by Debra Kayn
She swallowed the ball of emotion choking her, and validated his opinion. "He's your son, and he'll come home."
Cam neither replied nor acknowledged her. Instead, he held her close and stayed by her side. Together they waited for the phone call telling them Jeremy would be home soon.
Eventually, the men in the yard started a fire and the sun slipped over the Bitterroot Mountains. She snuggled close to Cam against the chill in the night, refusing to leave his side to retrieve a sweatshirt.
Cam's arm slid off her and he picked up his phone, looking at the screen. She leaned over to read the message and Cam stood without letting her see what the message said.
"Cam?"
He shook his head. "Jeremy took off and they lost him."
"He's not coming home?" She walked over and put her hand on his back.
He shook his head. Shocked, she stood there unable to ask any more questions. What happened tonight? Why wouldn't Jeremy listen to Merk?
Cam moved, walking down the steps. She panicked. "Where are you going?"
"I need a smoke." He kept walking.
"You can't—"
"Christina." He stopped and without turning around said, "Go inside."
Defeated and numb, she went inside the house. She undressed in the dark. Not waiting for Cam, she slid into bed and wrapped herself in the blanket. Her chest ached with unshed tears. Her dashed hopes beat her down and she wondered if she'd ever see Jeremy again or if Cam would ever forgive himself.
Chapter Seventeen
Lola sipped her latte out on the sidewalk in Federal, staring up at the apartments above Cleo's Coffee Cave. Christina stood beside her and pushed the button on her phone waking it up.
She texted Jeremy again. Call me. Please.
Lola sighed and leaned her back against the building. "Maybe Jeremy's phone is dead."
Christina shook her head. "I checked his room. His charging cord is missing. Cam always made sure he had a working cell with him. He wouldn't forget."
The door swung open at the coffee shop and Mrs. Palmer, a city council member, walked outside. Christina moved out of the way and joined Lola against the building. Mrs. Palmer paused and looked Lola over from head to toe. Pursing her lips, she turned her shrewd eyes with her gold colored glasses on Christina.
"Hello, Mrs. Palmer," Christina said, holding in her irritation over the total snub given to her friend.
Mrs. Palmer shuffled her feet toward Christina and stopped a foot away. "I respected you and the hard work you did for the children. To learn you no longer work for the county and instead associate with that ruffian gang outside of town disappoints me. I guess the rumors are true and you've decided to become a leech on society rather than contribute your skills and time to the fine town of Federal."
Christina held her purse closer to her body. "Moroad Motorcycle Club is not—"
"Hey, you old bitch. Move along. You're blocking my view," a familiar male voice yelled above Christina's head.
Christina peered up at the apartments and spotted Jacko leaning out of the two-story window. She bit her lip to keep from laughing. Normally, she wouldn't mind chatting with Mrs. Palmer¸ but that was before she met Cam when she tried to please everyone. The woman needed a serious scolding for judging the club and Christina.
Mrs. Palmer shook her finger in Jacko's direction. "It should be against the law for you...you people to take up residency in Federal. You're nothing like the Bantorus gang."
"Motorcycle Club, lady." Jacko laughed, appearing half-insane or doped up. "I personally invite you to one of our parties. We can have a few beers and I'll let you grind on my thigh once the music starts."
Mrs. Palmer's eyes widened and she ducked her head, scurrying down the sidewalk. Christina watched the older woman until she made it to the next block.
"Oh. My. God." Lola giggled, pressing her back to the wall and letting loose of her amusement.
Christina tilted her head back. "Jacko, that was one of the stupidest things you've done. Everyone in town will hear about your offer and how you insulted Mrs. Palmer. She's not just anyone, she's a city councilwoman."
"Good." Jacko rolled his eyes, and somehow managed to send her a wink as he played the part of a man half looped. "You two ladies have more class than she ever had in her one hundred and five years."
Christina waved her hand over her head. "Thank you for coming to our rescue, but you need to get your head back in the window. We're supposed to be here by ourselves to draw Jeremy out. If he sees you, he'll never approach us."
"Yeah, I'm gone." Jacko's head disappeared out of sight.
Lola smiled, clearly unhurt by Mrs. Palmer's insults. Christina had walked through town for the last two hours looking busy as she visited Pizzazz Pizza, the deli, and the coffee shop. Her feet were sore, her stomach too full, and she'd received no sign of Jeremy in town.
Christina turned her head and looked at her friend. "I hate this."
Lola sighed. "It's bad times for the club. Moroad has always had their fair share of trouble, but when it involves one of our own, it hits low. I can handle when one of the guys gets locked up, because I know they're alive and by luck will get out again. Jeremy missing feels worse. He's a good guy who unfortunately got handed a shitty life before he came to Moroad."
"He's alive." Christina grabbed Lola's hand and squeezed. "We can't give up. He'll come home."
"I'm going to kick his ass when he returns," Lola said.
Christina let go and paced the sidewalk. "I wish Cam would get back. I still can't believe he took off for Spokane, knowing if he's caught his parole officer will put him back in prison."
For some reason, knowing Cam went over the state line during the day bothered her more than knowing he violated his parole obligations every time he went on a run for the club at night. Every officer from here to Spokane could pull him over and she'd never see him again.
"He'll be all right. He's smart." Lola applied bright, pink lipstick to her lips. "Has anyone talked to Tiff?"
"Not lately." Christina stopped, hit with an idea. "Let's go see if she's home."
"Where does she live?"
"Two blocks over with her mom in the house beside the old post office," Christina said.
Lola pushed off the wall. "Let's go."
"Hey." Jacko stuck his head out of the window. "You're not supposed to leave the sidewalk."
"We're going over to Tiff's house," Christina said.
"God damn, woman. Hold on." Jacko stuck his head back in his apartment.
Christina stared at the empty window.
Jacko stuck his head back out. "I'm serious. I need to put my jeans on."
"Are you naked?" Lola burst out laughing.
Jacko grinned. "Why don't you come up here and find out."
"No." Christina crossed her arms. "Jacko, get dressed. We'll wait for you at the end of the block."
Christina pulled Lola down the sidewalk. "Sometimes, I'm not sure Jacko's only playing at being stupid."
"You're just now figuring that out?" Lola bumped her hip against Christina. "He might be crazy, but he's wild in bed."
Christina held up her hand. "Please. Don't go there."
"Oh, come on. He is."
Christina laughed, unable to hold in her amusement. "Yeah, well, anyway, there's such a thing as respecting the president's old lady. Save the sex talk for the other Moroad women and away from me."
Lola snorted. "Girl, you're just as crazy as we are. It's nothing you haven't heard before."
Christina dropped the subject. Her stomach warmed and she couldn't help the smile growing inside of her. Not because Lola was right, but because she enjoyed the banter and friendship Lola offered her. There were no pre-conceived notions about her life. Lola understood how she lived and how she loved one of the Moroad members.
Jacko rode his motorcycle around the corner and stopped at the curb, cutting the two women off from crossing the street. "Just to let you know, I think this is a bad idea. C
am wanted you both to stay in front of the coffee shop, so I could watch you. He didn't say anything about letting you walk around town visiting anyone."
"He also didn't tell us we couldn't." Christina shrugged. "We'll only be a few minutes, and I need you to stay at the end of the block on Elm Street. You'll scare Tiff and it's better if she thinks I'm only coming to visit with Lola."
"She's a chick. She'll love me." Jacko revved the engine of his motorcycle.
Christina rolled her eyes. "She's Jeremy's girl...ex-girl. She's too young and she's hurt, so stay away."
Jacko grinned, "Darling, age doesn't matter. If she walks like a woman, talks like a woman, and fu—"
"Shut up." Christina motioned Lola to follow her to Tiff's house. By the time they reached the single-story, white house, Christina ignored the sweat inside her tank and her tired feet. Her heart raced and she grabbed Lola's hand in excitement.
Tiff sat in a lawn chair in the front yard, tapping on her phone. Christina opened the short walk-through gate and approached Tiff.
The smile on Tiff's face over whatever she typed on the phone disappeared. "W-what are you two doing here?"
Christina sat down in the grass before Tiff could tell her to go away, and relief came to her aching feet. "We've been in town most of the afternoon and Lola asked how you were doing, since I didn't know, we decided to walk over and see if you were home. It's hot and my feet are killing me."
Lola fanned her hand in front of her face. "How are you?"
"Good." Tiff put her phone on the side of her chair. "I don't have time to talk. I need to get ready for work."
"Oh, you've got a new job?" Christina smiled. "That's great. Congratulations."
"It's no big deal. Lilly hired me back at Silver Girls cleaning the building." Tiff put her clasped hands between her thighs.
"That's awesome," Christina said.
"Yeah, it's a job." Tiff placed her hands on the arms of the chair. "I do have to leave."
"Wait." Lola bent down and gave Tiff a hug. "I've missed you. It's not the same when you're not at the parties.
Lola, always an affectionate person, took her hug to an even new level. Christina stood, waiting for her friend, and finally Lola broke away. Tiff stood the second Lola released her and hurried into the house.
Lola grinned over her shoulder at Christina. "Well, that went well, don't you think?"
"I didn't think you and Tiff were close," Christina whispered.
"We're not, but I needed to distract her." Lola grinned and reached down on the chair and scooped up the phone Tiff left in her hurry to escape. "When we walked up on her, she was texting someone who made her smile. I bet we can both guess who she was texting with."
"You're a genius." Christina grabbed the phone.
Lola laughed and pushed Christina toward the gate. "Don't look at it now. She could be watching out the window. Put it in your purse, and let's get out of here."
Lola led her out onto the street. Christina perspired and wiped the back of her hand over her forehead. "I can't believe you stole her phone."
"I didn't. You did. It's in your purse. Besides, we're only borrowing it." Lola glanced behind her. "Hurry, because it won't take her long to discover she left her phone outside and know we took it."
At the end of the block, Christina sat down at the curb and took Tiff's cell out of her purse. She quickly pulled up Tiff's messages. "They're from someone anonymous."
"Of course they are. Jeremy's not stupid," Lola said.
The abbreviations, symbols, and acronyms took her a moment to decipher. Her finger shook as she scrolled over the screen.
"It's him! He misses Tiff," she said, practically shouting.
Lola laughed. "There was never any doubt."
Christina's gaze skimmed a message. "She asked him where he was staying and he won't tell her."
"Keep going." Lola peered over Christina's shoulder.
"All the messages from Jeremy seem to be about comforting Tiff when she complains about missing him. He doesn't say much about himself." Christina scrolled down to the last message. "Oh, shit."
"What?"
Christina held the phone to her chest. "He told her he'd try and see her Friday evening if he can get away."
She closed her eyes. Someone had him. Who would have him? Why couldn't he come now?
"Uh, honey." Lola grabbed Christina's arm. "Get up. Cam's coming."
The roar of Cam's motorcycle cut through her adrenaline rush at the news someone supervised Jeremy's freedom to come and go. She stood and walked out into the street to meet Cam. Whoever had Jeremy kept him from the club, from her, from Cam.
Cam stopped in front of her, quickly followed by Jacko. She held the phone out to Cam, who ignored the cell.
"Get on." His stern expression left her no room to argue.
She slipped the phone into her pocket and climbed up behind him. He sped off with her clinging to his back. Jacko, with Lola on the back of his motorcycle, rode beside Cam.
"Find Gunner and have him put out a call. I want everyone at the house tomorrow before noon," Cam yelled over the noise of the bikes to Jacko.
Jacko nodded and veered off onto a side street.
Christina held on tight, wishing Cam had given her the chance to tell him what she'd read on Tiff's phone. She quickly dismissed her need to share, because Cam's hurry to call a club meeting filled her with more anxiety. Maybe he discovered new information in Spokane about why Jeremy wouldn't or couldn't come home.
Chapter Eighteen
Christina plastered herself against Cam. He held the back of her head, forcing her to face him and not look at the Moroad members who gathered around the yard. He'd filled her in last night about what he'd found out in Spokane, and she'd tossed and turned all night worrying herself sick.
Now he needed to inform the members and keep everyone from riding out looking for blood.
"I'm making the decision to keep the chain moving. We've lost one order, and we can't lose anymore. Reds are still planted along the run. We'll go in expecting trouble and take them out if we need to." Cam rubbed Christina's scalp, feeling her tense as he talked to his MC brothers. "Reports have come back. Reds split up into teams at several locations across the United States. I want us to assume when we ride out tonight that every motherfucker will be out there to take us out. I don't want us to go in there cocky and get our asses killed."
"I want in on the run." Merk stepped up beside Willy and Meese.
Cam nodded. "We're all going. The Moroad women are going to come here and stay with Christina. Jacko?"
"Yeah?" Jacko raised his hand.
"You're going to stay at the house and make sure they're all protected." Cam waited to see if he'd get any argument. Pleased when everyone agreed, he continued. "Christina snitched Tiff's cell phone. We've both gone through the messages and are confident Jeremy is staying in Spokane. It doesn't appear he has the freedom to come and go when he wants. While he doesn't want to come back to me or Christina, he does want to see Tiff."
"When did you plan to tell me?" Merk asked.
Cam's body tensed. "You're hearing it now along with every other fucking member."
Merk crossed his arms. "Roni used to hang out with Reds after I got locked up. I heard she moved to Spokane to be closer to her supplier."
"Jeremy's lived in Federal since he was three," Christina said, keeping her gaze on Cam. "I remember that information from his file at social services, so if she did move, she came right back to Federal."
"I'm going to assume Jeremy's mom continued her relationship with Reds. We know she still smoked black sand until the day she gave up the chase. The only connection Jeremy would have in Spokane is Reds." Cam kissed Christina's forehead, looking over her head at his men.
"Then let's ride and go get him." Bear rubbed his hands together. "We can attack and take care of Jeremy and the pressure on the chain at the same time before we're due to make the exchange tonight."
"I'm in." Jo
hnson flung his arm around Bear's shoulders. "Let's do it."
The other men gave their opinion backing Bear and Johnson's idea. Cam half listened, paying more attention to Christina in his arms.
Despite the eighty-degree day, she trembled. He cupped her face, nodding to remind her of his promise to do whatever possible to bring Jeremy home and stay alive. The men could spend all day planning what they'd do, but he had no intention of doing what they expected. If Jeremy moved in with Reds, he already had one too many Moroad members in jeopardy.
He'd spent years planning and playing over scenarios in his head, covering everyone's asses. He studied inmates while wasting time locked up and men scared and on the run. He understood the need for excitement, the adrenaline rush, the will to push the boundaries. Sloppiness would get them all killed.
To survive, he couldn't do what they expected or even wanted. He'd do the opposite of what others assumed he'd do. This was his life, and he'd do the smart thing.
"Don't do it," Christina whispered. "Please, don't leave me. If Reds kill you, I'll lose you for good. If the police catch you out of state, you'll be put back in prison."
"I told you to trust me," he said.
Her pained gaze cried out, pleading with him silently. He brushed the pad of his thumb along her cheekbone. She never gave up on him.
He raised his gaze and directed his words to his club. "I want every Moroad member planted in Federal. I want the viaduct at both ends of town covered, every street staked. I want three people on Tiff. Do not let her out of your sight."
"Wouldn't it be faster to go to Spokane? We have the information on how to find out where the closest Reds members live," Ring asked.
"No." Cam held on to Christina when she pushed against him to turn around. "I want Jeremy in our area, on his turf. It's safer. If we catch him, don't try to reason with him. Pick him up, send a text to the club members, and rally around him to bring him back. I'm not giving him a chance to get away this time."
"When?" Bear asked.
"There's a good chance Jeremy will pick tonight to try and meet Tiff, because he'll be alone. I'm assuming he'll have the time, because Reds will be busy trying to shut down the chain. We need to be ready. First we get Jeremy back here safely, and then the run. Does anyone have any questions?" Cam said.
