When she’s gone, I pull my phone out again and send a text to Juliet. I’ve been looking at this all wrong. I need to start with her parents and see where that takes me. But, until I get that information, I need to focus on why in the fuck the FBI hacked into our security system.
23
Saint
I’m waiting on my porch when King arrives early in the afternoon. He looks around, whistling.
“You’ve been busy.”
I had to do something to keep my fucking mind off Olivia.
“I’ve let things get away from me here. It still needs a lot of work.”
The plantation-style mansion has been in my family for more than two hundred years. During the Civil War, my ancestors let the Union soldiers use it as a base. With access to the Savannah River, it was a game changer. It doesn’t make up for what others in my family did, but, I like to think it helped a little. After the war, my family used the house as a hospital, helping the wounded.
When my great-grandfather inherited it, he used the land to grow flowers to sell, saying no sin would ever occur on our soil again. My grandfather took it one step further and planted acre after acre of peach trees. In fact, our farm is one of the biggest producing fruit orchards in the state. My father never had any interest in the family business, which is why the house sat empty for years.
In retrospect, I’m glad he didn’t use the house as the club’s headquarters. It wouldn’t have lasted with all the bikers coming and going. When I inherited it, I was young and foolish. I didn’t see the need for a place like this. Now, I do.
We move past the construction crew, who are replacing the rotten wood on the porch, and go inside.
“Holy fuck, it’s humid in here.”
“Stop being a little bitch, King. The AC’s not working.”
Among a long list of other things.
I lead the way past several holes in the floor to the office. It, thankfully, isn’t in shambles.
“Is this where you’ve been sleeping?”
He’s looking at the folded sheet on the back of the couch.
“Yeah. It’s not bad in here at night. There’s a nice breeze off the river, and, if the wind is right, I can smell the salt off the ocean.”
I go to the massive desk that’s been here for as long as I can remember and sit in the leather chair. King takes the seat across from me.
“I have some news and I’m not sure how you want to proceed.”
“What is it?”
“Do want the long version or the short one?”
“Whichever gets to the point the fastest.”
He nods. “I tracked the trace left behind from the person who hacked the security system. It leads back to the fucking feds.”
“Fuck. Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
I lean back in my chair. “What does this mean for us?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Psycho and Maniac aren’t the ones to blame.”
“Or maybe we’ve got two problems instead of one.”
He nods. “I was thinking the same thing. They might not be working together, but they’re both out to get us.”
“Did you make our reservations for the rally?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Do we know if the Oklahoma chapter is still going to be there?”
“Of course they are.”
“Reach out to them and see if Emma Webb is going to be there.”
His eyes light up. “You’re going to talk to her man and see what his thoughts are.”
“He’s the only former FBI agent we know at the moment.”
“Think he’ll talk?”
“I’m hoping Emma can work her magic for us.”
He leans back in his chair. “Saint, there’s something else we need to talk about.”
“What is it?”
“I discovered something the other day and-”
My phone rings and I glance at the screen.
“Hold that thought.” I answer my phone, “This is Saint.”
Jones says, “We have a problem. Can you and your guys be at the warehouse in an hour?”
He wouldn’t call unless it was an emergency.
“We’ll be there.” I end the call and stand. “That was Jones. He needs us at the warehouse in an hour.”
“Fuck.”
We call Bash and Razor, telling them to meet us at my place. We’re taking my truck, to give us more protection, in case this is some kind of trap. I hate that the thought even crosses my mind, but with everything else happening I have to consider all possibilities.
Bash and Razor arrive twenty minutes later, gun vests in hand.
Bash hands me one and says, “The others at the club are on alert. If this goes south, they’re ready to take action.”
“Good.”
Razor asks, “Any idea what this is about?”
“None.”
Which is what worries me.
We arrive to the warehouse an hour later. Jones stands outside, hands on his hips.
“The deal is off,” he says before I’ve even gotten out of the truck. “The other party feels it’s too risky.”
King leans casually against the truck. To anyone else, it would come off as nonchalant, but I know he’s on edge.
“Too risky? Hell, isn’t that the name of the game we’re all playing?”
Jones replies, “They’re not going to change their minds. And, they’ve had a better offer.”
And there it is.
“From who?”
“You know I can’t say.”
King meets my gaze and I nod once. We both know it’s either Maniac or Psycho.
“Well, I hope the other party realizes this is it. Our club will never do business with them again, and when this deal goes to shit, they can’t come crying back to us. The Devil’s Regents don’t offer second chances.”
His throat bobs. “Is that a threat?”
“Call it what you will,” I say. “We know who’s been fucking with us, and if they’re the ones who outbid us, then they’re going to have hell to pay.”
I go back to the truck, getting in. King is next, and then Bash. Razor stands there, staring down Jones until he leaves.
Razor gets in the truck, slamming the door. He asks, “We’re all in agreement that Psycho and Maniac are behind this bullshit, right?”
“We are.”
“What are we going to do about it?”
“We’re going to play it cool. See if we hear anything at the rally. Then, we strike. They think they’re pulling a fast one on us, but they’re wrong. They can have the fucking weapons.” I pause. “Make sure the whores know they’re coming, and pick a few of the loyal girls from the strip club, too. We’re going to need all hands on-deck for this.”
Because I’m going to make the fuckers messing with us pay.
Olivia
Jas is at the bar, texting on her phone. I make my way to her, smiling.
“Hey girl. How’s it going?”
“Not good. Grizzly just broke up with me.”
“Bummer.”