The tone of my voice must have been harsher than I thought, as Ash lifted his head to watch me.
— "Joe brought me my salary, as you’ve instructed her to do. I was working on the case, and she helped me. We came here with a lead, in the middle of the night, thanks to her. … Time is running out, Jerry. I thought a car and a van would be less noticeable, if we had to go on a manhunt. "
I frowned, when I heard what he said. I had to admit he was right. A gang of bikers wasn’t a good idea, if we wanted to keep a low profile. I sighed and nodded. He didn’t need my approval, but it was my way to show him I had his back.
— "So, what do you have? "
Evan lifted his eyes from the map on the table.
— "We have a pedophile, who has been released and now lives in the area, " he said bluntly.
My mouth dropped. What the hell! Could it have been worse than that? Probably not.
Instinctively, I clenched my fists and my jaw.
— "Edward Larsen, " Ash added.
— "And kidnapping the deputy’s son and the mayor’s daughter would only be a coincidence?" said Billy hesitantly.
— "It was no coincidence, " my daughter answered.
They all looked at her, and I could feel she was embarrassed. Evan Connor went through the details.
— "Before living in Monty Valley, I was a fed in San Francisco. "
This was unexpected and troubling. An ex-fed was in the same room as us. I would never have guessed! I would need to keep an eye on him in the future. I had got used to the sheriff, but this was another story. The only person that was keeping him from meddling into our business and getting us all locked up was Lizbeth, Trevor’s little sister. Without her, we wouldn’t be in his kitchen, discussing the kidnapping of his son and Bowman’s daughter, but behind bars for breaking the law.
I exchanged a look with Hanger, who seemed as upset as I was.
— "It was ten years ago, " he added.
Still, an ex-fed was always a fed. I would have bet on it. He had become a deputy, so he was still a cop. Many were quick to pull the trigger, or they had to brag about their exploits to show they had earned their spot in their law enforcement unit. Feds were worse… They were highly trained to eliminate guys like us and earn a promotion. We would have been a great catch for him.
— "So, what’s your point?" Hanger said impatiently.
— "My point is that I arrested the man, a few years ago, and put him behind bars. "
Everyone went silent. I looked at Joe, but she looked down. That kid was smart! A cell phone rang, and Connor took the call, before walking out of the room. We just heard him pronounce the sheriff’s name. Things were about to move. That day would be awful, no matter what!
Someone knocked on the door violently. I hurried, so I could open it before Lizbeth, whom I had signaled not to move. I almost received a punch in the face, when I opened to Mitchell Bowman, who was banging on the door like a madman. He looked defeated, and his mouth was deformed by the rage he was feeling. He seemed out of breath, and his eyes were reddened. I had never seen this moron like that. He was a real bastard. Always smartly dressed, he was more interested in money and power than in the welfare of his fellow citizens. Another corrupted politician, but people had re-elected — Still, I was proud to say he didn’t get my vote.
— "Bowman? "
— "I want to lay my hands on the bastard, who took my daughter. " He started to scream.
I raised my hands in the air. He was fighting the wrong guy!
He pushed me, so he could get in and he walked to the kitchen. I couldn’t stop him.
— "Connor, find this asshole today! "
The deputy jumped from his chair ,while everyone wondered about the cause of the mayor’s aggressiveness. We found out a few seconds later. He put his trembling hand in his pocket and pulled out something that he kept hidden in his fist, for a second. His expression became very tense, and we saw he was struggling not to lose it in front of us. A strand of bloody blond hair fell on the table.
— "It was on my doorstep this morning. " He managed to say.
My heart skipped a beat, and instinctively I put my arm around Joe’s shoulders to keep her close. Horrified, my daughter put her hand in front of her mouth, and even Billy looked away. The mayor started to cry, and tears were rolling down his sunken cheeks. Ash rushed to Lizbeth and caught her, before she fell on the tiled floor. His face buried in his sister’s long black hair, he looked at me desperately, asking for my help. I needed to act right away. Connor mumbled a few words, repeating them many times. Then he fell on his chair, and stared at the blond strand of hair.
— "The sheriff is on her way. She brought a few men and some equipment. "
Nobody talked. We were going through a real nightmare, and I wouldn’t have wished it, even to my worst enemy. We were all expecting Hannah Thompson, as she was the only one who could tell us what to do to get the children back. For once — well, twice to be honest — we needed to cooperate with law enforcement. The club could have searched for this guy and put a bullet through his head, so the children would be free. But then what? The Wild Crows would have got bad publicity again, and the story was even more complicated with the mayor and the deputy’s children being involved. Working with Thompson was the best option. I knew from experience that we would be able to compromise, if we could find the best possible outcome for everyone. That was how things worked between us and the relations between her office and the club were rather good. We wouldn’t compromise them, despite the circumstances.
When we heard several engines in the alley, I left the room where the atmosphere was extremely stressful, and I walked out to meet the Sherriff’s team. There was too much pain back there. It was intoxicating. I was relieved to inhale some cold air. I took another big breath and fastened my pace to greet the beautiful brunette in uniform.
— "We were all waiting for you! " I told her, feeling the rage rising through my body.
CHAPTER 22
Joe
I had to convince Ash to let me drive, and I knew how. I had slept for a few hours on his 'sister's sofa, while he was working on a plan with Evan. He could have gone with his brothers in the van, but he chose to ride with me. Did he need some time away from the others? Probably! I respected his silence and left him with his thoughts.
We were driving to Vacaville, looking for the home of a pedophile. My god! It made me shiver. This guy had been released because of a diagnosis made by a so-called psychiatrist. How could anyone be cured of such mental disorders? I thought it was impossible. Luckily, I had never met such men, in the psychiatry ward of Stonebridge, but it could have happened. I sighed, trying to push away these horrible thoughts. It 'didn't work. We were driving to the lion's den, and I didn't know how to calm my nerves.
Ash was looking at the rolling landscape. On his face, I saw his concern, and his cheeks were sunken because of sleep deprivation. I could feel his pain, which was perspiring through every pore of his skin. It was like a slap in the face, and I realized something new. After what we had gone through together, he was my rock, the one person I could go to when I needed to clear my head. He was a significant part of my life and of my daily routine. He had become more and more important to me, each night I had spent at his place when I couldn't sleep. Ash was very special to me, and I realized that I cared for him, even more than I would have thought. Seeing him so helpless was heartbreaking. It felt like my rock had been pulverized. I wished I could have helped him carry the weight of his pain, but it was impossible. So, I kept on driving.
Fifteen minutes later, the car in front of me stopped. Frightened, I did the same. We were about to confront an animal … and find Tommy. Alive. It had to be that way. Ash left my car without a word, and I saw Sherriff Thompson walk to the van driven by Billy. I joined the little group that had gathered behind a bush. One of the three policemen brought a small plastic suitcase, which he left between the vehicles, parked on the street. We heard t
wo engines approach. Gale and Foxy arrived. My father had probably called them. The situation was tense, and you could see it in everyone's eyes. The policeman opened the suitcase, and I swallowed hard.
— "Everybody gets one! " Said Sheriff Thompson coldly. "We 'don't know if he's alone in there, or if he's armed. "
Faces were tense, and I felt insignificant in the middle of these men, who were ready for action.
— "Let's recap, " she continued.
A tall blond man took a step forward and laid a map on the hood of my Comet. The sheriff pointed at the house that they were about to raid.
— "That's the main door. I want men on each side. Two officers will back them up. "
— "I'm going to knock, " said my father.
— "I'll come with you, " she replied.
He didn't object.
— "Ash, Gale, you stay on the right side of the house. Hang, Foxy, on the left one. Billy, you stay in the van. Just in case we need to leave in a hurry. Joe, lock yourself in your car. "
He knew what he was doing. Hearing him give orders left me speechless. He was a true leader. No one was questioning him. He had something special that the others didn't have.
The sheriff nodded, before speaking to her men.
— "Danny, Harper… stay in the bush and watch us. You're our back-up. "
They nodded.
— "Logan, you stay here. Evan, go around the house to check if you can see something. "
The tall blond guy, who held the map, opened his mouth but no words came out. Thompson had given her orders, and she had the same power of persuasion as my father.
— "Is everyone armed? "
Her question made the president of the Wild Crows smile.
— "You bet, Sheriff. "
She winced, before grabbing a bulletproof vest that she gave to him. All the other men put theirs on and an earbud in their ear.
— "Am I supposed to wait here? " Asked Bowman.
I had almost forgotten about him. He was livid. The sheriff didn't turn around to answer, as she was busy closing her vest.
— "With all due respect, Mayor, you'll be more useful here than with us. We need experienced men. "
Her words had probably offended him, but he didn't protest. Thompson wasn't his friend obviously, but he needed her to rescue his daughter. Her knowledge of this type of operation established her authority.
— "Logan will stay in contact with us, " she added.
I watched them, fearing for their life, but I was impressed by their determination. They were ready to get into action without a second thought. I helped my father put on his vest and his earbud. Foxy thanked me with a smile, when I helped him with the scratch in his back. Ash was silent.
— "Be careful, " I whispered to him.
He nodded without looking at me.
— "We're going to get them out of there, " I added.
Finally, I saw his deep blue eyes, and they were shinier than usual. It contrasted with his body language. He nodded briefly and left.
— "Jerry! " Screamed the sheriff.
— "I'm ready!" My father answered.
He kissed me on the forehead and disappeared into the alley with Thompson. The others rushed to their designated spot. Billy put his arm around my shoulders.
— "It will be fine. " He said, looking at his brothers.
I thought he was trying to convince himself more than anything else. I should have gone back to my Comet, and lock myself in, like the president of the Wild Crows had advised me to do. The last time I disobeyed, I went through hell. But I couldn't help it. I needed to know in real-time how the operation was progressing. My heart was with them, as they were about to fight evil. It made me shiver. The man named Logan must have realized how difficult it was, as he gave an earbud to Billy, Bowman, and myself. I thanked him with a smile, even though I was completely stressed out. I knew right away how to use it. Thompson had explained it. I could hear every man that had deployed around the house, as they were communicating through tiny microphones, hidden in their clothes. I exhaled loudly to try and calm down. I would have lied if I said that having Billy next to me didn't help. He was also part of my family now. He was like an uncle, a second father, or even a brother … Every one of them had won a place in my heart. As I was watching them, risking their lives, I realized how important they were to me. They were family. They were loud, different, and they lived a marginal and dangerous life, but it was exciting. They loved life, and I wanted to walk in their steps, without any regrets for my old lifestyle.
I heard Sheriff Thompson's voice, and I closed my eyes to concentrate on the words that were coming through the earbud.
— "Hello, Mrs. Larsen? "
— "I'm not Mrs. Larsen, " said a woman with a nasal twang. "And you are the sheriff? What do you want? "
— "I want to speak with M. Larsen. Is he in? "
Thompson’s voice was too courteous. It didn't sound like her. She wasn't the type of woman to beat around the bush, or go the extra mile to be gentle.
— "No one in the back of the house," whispered a man's voice.
It was Evan’s.
— "Nothing on the right. "
Now Foxy’s.
— "Same here on the left, " Ash said.
I breathed deeply.
— "He's not here, " answered the woman in a high pitch voice.
— "I see. Do you know where I can find him? "
— "No, Ma'am. "
There was a long silence.
— "Please, Mrs…?"
— "Mrs. Lane."
— "I am sure you can help me, it's rather urgent…"
I could almost hear Thompson's forced smile through the microphone. She was trying to keep her calm.
— "Don't know where Eddy is, I told you. "
Logan spoke in his talkie-walkie.
— "She's close enough to call him by his nickname, Eddy. Are they related? "
— "Are you his sister?" The sheriff inquired.
— "Why do you care? "
— "Because I can ask you to decline your identity, so we would save time if you told me now. "
Thompson' s voice reflected her frustration. This woman rocked. I liked her.
Someone sighed in the microphone.
— "I'm Welda Lane. I'm his girlfriend. "
I couldn't believe my ears. Billy and I exchanged a look. Even the worst scumbag on earth could find a partner. I was disgusted.
— "So, Welda, you were about to tell me where I can find him, " Thompson said.
She had guts. Despite her good looks, she was probably a shark. No one spoke. Then, I heard a man's voice.
— "There no one else in the house. "
— "I can’t see anyone from the window on the right. "
— "Stay put, just in case…," Logan instructed them.
— "I never said I'd tell you! " Continued Welda in a high-pitched voice.
All these conversations were hard to follow for me. Logan, however, seemed used to it.
— "Welda, " the sheriff said, "this is your last chance to tell me where I can find him. If you don't, I'm going to arrest you on suspicion of kidnapping. "
— "What? No! Why are you talking bullshit? "
— "Welda, do you want to cooperate, or do I have to take you to the station? "
— "I… I have nothing to do with this kidnapping! "
— "So, prove it to me, by telling me where I can find Edward. "
— "He would never do that…"
— "Let me be the judge of this. When have you seen him for the last time? "
— "A few days ago, " she mumbled hesitantly.
— "Was he alone? "
— "Yes…"
— "Where did he go…?"
— "He wanted to take some time off… leave town. With his record, things are not always simple. "
According to her, we should have pitied this poor man. It made me sick.
— "For the kids whom he rap
ed either, " my father mumbled.
Exactly what I thought. He had to keep control of himself, not to explode, and it was not easy.
— "He's changed, you know… and he doesn't want to go back to prison. I made him change. "
— "Perfect! " The sheriff said in a fake cheerful voice. "Let's go and see him, so we can be sure he stays on the right side of the law. "
— "It's absurd! "
Wild Crows - 2. Revelation : english version Page 15
