by Evelyn Glass
Chapter Eighteen
Rachel began to bounce on her toes as tall, dark, and handsome strode down the concourse of the El Paso airport toward her. The moment the man was past the security checkpoint she flung herself into his arms. He caught her and hugged her tight.
“Welcome home,” she sniffed as she hugged William Wallace tight. It had been over three years since she had last seen her brother and she was having a hard time holding her tears.
“Hey… hey, Squirt! No crying,” Will said with a loving smile as she placed her back on her feet and wiped at her eyes with a thumb.
Rachel began to giggle. “Nobody has called me Squirt since you were here last… you’re the only one that still does. Even dad finally quit.”
“Time to revive the family tradition, then, I think. How’s he doing?” Will asked as they walked toward baggage claim.
“He has his good days and his bad. We’ll go see him Sunday.”
“I know it has been tough for you. I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with this by yourself.”
She smiled. “It hasn’t been too bad. He seems happy enough where he is. What I pay him for the bar each month covers his care and leaves a little left over.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah. Uh, Will… there’s another thing. There’s someone I want you to meet. His name is Jules, Julian actually, Rivera. He and I are… dating. You’ll meet him today.”
Will was just about to follow up on that when he spotted his duffle. “There’s my bag,” he said as he stepped through the crowd to grab a large green duffle and another leather suitcase.
“Is that it?” she asked as he stepped out of the crowd.
“That’s it. The rest will arrive in a few weeks.”
“Okay. Let’s go. I have a surprise waiting for you, so wait a second.” Rachel fished her phone out of her purse and pressed the speed dial. “We’re coming out,” she said before she canceled the call and dropped the phone back into her purse.
“What was that all about?”
“You’ll see.”
“How’s the bar?” he asked as they made their way toward the exit, Will allowing Rachel to lead the way.
“It’s doing great! I’m waiting on final loan approval. I’m expanding… adding a restaurant.”
“Congratulations! I worried about it when you took over from dad… but I can see that was a waste of my time. I should have known you would make a go of it.”
“More than just a go of it. You should the place. I have done some more updates since you were here last. Changed the decor, had all the wood in the bar completely refinished. I think you will like it. And…” she added dramatically as they stepped out of the airport.
“Is that granddad’s truck?” Will asked breathlessly as he spotted the pristine 1950 Chevrolet pickup sitting in front of the door.
“It is. I had it completely redone just after you left last year. He’s Not Here paid for it. Think of it as rolling advertisement.”
“Oh my god, Rachel. It’s fantastic. Just look at…” he began then trailed off as he noticed all the men standing about.
“Will, I would like to introduce Todd Webber, President of the Forsaken 99 Motorcycle Club. Todd, my brother, Will Wallace,” Rachel said.
“Nice to meet you, Will,” Todd said stepping forward. “First, speaking on behalf of all of Forsaken 99, I would like to welcome you home. This is my VP, Jules Rivera,” Todd said, making introductions as Jules and Will shook hands. “My Sergeant at Arms, Rich Marshall,” he added, again pausing so the men could greet each other. “My Treasurer, Paul Spencer…” It took a couple of minutes, but Todd introduced each member of Forsaken 99 as the men shook hands.
“Will, it would be our honor to escort you home to Vallecito de Grande.”
Will smiled at the man. At first he was taken aback by the club, but it had only taken a moment before he recognized fellow brothers in arms. “Thank you, Todd. The honor would be mine.”
“Mount up, boys!” Todd called as he circled a finger above his head.
“You want to drive?” Rachel asked Will.
“Would you mind?”
“It’s why I brought it. I thought you would like to see it.”
His face nearly split with his grin as he tossed his two bags into the back. “You know what... you’re okay… for a little sister.”
***
Will and Rachel exited Interstate 30 onto US Highway 90 West. Forsaken 99 was riding 21 bikes in front, 20 to the rear, all proudly flying a small American flag. On the Interstate they had to shout over the wind and motor noise as their un-air conditioned truck battered a hole in the air with the windows down. It was about all the old truck could do to maintain interstate speeds, but now, at the more sedate highway speeds, they could talk more easily.
“What’s up with the Hells Angels?” Will asked as the truck began to whine back up to speed.
“I mentioned to them that you were coming home and they wanted to give you an escort. They are, to a man, ex-military.”
“I noticed. That was Jules that I met? The VP guy.”
“That was him,” Rachel said. She wanted to ask him what he thought of Jules, but with only a “welcome home” and a handshake between them, he wouldn’t have much measure of the man.
“You’re in a biker gang?” he asked with a sidelong glance.
“First off, it’s not a gang. Not like you mean. It’s a club. Secondly, no, I’m not a member of the club. I’m not sure women are even allowed, but even if they were, you have to be ex-military. But they are some of my best customers.”
“So what does, Forsaken 99 was it, do?”
“They're just regular guys. Jules owns a landscaping company. Todd owns a heavy equipment repair shop in town. Spence is the store manager at H-E-B. Like I said, just regular guys.”
“Uh-huh,” he grunted.
“Come on, Will. Just give them a chance, okay? They do a lot of good works in Vallecito.”
“Like what?”
“Well, for example, Jules gives a speech every year to the new eighth grade glass about drugs. They—”
“How to use them?”
“William Wallace! I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”
“Well what do you expect? I come home and find out my sister is hanging out with a bunch of bikers.”
“You don’t know a damn thing about them, so until you do, you can just get off your high horse. I’ll have you know that if it weren’t for Jules—” she stopped before she said too much.
“If it weren’t for Jules, what?”
“Nothing!”
“I’m sorry, okay? You’re right, I shouldn’t judge. I’m sorry. Tell me about Jules.”
She stared out the window as the scenery rolled past, annoyed with Will’s attitude. Forsaken 99 had gone out of their way to provide him with an honor guard, and he didn’t know shit about what they had done for the town. Instead he was judging them because they rode motorcycles.
“I’m sorry, Squirt. Really. You’re—”
“You just lost the right to call me Squirt,” Rachel snapped.
“Rachel. I’m sorry, okay? I was just surprised. I don’t want to fight. Not on my first day back. Forgive me?”
She let him stew a moment. “Okay. But I don’t want to hear any more shit out of you about them until you have at least gotten a chance to know them, okay?”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. Now, about Jules?”
“You promise?”
“Cross my heart,” he said, making the motion with his finger.
“Do you remember how it was? With the drugs and the violence?”
“Yeah. I remember. But it was better the last time I was home.”
“It’s even better now. In the last couple of years things have really changed. Forsaken 99 has, well, cleaned up the town, and kept it clean. After they took on the drug runners and pushed the drug trade out of town, businesses started coming back. People have stopped leaving.
”
“How did they do that?”
“They… do things that the police can’t.”
“Like what?”
“Use your imagination.”
“They kill them?” he asked, his doubt and surprise clear in his voice.
“I think that is a reasonable assumption, though no one but them knows for sure.”
“They’re vigilantes?”
“I suppose you could call them that.”
“And the police don’t stop them?”
“Let’s just say that VGPD and Forsaken 99 have an understanding. If Forsaken 99 keeps their activities out of town, the police don’t meddle in affairs outside of their jurisdiction.”
“Jesus Christ, Rachel! How can you—”
“You promised! You listen to me, William Wallace… Forsaken 99 is the best thing that has ever happened Vallecito! The town is safe, safer now than anytime I can remember. They are a respected part of the community. They work with charities. They donate money and time to help the community, and they don’t ask for shit! If it weren’t for Jules, Fish and Bell I would be fucking dead right now! So if you don’t like it, you can just shove it up your ass!”
She turned and looked out the window again as she wiped at tears, tears of frustration, anger… and sorrow. She knew how much Jules missed Fish and Bell, how hard their death had hit him, and she had felt his pain at their loss. To have her brother come in and begin to judge these men, men who had given their lives for the town, men he knew nothing about… She wiped at her eyes again.
“Rachel… I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Okay? Please? Did I meet Fish and Bell?”
“No. They’re dead. Killed by the cartel. Probably because they, and Jules, killed the gunmen the cartel sent to kill me and everyone else in the bar.”
“Jesus Christ…” Will breathed.
“Yeah… so just fuck off.”
“Rachel… I’m really sorry. I didn’t know. I don’t know what to… You’re right, I don’t know these men. Jules… is that when…?”
“No,” she sniffed. “We were already together before that happened.”
“Rachel. I’m sorry I have upset you. Really. Don’t be mad at me. I promise, not one more word about Forsaken 99 until I have a chance to get to know them. Okay? Forgive me? Again. Please?”
“There is supposed to be a party at the community center in your honor when we get home. Forsaken 99 set it up. But if you are going to be a complete asshole, maybe we should just forget it.”
“No. I would like to meet them… and thank the man that saved my little sister.”
“You can be such a jerk sometimes!” she snapped at him. At least he had the good graces to look ashamed. “Okay. But this is it William. I mean it. Not one more nasty comment from you about them until you’ve had a chance to get to know them and what they have done for Vallecito.”
“You have my word. It’s just a lot to take in. But… you have a good head on your shoulders. If you think they are okay then they probably are. So… tell me about Jules. Known him long?”
“Since he joined, about three years ago. But we didn’t become intimate until… recently. He’s a good man, Will. I think, hope, you will like him.”
Will reached over, took her hand, and gave it a squeeze. “He helped save your life. He has already gone way up in my estimation.”
She softened slightly toward her brother. “He has given so much, Will. He... had a tough tour in Iraq, and then to lose his two best friends like this.”
“Tough tour, how?”
“Not my story to tell. But he is still suffering for it... and yet he still gives everything he has to the club, and by extension, Vallecito.”
“Do you love him?”
Rachel thought over the question. A question she has asked herself more than once over the last couple of weeks. “I don’t know. Maybe. But I do care deeply for him.”
“Does he love you?”
“You would have to ask him.”
He released her hand. “Okay. The fact that you leapt so passionately to his defense, to the whole clubs defense, tells me a lot. I’m sorry for what I said. I should know better but—”
“You always did have a thick head,” Rachel interjected.
“—I always did have a thick head,” Will finished as if that was what he was going to say all along.
“Just give them a chance, Will. That’s all I ask. If you don’t like them after that, then that is your business.”
“Fair enough.”
***
“Rachel tells me you were EOD,” Jules said as he and Rachel escorted Will through the room at the community center. The party was a low key affair, hosted by Forsaken 99 but open to the public to welcome home one of Vallecito’s favorite sons. Forsaken 99, at Jules’s request, was on their best behavior… only members and their old ladies... and only socially acceptable amounts of alcohol consumption.
“Could you tell?” Will asked as he held up both hands with a couple of fingers folded down.
Jules chuckled. “It wasn’t the fingers… it was the sag in your trousers.” Will looked at him curiously. “Big brass ones,” Jules added and then grinned when Will broke into a smile.
“It’s not as dangerous as you think,” Will said, but then leaned in conspiratorially. “But don’t tell the women that,” he said in a stage whisper.
Rachel smiled. Despite Will’s attitude on the drive home this afternoon, he had been nothing but charming with his hosts all evening. Because she wouldn’t leave his side, and Jules was rarely gone from hers, Jules had taken it upon himself to introduce him around and do everything he could to make him feel comfortable with the members of the club. Much to her relief, Will was either an Oscar caliber actor or he and Jules were hitting it off. Having the two men most important in her life getting along would make everything so much easier.
“Had any luck finding anything?”
“Not yet. I’ve got feelers out. Dallas PD has expressed some interest, but no interview yet. The FBI is nothing but a deep black hole. Your resume goes in and is never seen or heard from again. I have applications in at a few other places, but there isn’t a lot of call for my expertise.”
Jules shrugged. “No… probably not. But when you need someone with your skills, you need them bad. Do you have your FEL?”
“FEL?” Rachel asked.
“Federal Explosives License,” Will explained. “Yes. I got all that sorted before I got out. Why?”
“If you’re interested, I might have a little work for you. I won a contract for landscaping in a new high end development that is going up out near the park. Part of what I am doing is building a series of walking trails. I may have to do some light blasting to make the paths wheelchair accessible. I am not licensed, not to mention that I don’t know what I’m doing, but if you are interested…”
Will smiled. “Thanks Jules. Let me know when you are ready.”
“I’m several months out on starting the nature trail. I have a few houses to do first, plus the entrances, rec facilities and the golf clubhouse. But I can show you what I need pretty much any time. Give you a little walking around money at least. Of course, if you don’t mind throwing shrubs around, I could always use another hand. This job is stretching me pretty thin.”
Will grinned. “Thanks, Jules. I may take you up on your offer. Listen, can I ask you something?”
“Sure. What?”
“Rachel was telling me a little bit about what else you guys do. How you helped Vallecito with its drug problem. Is that on the up and up?”
Jules looked at Rachel, who smiled in return and give him a slight nod. “I don’t know what she told you, but we’re just concerned citizens trying to help where we can. Why?” he asked, guarding his words carefully.
“Just wondering. I well remember how it was. There were places in town you just didn’t go after dark.”
“I have been told Vallecito was a pretty rough place, but by the time I joined, the town
was pretty much as you see it now. Like I said, we’re just trying to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
“I also understand that I owe you a special debt of gratitude for saving Rachel’s life.”
