Bowie

by KJ Dahlen

  Shayna shook her head. “He won’t be back, not here. He’ll send one of his kids in to finish what he started.”

  One cop looked over at her. “One of his kids, Miss?”

  “My uncle is a rather nasty individual. He recruits kids off the street to do his business. He gives them a home and teaches them to steal for a living.”

  The cop cocked his head to one side. “They booked two young boys in kiddy jail last night for attempted murder. Were they involved with your uncle?”

  Shayna nodded. “Benjy and Orrin. They were here trying to kill Danny and me. Sean was afraid we’d talk before he would get out of town.” She looked up at Mountain. “Another reason my uncle hasn’t left town yet, is he needs a big score. He sent me to your shop to find a way in, he figures you hold a lot of money in your safe and he wants it, badly.”

  “You told us all of this, why are you telling us again?” Mountain asked.

  “Because Sean is also a very stubborn man. You crossed him and he isn’t likely to forget that. He’ll come for your safe now and he’ll go through anyone he has to in order to get to it.”

  His brother joined them and asked, “We have family living next door to the shop. Would he hurt them?”

  Shauna shrugged. “Sean usually has a plan. When he moves into a town, he takes a day or so to look around and set up the business he wants to hit. He noticed yours because you do a lot of cash business and he likes shiny cars. He fell in love with the silver Nash in the shop. He would also steal the tools. They fence good money as well. So, he sent me in to find a way in and out. Then yesterday, he upped the timetable. He was going to hit your place tomorrow then you caught me and Benjy ran back to tell him the news.” Shayna shrugged. “I think he might go in himself now. He’s got to get a lot of money in a short amount of time and he’s got to have a clean car to get away in. You guys have both.”

  “And he doesn’t care that we’re part of an MC club?”

  Shayna shook her head. “I told him that when he first told me he wanted your business as his target. That it was way too risky. He didn’t care then and now...now you crossed him and he has a score to settle.”

  “What is your uncle capable of?” Mountain asked.

  “Anything. He’s capable of anything. Murder, assault, blackmail...anything.”

  Mountain swore under his breath and reached for his phone. He walked down the hall as he made the call.

  One of the cops walked away to make his own call.

  The doctor came down the hall making his rounds. He paused looking from one group of people to the other. “Do I want to know what’s going on here?” he finally asked. Pointing at Shayna he said, “You should be resting. You got stabbed yesterday.”

  “I’m fine and I wanted to see my brother. My uncle got in here last night and I wanted to see for myself that Danny was ok.”

  The doctor nodded. “I’m well aware of that fact. He kept my colleges busy.”

  Shayna rolled her eyes. “Yeah he’s a prince that way.”

  Mountain returned to the group. “I got the brothers to watch over the shop and our families are going to the compound until we catch your uncle.”

  Shayna sighed heavily. “Do we have to call him any part of my family? I really hate that man and he returns the favor.”

  Just then, a group of men turned the corner and walked down the hall toward them. Two of the men were very well dressed in suits and ties. Deke was with them as was another man wearing a badge on his belt.

  They were followed by several much larger men.

  Shayna glanced at them with wide eyes then turned to Bowie, moving closer to him. “Who are these guys?” she whispered nervously.

  Bowie nodded at the two men in suits. “Leon and Calderone Vincinti. The badge is Lance Sullivan. The rest of the men are Leon’s bodyguards.” Then he glanced at her. He could see how upset she was. He wrapped her close to him and whispered, “What’s going on? Why are you so afraid? They aren’t going to hurt you.”

  “I can’t tell you,” she whispered back.

  “What can’t you tell me?” He frowned.

  “One of those men is Ronnie Silver,” she whispered low.

  Bowie stiffened. Without looking he asked, “Which one?”

  “I don’t want him to know I recognized him.” She shook her head. “I’m in enough trouble with Sean. I don’t need the mob after me as well.”

  Bowie cupped her jaw on both sides and raised her face to look at her. “Sweetness, no one here is going to hurt you but Leon needs to know he has a snake in his nest. Deke told us last night Leon’s never heard of Ronnie Silver. That’s why he’s here. He wants to know what you know.”

  Shayna groaned. “I can’t.”

  Bowie held her head up. “You can. Me and my brothers are here to protect you. You can trust us. We won’t let you down or walk away from you. We won’t leave you out there by yourself.”

  Shayna searched his eyes and found something she’d never had before, the promise of hope. Taking a deep breath, she finally told him, “Ronnie is the one with the gold tie.”

  Bowie lowered his lips to hers. Shayna felt the zing of desire but before it went any further, he broke the light kiss.

  Tucking her under his arm, he turned to face Leon and Calderone. Holding out his hand, they shook hands before Leon turned his attention to Shayna. Holding out his hand, he took hers and brought her close to him. Leon’s dry lips briefly touched her cheek before he drew away. “I think we need to talk, child.”

  Bowie had a word with his brothers then turned and walked down the hall to an empty room. Leon and Calderone followed him along with his bodyguards. They formed a barrier around the room. The one she knew as Ronnie Silver tried to step inside but Bowie shut the door in his face. The look of rage crossed his features but he was powerless to do anything other than to turn and stand guard outside the room.

  Shayna walked over to the corner of the room and stood against the wall. Crossing her arms over her stomach, she kept watch on Leon and Calderone.

  Bowie came to stand beside her but he didn’t touch her.

  Leon spoke quietly, “My girl, when Deke called me last night he told me some outrageous things. I have never charged anyone in Boston for protection and certainly not using the name Ronnie Silver. In fact I’ve never heard that name before.”

  Shayna kept silent.

  “I have however known about this Brody Alkins and his group of thieves. They are a pain in my ass and I couldn’t have been more than happy to hear that Axel Adrick got caught and was sent to prison. How are you involved with that group anyway?” Leon asked.

  “Axel is my grandfather,” Shayna finally told him. “Danny and I went to live with him when our parents died ten years ago. Mom was estranged from her family and we were living in Maine when they died. Axel claimed us as family and we came to live with him.”

  “Were you taught to steal as well from your grandfather?” Calderone asked.

  She nodded.

  “How did you learn of this man Ronnie Silver?” Leon asked.

  “Ronnie Silver came to Brody and demanded his cut of Brody’s business. At first, Brody didn’t want to pay him then Ronnie got a hold of one of Brody’s best runners. He damn near killed that kid just because he could.”

  Leon glanced over to Calderone and shook his head. Turning back to Shayna he asked, “Did you ever see this man, Ronnie Silver? I’ve never heard of him before but I assure you I do not condone his actions and the fact that he claims to run the family in the city I need to know who he is.”

  Shayna began to tremble as she stared at the white-haired man in front of her. Bowie stepped closer and lent her his strength. Finally, she slowly turned her head and stared at the man staring back at her through the window. She didn’t have to say a word, the look on his face said enough.

  Calderone threw the door open and dragged the man inside the room. “You? It was you?” he snarled as he threw the man to the floor. The man reach
ed for his weapon but Calderone beat him to it. He pulled his own weapon and shoved it into the other man’s face. “If you do more than just breathe I will blow you away,” Calderone threatened. “Why? Why would you betray us like this?”

  The man shrugged. “You and your father were getting soft. You were Family. Mob and you’re getting soft. The people of the city no longer feared you, they no longer respected your position. You were allowing men like Brody Alkins and Axel Adrick to run the streets. They were training children to steal. Children! That should have never been tolerated. But you allowed it. You turned your back on the true mission of the Family.”

  Calderone pushed the gun in his hand deep into the other man’s cheek. The vien in his forehead throbbed as rage filled his eyes.

  Leon placed his hand on his son’s shoulder and held him back.

  The man on the floor scoffed. “You see what I mean? He won’t let you kill me because he’s going soft.”

  Leon smiled. “I won’t let him kill you in public. A hospital is more public than the situation warrants. Death is the least you deserve and we will give you that but it will not be an easy death. As you say, if one of my own thinks we have gone soft, others might as well. You will be the example to the world that I am not a fool and I have not grown soft. But we have questions to ask before we kill you and you will answer them.”

  Calderone reached down and assisted the man to his feet. Wrenching his hands behind his back, he ripped off his gold tie and wrapped it around his wrists. He pushed him up against the wall and removed the gun in its hostler at the small of his back and then he reached down and took out his second gun on his ankle. Pushing into the man’s front pocket, he took out a blade. He handed the weapons off to Bowie.

  He was about to push the man off when Shayna called out, “You might want to check his wrists. He always carries another blade up his sleeve. I think it’s on his right side.”

  The man snapped his head around to snarl at her. “Who the fuck are you and how do you know so much about me?”

  Calderone didn’t bother asking her how she knew but when he searched the man’s wrists, he found the blade she was talking about. He raised the other man’s arms so high, the man screamed out in pain. When he removed the hidden sheath, he threw it across the room. Then Calderone drew back his fist and let it fly. The man went down as soon as he was struck. His mouth and nose were split wide open as blood stained his lower jaw dripping down to the white of his shirt.

  “What was his name?” Bowie asked.

  “His real name was Ricky Cooper,” Calderone told them.

  Shayna snapped her head around and stared at the man on the floor. She groaned and slid down the wall.

  Bowie and Calderone looked surprised at her action.

  Bowie knelt down so he could look at her. “Shayna, what wrong?”

  She looked at him sadly. “You never asked me my last name, did you?”

  Bowie frowned and shrugged. “I didn’t need it. Why? What is your last name?”

  “My name is Shayna Marie Cooper. My mom was Harley Adrick and my father was Aaron Cooper. My dad had two brothers, Ricky and Dane. Dane died five years ago in a fire that was deliberately set. The police always claimed it was his own brother who set the fire but they could never prove it. His body was so badly burned they couldn’t tell what really killed him. Nothing ever sticks to Ricky Cooper. My parents left both sides of the family because they were crooks and killers. After they died, my grandfather brought us back down to Boston and taught me everything he knew my mother would hate. He used to tell me this would kill my mother but he made me learn it anyway. He felt this sort of made up for what she’d done to disgrace her family.”

  Bowie looked disgusted. “Your mother disgraced her family because she wouldn’t become a thief?”

  Shayna nodded. “He used to tell me I made up for my mom because I became an exceptional thief.”

  Leon walked over to her and held out his hand.

  She looked up and him and reached out to put her hand in his.

  He helped her to her feet then he told her, “You went against everything your grandfather ever taught you when you told Deke about this Ronnie Silver person didn’t you?”

  Shayna nodded.

  “You betrayed them and your own uncle to bring this situation to our notice and yet you told us, why?”

  She turned her head and glanced at Ricky. “He was going to take over your position. He was getting together with Brody and they were setting up your deaths. After Brody did the home invasion, he was going to step into your shoes and claim Boston. There would have been no one to step in to stop him. Murder is just wrong any way you slice it. I may be a snitch but I’m no killer. I wanted no part of that plan. I wasn’t part of it but I couldn’t let it happen either, if I got the chance to stop it. I got the chance today.”

  Leon smiled. “I’m so glad you feel that way. Me and mine will take care of Brody and Ricky, you don’t have to worry about them. We will dig out their associates as well. We will clean house and anyone associated with this plan will suffer my wrath.” He turned to Ricky. “He thought I was getting soft? Well, he’ll be the first one to realize I’m anything but soft.” Then he turned and walked to the door. Letting his men in, he issued orders to take Ricky back to Boston. They were under orders to get him there alive and to put him in a cage until he got back.

  Shayna watched as they dragged Ricky out of the room. She watched as Leon and Calderone left the room and walked down the hall.

  Then Bowie led her back to Danny’s room.

  There were more brothers standing there as well as more officers.

  Deke saw them coming and broke away from the group. He stared at Shayna. “Your uncle has been a busy guy.”

  She groaned. “Do I even want to know?”

  “He firebombed the shop shortly after dawn this morning,” Deke announced.

  Shayna gasped and her legs got weak. She leaned against the wall for support.

  “Luckily, we were warned and we got everyone out of the area. No one was hurt but they could have been,” Deke assured her. “Women and kids live next to the shop and they could have been killed.”

  Bowie growled. “Leon found his man Ronnie Silver. One of his own bodyguards. Oh, and it turns out he’s Shayna and Danny’s uncle. He also murdered his own brother.”

  “I think he also killed my parents,” Shayna told them.

  “What?” Deke asked.

  “The car accident wasn’t an accident. Their car was forced off the road. I got a peek at the driver before the car rolled but I couldn’t remember his face until I saw it again today. Ricky forced our car off the road. He hit us so hard, our car rolled four times before it stopped.”

  “Jesus Christ.” Deke swore under his breath. Running his finger through his hair, he glared at Shayna. “Do you have any other relatives you need to tell us about?”

  Bowie grunted and looked angry at this remark.

  Shayna looked at him while shaking her head. “No I think that’s enough don’t you?” She pushed away from the wall that was holding her up and walked down the hall.

  Bowie grabbed Deke’s arm and growled at him, “That was unnecessary.”

  “I know,” Deke admitted. “I’ll apologize but you have to admit something here. There’s a lot we don’t know about her and everything coming to light looks bad.”

  “She can’t help who her family is just like you and I can’t.” Bowie pointed out.

  “Are you sure you still want to claim her? After all of this?”

  “More than ever now,” Bowie stated. “Did someone ask you if you wanted your woman? No matter where she came from or what trouble she brought with her that wasn’t her fault?”

  Deke looked furious for a moment as he stepped close to the large man.

  His father had been leaning against the far wall and he came over to try to settle this down. Bones looked troubled by this argument. “Deke... You know, he’s right. Same goes for
my woman. She had a killer after her and a rotten family as well. Lay off, son.”

  Deke let out a sigh as he shook his head.

  Bowie glared at Deke, despite him being the president of the bastards. “That girl has never known what family really means. Maybe she knew it when her parents were still alive but ten years with her other family has wiped out whatever she once knew. Now, this poor kid Danny is all she has left and I’ll be damned if she’s gonna lose him too.” He walked away from Deke and joined her at the door to Danny’s room.

  She couldn’t go inside, so she just watched the boy lying there.

  Bowie wrapped his arm around her shoulder and didn’t say a word.

  Chapter Seven

  The doctor joined the group outside Danny’s hospital room. He took note of the extra officers but didn’t say anything. He did come over to Shayna and smiled when he looked at her. “I have some good news this morning.”

  Shayna sucked in a deep breath and looked hopeful for the first time in days. “What would that be? I could use some good news.”

  “Well, your brother showed more brain activity during the night so we backed off on his medication a bit. We wanted to bring him out of the coma we had him in.” He smiled again. “He’s almost awake.”

  “Is he going to be okay then?” she barely whispered her hope.

  “We’re hoping so.” He admitted. “I had a friend of mine look over his x-rays. You told me he’s been in some severe pain lately and I wanted to know why if he was paralyzed.” He tapped his folder. His lips tightened and his eyes frowned. “Do you know what his original diagnosis was? After the accident I mean?”

  Shayna shook her head. “We lived in a small town called Bath. I was young at the time and never knew what was really said.”

  The doctor nodded. “I found your brother’s old medical records. They do indicate a paralization was present at the time, but if your family had followed up they would have found your brother was partially healed.”

  “What are you saying?” She frowned with confusion.