Devil's Due: Satan's Devils MC Colorado Chapter #3

by Manda Mellett

  “Have you?” Demon asks.

  A vigorous shake of her head. “Absolutely not.”

  I lean back, my hands clasped behind my head. For a moment I stare at the ceiling above. It doesn’t provide inspiration. I start speaking my thoughts aloud. “Most people in Wit Sec are criminals. Only a very small proportion are innocents. You sure you’re not involved in something you shouldn’t be?” Changing my viewpoint, I bring my eyes down to stare at her. “Babe, whatever you’ve done we don’t give a damn. Wouldn’t call us criminals, but we live outside the citizen world as much as we can.”

  “Beef!” she cries out in frustration. “I’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve been caught up in something that I’d give anything to have avoided. I should have been safe here. No one should have been able to find me. I’ve got a new life, and I’ve done everything I can to protect it. I assure you, the very last thing I want to do is die.”

  That’s where I do believe her.

  Demon is staring at me. I’ve brought a woman onto the compound, involved my brothers, when I don’t a clue what’s going on. I’ve been seen around her wearing my cut, it’s almost a certainty that someone, somewhere, suspects where she is. If I was in Demon’s shoes, hell, even wearing mine, I’d want to know what we’re up against.

  “Come clean, Stevie,” I instruct her, using the tone which would have had Sally shaking.

  Maybe it’s because she can’t see my fierce expression, but Stevie, unlike Sally, doesn’t comply. Instead she suggests again, “Take me to a motel. I’ll wait it out there until I can collect Max, then I’ll contact my handler—”

  “No,” I interrupt. The thought of abandoning any woman in her situation wouldn’t sit well on my shoulders. But her? I’ve got a vision in my mind of her innocently opening the door to someone who says they’re a motel employee, then of her lying dead or bleeding out on the floor. “If you’re going anywhere, you won’t be alone.”

  Demon has remained quiet for a while. He now steps back into the conversation. “Beef wears a cut. Clearly shows which club he belongs to. Chances are whoever is after you knows exactly where you are. Might be too dangerous you staying here. Nah, hear me out. You’ve got challenges, shall we say? Don’t want to play on them or make you out to be less of a woman than you obviously are, but things which we take for granted, you struggle with. Only a fool would ignore that. So, I think you’re in danger staying here, and as you won’t tell us who’s coming for you, I can’t rule out collateral damage to the club.” His eyes meet mine briefly. Only a couple of months back and they had to rebuild. If she could see she’d be able to tell that for herself. Be a few years yet before the new brickwork starts merging in with the old. “But a motel isn’t a good option, and I’d have concerns about you going alone.”

  There are two things I’m reading loud and clear. One, is Demon’s got an idea, and two is I’ll be the one going with her. I haven’t got a problem with that, though I’ll have to run it past Drummer. He sent me here for a reason after all, and I haven’t had much of a chance to sit down with Demon and discuss it except for our one brief chat.

  Demon doesn’t disappoint me. “You need somewhere to hole up until your dog is back on his feet. Club’s got a cabin up in the woods. Less than an hour’s drive from here. Hellfire used it when we were kids and had had enough of the city. Club members use it from time to time. Might need a bit of cleaning, but hey, that’s what prospects are for. You can stay up there with Beef.”

  “Max…”

  “We’ll keep an eye on him for you. Soon as he’s fixed, bring him to you. You’ll be off the radar and safe there until you can talk to your handler and get yourself moved on.”

  “No records linking the cabin to us?” I sit forward, interested in his proposal.

  “Nah. Club’s owned it almost from the start, but never been our name or any one of the members on the deeds. Be hard as fuck to trace. From forty years ago more likely to be paper records covered in dust.”

  I can imagine the various purposes it was probably used for. Back forty years this particular club wasn’t part of the Satan’s Devils, and Blackie, the first prez, was into things we no longer touch. Probably more than one member needing to keep his head low from time to time.

  “It’s a nice place once it’s clean and tidy. Got water and electric. Remember it well from when I was a kid. Jeannie and Bomber have used it from time to time as well.”

  Stevie looks like she’s thinking. “You sure no one other than your club knows about it?”

  “Wouldn’t have suggested it if I thought there was a chance. If you agree, I’ll get the prospects to clean it up, and you can go there with Beef tomorrow.”

  “You sure you don’t mind?” Her teeth worry her lip. “I know you offered your protection as part of the security service you run, but I can’t afford to pay you much.”

  “We’re branching out.” It’s Demon who answers her. “If you’ve been straight with the information you’ve given, when you can, you contact your handler. Put in a word for us. We might get more work out of it.”

  My eyes open wide as I wonder whether she’ll swallow that. Us work with the US Marshals? I very much doubt it. But I’m happy that Demon is foregoing payment. No Devil likes a woman being hunted, killed or tortured. If Demon hadn’t agreed to extend his protection, I’d have contacted Drummer. I’d briefly considered taking her to the Tucson chapter, but without knowing who’s after her, I can’t risk it. If they were determined enough, they’d search for her at any of our chapters. They probably still will, but this way, they won’t find her. I’ll need to talk to Demon about it and get him to warn the other clubs.

  “I want to stay alive,” Stevie says. “And I need my seeing eye dog back. If you’re sure I’m not putting Beef or your club in any danger, then yes, I’ll go to the cabin. But…” She must have heard our intake of breath as both Demon and I open our mouths, and she holds up her hand to stop us. “But. Once I know my way around the cabin, Beef doesn’t need to stay. I’m sure he’s got better things to do with his time. I’ll be fine once I’ve learned the layout. Perhaps give me a burner phone in case I need help, but I don’t need a babysitter.”

  I suppose I’ve got so used to Sally, she’s taken me by surprise, and damn it if I don’t feel disappointed. What she’s suggested would probably work, if the cabin is as far off the radar as Demon has stated.

  One thing I’m fast learning, is Stevie’s not helpless. To do the right thing she’s already uprooted and left everything she’s ever known. Why wouldn’t she be fine staying alone?

  Demon raises his eyebrow toward me, then raises his chin. “Get settled in, Stevie, see how the ground lies, then Beef can make the calls.”

  The meeting is over, or at least the one with Stevie in it. Demon has used gestures to make it obvious he wants me to return. Helping her stand, I take her elbow. Once in the clubroom I see Wills and Dan, and point them in the direction of Demon’s office. Then thankfully I spy Violet and take Stevie over.

  “Violet. This is Stevie. Can you take her under your wing for a moment while I have a chat with your old man?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Returning to Demon’s office I patiently wait until he finishes giving instructions to the prospects. From the brief chats I’ve had during the short time I’ve been here, I’ve discovered both are more than ready to patch in. Might not know enough about them to give them my vote, but everyone here thinks they’ve served their time and earned enough trust to be brought to the table. When that happens, Beaver and Karl, the hangarounds, will take their places as new prospects. But even when they are, the club will wait a time before trusting them with information that could bring harm to the club. Hence, it’s Wills and Dan who’ll take the lead on preparing the cabin. They’ve shown they can be trusted to keep their mouths shut about where they are going, what they are doing, and why.

  Watching Demon, I admire his style, appreciating how he’s addressing the prospects. His manner
of showing the job will be done to his satisfaction or else neither will be getting their patch makes me hide my smile. This close they won’t want to fuck up. I doubt I’ll find a speck of dust when we go to the cabin tomorrow.

  Wills’ face is serious as he takes an old-fashioned looking set of keys from Demon. His eyes meet mine and he jerks his chin as he goes out the door. It's a silent promise they’ll do what’s needed.

  I retake the seat I’d vacated moments before. “I’d take her back to Tucson, but—”

  He’s there before me. “No Satan’s Devils chapter would be safe, Beef. I commend that she doesn’t want to give herself and who she’s hiding from away, but it’s making our lives fuckin’ difficult. I don’t know how to prepare us. Are we facing one man? Two? A gang or an organisation?”

  “Someone with reach, that’s for sure.”

  “I agree. That’s your number one priority. Get her to tell you exactly what we’re dealing with.”

  I’ll try. That’s all I can promise. Stevie’s protecting herself, and quite rightly. But in doing so, she’s not protecting us. Club first above everything. Something occurs to me. “D’you reckon she might believe our sympathies would lie with who’s trying to silence her?”

  Demon taps his fingers against his desk. “Must admit it had occurred to me. But nothing immediately springs to mind.”

  “Not all MCs are as clean as ours.”

  “True. Would be easier if we knew where she came from: north, south, east or west. It could be anywhere.”

  We both go quiet. Each dredging the depths of our minds thinking of shit that we’ve heard on the grapevine in which she could be involved, but nothing immediately comes to mind. Feds are always chasing MCs trying to get something on the gangs as they call us. But likewise, it could be the Mafia or, my personal favourite, something she’s learned about a corporate organisation from working behind her PC. Demon’s right, I’ve got to get her to tell me. There’s just a chance it might affect where our loyalties lie. Of course I wouldn’t let any harm come to her, but persuade her against testifying? Yeah, that I could do. Though my leanings are against it. I’ll want nothing to do with people who’re trying to take out an innocent woman.

  Thinking time is over with no productive result, so I ask something else. “What do you think about leaving her alone, Prez?”

  “You’ll find the cabin is out of the way. Biggest danger is someone seeing you coming or going and following you. My view is that it’s best if you stay with her and out of sight. Anyone who’s seen you will have noticed your nomad patch. If we’re questioned, we can say you took off and we don’t know where, they’ll probably believe us.”

  Demon sounds certain there will be a ‘they’ turning up. I’m right there with him. It makes sense that not only Stevie, but I will stay off the grid. “Biggest risk is when the dog gets out of the vet’s. We’ll have to get him up there without being followed.”

  “You let me worry about that. You’re right, that’s where they’ll focus, so we’ll have to do some kind of diversion.”

  “Decoys,” I suggest. “Get a load of trucks. Send them off in all directions. They won’t know which one is carrying Max.”

  “Max may need check-ups when he’s released,” Demon muses aloud. “I’ll contact this vet. See what he’s made of. It’s possible he can be persuaded to make a house call, if necessary, instead.” I’ve got a feeling James might. I’m happy to leave that with Demon. “Pick up a couple of burners from Cad.”

  “Sure.”

  “Want you at church next week.”

  So I’ll be making the trip back anyway. I don’t tell him he’s just contradicted himself, but maybe he means for me not to be seen around town or working at the shop on a daily basis. Should be able to get there and back without being followed, but how much can I get out of her between now and then? He’s given me a week to earn her trust. “May not have much to share,” I warn him. “Reckon it’s going to take more than a minute to get Stevie to open up.”

  “It probably will. But the brothers will want to hear anything you do find out from your own mouth.”

  There’s a knock at the door. Demon calls out they can enter, and Ink comes in. His face is grim, and he brings with him a faint acrid smell of smoke. “Pyro’s pal from the fire service was there and got his team to turn their backs while I had a look around. The back door was fastened shut with heavy duty wire. No way she could have opened it.”

  I know that myself. If a big fucker like me couldn’t budge it, she wouldn’t have had a chance.

  “You go inside?”

  “Nah. The fire was intense, man. Continued to burn after you got out. There’s virtually nothing left. Anything she had is gone. If anything survived, it would be badly smoke or water damaged.”

  I doubt if she’d have brought many personal possessions with her. Anything she had would have pointed to her past. Having escaped with her life, I doubt there was anything gone she’ll be too worried about. This won’t be the first time Stevie has had to start all over again.

  Except for some stuff. “She needs clothes.”

  “She’s about the same size as Jayden. Ask Pal if she’s got anything spare that will keep her going for a few days.”

  “Can you send Vi out to stock up? I’ll pick it up when I come back for church.”

  “That’s a plan.” Prez nods.

  My mind circles back to the fire. “You see anyone other than firefighters?”

  “Like who?” Uninvited, Ink takes the second chair.

  “Cops? Marshal?”

  Ink’s eyes shutter as though he’s trying to remember. “Cops, yeah. Hanging around waiting for the firefighters to get what they need.” He pauses. “What does a US Marshal look like?”

  Demon and I look at each other. I see his mouth turning up at the corners. Ink’s got a good point. A marshal checking on a woman who doesn’t exist would hardly be wearing his badge. “All the cops in uniform?”

  “Nah, looked like a detective there.”

  It was obviously arson. A detective is likely to be assigned to investigate a crime.

  “If the marshal knows he’s lost his witness, they’ll be searching everywhere,” Ink notes. “Firefighters have already determined there’s no body in the ruins of her house.” I look at him assessing, wondering if Demon’s considered tapping him for VP.

  He’s come up with another good point. Wiping my hand down my face, resting my fingers on my chin, I shake my head. “Got more than one group of people searching for her, Prez. Starting to wonder whether we’ve bitten off more than we can chew.”

  Demon studies me for a moment. “She’s right, though. Marshals will move her fast if they know she’s exposed. It’s not something that’s gone into lightly. The info she’s got must be hellishly important for them to give her a new identity in a new town.”

  “And the people coming after her scary enough that she’s given up everything.” Ink looks impressed. “She either hates these people she’s up against, or puts society’s needs above her own. Pretty damned impressed with that myself. Now it’s likely she’ll have to do that all over again.”

  A little earlier I’d been considering telling the authorities where she is so she could be looked after by people who, to date, have never lost a man. Or woman, come to that. Now I’m realising, if the US Marshals knew, they’d take her away and I’d never know where she was, would never see her again. It’s just my need to protect her that makes me want to keep her close, isn’t it? Along with my desire to want to reunite her with her dog. Sure, she’s an attractive bitch, wouldn’t turn down someone with her looks, but I’ve got a stable of sweet butts here I haven’t tried yet. Nah, that’s not influencing me at all.

  I glance at Ink, then at Demon. “Someone who isn’t meant to know where she is, found out. Unless we discover the how and the who, we could be putting her back into danger again. Sure, the US Marshals have an impeccable record. Doesn’t mean they can’t fuck up a time or two
.”

  Ink nods. “There’s a leak somewhere. Could be within the US Marshals’ outfit, or with the cops.”

  “Or someone just got lucky, or she herself slipped up.”

  Demon looks sharply from me to Ink, then back again. “You’re right, Beef. Anyone can fuck up. We didn’t know Taser would go off the rails, but Ingot certainly found out. He’d prospected, earned his patch, spent more than a few years sitting around this table, then killed Ingot off in the hope he’d get an officer patch. Maybe a marshal wants something more. It will be a big case, possibly big money involved. Maybe enough to prove tempting. We need to know more. Right now, I’m as much in the dark as she is, and that’s what I don’t like. We get her to contact her handler, might be the very man she shouldn’t trust.”

  Ink’s shaking his head. “Bad business with Taser. Man must have had a screw loose. Who’d want an officer patch when that comes with responsibility.”

  Okay, then. Ink doesn’t want a seat at the head of the table. I’m beginning to understand Demon’s problems.

  I start pulling at my fingers as I sum up. “First, Stevie doesn’t want to be parted from her guide dog. Not only is Max her salvation, but also her friend. The likelihood is if she’s whisked somewhere else, the dog will be left behind. Second, we don’t know who she’s running from, who might have turned, or who to trust; the leak could have come from the very people who have guaranteed to keep her safe. Third, we do have somewhere we can hide her, at least until Max is recovered enough to go with her, wherever she might go.”

  “And four,” Demon takes over with a glint in his eye, “you would never see her again.”

  I shrug as if that’s no matter while ignoring the thought deep down that it is.

  “Alright. Beef, we go with the plan we discussed earlier. But you stay with her, talk to her, get her fuckin’ drunk, don’t care how you do it, but I want to know what we’re fighting here, who we should be looking out for.”