by Vera Quinn
Chapter 23
Dra
My head is hurting, and I hear something pounding. It won’t quit pounding. Maybe it is my head pounding. No, it is far off but loud. I try to open my eyes and it is not happening. They feel so heavy. I feel a warm body beside me. I reach for Maddie and turn towards her, but I smell something that is not right. Then I will my eyes open. I see a very naked Sunshine next to me. I look around and I am in Sunshine’s room. I try to remember how I got here but there is nothing. I hear the pounding again and then I hear my brother. “Dra, open this motherfucking door or I am kicking it in!” What the hell? I move my hand and that’s when I catch a glimpse of my wedding band. Oh, fuck no! What the hell am I doing here? I jump off the bed, but Sunshine doesn’t move. I hear the splintering of wood and I walk into the living room naked looking for my clothes as I go. Krill walks through what is left of the door. “What the hell have you done, brother? I could not believe the damn pictures I received and then Prissy told me you were drunk here with Sunshine. Do you know how fucked you are right now?” I grab my jeans on the floor beside the sofa foregoing the boxers that I don’t see anywhere.
“I don’t remember anything, Krill. Not a damn thing after knocking on that door. What damn pictures are you talking about? What time is it?” Krill is looking at me like he doesn’t believe me.
“It’s a little after noon.” I look at Krill.
“It can’t be a little after noon. It was after two when I got here,” I tell Krill who has his phone out looking for something.
“It’s a little after noon on Friday, Dra. By what you just said you have been here for almost twenty-four hours and these are the pictures I am talking about but do not destroy my phone.” I look at Krill trying to figure out how I lost time. Krill must be joking but when I search his face I see he is serious. I take his phone looking for my shirt and cut. I find my t-shirt and pull it on and then I look at the pictures and my heart freezes. I look at the number it came from and then I know I am truly fucked. “Keep flipping through.” I do, and I am sick to my stomach. I pitch Krill’s phone back to him and rush to the bathroom where I empty the contents of my stomach.
“Damn, what happened?” I look at Krill and flush the toilet then I get a wash rag and wash my face and then rinse my mouth out. I wish I had an answer.
“Dra, baby? Where are you? Come back to bed.” Sunshine says in a sleepy voice. A voice that makes me want to kill. I rush to the bedroom with Krill on my heels.
“What the fuck did you do to me?” I go to the bed and grab Sunshine by her throat. Her face is turning red.
“I think you might need to let her get some air, so she can answer, Dra,” Krill tells me. I throw her back down on the bed, but I follow her down and get in her face.
“Tell me now, Sunshine, and don’t fucking lie!” I yell at her.
“You are the one that came onto me. Ask Prissy. She was here. When you started trying to undress me in the living room she left us, and we were together all night, baby. Just the way you like it. You know I love you and I wasn’t going to turn you down. We didn’t even use protection. You said you wanted to start a family and that you were moving in. You brought my patch back and gave it to me.” Sunshine goes on and on. “You told me that Maddie couldn’t satisfy you the way I could and then you worshipped my body all night long. You fucked me good. I am so sore this morning that it hurts to move.”
“I would not betray Maddie.” I looked at Krill. “Did Micah show those to Maddie?”
“She sent them to me, so I would almost guarantee it,” Krill says. “I went by your house before I came here, and they are all gone.” Everything I have been working for the last few months just went down the shitter. “We have church. Get your ass moving. Sunshine, I don’t know what happened here last night, but I am going to get to the bottom of it. You have five minutes to get up and get dressed. We are all going to the clubhouse.” I get up and walk back to living room and find my cut on the back of the recliner. I put it on and sit down to put my boots on. I look at my brother.
“I do not remember a damn thing after coming in that door except drinking some water and looking at some papers. There is nothing else there. I have never blacked out after drinking and forgot what happened and I wasn’t drinking anything but water.” I look around the room and there are empty beer bottles everywhere. The kind of beer I drink and there is a bottle of whiskey. I know I did not get drunk with Sunshine. I wouldn’t. I hear Sunshine in the other room getting ready to leave. Krill moves closer to me and lowers his voice.
“I believe you, Dra. When Prissy was talking to me she seemed nervous and wouldn’t look me in the eye. There’s more to the story. I think Sunshine and Prissy set you up. I just texted Doc to meet us at the clubhouse so he can examine you and give Sunshine the morning after pill. If Sunshine is not hiding anything she will take it. We all know she is not the mommy type. Do not press her until she does unless you are onboard with her having your child.” My head is clearing but I still have no memory of last night. I am glad Krill is thinking straight.
“I want Doc to test my blood. I want to know if I was drugged. If Sunshine set me up I will end her.” Krill looks at me.
“No. If that is what happened then she will be turned over to the cops. We are not that kind of a club. We do not hurt women and children. I will help you prove you were set up, but I will not stand for violence against a woman.” Krill is right. That would go against everything we were taught growing up in the Troubled Fathoms MC.
“Understood, but I am getting my wife and daughter back. We need to be in touch with my attorney. I am claiming Maddie before the club,” I tell Krill.
“One step at a time. First, we find out what the hell happened. Then you need to get your damn patch back from Sunshine and then we get Maddie and B back here. Her ink is something you two need to discuss. I wouldn’t want my ink on some bitch that wasn’t mine. I already texted ahead to the clubhouse, so they know to keep Sunshine and Prissy separated after we arrive,” Krill tells me. “We also have a break about the suicides and the who that is pushing drugs in our town. Let’s get to the clubhouse.”
Chapter 24
Krill
I sit at the head of the table with our officers all present. I bang my gavel to get everyone’s attention, so we can get this started. “We are meeting officers only because we have a few issues that need our attention. First and foremost, we have eyes and ears inside the clubhouse that are telling club business. I trust everyone in this room, so this goes no further.” I look at every one of the men at the table. “Angus has something to do with the drugs that have gone through our town. He may be the only snitch in our club, but my gut is telling me he isn’t. Someone knows where the officers are, so they can move the drugs through town without being noticed and prospects are not privy to that information, so Angus is probably working with someone else.”
“How do we know that Angus is involved?” Raven asks.
“The cameras that Dra put up yesterday at the school, caught Angus dropping off a backpack to the kid that we suspected of dealing. It was right after Korbin took over at Sunshine’s yesterday, which was at the request of Angus. Angus is a prospect, and he knows the rules. We give him a job then he stays there until we tell him to leave. He also has no reason to be meeting with some school kid at the school. When Angus came to us he said he was new to town with no family or friends in this area. His background check confirmed the information, or we wouldn’t have even considered him,” I tell the brothers. Each of them is taking it in. “Bandy, I want you to dig deeper into Angus’s background.” Bandy nods his head. “There are drugs being sold at the bar too. I think the waitress, Tiffany, is the seller but I can’t be sure. Bandy, get her personnel records and do some digging. If you need help, you can pull in Miner. He has computer skills. He’s always willing to help.”
“What are we going to do if we find out our suspicions are right?” Whistler asks.
“Club ju
stice?” Brass answers.
“Club justice,” I answer back. “I want eyes on Angus at all times. He does not pull another duty alone and I want to know what brothers he is talking to. I am giving this forty-eight hours and then we are having full church, and everyone will hear my suspicions. Angus lives here, so we know that he is not stocking anything here. That means that whoever his partner or partners are they must be close. Eyes open.”
“I’ll cover Angus,” Raven says.
“Our next bit of business concerns Dra. Sunshine has pulled a quick one. I knew that bitch was manipulative, but I didn’t think she was crazy,” I tell my brothers at the table.
“The way I heard it was Dra was playing both sides of the fence and no has called him on it yet. We have rules and if our VP doesn’t follow them, then his patch needs to go, or we need to vote on new rules,” Scout, our Road Captain, says while glaring at Dra. It is no secret that Scout wanted Sunshine, but her eyes were set for a higher-up patch. Dra stands from his chair and bends at the waist and leans over the table towards Scout.
“Then why the hell haven’t you said something? I was very plain to Sunshine that I was cutting her loose. I took my patch back. My woman has only been here a couple of days and I have been getting her settled while still taking care of club business. So, you tell me, Scout, what the hell have I done?” Scout smiles and then stands up himself and takes out his phone and turns the screen to everyone. The brothers look at the photo, but no one says anything.
“Looks to me like you are still fucking the ol’ lady that you say you cut loose, in the place that you have her set up in as a house mouse. Never took Sunshine as the house mouse type.” Scout shakes his head and then continues. “The rules are voted in for everyone. You haven’t patched your wife in yet. Is she wearing your ink yet?” Scout presses the issue.
“I’m telling everyone here that those pictures were taken last night, and I don’t remember a damn thing after I walked into that condo. I do not need to explain myself to anyone. How the hell did you end up with the pictures on your phone? Did you help Sunshine set this shit up? My woman and daughter are in the wind. Do you think I hunted them down just so I could fuck everything up for good? Anyone that knows me, knows I didn’t. This is what we were bringing to the table today.” Dra is seething mad. Scout has had it out for Dra ever since he was voted in as VP. When we thought that Dra was dead, Scout stood in that position without a vote but when we found out Dra was alive, and the vote was taken, Dra won the VP patch with ease. Scout hasn’t been the same since then. He has never stood against Dra like this but always has something to say about every idea Dra brings to the table. Now I wonder if Scout could be helping Angus for payback.
“These pictures don’t look like you were fighting what was happening. The text came from an anonymous number, probably a burner like every one of us have. Were you trying to rub it in my face that Sunshine chose you?” Scout seems like his issue is just about Sunshine. “Are you claiming your wife as your ol’ lady? If you are then that means Sunshine is just a piece of pussy for any of us to have our turn at.”
“Sunshine has been that since the day I took my patch back. She was that before because I told everyone she was cut loose. I had to track her down to get the patch.” Dra is close to losing his hold on his temper.
“Why did you set Sunshine up in a damn condo then? You bought her a new car too. That doesn’t seem like the actions of a man cutting someone loose,” Brass, our Secretary, asks.
“We sound like a bunch of damn women talking about this shit when we should be finding out what is going on at the school and with the drugs in our town,” Whistler, our SAA, says.
“Dra, if you want our help, then answer the questions. Make them understand,” I tell him. I’m not about knowing all of Dra’s business, but the brothers need to know so there is no dissention with the officers.
“I wasn’t sure if I would ever find Maddie and Betsy. Sunshine said she understood, but wanted to stay around until Maddie was here. I know now it was a mistake. I knew then it was a mistake, I just ignored it.” Dra stops for a minute. “Sunshine texted me yesterday and told me that I needed to come by and sign some papers to get my name off the lease. I paid the first year lease off, but they didn’t have all the paperwork for me to sign when I was in the office. I was also going to give Sunshine money for bills and food. I knew I shouldn’t go over there, but I thought I would only be there a few minutes. Sunshine had already tried to play the pregnant card and I called her on it. I am the one that took her to get her damn birth control shot.” Dra stops for a second and looks at me and then goes on. “I remember going in the door and sitting in the recliner. Sunshine had the papers on her coffee table. Prissy was there, so I thought at least I had a witness. I remember drinking some water and then it was getting hot in there and after that nothing until I heard pounding and Krill came in.”
“Sounds like you were roofied,” Raven says.
“The water was from a sealed bottle,” Dra answers.
“Wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened. Crazy people do crazy things,” Whistler puts in.
“I received the same pictures as Scout, twice. One set sent to me from Micah, Maddie’s sister, but I also received a set from a burner. Micah received hers from an anonymous number also. I want you, Whistler, to toss Sunshine’s apartment for a burner phone. Sunshine is going with the story that Dra wanted it and they fucked all night long and he made promises to her. Prissy told me that Dra was at Sunshine’s but there was something about the way she told me that has me questioning it, Prissy is a shit liar. It was more the way she was acting. Like she had something to hide and she was guilty of something. We have the women in separate rooms and we are going to bring them in here and question them. Even though Dra knows Sunshine took the birth control shot I am having Doc give Sunshine the morning after pill to see if she refuses. We won’t force it on her, but if she says no, then it speaks volumes on what her plans are. Sunshine said there were no condoms used, Dra, you better be checked yourself.” By the look on Dra’s face I can tell he hadn’t thought of that. “Whistler take Trinity and Time with you. When you’re finished there then go to Prissy’s trailer. She’s not there a lot but be thorough. Brass, I want you to go through Prissy’s room here. I’m sending Angus to Boulder tonight and I want his room checked too. Raven you make the trip to Boulder with Angus and take Magnum with you. Whistler, you and Brass search his room. Bandy, switch out burner phones with Angus and switch a few of ours so he doesn’t get suspicious. I want trackers on Angus’s bike and Sunshine’s and Prissy’s cars. If they move I want to know where they are,” I tell them. “Raven, Dra, Scout, Hemi and I will question the women. Instead of in here, I want it in my office. Bandy, I want you there too.”
“I want Maddie and Betsy back home. When are we going after them?” Dra narrows his eyes on me.
“As soon as we know where they are. Don’t you think we need the answers to some questions first. Maddie is innocent, but I don’t think there is a woman alive that is going to believe a damn thing you say about those pictures. Find the damn answers about what happened and then go after her. You said you are claiming her. Is that official? I called your attorney and he is going to be here later this afternoon or in the morning, depending how long court goes on today.” I watch Dra for a reaction. “Do you think Maddie is going back to the ranch? I’m figuring you will be hearing from her attorneys shortly. I put a call into our woman at the courthouse, so we will be ready if they try to serve you with papers before you are ready.”
“I think that Micah is taking Maddie back to the ranch, but I am sure that she is having help. I know I have not handled this situation the best way I could have. All I could think about was getting Betsy home. It was like I had tunnel vision. That fuck-up is on me, but I have been perfectly clear with Sunshine on what my intentions were when I found Maddie and Betsy. I never once lied to Sunshine.” Dra is looking at Scout. I defuse the situation, so we
can move on.
“Everyone understands and since you officially claimed Maddie then the issue is answered.” I settle it. Scout doesn’t give up.
“Who says that Maddie is going to let you claim her?” Scout likes antagonizing the situation.
“Maddie knows enough about club life to understand claiming. She accepted Dra’s ring, so she gets his patch when he made it official. Subject closed. If you two have an issue with each other then take it to the ring. We are supporting Dra, just like we would you Scout, or any other brother. Sunshine is not even a club girl, so she has no standing in the Troubled Fathoms MC. If you want to claim her ass, then do it Scout, but if not, drop it.” I look at Scout. I know Dra and Scout are going to work out their problems but right now it is getting in our way, and I have had enough. “Are you claiming Sunshine?” I am looking straight at Scout. He wants to challenge me. I see it in his eyes.
“No. I’m not claiming no bitch,” Scout finally says. He sits back in his chair and it seems like some of his anger is gone.
“It’s settled then.” I make sure everyone knows the subject is closed. “Anything else? Everyone knows what is needed of them. I want the drugs out of our town but especially away from the damn school. Let’s grab a bite to eat and then we will meet in my office to question the women.” I bang the gavel. “Dra keep your head on straight,” I tell my brother as he stands up. “Get with Doc and have him take some blood so he can test it.”
