Seeking Vengeance

by McDonald, M. P.

  With any luck at all, Sam’s plan would work and Johnny wouldn’t have to worry about the Ravens ever again as they would be locked up—at least the one who ran the show would be. Sam was confident the rest of the gang would break apart without Howard’s leadership, plus once law enforcement dug into Howard’s background, they were sure to find plenty to pin on the other members as well. With plea bargains to testify against Howard, there was no way any of them would ever ride together again. Sam took a deep breath and blew it out. The plan should work and soon Howard would either be dead or in jail.

  Sam’s phone rang and he saw it was Johnny. Damn that kid. It was already the third time he’d called.

  “I don’t think they’re here, Sam.”

  Basically, Johnny was bored. Too damn bad. “Just sit tight. It’s still pretty early.” Sam glanced around, his gaze freezing on a woman with dark curly hair. No…it had to be a trick of the light. Molly was back at the cabin with Kelsie. “I gotta go, Johnny. I think I see something.” He clicked off, and stood, ignoring the table as it wobbled. The woman stood with a drink in her hand and seemed to be searching for someone. Her back was to Sam, but the build and height were identical to Molly’s. He started forward, intending to get a closer look and if it was her, to warn her away. As Sam shouldered through the crowd in the beer garden, a man from the other side of the concourse moved towards her. She backed up a few steps, and as the man came closer, Sam recognized him. Howard.

  Sam quickened his step, all thoughts of the plan forgotten. His only thought was to get the woman who might be Molly, and get her away from the man. A group of five or six young guys entered the beer garden just as Sam was attempting to leave. He had to step aside and when he exited, Howard was only a few steps from the woman, and as he reached her, he threw an arm around her shoulders and drew her close. Although the woman stiffened, she didn’t try to escape Howard’s grasp. Instead, she shrugged at something Howard said to her. Then she did move away, but only a few steps. He couldn’t hear the woman, but he could hear Howard booming voice as he asked, “So, how’s my daughter?”

  Then she turned in profile, and Sam staggered to a halt as his breath whooshed out as if he’d been sucker punched. Molly? And Howard?

  * * *

  Molly shrugged off Howard arm. He reeked of whiskey and body odor. “Your daughter? You’ve never even seen her.”

  “Oh, I’ve seen her. Cute little thing.” Howard smirked. “She looks like a mini version of you.” He plucked at one of Molly’s curls and his touch made her shudder. “I see she still has that dog I sent as a gift when she was born.”

  His words raised goose bumps on her arms. The only time Tiger had been out of the house was the day Kelsie had taken the stuffed dog in for show and tell. The very same day Sam had first been in her home. Did he know about Sam, too? Why had Howard been watching her house? “She has no idea where the stuffed dog came from, so don’t flatter yourself that she keeps it for sentimental reasons.”

  “But doesn’t every little girl deserve to have a daddy?” His stench threatened to make her vomit as a breeze wafted it her way.

  “Kelsie is a happy little girl and has other father-figures in her life. She certainly doesn’t need you complicating matters.”

  “Oh? A father figure?” He threw his head back and laughed. “You mean your brother? That sorry excuse for a man?”

  “You…you know my brother?” While Molly knew all about Johnny’s relationship with the Ravens and presumably Howard, how did he know that Johnny was her brother? As far as she knew, there shouldn’t have been a connection at all, especially since they didn’t share the same last name and never had.

  “You bet your ass I do. We have unfinished business, and a couple of my guys followed him right to your house.”

  “My house? You stay away from Kelsie. Please. I’ve never asked anything of you. All I want is to be left alone.”

  “I might be persuaded to stay out of her life if you tell me where your brother is hiding.” He gripped Molly’s arm, his fingers digging into the flesh on the inside of her bicep. She winced and tried to jerk her arm out of his grasp. “Once he returns what he has of mine, I’ll forget all about Kelsie. Is he up here with you? This is a little outta your neck of the woods—whatchya doin’ up here? Looking for another biker to make a baby with?” He released Molly with a sneering laugh. “Maybe we should try our luck again? After all, we made such a pretty one the first time and had fun doing it.”

  “You know, I don’t remember a thing about sleeping with you so it couldn’t have been all that fun. I guess you could say you certainly didn’t rock my world.” Not only did she want to deflect the conversation from Kelsie, but she hoped it would distract him from asking about Johnny anymore. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I see my group up there and I have to catch up.” She didn’t wait for his reply, but just rushed towards a group of women who seemed to be heading for the porta-potties. She mingled with the group, and then joined another small group as they headed back down the concourse. Molly couldn’t see Howard anywhere, and decided she must have lost him.

  Now she really had to find Sam and Johnny and warn them about Howard. She had hoped Victoria had been wrong about seeing the bikers in town, but that hope had been put to rest.

  * * *

  Sam’s first instinct was to storm the twenty feet between him and Molly and ask her what the hell was going on, but his law enforcement training kicked in. Choking back his anger and hurt, he ducked back into the beer garden and watched between the strands of lights. He slid his phone out and called Johnny, warning him about Howard. As he put his phone back in his pocket, Howard grabbed Molly’s arm and despite Sam’s anger, he moved towards the entrance once again. No way he could stand by and watch Molly get manhandled and do nothing about it, but before he could get through the crowd, Molly had pulled free and taken off at a brisk pace and he lost her in the crowd.

  Torn between wanting to follow her and completing his mission, Sam hesitated. So many questions coursed through his mind. Had Howard been serious when he’d made the comment about Kelsie being his daughter? If it was true, how could Molly keep that from him? He didn’t have time to spend thinking about it any longer as Howard entered the beer garden. He scanned the crowd but didn’t seem to know anyone. Sam wondered where his biker friends were. Surely he hadn’t come to the rally by himself? Sam tugged his ball cap lower. He didn’t think Howard would recognize him since the last time they had seen each other, but he didn’t want to take a chance. Not yet. He needed to get him alone first.

  Howard entered the tent and Sam hoped Johnny followed the plan. Sam peeked inside the tent and saw Howard approach Johnny. Backing away, Johnny’s face twisted with fear. It was no act. Shit. Sam edged into the tent and took a place at a table behind and to the left of Howard. He tried to catch Johnny’s eye and let him know he was there, but the kid’s eyes were glued to Howard.

  Straining to hear their conversation, Sam caught a few words here and there. Howard was asking if Johnny had what he owed him. Johnny shook his head, and held up his hands. What were they saying? Sam had to take a risk and get closer. There was another table beside Johnny’s. Sam moved to it, keeping his back to Howard. He could hear them now.

  “I don’t care what sorry excuse you have. I want my money or the product.” Howard’s voice was just as evil and gravelly as Sam remembered.

  “The mule was caught. What was I supposed to do?”

  Howard snorted and said, “You should have done a better job of arranging the shipment.”

  “I’m sorry I suck at this, but it’s not like I had a choice.” Johnny sounded so pathetic, Sam almost felt sorry for him. “I didn’t exactly volunteer. You said my sister would have an accident if I didn’t follow your directions.”

  Sam had to fight the urge to glance back. The bastard made the young inexperienced guys do the dirty work, so if they were caught, Howard’s hands were clean. There was no paper trail to him and so far, he’d
been able to evade all charges. Maybe there was a chance they could work out some kind of deal for Johnny.

  “You were the new guy. Think of it as initiation. It’s what we do.”

  “I just wanted to ride my bike.” Johnny sounded lost and forlorn.

  Sam shook his head and sighed.

  “Speaking of your sister, guess who I ran into outside?”.

  Sam didn’t hear Johnny reply, but Howard said, “Your sister.”

  “Molly? No, she’s back home. Besides, she wouldn’t be caught dead at a bike rally. She hates bikers.”

  Howard roared with laughter; the sound tearing through Sam. “That’s not how I remember it. Did you know me and Molly go back a ways? Like…let’s see…how old is your little niece?”

  “What?” Johnny sounded confused and Sam wished he could turn and watch his face. Did he know anything about Molly and Howard?

  “Your niece. She must be about six by now.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Shit, I knew you weren’t too bright, but I thought you could do simple math.”

  Johnny backed away from the table, and Sam turned his head as Johnny came into view. He looked as if he might vomit any second and Sam empathized. Johnny pointed at Howard. “Kelsie? You’re Kelsie’s father?”

  Sam had to see Howard’s face when he replied. He had to know for sure. Shifting, he brought the man into the edge of his vision.

  Howard spread his hands, his smile wide as if he was a proud papa. “The one and only.”

  Sam balled his fists on top of the table, imagining burying one and then the other in Howard’s face.

  “You’re a lying son of a bitch—” Johnny charged the table, the action ripping Sam away from his morbid fantasy. Sam pivoted, arms stretched wide to stop Johnny. Howard would kill him and be able to claim self-defense. “Johnny! No!” Sam wrapped his arms around Johnny, struggling to hold the angry young man.

  “Hey, don’t believe me, just ask your sister. There she is now.”

  Sam whipped around to see Molly rushing towards her brother. She ignored Sam and grabbed her Johnny’s arm, trying to tug him away. “Listen to me, Johnny. Whatever he told you—it’s not like he said.”

  “You mean what he said is true?”

  Molly glanced at Howard, her gaze snagging on Sam for a moment before shifting back to Johnny. “It’s true he’s Kelsie’s father, but we never had a relationship. I met him at a bike rally, had a few drinks, and the next thing I remember is waking up at a hotel with him. It’s not something I like to talk about.”

  It sounded like Molly had been drugged. It made sense, but was it true? Why hadn’t she told him when he had first mentioned Howard? Sam didn’t have time to think about it as Johnny’s face darkened and he lunged at Howard again. Sam took the brunt of the force against his chest as he blocked Johnny. Ignoring Sam, Johnny pointed at Howard over Sam’s shoulder and shouted, “You threatened to kill my family, and all along, you knew Kelsie was your own daughter? What kind of sick asshole are you?” He elbowed Sam in the side of the head in his attempt to get to Howard. Sam reeled, staggering to the side. He reached out and grabbed Johnny’s sleeve. Part of him wanted to release the kid and let him do what Sam had longed to do for a year, but it was one thing to kill Sean’s murderer and something totally different to kill Kelsie’s father.

  Howard grabbed the front of Johnny’s shirt, balling it in a fist and pulled him close. “I’m the asshole who’s going to end your life.” He yanked a gun from the back of his waistband and shoved it against Johnny’s stomach. “

  Sam swore and released Johnny to pull his own weapon, ramming it against Howard temple. His finger itched to pull the trigger. Nobody would blame him. Howard had made the first move and Johnny’s life was in danger, but Molly watched, her face contorted in fear, her eyes wide in horror as they darted between the gun against her brother’s stomach, and the one Sam held. “Don’t do it, Howard. Drop the gun.”

  “Who the hell are you? This ain’t none of your business.”

  “Well, seeing as I’m an ATF agent, I can’t very well stand by and let you kill this guy in cold blood now, can I?”

  Howard couldn’t turn his head because of the gun, but he tried to look at Sam out of the corner of his eye. “Hey, I know you. You look different, Brennan, but your voice is the same. You couldn’t stop me before and I doubt you have the balls to stop me now. By the way, how’s your family doing?” He slanted a smirk at Sam.

  Caught in a stalemate, Sam clenched his jaw and vowed not to let Howard goad him into making a mistake. He couldn’t be sure that even if he pulled the trigger and killed Howard, that Howard’s finger wouldn’t reflexively squeeze the trigger and fire into Johnny.

  “Ray, please drop the gun. Why kill my brother? He’s your daughter’s uncle. If you care about her at all, you’ll drop the gun.”

  Johnny’s head moved a fraction as he caught his sister’s eye. “Molly…don’t. Kelsie would be better off with him behind bars for killing me.”

  Johnny was willing to sacrifice himself for his niece and Sam swallowed hard. He’d judged the kid wrong all along. “Do as your brother says, Molly.” Sam had an idea but if it went bad, he didn’t want Molly anywhere nearby. Molly crossed her arms, visibly fighting to hide her fear and terror. “No, I can’t do that. I have to stay to make sure you don’t all kill each other.”

  “Aw, there’s my girl, looking out for me,” Howard said, a grin stretching across his face.

  Molly took a step closer to Howard. “I don’t give a rat’s ass about you. You raped me, but the last laugh is mine as I have the most precious daughter in the world, and she doesn’t need you in her life. I’m pleading because I don’t want my brother to die and I don’t want Sam to kill you because I know he would regret it. It won’t bring his son back and it would just tear him to pieces.”

  “How the hell do you know about Brennan and his kid?” Howard attention wavered, and Sam took advantage of the moment. Keeping the gun pressed against Howard temple, he twisted suddenly and grabbed Howard’s gun hand, shoving it down as he brought his own body between Howard and Johnny and yelling, “Get Molly out of here!” Johnny spun out of the way and snatched Molly’s arm, jerking her out of Sam’s line of sight.

  Sam’s right hand slid with his momentum, losing contact with Howard skull, but he maintained his grip on Howard’s gun hand. Howard jerked his arm up despite Sam’s attempt, and pulled the trigger. Sam felt a hot burn against his left side, but didn’t release Howard’s arm. With a grunt, he put all his weight into forcing Howard’s arm lower until the gun was aimed at the ground. Now all the way in front of Howard, Sam used Howard’s own weight against him and jerked him forward, angling the gun to the side and praying that no one was behind him, either inside the tent or outside of it.

  As Howard lost his grip on the weapon, he stumbled, and Sam stifled a groan as the other man fell against him. Sam tossed Howard’s gun toward a now empty part of the tent, then clutched Howard shirt, pushing him down. “On your knees, you son of a bitch. Now!” He shoved his weapon against Howard forehead, pressing until the barrel dug into the other man’s flesh. “You don’t know how badly I want to kill you. How I’ve planned this moment in my head for the last year.”

  Sam’s chest heaved as blood pounded through his head. This was it. In an instant, he could obtain his vengeance. Only a millimeter of skin and a quarter inch of bone separated his bullet from Howard’s brain. He grimaced as he fought the urge to kill the other man.

  For the first time, Howard looked afraid and he sank to his knees, his hands rising. “Listen, I didn’t mean for your son to die. It was just supposed to be a warning. I swear to God.”

  Sam’s finger twitched and he almost gave into his desire to pull the trigger, but Kelsie’s face popped into his mind. Such a sweet and gentle girl shouldn’t have her father killed like a rabid dog even if he was one. Instead of pulling the trigger, Sam put his hand on top of Howard head and p
ushed him face first into the dirt, then he shoved his knee into the small of Howard’s back to keep him down.

  Sam removed his wallet from his back pocket and flipped it open, revealing his badge to a security guard who approached. “I’m Sam Brennan, ATF”

  The security guard scrutinized the badge, and then nodded. “What happened?”

  “I’ll explain in a second. First, I need your cuffs. “

  The guard handed Sam the cuffs and turned to clear out the bystanders, asking those who had witnessed the event to stick around to be questioned, and sending the rest away. From his tone, Sam guessed he was an off-duty cop moonlighting as security. Sam snapped the cuffs around Howard’s wrists. “You’re a lucky man, Howard. You have the right to remain silent…”

  * * *

  “I’m going back in!” Molly tried to push past her brother, but he wouldn’t let her past him.

  Johnny put his hands on her shoulder. “Just wait a few minutes until we know it’s safe.”

  “But I have to see if Sam’s okay. There was a gunshot!”

  “I know, I heard it, but he’s fine. If he was shot, Howard would have run out here by now.”

  That made sense, but Molly bit her lip and tried to peer around him into the tent. A security guard had entered only a minute or so ago and now people were exiting. From the conversations she overheard she learned that Howard was the one on the ground. Had he been shot? On one hand, she was relieved it wasn’t Sam, but she prayed for Sam’s sake, he hadn’t killed Ray Howard. More security swarmed the area and Molly heard sirens approaching.

  A few moments later, the same security guard who had first entered stepped out, a hand-held radio held to his mouth. He was calling for medics to the tent.

  Molly stepped forward. “I’m a paramedic.”

  The security guard looked her up and down. “You’re a medic?”

  “Yes.” Molly fished into her purse and pulled out her work ID. “I’m not from this county, but I’m licensed for the state.”