I go still. “You think they were working together?”
“Is Gun a mastermind?”
The question rings in the air, and I take a moment to answer, thinking back to what I know of the man. “I think he’s intelligent, but enough to pull such an enterprise together? I’d have to say no. But if asked, I’d say Smythe wasn’t either.”
Pip nods as if I’ve answered a question correctly. “Going back to the footage I showed you earlier. Why did the interpreter lie?”
I honestly don’t know and tell him. Following it up with, “You know my go to excuse. Money.”
“I’ve done an initial check of the financials of Gun and Smythe. Smythe comes from a good family, he’s already loaded. Nothing immediately jumps out.”
“Doesn’t mean he doesn’t want more.” I frown. This is something I can do, okay it might be laborious tapping with just the fingers of one hand, but at least I’ll be feeling useful while I’m waiting on others to do my job for me. “I’d like to look into it myself. See if I can find off-shore accounts.”
“I’ve already asked Bolt to start digging.”
Goddammit. Are they leaving nothing for me?
The door suddenly bursts open. “Pip, Stormy. Drummer’s on the line in Snatcher’s office. They’ve found something.”
Pip doesn’t have to be asked. As soon as the words are out of Gears’ mouth, he’s at my side, helping me to stand.
29
Stormy…
Once again the phone is in the middle of the table, and once again Snatcher informs Drummer that I’ve entered the room. Pip hovers in the doorway, and he’s waved to the seat next to myself.
“Your boys find something, Drummer?” Prez asks.
“Yeah. Your man Gun wasn’t there, Stormy, but there’s evidence people have been held in that location. Not going to pretty this up, but there were cages in the basement.”
Jeez. No. I can’t think of my Cat being caged. As for a basement, that would send her right back to the horror I rescued her from.
I swallow, not concerned when my voice sounds higher than normal. “You think she was held there?”
“Pretty certain. There was a picture of a cat scratched onto the brickwork.”
“Drummer.” I cough to clear my throat. “That’s too close to how Tiny left her. She’ll be freaking out.”
“Hold on to the thought she’s staying strong, Stormy.” The mother chapter prez’s voice bellows down the line.
“Was there anyone else there, Drummer?” Snatcher asks.
“There were six cages, from the dirt and dust left we think only three have been occupied recently. They found a PC set up and got Mouse to access it remotely. He’ll give you the tech details if you want them. There’s no way to put this sensitively, but there was a list of buyers. One for a submissive red head.”
Yeah, Cat would probably be thought of as submissive, most of it being how she was raised. “Who?” I rasp out.
“A cartel down in Mexico. Run by El Bastardo Blanco, or that’s the name he goes by.”
A wail of despair comes out of my mouth. She’s over the border. How the fuck am I going to get her back?
“Stormy!” Drummer barks into the phone. “Pip’s not the only one with contacts. I have a score to settle with Devil as he played the fuckin’ Utah chapter off against ours. He fuckin’ owes me, and he knows it. He’s familiar with the white bastard – he’s apparently an Albino, that’s how he got his name. He’s on the case. If anyone can get Cat back, he can.”
“I want to go,” I say as firmly as possible. “I want to be there for any rescue.”
“No can do, Storm,” Snatcher says, his eyes softening. “You’d be a liability, you know that. You can’t fuckin’ stand up let alone walk.”
Pip’s voice sounds. “If Devil needs back up, I’ll go.”
“Pip?” Drummer asks.
“I’m here.”
“Devil thought you might offer. He said to tell you to stand by. Stormy, Devil’s not wasting any time, man. He’s sorting out a plane and his mercenaries now. The only thing you can do is keep near a phone.”
As if I’ll be going anywhere without it.
“The White Bastard needs to be taken down, Drummer. This gives Devil the excuse he was looking for. He’s a dealer, she might already have been moved on.”
“Devil’s well aware, Pip.”
My face turns toward the man who’d been my prez for so long. His eyes have settled on me. “I trust Devil with my life. If it’s humanely possible, he’ll get Cat back.”
I raise and dip my chin but the movement is automatic. I’ve never been so terrified in my life, imagining Devil storming El Bastardo Blanco’s compound and Cat getting caught in the crossfire. She means so much to me, but nothing to them.
I’ve resisted putting my life into anyone’s hands for so long it’s completely unnatural now. I want to rage, shout, smash something, but Cat’s voice seems to echo in my head calming me down. You’re not responsible for everything, Stormy. Sometimes you have to let someone help.
“I’ll call Devil,” Snatcher suddenly butts in. “I’m not leaving it to him. Cat’s Stormy’s which makes her one of ours. I’ll have a team ready to go. We’ll be there. Preacher can fly us down.”
“You work in the US,” Drummer snaps back. “This is out of your territory.”
“We have up to now. It will be volunteers only, Drum. But there’ll be no shortage of those. Might not have fuckin’ met her, but Cat is something to us now. She’s club property and we’re going to get her back.”
Drummer’s quiet for a second, then he chuckles softly. “I’ll tell Devil to expect your call.” As before, without a goodbye, the call ends.
It’s like a whirlwind moving around me. Luckily someone sends a prospect back to give me a hand, otherwise I’d be crawling to wherever everyone else is going as Snatcher and Pip storm out seeming to have forgotten about me.
As Igor helps me into the clubroom, I see Snatcher hasn’t wasted any time.
“So, I need volunteers.”
I’m still trying to settle myself down but I pause to see who out of the brothers I disrespected are going to volunteer for a suicide mission to rescue a woman they don’t even know. Half-fearing no one, fuck me, treacherous tears make me blink furiously as everyone raises their hand. Snatcher has to resort to picking names.
Swift’s first and would have been my initial choice. She’s trained in hostage extraction, and as for being able to keep a steady head on her shoulders, there’s no one better. She’s also female and Cat might relate to her. Preacher, obviously, as he’ll be piloting the plane. Thor, no surprise there. Road? Well, a few months ago I’d have dismissed him, but clearly he’s proved himself to Snatcher, and for once I know better than to question him. Cowboy, well, he understands the situation, and I know his past will want to make the present have a better result. Rascal and Piston are also going along, and it won’t just be for the ride.