“His,” she replies sulkily.
Slick bends his head to mine. “Move along with it, Dart. We might be running out of time.”
That was exactly my thought too. “Look, lady. Hell, I don’t know what your name is.”
“I’m Belle. Belinda.”
“What’s your last name?”
“Winscott.”
“Look, Belle, Belinda. I don’t think you understand what this boyfriend of yours is capable of.” In the back of my mind, I recall the story of the Satan’s Devil he’d killed. “When Thompson says he’ll get rid of her, he doesn’t mean put her on a train or buy her a bus ticket to get home. He’s going to stash her somewhere, kill her, or at least hurt her.”
Again, she glances down at her feet. “He wouldn’t do that. He’s a good man.”
Slick’s eyeing her carefully. Suddenly he moves and pulls up her sleeves. There are fingermark shaped bruises on one of her forearms. He raises his hand and touches her cheek and she flinches. “Wearing a lot of makeup there, sweetheart. Your man did this?”
She refuses to answer, neither to deny nor admit it.
“I think you do know what he’s capable of. And that includes getting off on making people hurt.” Perhaps that’s why she’s not talking. She’s more afraid of Thompson than of us.
“He wouldn’t kill her. He’s a cop.” Or very naïve.
Cops can do anything and get away with it too. Who better to know how to disappear a body? Well, except perhaps for us.
I decide to go straight for info. “Has Thompson any property which he owns, apart from the two houses? A garage? Storage?”
“If he has, I wouldn’t know.”
Slick crouches down on his haunches. “Look, Belinda. There may well be a woman whose life is at risk at this very moment. Even if we’re wrong, we want to find her. Can you think of anything at all that might help?”
She scrunches up her face and then shakes her head.
At that moment, Snake walks into the room. He nods at me, then his eyes narrow as he sees the woman sitting on the chair. “You got your phone on ya?”
He’s a striking man, a snake tattoo winding around his neck. His hair is almost as long as Mouse’s and currently tied back. At about six-foot-two and massively built, he can be quite intimidating. One look at his face and she doesn’t delay putting her hand in her pocket to pull out an iPhone.
“Unlock it.” He holds out his hand. She passes it over to him. Quickly, he scrolls through the contacts, looks at something, and then shakes his head. “Doesn’t look like he shares his location.” This is addressed to me. Well, it wasn’t going to be easy.
“Dart, Mouse is back. He’s got Thompson’s computer. Go and sit with him, see if the two of you can put your heads together and come up with something. I’ll stay here with Slick and we’ll see what else she knows.” He removes his attention from me and focuses on the woman in the chair. The last thing I see is her cringing in fear.
Going up to the clubroom, I find Mouse in a corner looking at a screen. “Anything, Brother?”
“No. Token’s gone to look something up. I’m just seeing what I can find on here.”
As if hearing his name, Token appears. “Got something, I think. I know she doesn’t keep in contact much with her parents, but they own a cabin up in Big Bear.”
“Why would he take her there? That’s a long shot, man. There’s not even anything linking him to them.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. You missed something, Mouse.” Token looks extremely pleased with himself. “He’s got a separate bank account. They pay him an annual sum.”
“Why the fuck would they do that?”
“Don’t know, man, but there’s obviously some contact there.”
Mouse is rubbing his face. Suddenly he takes out his phone. “Got their number, Toke?”
“Sure have. Was wondering if you’d need it.”
I’m not quite certain what he’s going to do. I put my hand on his arm. “Mouse, if they’re in tight with Thompson, don’t blow it. They’ll go straight to him…”
He shrugs of my touch and gives a grin. “Trust me, my man.” Then he dials the number.
Well my mouth drops open at the poshest accent I’ve ever heard coming out of the half Native American’s mouth. “Good morning, Mrs Argent. I’m very sorry for troubling you, but I’m ringing from the SD Vacation Resort Group. We understand you and your husband own a cabin at Big Bear and were wondering whether you were considering making it available to rent? It’s in a desirable area, and I’m sure the rental income would be very attractive…”
“Uh-huh.”
“Mmm.”
“Oh, well it’s an ideal location for that.”
“So sorry to trouble you, ma’am. But if you reconsider, please get in touch.”
He ends the call and turns to us with a grin, while opening the phone and taking the battery and sim card out. He chucks the pieces of the burner phone into a nearby bin.
“Well?” I prompt, rising up on my toes in impatience.
“She might have been interested, but her daughter and son-in-law have started using it. It’s an ideal place to take a young boy, apparently. And,” he pauses for effect, “sounds like she’s fuckin’ there now. Thompson picked up the keys last week.”
She’s hiding in plain sight? Some of the tightness in my chest eases. It would be a crazy place to kill her, far too obvious and able to be traced back to him. But it doesn’t mean he won’t hurt her.
“Someone give me the fuckin’ address. I’m checking it out, now.”
“Not on your own, Brother,” Snake growls from behind me. “Bitch downstairs had nothing else to give. But we’ll leave her enjoying our hospitality until we find your girl.” I nod. If nothing else, if we find Thompson but not Alex, using his girlfriend as a bargaining point might make him loosen his tongue to tell us where Alex is.
I glance around. Both Slick and Mouse are standing up, ready to go. Snake nods at Lost, who raises his chin in return. Grumbler’s close by and lifts his hand.
“Reckon we’re only dealing with Thompson, so the six of us should do.”
Then I hear a child’s voice and know we can’t all go. “Slick, man. You stay here and look after Tyler. You know his problems.”
Slick looks puzzled. “I know what he suffers from and what you said, Dart. But what the fuck do I know about looking after a kid?”
“You’ve got Jayden.” I try to explain to him my reasoning, by referring to the teenage girl he’s all but adopted, and add, admittedly a bit lamely, “And you’re trying to get Ella pregnant.”
His eyes open incredulously and his hands open in a what-the-fuck gesture.
Snake’s quick to decide. “Eva will stay with him. Her nursing skills might come in handy. But if he’s got issues like Dart said, someone who knows something about what his problems are could be useful.”
Taking in a deep breath and letting out a sigh, Slick accepts he’s staying behind.
“Thanks, Brother. I’d feel happier.” I raise my chin at him.
A sudden slap on my back takes me by surprise, and I stagger slightly as Snake announces, “Let’s go get the kid’s mother back.”
I need no further encouragement to leave the clubhouse and go to my bike, hoping and fucking praying we’re right, and we’ll find Alex at the cabin. I’d hate to waste more time following another false lead.
Snake’s out in front with Lost and Grumbler riding behind him, Mouse and me at the back. The two-hour ride seems to take forever, and for once I just want it to come to an end, not even feeling the normal enjoyment of being out on the open road, and seeing none of the scenery we’re riding through. My only desire is to get there, find Alex, and return with her up behind. Yeah, me, who’s never had a bitch on the back of his bike before, and suddenly I can’t think of anything better, having her breasts squashed against me. Ain’t letting any of my brothers have that pleasure instead. Thompson’s a dead man for even t
hinking of putting his hands on my woman. My woman? What the heck am I thinking? I admit I want her, desire her, but I also don’t want or need a woman in my life. She’s my friend. But the thought of those tits against my back… Perhaps I should just fuck her and get her out of my system once and for all.
But first, we’ve got to get her out of the hands of the man who’s got a legal claim on her. But he won’t have that for much longer. The shit he’s put her through? Separating a loving mom from her kid if nothing else? I’m aiming to make their separation more permanent than any piece of fucking divorce paper.
At last Snake gives us the signal to slow down and then waves us to a stop. Cutting our engines, we gather around him. “Cabin’s a ways up that track.” He points it out. “I say we ride up, bust in and don’t give Thompson a chance to escape.”
“We gonna kill the cop?” Grumbler flexes his fingers as though getting ready. Yes! I mutter under my breath.
But I’m in Snake’s territory and have to be guided by him.
Snake only takes a second. “Play it by ear. See what’s going down. But we already know it won’t be a loss.”
“If he’s hurting Alex—”
“Dart! This is a cop we’re talking about. If there’s no other way, we’ll do what we have to, but got to do it clean so it doesn’t fall back on the club.”
I don’t care what he is. I’d rather see him dead and unable to be a threat to her anymore. But I give Snake a nod, letting him know I’ll follow his lead. He’s a Satan’s Devils’ prez after all.
Back on our bikes in the same formation, we ride up the driveway, kicking up dust as we come to a halt. Mouse and Lost slip away to cover the back as Grumbler goes to the front door. It’s locked, and no sound is coming from inside. He lifts his leg and kicks at the flimsy wood. It gives on the second try and we walk into a living room which is musty and dim, crusted dirt on the windows as if no one’s been here for some time. Snake tries the light switch, but I’m not surprised when there’s no bulb glowing as a result. Out here we’d be able to hear a generator running if there was any electricity.
Snake heaves a sigh. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s been here in a while.”
My heart sinks, realising we’ve come to the wrong place. Mouse and Lost come back, shaking their heads, they’ve found no rear entrance and nothing suspicious to the rear of the cabin.
Lost touches my arm. “Sorry, Brother. Wrong call. Seems we’ve wasted our time.”
I can’t give up. “Let’s look around before we go.”
“There’s nothing to see, Brother. You can tell that from here. The dust’s undisturbed on the worktops. No one’s been here.” Snake’s speaking patiently as though to a child. “Faster we get back to the clubhouse, faster we can start searching again.”
“Dart’s right,” Grumbler says, going to the back of the room, giving me support. “Can’t leave no fuckin’ stone unturned. Let’s have a quick look around. Won’t take but a minute, and will make our brother feel better.”
But I’m getting the feeling Snake’s right. It doesn’t look like anyone’s been here in years. I’m impatient to get back now that there’s no sign anyone’s been here. I’m tapping my feet as Grumbler disappears down a short hallway, not even thinking it’s worth going with him.
“Dart! Oh fuck! Get in here!” Grumbler’s voice has me running in the direction he’s gone. I meet him in the hallway outside a bedroom door. His hand swings out and bars my way. “It’s bad, Brother. You need to prepare yourself.”
But nothing will stop me. Reading into his words that she’s probably dead, bile rises into my throat as I enter the room.
She’s lying on the bed. Her chest has been cut up, and when I move closer, I can see what appears to be cigarette burns all over her gorgeous breasts. And, oh fuck. With her legs splayed open, I can see the bastard has fucking sewn up her pussy! He’s fucking violated her so badly. I can’t help it, the sight makes me turn and vomit, the little I’ve eaten today coming back up. She’s so still, she has to be dead. There’s too much blood…
“She’s breathing!” Lost announces.
Turning sharply, I see his hand resting on the pulse in her neck.
“Get a fuckin’ ambulance,” I scream.
Snake takes out his phone. “Doc, need you to come to the clubhouse. Bring your emergency kit.” Then he places a second call, requesting someone to bring up a truck, and Doc when he arrives.
“She needs medical care,” I scream at him. “No fuckin’ quack can fix this.”
“Steady, Brother.” The San Diego prez grabs hold of my shoulders and gives me a shake. “The medic on our payroll is a fuckin’ qualified emergency room doc. If she goes to the hospital, Thompson will know she’s alive. It’s obvious he left her for dead. Until we know what the fuck’s going on, she needs to be kept under the radar.” Turning away from me, he looks at Lost, who’s fiddling with the handcuffs. “Can you get her out of those?”
“Give me a moment, Prez. Standard police issue, shouldn’t take too long.”
“He’s fuckin’ gonna die slowly for this!” I say, watching Lost work.
“That he is, Brother. That he is.” Grumbler’s hand is on my shoulder, his voice gravelly with disgust.
A snick, and one arm’s released. There’s no way Alex would have had a chance if we hadn’t found her. Even if she was conscious, there’s no way she could get herself free. Just how long has she been left like this? And now we’ve got at least two hours to wait until the truck and the doc gets here.
“We’re wasting time.” I cross to the woman on the bed, now seeing her chest just about rise and fall as she’s breathing so shallowly, and that's only if I look hard. There I was thinking she’d be riding back on my bike. Fuck, now I don’t know if she’ll be getting to the clubhouse alive. I’m frightened to touch her, can hardly see her through the moisture blurring my vision. Gingerly, I place my hand on her head and then gently start massaging one of her arms, trying to get the blood back into them again. Mouse goes to the opposite side of the bed and mimics my actions on the other. We’ve all strung up men and know the pain and cramps that comes from being trapped in one position too long.
“Alex,” I begin, my voice soft and low, and then stop. I don’t know what to say, how to comfort her. To tell her I wished I’d got here in time before Thompson started hurting her? To tell her how sorry I am that we got here too late? I can’t tell her it’s all going to come out right.
He’s maimed her. Violated her, almost worse than if he’d raped her and there’s nothing to say he hadn’t done that as well. Those fuckin’ stitches are messing with my head. I leave her and go to the end of the bed, taking out my knife, wanting to cut them away.
Grumbler is quickly at my side. “You can’t take them out, Dart. Think of infection. Leave it to the doctor to do it properly.”
He’s right, but it’s killing me. “I can’t stand it. That fucker…” He’d touched what was mine. Violated her in such a horrific way. I hate that she’s lying there naked. “Can’t we at least cover her up?” I hate to see her so exposed.
“Look at those wounds, man? There’s nothing here clean enough to put over her. I assure you, no one’s getting a fuckin’ hard-on from this.”
“She’s fucking freezing to death.”
Lost’s looking around. “Try and find something that at least looks clean.”
Which gives me an idea. Running out to my bike, I take a sweatshirt out of my panniers, and running back in, place it gently over her from the waist down. I’m not lifting her up to put it on properly, her injuries look too bad for me to want to move her. At least I’ve given her some semblance of dignity now.
“He’s not gonna die easy,” Lost growls.
No. He’s fucking not.
Mouse is staring at her. I want to scream for him to give her some privacy, but then he looks at me, his eyes narrowed and angry. “Dart, it’s hard to see through the blood, but have you seen what he’s carved i
nto her?”
I can hardly bring myself to look at the deep, angry wounds, but I force myself. Then scream out, “Motherfucker! For fuck’s sake. Look what’s written on her chest.”
Lost’s arms come around me. “Keep it together, Brother,” he snarls. “Look to your woman. She’s needs you more than fuckin’ ever now, man. Breathe. The bastard’s a dead man walking, ain’t no chance of him living now. Keep that in your mind, but your woman needs you.”
I close my eyes and shake my head. My breaths coming in pants, and it’s hard to calm myself down. Lost is right. Even if we can save her, she’ll need my strength to help her through this even if I can only be there as a friend. Gradually bringing myself under control, I move back to her head, feeling about as helpless as I’ve ever done in my life. She won’t be able to hear, but that doesn’t stop me trying. “Alex, oh, Alex, darlin’. Just hang on, doll. Help’s on its way.”
I watch as moisture weeps down her face, but that’s the only sign that she’s still with us.
Lost has got her legs free now, but she doesn’t wake.
I go back to massaging her arm and then wipe that tear from her eye.
Chapter Fifteen
Alex…
I’ve been drifting since Ron left me, losing all sense of how many hours have passed. Each time I come round, it’s to a world of pain—my breasts burning, my chest smarting, my pussy stinging, and added to that I’ve cramps in my arms I can do nothing about. He’s not coming back.
Tears flood from my eyes as I think about Tyler, the son I have to accept I’ll never see again. Ron said he’d gone to get him, and I’m afraid for his life. Ron’s imperfect son who he never loved. I dread to think how he could try to toughen him up. Ignoring what’s wrong with him isn’t going to help and not getting him medical attention when he needs it could be fatal.
No one’s ever going to find me. Hell, they won’t even be searching. And if they were, why would they think of looking here? I was fooling myself. Celine would never think of the cabin, it was years ago that we last came here. And it’s not a place many people would stumble across. Again I pull at the handcuffs, only confirming there’s no way I can get free. Even if I could, I know I’d be too weak to leave and find help.
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