Broken Road

by Addison Kline

  “Don’t kid yourself… She’s dead already,” Trent said.

  “Then may the good Lord take me, because you’re not getting nothin’ out of me,” Cheyenne said matter-of-factly.

  Jimmy came closer to Cheyenne, but she kicked her legs sending her chair skidding against the hard cement floor.

  “I don’t recommend crossing me,” Jimmy said with a look of warning.

  “Sorry. I don’t take recommendations from assholes. Can I go now?”

  Trent smacked her again.

  “You’re not going anywhere.”

  “You can hit me all you want. I’m not telling you anything.”

  “So be it.”

  Turning on his heel, Jimmy walked out. The last thing Cheyenne remembers before the lights went out was Gunnar Rhoades placing the blade of his knife to her neck.

  ***

  Father Pierce drove Shawn back to the church and the men shook each other’s hands out of respect. They both agreed that they would need to go for a drink again. Shawn found the whole ordeal to be a bit funny. Catholic priests were not supposed to drink. Police captains were supposed to be model citizens, but there they were, two peas in a pod, sharing a drink together.

  Shawn walked to his car, feeling better about the task ahead. He knew what he had to do. He had the power to shut the whole operation down, whether legally or beating them at their own game, he knew he would never forgive himself if he surrendered himself while his community was in jeopardy.

  Shawn started his car and drove to the police station. As usual, there was a flurry of activity in the lobby – criminals being booked, officers going in and out, and raised voices coming from the holding cells where a grand total of twenty-seven men and four women were awaiting release, transfer or arraignment. Shawn had no idea that Colt and Randy were included in that count.

  Shawn walked past a line of offices and made a beeline to his office. Lieutenant Briggs stopped him in the hall, looking for a conversation. Officers Riley and McCoy were within ear shot, but appeared to largely ignore the conversation.

  “Hey Cap, how’s it going? Seems like I only see you on TV now.”

  “I guess they have us working different shifts.”

  “Guess so. Hey I meant to ask you who is living up at your parents’ ranch now? I saw a moving van up there the other day…”

  Shawn looked up at his surroundings, desperately hoping no one heard Lieutenant Briggs’ statement. Officers Riley and McCoy still appeared to be deep in conversation, but as Shawn looked towards the activity in the main office, Officer Riley looked up at Shawn with a smug look on his face. The secretary Lisa was still typing away, entering data about the suspects in the holding cell. She chatted with another clerk and every few minutes, she asked for another file.

  “Hey Doris, can you pull the file on Colton McClain?”

  Shawn’s eyes bugged. He darted for the office. Lisa looked behind her.

  “Good evening, Captain Hall. How are you today?”

  “Fine… fine…” he said waving her off. “Did I hear you ask for Colt McClain’s file?”

  “Lisa… I checked but he hasn’t had any run-ins since he was in high school.”

  “Doris… Why do you need McClain’s record?”

  “He was arrested this afternoon, along with Randy Ford. Officer Riley booked him.”

  Shawn turned on his heel with a murderous look on his face. Fire burned from his irises. His gaze met Officer Riley’s and as Captain Hall beat a path in his direction, Riley slipped out the door, and jumped in his car. The look on Shawn’s face said it all.

  Slamming his wallet on the counter, “Doris! Consider their bail posted!”

  “Captain?”

  “I have business to tend to,” Shawn said and with that he stormed out of the station and ran for his truck.

  Officer Riley was already gone, but it didn’t matter. Shawn knew what had to happen. Picking up his cell phone, he ignored the missed call notification and immediately dialed Tim’s cell phone.

  Without saying hello, Tim picked up his phone and said, “You aren’t going to believe this shit!”

  “Save it for later. They’re coming.”

  “What?! How do you know?!”

  “McCoy and Riley… They’re in on it.”

  “Are you coming?”

  “Just need to grab my rifle. Tell the girls to stay upstairs.”

  Click.

  ***

  “Hey Jimmy…” said Mick Riley.

  “What do you want?” asked Jimmy with an attitude present in his voice.

  “Got an address for you.”

  As Jimmy scrawled down the address, a malicious smile lit up his face.

  ***

  The light bulb hanging from the basement ceiling went out and Cheyenne sat silent in the dark of the basement with twelve Devils breathing down her back. Trent’s blade pressed into the flesh of her neck and a speck of crimson blood trailed down her neck.

  “You’ll tell me what I need to know… Even if I have to beat it out of you.”

  “I will not give him up. Especially not to you.”

  “He doesn’t love you.”

  “You’re wrong.”

  “Which is why he’s left you to the dogs…”

  “I don’t care. I still won’t give up his location,” said Cheyenne.

  Her hands were bound by rope behind her back. Her fingers were working feverishly to loosen the knots. Her finger nails that had blood caked under the surface scratched at the dull weaving of the rope, slowly tearing through the twine. The blade of Gunnar’s knife penetrated the skin of Cheyenne’s neck. She watched him unmoving, her breath hitched not wanting the blade to cut any deeper. She could just make out the outline of Gunnar and Trent’s silhouettes.

  “Now you can tell us where your boyfriend is…” Gunnar said in his deep Irish brogue.

  Cheyenne laughed.

  “Something funny?”

  Only the fact that you think your tough guy attitude is going to get me to give up Randy.”

  “Hey Trent. Come deal with this one…”

  Here it was. The moment Cheyenne had been waiting for. The final strand of rope had severed as the loose rope unraveled from her wrists. She grabbed the two loose ends and pulled the rope tight. Cheyenne watched as Trent approached her with a smug look on his face. He leaned down to her preparing to backhand her once more, but before he could, he felt the hard scratchy surface of the hard rope pulling tight around his neck. Cheyenne braced herself. She dug a foot into Trent’s stomach while she pulled with all her might. Letting go, she ran dodging the outstretched hands of at least six Devils. Cheyenne stormed up the rickety basement steps and swung the door open where she came face to face with Jimmy. Not wasting a second, she swiped at Jimmy’s face, leaving scratch marks running down his cheeks. Cheyenne ran like hell, a tornado in their wake, turning over chairs and sending glasses crashing to the floor. The debris slowed the Devils down but it wouldn’t stop them entirely. Cheyenne swiped a bronze zippo off one of the tables and set a day old newspaper ablaze. Looking at the Devils she threw it at the bar where several glasses of whiskey sat.

  Bang!

  Shards of glass and wood flew everywhere as the hot burn of the firm spread throughout the room. Cheyenne sought out Trent’s eyes amidst the mayhem. Searching the crowd, she found his dead eyes. He held her glare as he took his first step through the fire. Backing away from Trent, who in that moment looked like the devil himself, Cheyenne tried to run but she was cut off by someone standing in the doorway. Blocking her exit was none other than Dave Grisham – Cheyenne’s step-father. Grabbing her by her hair, Dave pulled tight.

  He whispered in her ear, “You and I have a real fucking problem!”

  Flipping her around to face him, Dave laughed as Trent and Gunnar rebound her wrists and put an old bandana in her mouth to keep her quiet.

  “And what the hell do you propose we do with her?!” Gunnar yelled.

  “Bring her
with us…” Jimmy replied.

  “What?!”

  “For collateral,” Jimmy said as a flicker of insanity flashed across his face.

  “Collateral… Dude, Randy’s in jail.”

  “Do you really expect him to stay there all night? Especially with his uncle still hanging around?”

  “Are you expecting him and Colt to be a problem?”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  Chapter Thirty

  There are casualties in every war. This one is no exception. When tempers flare and guns are drawn, there will be blood – whose remains to be seen. One casualty of this war was apparent. Oakeley, Texas would lose its police captain. Shawn had no doubts about that. Whether Shawn Hall still drew breath in the aftermath still remained to be seen.

  Shawn’s chest heaved with rage as he stripped from his dress shirt. He put his badge on the bureau and tossed the shirt on the laundry pile. He discarded his work pants and removed the gun that was strapped to his ankle. He opened the top drawer of his bureau where normal people kept their socks and underwear. Instead of a pair of socks, Shawn pulled out a fresh magazine and popped it into his gun. Quickly, he returned the gun back to the holster that was strapped to his leg. He pulled off his sweaty t-shirt and swapped it out for a clean one, leaving his bullet proof vest strapped securely across his chest.

  He would need it tonight.

  With a pinched expression on his face, Shawn walked to his gun cabinet and cleared it out. Every rifle, every handgun, ammunition, cartridges, magazines… Whatever Shawn could get his hands on. He dumped it all into a duffle bag. He pulled on a black jacket and bolted for the front door.

  As he crossed the threshold of his apartment, Father Pierce’s words came to mind.

  “Might as well go out with a bang.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “We’ve got a problem,” Tim said to Averi as he hung up the phone.

  Averi looked at her brother with concern. He wasn’t the type to be melodramatic. Tim let out a sigh as he met Averi’s worried gaze.

  “I’m not sure how, but they found us… and they’re coming.”

  “Shit. What are we going to do?!”

  “Uncle Shawn posted Colt and Randy’s bail. They’ll be here soon. Uncle Shawn is also on his way. You and Shelly need to stay up here!”

  “Tim, were sitting ducks!”

  “Tim pulled the shades down and turned off the light.

  “They won’t know you’re here! It’s going to be too bloody for you to be down there, Ave! You’re six months pregnant!”

  “Shelly and I can go to her Momma’s house! We need to go!”

  “No, Ave. You’re not going into Oakeley. Just stay up here and keep quiet. Let us handle this…”

  Averi looked at her brother as he pleaded with her. He had a look of desperation in his eyes. She knew she had to trust him – and she knew she should. After all, he did have military experience. But Averi just couldn’t shake the awful dread she felt. It ravaged her body, shaking her to the core. Something big was about to go down.

  Tim ran downstairs to grab Shelly, his boots stomping loudly down the staircase. Taking advantage of his absence, Averi ran to Colt’s gun cabinet, took out two hunting rifles, including one with a scope and grabbed as much ammo as she could. She tucked the letter from the attorney with the deed into her jacket pocket and peaked out the window to check for any sign of trouble. One thing was certain in the insanity of the moment – if the Seventy Devils did come, Averi had a bird’s eye view, and a crack shot to go with it.

  ***

  Cheyenne was thrown in the back of Gunnar’s truck with her hands and feet bound and her mouth covered with duct tape. The door slammed shut and she could hear the muffled conversation of Jimmy, Trent, Gunnar and Dave. She was to be used as a bargaining tool – a deal she would never stand for. It would be her life for Randy’s. Trent and the Devils would let her live, if Randy willingly gave up his own life. Cheyenne knew in the deepest caverns of her heart that no matter what happened, Trent would never leave her alone – not until the blood was drained from his blackened heart.

  ***

  “Shelly, give me the keys…” Tim pleaded with an outstretched hand.

  “Tim! This is insanity! There’s forty of them and six of us!”

  “We’ve got more coming. I need you and Averi in the attic.”

  “Tim-“

  “No Shelly! Listen to me! They have Cheyenne. Others have gone missing. If they find you and Averi, they will take you and they will hurt you. Stay here in the attic. Averi’s pregnant, you’re scared to death. Please just this once… Listen to me…”

  Reluctantly, Shelly dropped the keys into Tim’s hand and ran upstairs to Averi. Following behind her, Tim peaked in the attic to check on Averi and when he did, his eyes went wide.

  “What the hell are you doing?!” Tim yelled as he eyed Averi poking her rifle out the window.

  She had a bullet proof vest awkwardly strapped to her chest. It didn’t fit well, but it would do the trick. It protected her and the baby. Averi had the barrel of a rifle hanging out the window pointing towards the front gate of the ranch. She kneeled on the floor, her swollen belly hidden under the window frame. The shades were drawn and the gun was not visible from the outside. Averi relied on the scope to provide a visual.

  “I’m ready to pick them off, one by one.”

  “Are you insane?!” Shelly yelled, her face turning ruddy red.

  “Are you?! This is our home! I’ll be damned if these losers are going to destroy it! They already took one home from me…”

  “It’s not the home that I’m worried about, Ave!” Tim yelled.

  “Please, try to think about the baby. You should be sitting down, relaxing.”

  “I AM thinking about the baby… and this baby is going to know his momma doesn’t take crap from anybody! Especially the Devils. Don’t you touch my ammo or my guns, Timothy Ford! I’m your eye in the sky!”

  “You sound like a psycho weatherman! Eye in the sky!” Shelly blurted out.

  Before Averi could reply, a loud bang sounded from the front lawn of the ranch. The front gate had opened, and their nerves were set on edge.

  Jax, who was on the front porch bellowed out, “We’ve got company!”

  Without another word, Tim turned on his heel, slammed the attic door shut and locked the girls inside.

  Shelly stared at Averi with wide eyes. Her fear was evident in her appearance – blanched skin, shallow breath and hands that refused to hold still.

  “I’m scared, Ave…”

  Averi turned to look at her friend. Keeping a stern look on her face she said, “I am too, but the presence of fear doesn’t grant you the liberty of breaking down. Now tighten that jaw and put one of these on,” Averi said throwing a bullet proof vest at Shelly, “I’m gonna teach you how to shoot.”

  “But-“

  “But nothing… It’s our guys down there. It’s not our job to sit up here looking pretty. We need to help defend them.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  “Ford… McClain… You’re free to go. Bail is posted,” Officer Whitman said to Randy and Colt from the opposite side of the bars. He fumbled with his keys, trying to the find the one that opened the holding cell.

  “You’re kidding…” Colt said in a state of shock. He looked up at Officer Whitman from his bench. He was so happy he could have kissed him.

  “Who bailed us out?” Randy asked.

  “Your uncle. He couldn’t stick around, though.”

  The officer’s keys clanked against the lock of the holding cell and as the door groaned open, the other prisoners jeered at Colt and Randy. With a smug smile on his face, Randy waved and said, “About fuckin’ time! Bye, losers!”

  “C’mon, Ford!” Officer Whitman yelled, getting annoyed.

  Colt went to the counter to collect his effects while Randy was ushered from the holding cell, hell bent upon pissing off the other inmates. Colt caught th
e attention of the front desk clerk.

  “Hey Doris… Where’d Shawn go off to in such a hurry?”

  “I don’t know, hun, but it sounded like something was wrong with his niece…”

  “Averi,” Colt said as his eyes glazed over.

  Hitting Randy in the gut, Colt said, “Let’s go.”

  They had to retrieve Colt’s truck from the restaurant parking lot. The pair walked from the police station down Monument Avenue. They passed Colt’s garage, Dr. Tasco’s office and Summer’s, the place where Averi and Shelly liked to enjoy lunch. If it wasn’t for the sense of dread that swirled in the air, it would seem like an ordinary Sunday night. As they passed by the Seventy Devils Headquarters, their fears were confirmed. Dozens of bikers on back of their Harleys revved their motors as they listened to Jimmy Hearns give the battle cry. Standing on the hood of Gunnar’s truck, Jimmy screamed at the top of his lungs.

  “They took our founder from us! What do you plan to do about it?!”

  Forty voices rang out into the night in blood curdling screams, “Avenge him!”

  “Her testimony put him away for two decades! What do you plan to do about that?!”

  “Silence her!”

  Colt had to hold Randy back. He was prepared to lunge towards the crowd.