Chapter 3
CJ
"Cheers love," the waitress placed my plate onto the table and my stomach rumbled at the smell of the food. I sniggered at the noise and reached for the salt pot when my phone rang. I frowned as I saw the name of the person calling, "What the fuck does she want?" I said aloud as I pressed accept.
"Are you okay to talk?" she asked quietly.
"As long as you don't mind me eating my breakfast as I talk, then no," I stated sprinkling salt over my eggs.
"I can always call back at a more convenient time," Keira sounded almost apologetic which grated on me.
"Nah you're good, start talking." She may as well tell me what she wanted as there probably wouldn't be a convenient time to talk to her from the way I was feeling.
"I just wanted to see if you were still okay to meet next week?"
"Yeah, that's fine. I was gonna text you over the details later on this afternoon." I planned to meet her at a location far away from here. I couldn't take the risk of being followed by a member of the Satan's Wrath and most certainly didn't want them seeing me with Keira. She'd distanced herself from the club since Locke's death and that was a good thing as I didn't want them coming after her and finishing what they'd started.
"Oh that's great..." she trailed off and her response surprised me slightly.
I took a bite of my sausage, "Why can't you just tell me what you have to say over the phone, it will be a lot easier."
"No I need to see you to explain but don't panic, once that's done you'll never have to see me again."
"Now hold on just one fucking minute Keira, what do you mean never have to see you again?" Why was she being so negative? I know I was giving her a hard time but she fucking deserved it.
"Exactly that," she said coldly.
I let out a sigh, this woman was infuriating. "Locke asked Stoney to look out for you but you fucking took off and didn't give any of us a chance, I'm telling you now Keira that's not happening again."
"I'm not your problem CJ."
I threw my fork onto my plate and regretted the noise it made as the other customers in my vicinity turned to look at where the noise had come from. Despite how I felt about Keira, Locke loved her and because of that, the club would always look out for her. There was no way I was allowing her to go AWOL again.
"Well once I tell you what I need to, you'll probably hate me even more anyway." I heard the sorrow in her voice and her words confused me.
"What could you have done that would make me hate you more than I already do?" my vile words shocked both of us and the line went eerily quiet. Despite my words, I didn't hate her, I was just at a loss as to why she'd left to cause me more heart ache. Deep down I knew that I just wanted to protect her because that's what Locke would've wanted but she was making it more difficult at every opportunity she had and I resented her for that. I had enough going on in my life at the moment, trying to right the wrongs for Locke that I couldn't veer off task to help and support a woman that didn't want to be protected.
Things had now become a little intense, I knew that I needed to calm the situation down but what surprised me is that Keira still hadn't hung up.
I let out a long sigh, "I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to apologise for CJ, I understand where you're coming from."
I wasn't going to argue with her further, I'd said my piece so tried to stay on neutral ground. "Are you still working babe?" I leaned back into the chair and took a swig of coffee from my mug.
"The insurance paid out but I decided to take a break while I processed everything in my head."
"And are you ready to discuss what you've processed?"
"Yes I am CJ."
"And that's why you need to see me?"
"Yes but..."
"Oh for fucks sake Keira, if you have something to say just fucking say it. I ain't got time to cock about." She was annoying me by being cagey about the information she was going to be telling me next week anyway.
"Although you were horrible, after our chat the other day...oh I don't know, I just felt a little closer to him."
"Closer to who Keira, you're not making any sense?"
"Locke, closer to Locke."
The penny had finally dropped, she'd gone away to analyse everything and realised that she needed to be around club members to keep that connection going. I totally got it, I'd had the support from the club although I didn't want it but it was there all the same. Apart from Declan, Keira didn't have anyone to look out for her or to confide in regarding her feelings.
"I get it Keira."
"You do?" she seemed surprised by my response.
"Yeah I do, look I'll text over the arrangements and then we'll meet and you can tell me everything."
I moved my mobile from my ear ready to end the call when I heard her voice and quickly placed it back to my ear. "What?"
"I said thank you."
"What for?"
"For hearing me out."
This time I did remove the mobile from my ear and ended the call before I changed my mind. The problem I had was that Keira was so likable, that it was difficult to stay angry with her for too long and on reflection the only person I was angry with was Locke for leaving us far too soon.
Once I'd finished my breakfast, I made my way over to the abandoned warehouse on the Burntmill Industrial Estate and waited for both Recon and Damian to arrive. I removed my phone from my pocket and logged into my emails. The guys knew not to contact me via text and this was the only secure way to get a message to me albeit in code. I opened the two unread messages and scanned through the information, it was nothing of importance and could wait to be dealt with until I returned home. My attention was caught by whistling to the tune of 'It's off to work we go' from Snow White and the seven Dwarfs and I sniggered knowing full well that Recon was about to join me.
"Good morning, you're in a good mood."
Recon grinned, "Yeah I am." He raised his arms above his head and stretched, "That bed is fucking lovely, at this rate I'll be taking it home."
"You're usually such an arrogant prick, maybe you're right as it will sort your mood swings out." I winked and stepped around him to welcome Damian. "Pleased to see you again and this time you look a little more relaxed."
He smiled, "Yeah sorry about that, I just had a lot going on and got a little paranoid."
"It's understandable man, you're risking a lot and we're appreciative." I glanced in Recon's direction and he nodded on cue.
Damian glanced at his watch, "Yeah thank you but can we get this over with quickly?"
"Somewhere you need to be?" his comment immediately put Recons back up and he glared at Damian as he folded his arms across his chest assessing him.
"I'm just meeting a friend later that's all," Damian held his hands out in front of him trying to calm the situation.
"Give him a break, he's working for us." I placed my hand of Recons forearm and stepped forward putting myself between them. "The reason I asked to see you is to find out some more information on Charity." Damian's eyes widened at the mention of her name that piqued my interest, "So you know who I'm talking about?" he nodded but I was surprised by his lack of verbal response. "And...?" I rotated my hand trying to encourage him to share some information.
"For fucks sake," Recon surged forward and grabbed Damian by the scruff of his neck and pushed him until his back hit the wall. "For someone that's in a hurry to get this meet over and done with you've gone awfully quiet."
I strolled towards them with my hands in my pocket confused by his reaction. What was Damian hiding?
Recon pulled him forward then bashed him back against the wall, "Start talking!"
"What do you want to know?" Damian was agitated and I could see the fear in his eyes.
"The usual shit, who is she? How long has she been at the club? Where's she from?" The questions spilled from Recons mouth as he slowly lost his temper with Damian's silence.
He glanced between the two
of us, "I don't know her back story only that Onyx took a liking to her and he's been keeping her pure so he can make some money out of her."
"The auction?" Recon let go of Damian and he slumped against the wall.
"Yes the auction. The club are looking forward to it and are hoping to raise between £5,000 and £10,000 for her."
"So you don't know much else?"
"Only that she's Onyx's house mouse but without the extras. She helps Poppy out with the kids and chores."
I glanced at Recon and he nodded satisfied with his answer. "Okay well that's all I wanted, we're gonna make a move soon for that information in the office and then we'll be all set for the meet next week."
"Well if I find out any more information I'll be in touch." Damian straightened his clothes and smiled although I could tell he was a little weary of Recon and rightly so.
"That's cool but keep yourself out of trouble." Damian quickly scarpered into the shadows and from the warehouse trying to put some distance between us..
"Something ain't right CJ."
"I know I just can't put my finger on it." I hadn't liked the way he was acting we needed to investigate further.
"Where's he need to go in a hurry?" I could see that Recon was concerned as I was.
I shrugged, "I don't know but we're following him." I jogged in the direction he left the building making sure I was light on my feet so as to not make too much noise.
I opened the door quietly that lead into the alley and heard Recon behind me. Peering outside I saw Damian gingerly walk down the alley in the direction of the reservoir. I turned to face Recon, "We'll have to wait until he either cuts through the fence or leaves by the gate." Recon nodded agreeing with what I had said.
I shuffled as far as I could towards the doorframe so that I wouldn't be seen should he turnaround and felt my heart pump hard in my chest as the adrenaline raced around my body. I glanced down the alley to see him cut through the gap in the fence and knew that it was time to move, "Follow me." I stealthily made my way towards the fence making sure I stayed in the shadows cast by the trees that overhung from the field on my left. As I approached the opening, I slowed my pace and peered through the wire fence carefully making sure that Damian was still in sight. He anxiously glanced around him as if making sure that he wasn't being followed which raised my suspicions further.
"What can you see CJ?" Recon asked agitated.
"Chill, we'll continue in a minute when he's nearly out of sight." I crouched in the undergrowth making sure that I could still see his every move but I was hidden enough so that I wasn't detected and I watched as Damian made his way across the field heading towards a dirt track that led to the reservoir.
"He's gotta be meeting someone." My heart sunk at the thought of us being double crossed. We'd assessed all of the information given to us regarding possible informants and he seemed like the perfect candidate to recruit but I wasn't feeling so confident now. I stood and opened the wire mesh further so I could get through easily without harming myself on the rough edges. I didn't fancy piercing my skin on the sharp wire as I hadn't had a tetanus in years.
Recon and I stealthily made our way across the field towards a group of trees that were situated by the path. I was hoping that the low hanging branches would give us the cover needed in order to watch Damian from afar.
"Fuck!" I looked towards Recon confused, "Car approaching at three o'clock." I turned back around and watched as a red Ford pulled up in the middle of the clearing and Damian picked up his pace and jogged towards the vehicle.
"I don't like this CJ," Recon stepped forward with his arm held out in front of him to take photos. We'd need the car traced to see who it belonged to but I doubted that we'd come up with anything. Damian made it to the car and leaned on the opened window to talk to the passenger in the front. There were maybe three people in the car but we were too far back to be sure or even see faces.
"He's gotta be an informant but for whom I don't know." I shook my head trying to piece everything together. He'd been at the club a while now and his background checks were clear but that was possibly the problem.
"He's squeaky," for someone involved in a club his records were clean. This could be legit but from where I was currently standing, watching him have quite an in depth conversation with someone we had never met straight after a meeting with us, I was starting to believe that he'd double crossed the club.
"We've seen all we need to see here Recon, have you got that recorded?" I turned around and started walking back towards the direction in which we came from.
"I'm just sending it to Woods."
"Send it to Eli also, he may be able to look into it quicker as Woods has a lot on his plate at the moment." Recon nodded and tapped away on his iphone as we walked up the hill towards the alley.
I was fucking annoyed, if our cover had been blown then it could ruin all chances I had to right the wrongs that I was so desperate to do. If Damian was an informant for the police, I also knew it was only a matter of time before Recon and I were arrested but unless he had a wire, they'd have nothing on us.
I had another meeting with him in a couple of days and knew that I needed to strip him to see if he had a wire. It may be that I could possibly stop damage limitations and at worse reschedule my final meeting with Onyx in order to get the outcome I wanted.
I let out a heavy sigh, "You ok?" Recon asked putting his phone into his pocket.
"I will be when this shit is all over."
"Well Eli messaged me back, he said Rian's at the yard overseeing the security and for us to pop over." I nodded, the boys had been good and worked with me to put this whole operation together. Rian was overseeing the security for different building sites that had expensive machinery on site and was up here today. The foreman owed him a favour, therefore we were undercover as being labourers on site and I knew we'd need to be kitted out with all the correct PPE gear if we wanted to make this look authentic and like we had a day's work in us.
"What size are you?" The foreman asked as he eyed me up.
"Big!" I placed my hands on my hips and thrusted my hips forward. I heard the sniggering behind me and turned to give the guys a wink.
"This isn't helping CJ, I need to get you measured." The foreman was a cock but he was helping us out so I gave him some slack.
"Chuck me the large, I'll try that on." Bernard threw me a polo shirt still concealed in the packet.
"What you doing?" I turned to see Rian's bemused look and shrugged. "You've supposedly been working here for a couple of days now, you'll look like you've just walked from a catalogue shoot."
I rolled my eyes, "Okay I get it but where am I getting shitty clothes from?"
Rian strolled towards the open door and looked outside into the yard. Without warning, he stuck two fingers into the sides of his mouth and let out a high pitched whistle. "You and you here," he beckoned with his finger. I sniggered at his gesture as he was only young himself but he had this authority about him and had these two older men running to the cabin to see what he wanted.
"You look about the right sizes, I want your clothes." The two men glanced at each other confused before they returned their attention to Rian not understanding his request. Rian pointed to the new clothes, "Get all new stuff from there but I want your old shit." I saw their smiles as they strolled over to the corner where the PPE was kept and they happily helped themselves.
"You expect me to wear that shit?" The guy looked like he hadn't ever taken a shower and now Rian was expecting me to put his work clothes and protection on.
"Yes because it's more authentic," Rian leaned back on his chair with a smile on his face.
"You're loving this aren't you.
Rian smirked, "How do you know?"
"Here you can have these," the older of the two men threw me his polo shirt and as I caught it I got a whiff of the garment but smiled politely.
"Come on boys you haven't got all day," Rian hollered encouraging the guys to mo
ve a little faster although I wasn't in a rush to get their minging clothes on.
They handed the items one by one and Recon and I got dressed, I could see by his face that he wasn't amused but to my surprise, he kept his mouth shut. Our eyes met, "I'm fucking doing this for you." He said under his breath as he secured his jacket, his comment made me smile. Recon was an arrogant arsehole but I'd seen a side to him over the past couple of days that he didn't show many people.
"Well you both look lovely." Rian sniggered sitting up in his chair and pulling it closer to the oval table by the window overlooking the yard.
"I'm not wearing any second hand boots though I'm fucking telling you now." Recon finally spoke and sat at the table opposite Rian.
"Same here I'm not doing that shit Rian, I'll purposely go out there in a minute and scuff the shit out of them to make the boots look older."
"Yeah that's cool I get it but I've done this for your own safety and for my own pleasure." Rian winked letting us see his amusement.
I rolled my eyes at his constant comments, "Yeah don't think I don't know that."
"Anyway take a seat I need to talk to you about a few things."
I strolled across the room adjusting my shirt to make sure it sat right across my broad shoulders and sat on the chair next to Recon. "What's up?"
"Nothings up, I've just had to call in Jayden to help us out with a few things. He's a top bloke and I speak for all of us when I say thank you for recommending him."
I smiled, "Yeah he is a top bloke, we've become good mates."
"He's very similar to you actually," Rian sat back in his chair and straightened his suit jacket.
"What good looking and smart?" I heard Recon chuckle beside me as Rian rolled his eyes.
"On a more serious note, Fallon is doing her nut. She said if you don't call her she's coming up so give the damn girl a call."
"That girl is a handful," Recon said aloud what I was thinking in my head. Fallon was very protective of us and had gotten progressively worse after our mother passed away. Not that we minded, we enjoyed her mothering us and making sure we were okay.
CJ (Aces MC Series Book 6) Page 3
