Riggs: Satan’s Fury MC: Memphis Chapter

by Wilder, L.

  Murphy quickly turned, and as soon as he saw our boys on the ground, he roared, “Goddamn it!”

  He rushed over to each of them, checking for any signs of life, but it was clear they were both gone. “Murph … we need to call Gus.”

  Knowing Gus was going to be on the warpath when he heard the news, Murphy sighed as he reached for his phone. I listened as he described what we’d found, and even though I was standing several feet away, I could hear Gus’s reaction as his voice blared through the other end of the phone. Once they were done talking, Murphy put his burner back in his pocket and said, “Gus is sending Gunner over with a couple of prospects to pick up our boys and clean up this mess.”

  I nodded, then started walking further down the alley. I had no idea what I was looking for, but I hoped to find something that might help us figure out who’d killed Spencer and Mayfield. I’d just made it over to Third Street when I saw Boon Franklin sitting in his car. He was one of those guys who was always into something, and when he saw me walking towards him, his face grew pale. In a blink of an eye, he’d started his engine and sped off. Clearly there was something up, so I walked back to Murphy and informed him, “I just saw Boon Franklin parked around the corner, and he took off as soon as he saw me.”

  “Boon Franklin? That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. Who’s he running with these days?”

  “Not sure. Might be worth finding out because something tells me, one way or another, he’s behind this.”

  Turns out I was right.

  It hadn’t taken Riggs long to track him down using his cell phone, and once they ran him down, he and Blaze brought him back to the holding room at the clubhouse. Gus left it up to me to find out everything I could about his involvement with Spencer and Mayfield’s deaths. I stood in the corner smoking a cigarette as I watched him whimper and whine like a wounded animal. I’d been working him over for around four hours and he’d yet to talk, but I wasn’t worried. I was just getting started. By the time I’d gotten done with him, he’d tell me exactly what I needed to know. Without moving from my spot, I growled, “I’m not a man who likes to repeat myself, Boon.”

  “Then, stop asking me about your boys because I don’t know shit. I swear it.”

  I knew he was lying.

  “I think you do,” I told him as I tossed my cigarette to the floor and started towards him. Boon was a big guy, at least six foot four and three hundred pounds; he was playing the tough guy, but I knew he was about to break. It was written all over his face.

  He grimaced when he noticed me getting closer. “I done told you, asshole. I didn’t knock off your boys.”

  “Haven’t you been listening?” I reached my hand into the bucket, and his swollen eyes widened with panic as he watched me pull the rag out of the water. “I never asked you if you killed them. I already know you did. I asked you why.”

  With that, I placed the towel across his face, and while he pleaded with me to stop, I reached down for the jumper cables. I tapped them together to check for an active spark before I placed each end on either side of his head. When I pressed them against the rag, a jolt of electricity surged through his temples, making his entire body grow rigid. After several seconds, I removed the cables, and his body fell completely limp. I lowered the rag from his face, and his eyes trained on mine as he watched me place it back in the bucket. My voice was low and firm as I asked, “Why’d you do it, Boon?”

  I stood there staring at him for a brief second, but when he didn’t answer, I reached for the rag again. After I placed it over his face, he started to thrash from side to side as he tried to break free from his restraints, but it was no use. He wasn’t going anywhere. Ignoring his attempt to free himself, I reached for the cables again, but stopped when he cried, “I can’t take this shit anymore! Jasper ordered the hit. He’s been the one behind them all.”

  And there it was.

  Jasper was a local thug who’d been trying to make a name for himself for years. He’d tried everything from pimping out second-rate prostitutes to starting up his own little drug ring out on the East Side. We all knew he was a piece of shit, but since he’d managed to stay out of our way, we left him alone. That was all about to change. I cocked my eyebrow as I looked down at Boon and calmly asked, “And why would he go and do that?”

  “I don’t know, man. I swear, I don’t. I just know he’s got something going down. He’s paying big money for every one of your guys we take out,” he rambled.

  And the plot thickened.

  I lowered the rag back into the bucket and watched as Boon’s shoulders sagged with relief. The man had taken one hell of a beating. Knowing his life was hanging in the balance, he’d done his best to keep his mouth shut about his new connection with Jasper, but in the end, he was just like all the others—he sang like a canary. I left him bound to his chair as I stepped out of the room and went down the hall to find Gus. It was time to tell him what I’d uncovered. As I walked towards my president’s office, I thought about how much my life had changed since the Culebras came knocking at our door.

  We’d taken a real hit when they came after our territory. They’d chosen Memphis as their startup location for their new meth lab, hoping to distribute their product throughout the southern region by transporting it down the Mississippi River. When they’d first arrived, they’d made it their mission to wipe out any and all competition, and when they’d set their sights on Satan’s Fury, they’d not only destroyed our diner and garage, but they’d also killed two of our brothers, Runt and Lowball. Runt was a good man, and an even better enforcer. His position in the club wasn’t an easy one, but he’d faced adversity head-on, never letting anything get him down. We all knew he wouldn’t be easily replaced. Unfortunately, the club was under attack, and after we’d learned that Terry Dillion, one of our drug runners, had been aiding the Culebras in their pursuit, we brought him in for questioning. We all knew he had information on the Culebras—information the club needed to take them down, and even though it would mean letting the darkness rise to the surface, I knew I had it in me to make Terry talk. Thankfully, I was right. In a matter of hours, I’d gotten him to provide us with the intel the club needed to bring the Culebras down. By doing so, I’d proven myself worthy as the club’s new enforcer, and since then, I’d done everything in my power to live up to Runt’s legacy

  2

  Alex

  I can still remember that first day when I’d come rushing into Hallie’s Books and More to get out of the rain. I was just hoping to catch my breath and dry off, but from the second I walked through the door, I knew I’d stumbled upon something special. I took a step back to inhale that comforting scent of vanilla, then glanced around the room at all the different seating areas scattered amongst the many shelves of books. There were fresh flowers on the tables and beautiful watercolors hanging on the walls, which made the place feel inviting—like the owner actually wanted you to stay a while. I had no idea if that was her true intention, but that’s exactly what I was planning to do as I removed my raincoat and started to look for a place to rest my aching feet. I headed towards the back of the store, relieved to find a small sitting area off to itself. Without even looking at the title, I grabbed a book off the shelf and went to sit down on the rustic sofa. I lowered my bag to the floor, and as soon as I sat down, my entire body melted into the soft cushions. Even in my frazzled state, I immediately started to relax. At first I thought it was just the calming ambiance of the store, but then I realized there was another reason.

  I don’t know how long I’d been sitting there pretending to read when I heard a lady’s gentle voice say, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anyone who was interested in the mystical words of Shelley.”

  Having no idea what she was talking about, I glanced up at the attractive, older woman with a look of confusion and asked, “Sorry. Words of who?”

  A knowing smile spread across her face as she answered, “Mary Shelley. The author of Frankenstein … The bo
ok you’ve been reading for the past hour.”

  I glanced down at the book in my hand and grimaced. “Oh, yeah. Of course. I just wasn’t thinking.”

  “She’s always been one of my all-time favorites.” While I’d never laid eyes on her before, there was something familiar about her, making me feel instantly at ease. Her gray hair was pulled up into a loose bun, and she was wearing a long purple-and-white, tie-dyed hippie dress with open-toed sandals. She had a wrist full of bangles that jingled whenever she moved and eyes that were as blue as the ocean. “But then … I have many favorites. My love for books is why I opened this bookstore.”

  “This is your place?”

  “Has been since the day it opened twenty years ago. Granted, things have changed a lot since then, especially with all the bigger bookstores popping up on every corner.”

  “This place is amazing. Those chain stores can’t begin to compare to yours. Not even close.”

  “You are sweet to say that, but lately my sales are telling me something different.”

  I could hear the disappointment in her voice, and I found myself wanting to help find a solution. Having no clue what I was talking about, I suggested, “You could always try buying and selling used books. That was a big thing back in my home town.”

  She cocked her eyebrow and replied, “Hmmm … You know, that’s not a bad idea.”

  “You never know. It might be worth a try.”

  “I guess it’s something to think about.” She pondered the thought for a moment, then asked, “So, are you new in town? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around these parts before.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I just got here a few days ago.”

  “Well, welcome to Memphis. You need to be mindful of what part of town you’re in. It isn’t safe for a young lady traveling alone around here,” she warned.

  “I’ll be careful,” I assured her.

  “Good.” She lingered for just a moment before she said, “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Everyone calls me Ms. Hallie. If you need anything, just let me know.”

  “Thanks, Ms. Hallie. I will.”

  An hour or so passed, and the store had grown quiet. I considered leaving, but for the first time in days, I actually felt at peace. I nestled back on the sofa and listened to the sound of the storm as I leaned my head back. It wasn’t long before my eyelids grew heavy, and I found myself drifting off to sleep. After all the sleepless nights and the days spent driving, I was beyond exhausted, and it finally caught up with me. I probably would’ve slept through the night if she hadn’t come over to wake me up. When I felt a tap on my leg, I sat up with a startled gasp. I looked up and was completely mortified to find the owner looking down at me with a worried expression. I quickly gathered my things and said, “I am so sorry. I can’t believe I fell asleep like that.”

  “It’s fine, dear. No need to apologize.”