by Jacobs, Kyle
"Of course I do," Logan said, letting a tinge of annoyance into his voice. It would be stupid to deny knowing a known Hang Around of the Club. To much evidence supporting that. It was easier just to say yes and save some hassle.
"Do you know what happened to him?"
"He's got himself killed," Logan said, firmly.
Richards perked up at this. "You know he's dead? How?"
Logan looked at Richards like he was the dumbest human alive. "Because it was in the newspaper," Logan said.
Richards cursed. "You gotta be a real smart ass all the time?"
"Only when I'm being blocked from entering my vehicle," Logan said. "Do you mind."
The detectives moved.
As Logan walked over to get in, Sutherland asked, "Do you know who killed Silas, Logan?"
"Someone with a gun, probably."
Richards again took the bait. "Yeah, and how do you know that?"
Logan gave the hapless detective a look of pity. "Because the newspaper said he was shot."
"Very funny," Richards said.
"Not to him," Logan said. He opened his door.
"Okay," Sutherland said. "No need to go busting our balls, Logan. You know we gotta ask, right? It's our job."
"You two really got to work on your good cop, bad cop routine," Logan said. "And you can ask all the questions you want but it doesn't mean I have to answer them."
Richards looked over at Sutherland. Sutherland gave a small shrug.
Richards said, "Do you hear that noise, Detective Sutherland?"
"What noise, Detective Richards?"
"That's the sound of a leak. Like something full of hot air deflating."
This gave Logan pause. He looked at Richards, wondering what he was babbling about.
Richards was grinning. "The big hot air balloon that is the Macabre Jesters have themselves a leak. And it's getting louder." He looked Logan and said, "Wonder if Silas would still be alive if that leak was plugged up."
Both detectives were enjoying the look on Logan's face.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Logan asked. He was almost afraid to. Did the cops know about the stolen van now?
Richards shrugged. "Maybe nothing." The detectives started walking in the direction of their parked sedan across the street. "Maybe we're talking about Proctology."
The detectives laughed. "We gotta go now, Logan. There are other asses for us to go climb up."
Logan sat in his car and watched them leave.
Now that, he thought, was a curious conversation. Add that to what was just discussed with the Evil Master made Logan decide to hang out at Maggie's more often.
He sighed. All business. He found himself thinking of Oliver, curled up in his bed. Maybe he should call him, wake him up?
His cell phone rang. Expecting it would be Oliver he answered without looking.
"You need to get your ass over to the Club House," said Logan. He sounded pissed. Logan straightened in his seat.
"Like right now," Logan said, and hung up.
Logan had gone cold. This didn't sound good. He started his car and headed back into town.
He hoped that it would be nothing. Just something to do with other Club business, and nothing to do with either him or Oliver.
He was wrong.
Chapter 15
Oliver
Oliver woke to an empty bed.
He sat up and looked around. No Logan. Then he noticed his jacket and car keys were gone. Oliver grinned, slightly.
Better get use to this, he thought. Not that he was unfamiliar with the irregular comings and goings of a Biker boyfriend. He had his fill with Gavin. But with Gavin he didn't care. When he had left, Oliver was actually relieved.
With Logan, though, he felt a ping of disappointment that he wasn't there when he woke. Oliver took that was a good sign.
He yawned, stretched, and got out of bed. He looked down at it and was greatly satisfied at how messy it was. They really went at it last night. He happily made the bed, fluffing the pillows while remembering their uses the night before to assist in certain positions.
Going to need to buy more of those, he thought.
He looked around Logan's apartment. It really was empty. The man practically owned nothing. He padded around naked, snooping while telling himself that was not what he was really doing.
No pictures. No knick knacks. Like he had just arrived with only a suitcase of stuff.
Huh, Oliver thought. Kind of like me.
He opened the small dresser, the only one, and poked through it. Hardly any clothes, either. This guy appeared to run his life with the same efficiency as his business. Simple and to the point.
He walked over to the only closet and opened it. Half expecting to find it stuffed with exotic weaponry and guns, he was actually startled to find only a few shirts hanging inside.
Then he noticed the jacket pushed to one side. Removing it, he pulled it out to get a better look.
It was a Macabre Jesters Motorcycle Club jacket. Complete with a large patch emblem on the back which depicted a skeleton wielding a long scimitar in one hand, and a uzi pistol in the other.
The jacket itself was in pristine condition, as if it had never been worn. No doubt it got little use in the average day to day life of a Member. Most bikers were doing business most of their waking moments, and most of that business would be illegal. Getting caught, or arrested committing a crime while wearing the Club colors was a big no-no in the Biker world.
Mostly, they just wore these jackets during Club runs, ceremonies, or special events. Sometimes for intimidation.
And him touching it was also not allowed. He carefully returned it to its original spot.
He envisioned Logan wearing it, riding down the highway on his motorcycle. Oliver pictured himself on the back of that motorcycle, arms wrapped around his new man. Both of them smiling into the wind.
He put his clothes back on, and frowned down at the secretary outfit in his day bag. Well, mission accomplished, I guess.
Although not official yet, Logan had said he was now one of the Club's dancers. There would be other winners from last night, but that didn't bother him. His take away prize from the whole thing wasn't just a paying job. But the fact he nabbed Logan.
After he tidied up a little, he left and flagged down a taxi.
But as the taxi later turned into his motel parking lot, Oliver was surprised to see a pink Volvo parked outside his room door. There was someone leaning against it, as if waiting patiently.
Edward.
Oliver paid the driver and got out to face the other man. Eddie looked gravely concerned.
"Oliver, baby, are you okay?" Eddie threw his arms around Oliver and gave him a big hug. Oliver was unsure of how to react so he gave him a less enthusiastic hug back.
"What are you doing here?" Oliver asked. He tried to not sound rude, but this was unexpected. And he had just come from Logan's apartment which he didn't want to mention to Eddie for obvious reasons.
"I heard about what happened yesterday. After your audition. Your boyfriend came to get you and there was some sort of drama?" Eddie looked a little too thrilled at describing what happened.
Oliver said, "Look, I don't really want to talk about it right now." He started to open his motel room door.
"Oh, I understand. Not outside. Let's get you in, okay."
Not wanting to brush him off right then and there, Oliver decided to relinquish his privacy for a few minutes. Eddie followed him inside.
As he closed the door Oliver noticed Eddie was carrying a brown paper bag. "What is that?"
Eddie pulled a six pack of bottled beer from the bag. "Thought you might need this to help you feel better."
"I don't really feel like that right now," Oliver dropped his costume into his open suitcase.
"No need to worry, maybe in a bit," Eddie said. "So, I'm sorry you had a bad time yesterday." Eddie sat on the edge of the bed, and watched Oliver expectantly.
/> Oliver sat in the motel room's only chair. "Yeah, it sucked. But what can you do. Life throws you crap all the time. Sometimes you just end up catching it."
Eddie looked like he was desperately trying to process what that meant. And failed. "So, Gavin left, right?"
This caught Oliver off guard for a moment. "How do you know his name?"
Eddie suddenly burst out in laughter. "Are you kidding, girlfriend? That situation is all the gossip circles are buzzing about. You don't have an armed face off on the side of the highway between two Clubs without people noticing.
Okay, Oliver thought. That was true. He couldn't expect what happened to go unnoticed. "It wasn't an armed face off. Well, not really." There were technically guns there, but none were being pointed at anyone. Thankfully.
"So, spill," Eddie insisted. "What happened."
Oliver sighed. There was no getting rid of Eddie now unless he gave him something. So, keeping things vague, he talked about Gavin showing up unexpectedly at Hot Rocks, and how he confronted him in the change room. Oliver did not mention his suspicion that Gavin was there because of Logan. That was a none factor now.
He quickly talked about the 'armed face off' in the abandoned lot, but just said Gavin and Logan agreed Gavin should leave, alone.
"And that's it," Oliver said. He hoped that it really was.
Eddie nodded through the whole story. Then he furrowed his brow as if struck with a confusing thought. "But what happened after? You didn't come back to your motel room. I came to check on you."
Okay, creepy, Oliver thought. Now he was starting to really get annoyed with Eddie's probing. Maybe a healthy dose of reality would send this guy on his way.
"Logan took me back to his apartment after," Oliver said in a matter of fact manner.
"Uh huh," Eddie said, nodding.
"I stayed with him last night," Oliver offered.
Eddie kept nodding his head, his expression unchanged.
"All night," Oliver finally said. "We're together now."
Saying it certainly didn't make it true. But it sure felt good to do so. And besides, if certainly felt like he and Logan were now a couple.
Eddie nodded his head for a few moments, then stopped. He blinked as if what Oliver said had finally hit home.
"That's great!" Eddie declared joyfully.
"It is?" Oliver said. He expected crying, or rage, or a melt down. Not happiness.
"Yeah, why not," Eddie said looking at Oliver as if this was the most wonderful news in the world. "You two make a great couple. And besides, he's a good guy."
Oliver was relieved but still hesitant. He had begun to realize how unhinged Eddie really was. And he still remembered the last time he saw Eddie, at Hot Rocks, standing next to Ryder watching him run to the change room.
He had that strange expression of expectation on his face then, too.
Eddie suddenly lunged forward, and hugged Oliver again. "No, I'm not messing with you. I can see it on your face. I'm really happy for you."
After they detached Oliver found himself asking, "You are? Really? You guys were an item once. I thought this might be an issue for you."
Eddie shook his head as if that was the most absurd idea he had ever heard of. "No. Not at all. Sure we were an item, but it didn't work out. I had to call it off. It was for the best. Besides, I got the Volvo out of it."
This surprised Oliver, and it wasn't really what Logan had indicated for the reason of their break up although he had been vague.
"You broke it off? Why?"
"Well, as you'll probably find out pretty quick, Logan is all about business."
"I already figured that out. He's a Biker. When you hook up with one it sorta comes with the territory," Oliver said.
Now Eddie's expression changed. He looked concerned. "No honey. That's not what I meant. Logan is not above making sacrifices to get ahead in business."
Oliver shrugged, "Who doesn't?"
Now Eddie was looking annoyed, and talked to Oliver like he was a child. "Sweetheart, Logan is all business. Right to his core. It was why I couldn't handle him anymore."
He looked at Oliver seriously, "And babe, you are the poison in his well. He can't make it with you tied to him. You got too much old baggage that will weigh him down."
Now Oliver was completely confused. What the hell was this nonsense? "What the heck are you talking about?" He didn't know whether to feel sorry for Eddie's jealous ramblings or just throw him out right then and there.
Eddie looked at him more seriously. "Oliver, I have it on good authority that if you stick with Logan, you're going to bring him a world of hurt."
Oliver's heart froze in his chest. "What? What do you mean?"
"High ranking members of the Macabre Jesters are close to finishing a deal with another Club, one that would be very lucrative. And because of you, Logan is now in the way of that deal."
"What other Club?" Oliver asked, afraid he already knew the answer.
Eddie looked at him with almost comical sympathy. "Why, the Silver Hounds, of course."
Chapter 16
Logan
Logan drove straight to the Macabre Jesters club house, which was located only several blocks away from Hot Rocks. It was a fenced compound wedged in between two empty warehouses, which were also owned by the Club.
As Logan pulled up to the gate, he noticed Ryder standing across the street talking with a couple of other Hang Arounds. Upon seeing Logan, Ryder stopped talking and watched him.
What's his problem? Logan thought to himself. He was feeling agitated with the sudden summons to the Club House. A meeting was not planned, so his apprehension was through the roof.
A Prospect nodded at Logan and rolled the gate back. Logan drove in slowly and parked at his assigned spot. At least at the Club House, the gang had half decent security protocols. Talking business within its wall felt relatively safe, but you still had to be careful.
But in Logan's mind, it beat all the business chatter, and dealings at Hot Rocks, which always made him nervous.
He went over to the Club House's main entrance, which was a reenforced steel door. As he approached, the door swung outward and Adam nodded at him. The Prospect held out a plastic tray, which was full of cell phones. Logan dropped his in. Another safety precaution.
As he entered, Logan had a premonition, and turned.
Through the rolling gate, he saw Ryder. He was no longer watching Logan, but instead hurried over to a parked car, quickly got in, and drove out of sight.
Logan decided that the activities of a lowly Hang Around, let alone an extremely stupid one, was beneath him, and went inside.
He passed a large bar area. This was not for the public to enjoy, like Hot Rocks, but for Macabre Jesters, and certain guests, to sit around and get drunk. It looked like an overcharged sports bar with hug monitors for watching sports and porn, as well as high end bar furniture and fixtures. Everywhere the walls were lined with photos of club members and club activities. Occasionally, there was the full patched vest, or jacket of a dead club member.
Logan ignored this and walked into a side hallway. Here, Nathan, stood waiting for him outside a closed oak door. Beyond would be the official meeting area for the club. Full Patch members only.
Nathan nodded. He was holding a detection wand. Logan knew what was expected of him and held out his arms.
Nathan ran the wand over him. It was forbidden to bring any weapons past the oak door. And it was an almost guaranteed death sentence to bring any electronic equipment inside, as any could be hacked into recording conversations.
Logan had even heard of different clubs refusing to let members with pace-makers into secure meetings.
Satisfied Logan was clean, Nathan knocked on the oak door three times.
As they waited, Logan asked the Prospect, "So, how did that other thing go?" He already knew the run with the video game consoles went off without a hitch.
Nathan offered a tight smile. "Smooth. No surprises."
"Good," Logan said. But he could tell Nathan was apprehensive. Maybe he knew what was waiting for Logan beyond the door.
As if on cue the oak door swung open. Parker was on the other side. "Took you long enough," the big man quipped.
Logan entered, and Parker closed and locked the door. This area looked like a smaller version of the bar room he just passed. Only there were no monitors, and the regalia on the walls was a lot more sparse. This was a place for talking business, not messing around.
