”
Rags pulled a thick envelope from his jacket and tossed it onto the desk. “Here’s the money. I didn’t want her coming here.”
“I understand,” Benny muttered, eyeing the envelope.
“Understand this—your business just shut down. You tell the MC Colorado’s off limits.” Tank stepped closer.
“They’re not gonna like that,” Benny said, sliding the envelope toward him.
“Didn’t think they would. You tell them the Insurgents MC ran you and those fuckers outta business. Got it?”
“Yes. I do.” He swallowed hard. “I still got a few customers to settle with.”
“Yours or theirs?” Rags asked.
“Mine. They came here to hide out… like Mrs. Cormick. I spend a lot of time and money tracking people down.”
“It’s a risky business,” Rags said.
“Sometimes you lose and sometimes…” Chas stared hard at Benny. “Let’s just say it doesn’t end well.”
“I’ll be gone by tomorrow. Noon at the latest. I swear this has nothing to do with Satan’s Heretics.”
“We’ll make sure of that,” Rags said. “If we find out you bullshitted us…” Rags let the threat hang.
“I’m not lying. I swear.”
Chas shoved the younger guy’s chair, and his head snapped up. “You better find another side hustle.”
“I was thinking that.”
“What’s your name?” Tank asked. “And don’t lie. We hate that.”
“Miles.”
“Last name?”
“Brammer.”
“Well, Miles Brammer we better not hear anything bad about you. Ever. Got it?” Tank dragged the side of his gun down the guy’s neck.
“Yeah,” Miles whispered, his body rigid.
“Good. Don’t forget it.”
“And we’ll take this,” Chas said, snatching the 9mm.
“But…” Miles’s voice died when Tank pressed the barrel of his Glock against his cheek.
“But what?”
“Nothing,” he muttered.
Rags glanced at Tank and Chas. “Let’s hit the road.” His gaze shifted back to Benny and Miles. “You won’t know it, but we’ll be watching you.” He pointed at Benny. “Your ass is out of our town at noon tomorrow. Got it?”
Benny nodded, though a faint scowl puckered his forehead.
“Good,” Rags said, turning away.
The bikers didn’t say a word until they left the building. Puck nodded when they approached the bikes.
“All good?” he asked.
“Yeah. Banger’ll probably call an emergency church,” Rags said, swinging a leg over his Harley.
“I’m calling Rusty and Skinless to get their asses over here to keep watch,” Tank said, already pulling out his phone.
“We’ll fill you in back at the clubhouse,” Chas said.
The roar of four Harleys shattered the quiet neighborhood as the bikers rolled out and hit the open road.
* * *
“You guys did good work,” Hawk said, slipping into the chair beside Rags.
Rags nodded. “Now we gotta figure out who the hell this MC is.”
“I’ve got feelers out. They operate outta Bridge City, but it doesn’t look like they’ve got ties to any other one-percenter clubs.
” Hawk grabbed the beer the club girl had set on the table.
“There’s a reason they picked Pinewood Springs.
It’s a challenge… or sheer stupidity.” He took a long pull from the bottle.
“It does seem random. Something about this doesn’t sit right,” Rags said.
“We’ll get to the bottom of it. Worst thing we can do is charge in like a pack of rabid dogs.”
“If it were up to Bear, Bones, Blade, Jax, Wheelie, and Helm, we’d already be halfway to Texas.”
Hawk chuckled. “They’re itching for a fight, but this could turn into a turf war. We gotta analyze the situation and come up with a game plan without emotion clouding it.”
“Tank said the same thing. I can tell you both were Recon Marines in your past lives.”
Hawk didn’t answer. He just stared out at the flowing river, a distant look glazing his eyes.
For a long while, they sat in silence, each lost in his own thoughts… and memories.
Then Rags drained his bottle of Coors and glanced over at Hawk.
“You find anything on that Ford Focus?” he asked.
“Nothing in Pinewood Springs. I expanded the search to the surrounding towns and counties and still came up empty. You sure you got the plate letter right?” Hawk said.
“Yeah. What now?”
“I’ll run a statewide search. I should have something in ten days or less. Hopefully, something turns up.” Hawk took another drink.
“My gut’s telling me shit’s gonna go down. I don’t know… maybe I’m being paranoid.”
“I don’t think so. It’s been a few weeks since the last murder. I get what you’re saying. It feels like a powder keg ready to blow.”
“And Casey’s standing right in the middle of it. Fuck!” Rags shoved the coffee table with his boot, knocking his empty bottle onto the ground.
“I know it’s hard, but you gotta keep cool. We’ll get him. I’ll find the fucker’s name,” Hawk said.
“I know. I just want this shit over with.”
“Did you ever pay off your woman’s debt?” Hawk asked. “And when the hell did you become a financial knight in shining armor?”
Rags laughed. “It just happened.”
“Helping out your woman is cool, but Julie? Dude, what the fuck?”
Rags shrugged. “She was desperate. I know how loan sharks operate when people don’t pay.”
“Yeah, we’ve been known to break a few bones. Why didn’t you let the asshole she left you for deal with it?”
“He’s not around anymore. Besides, I didn’t want to see her hurt.”
“That’s a change.”
Rags stretched out his legs. “It is. Guess I’m over it.”
“Having a woman in your life you love helps you get past a lot of shit.”
“Yep.”
“So the dude on Casey’s debt was Saber?” Hawk asked.
“Yeah. Fuck, I was shocked when that came out.”
“I bet. None of us knew Saber had an old lady. Damn. Is it over for good between him and your woman? He was talking a lotta shit after you both left the party.”
“Yeah. She walked out on him over a year and a half ago. I’ve lost all respect for him.”
“Never liked him. Always thought he was an asshole.”
Rags chuckled. “You’re a good judge of character.”
Hawk pushed to his feet. “I gotta get back to the shop. I’ll get that name for you. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks.”
“Later.”
They bumped fists, and Rags pulled his phone from his cut and started typing.
Rags: I know u’re at a meeting. Wanted u to know I’m thinking of u.
A beep followed almost immediately.
Casey: Thinking of u 2. Love u.
A grin spread across his face. He was glad he was alone on the back patio because if any of the brothers saw him smiling like this, they’d bust his balls for days.
Rags: Me 2.
He set the phone on the table and stared out at the evergreens and pines. Casey was his passion, his love, and his life. He didn’t know how she’d done it, but all he wanted was to be with her, think about her, and build a life with her.
And it still surprised the hell out of him…
In the best possible way.