Stormy's Thunder: Satan's Devils MC Utah

by Manda Mellett

Road’s eyes have been flitting between whoever’s talking. I notice his face becoming set. It doesn’t surprise me when he asks, “How are we going to find the woman? Isn’t that our priority?”

  “It is,” Snatcher agrees. “But finding Gun, and who if anyone is behind him, could be the key.”

  Honor’s frowning. He leans in and whispers to Duty, who nods. “Stormy said her photos were taken and obviously advertised to find a buyer. We’re volunteering to try to tackle that angle first.”

  “And I’ll look for Jeffrey Morgan, or Gun as he calls himself,” Bolt offers. “Between us we should come up with something.”

  “Want someone to go try and find the place where he held Stormy?” Goofy asks.

  “Nah. He’ll know Stormy’s gone and will think the place has been compromised,” Thor dismisses the idea.

  “I’ll help wherever I’m needed,” I put in.

  Snatcher’s been following the discussion closely. Again his eyes stare straight ahead. “Pip, you going to start with your contacts?”

  “Sure, Prez. There seems to be a link between what happen to get Stormy kicked out of the SEALs, and Kincaid’s attempt to get me. I’ll start asking questions.”

  Snatcher raises and dips his head, then frowns. “I think it’s time I put a call into Drummer.” No one disagrees, but I doubt anyone envies him.

  When he picks up the gavel to end the meeting, Mystic raises his hand. “I’ll get the plane ready and fuelled, and Prez, it goes without saying. Whatever you want us to do,” he glances one side to Grinch, then at his other to Goofy, “We’ll be there.”

  Grinch butts in. “What are we going to do about Stormy?”

  “Find his woman,” I say sharply. “Take things from there.”

  Snatcher raises his chin toward me approvingly. “The woman comes first as always.” When Bolt snorts he glares at him, and without missing a beat continues, “Just like in every mission. We concentrate on the victim.” This time he does bang the gavel. “We’ve got work to do. Let’s fuckin’ get to it.”

  “Road?” I ask as he passes by my chair. “Could you check in on Stormy? See that he’s okay?” I know it’s a big ask. There was never any love lost between them, nor to be honest, between Stormy and me. But I’d picked up that Cat was a woman about whom he really cared. Maybe it’s because I know how much loving Road has changed me, that I’m now feeling some sympathy toward the man.

  “Sure.” Without me saying a word, Road seems to understand. Briefly his hand cups my cheek. “Loving a woman can change a man.”

  And a woman. I’m not weaker by admitting how much Road means to me. It gives me hope that a new improved Stormy has come home—as long as we find his woman unharmed. If we don’t, who knows what version of the ex-SEAL we’ll end up with.

  I go to the comms room, sit myself in front of my laptop and two monitors. Checking with Duty and Honor, I start delving into the horrors hidden in the depths of the internet ordinary people never venture into.

  Some of our work is distressing. While Bolt and I had been out in the field in San Diego, Honor, Duty and Piston had spent their time watching paedophiles abusing children in order to track the users and photographers down. I’ve a strong stomach, but even mine often turns at some of the things we have to see.

  Bolt shoots me the photo from Catherine Beeswick’s driver’s licence. I check where the others are searching, and start putting some feelers out of my own.

  It’s easy to lose track of time when you’re delving into the dark web. One thread you’re following may start to unravel, and you commence another with more expectation. I lose all sense of everything as I click my mouse and my fingers tap out commands.

  “Hey.” A voice sounds in my ear, and a familiar hand rests on my shoulder. Swinging around, I find Road standing there. He nods at the man I’d asked him to look after.

  Stormy’s precariously balanced on a stick I recognise, it’s an old one of Road’s that he’s no longer got need for. Even with it Stormy seems unstable, his face pinched and white.

  “Couldn’t keep him locked down,” Road tells me, loud enough for my companions to hear and for Stormy to shrug almost sheepishly.

  “You should be resting,” Honor tells him. “You aren’t any help here. Road, what the hell are you thinking bringing him down?”

  Road glares over the desk. “I was going crazy when Swift got taken. He needs to know what’s going on.”

  “We’re not exactly sitting with our thumbs up our asses.” Duty glares at Stormy.

  Instead of belligerence that I half expect, Stormy’s voice holds more than a hint of pleading and a heap of distress. “I need to find her. I know there’s not much I can do. But fuck, it’s down to me Gun took her.”

  “How do you figure that?” I ask. “He went to visit her. He wasn’t looking for you.”

  “Without me there, Gun would have probably questioned her, found out what I had about Tiny. That she’d booked the Airbnb but had no other involvement. That he took her was because of his suspicions about me, and to taunt me. I…” He swallows, and when he sways, Road grabs a spare chair and encourages him to take the weight off his one leg doing all the work. “I tried to deny she meant anything to me, but he didn’t buy it.”

  It makes sense. “That you were there with her made her a person of interest. And there are not many men who’d stand by and let a woman be hurt. I’ve played poker with you Stormy, I doubt you gave anything away and made matters worse.”

  Honor eyes are narrowed and focused on Stormy. “You didn’t fuck up and make Gun do anything he hadn’t already planned, I’m certain of that, Storm. But Gun clearly didn’t like you being there which is why Pip’s trying to track back and find out how Gun could be involved, and whether that goes back to Afghanistan. Maybe you can help more by being his sounding board and filling in any gaps Pip’s found?”

  It’s a good idea, logical. But Stormy doesn’t seem impressed. “I, er, I want to be here. Trying to find her. My head is fucked, there are probably details I can’t remember or use to put two and two together. Whether it’s because of my injuries or that I’m so fuckin’ scared of what’s happening to her. I can’t think straight to help, but I trust you.” His eyes go to Honor, continue to Duty, then land on Bolt, Piston and finally myself. “I trust you. I know you’ll move heaven and earth to get her back.”

  He trusts us. Words I didn’t expect to come out of his mouth.

  We’ll find her if it’s humanely possible, and if she’s in the country. If she’s already south of the border that will make our lives more difficult. Especially considering the time she’s been missing. But I don’t mention that. It wasn’t Stormy’s fault he’d stayed in a coma, though I’m certain he’ll blame himself for being unconscious.

  Honor sits back, putting his hands behind his head. “Seeing as you’re here, tell me about Cat. Anything might help us to identify the person who has her.”

  It’s not beyond how we normally work. Stormy places his left hand on the table and furrows his brow. “She’s a natural redhead, gorgeous auburn hair and startling green eyes. She’s freckled, pure white complexion with rosy cheeks.”

  “Her photograph shows that, Stormy, but what’s she actually like? Is she sexually expressive, or shy? What kind of person would she appeal to?”

  There’s a flare in Stormy’s eyes as if the question is intrusive, but soon the light dies. “She’s shy. She’s not had many sexual partners. She’d stand up for herself, but wouldn’t be aggressive. She’s…” he shrugs again, and adds inadequately, “she’s nice. Normal. The girl-next-door type. She’s the kind to give an asshole like me a chance.”

  It makes me wonder why they clicked. If I’d thought about it, I’d have imagined a person for Stormy would be active sexually, stunningly attractive, and probably more along a male line of himself. That he’s fallen for someone who sounds his opposite is surprising. But maybe that’s why it’s worked. Maybe he needed normal.

  For a momen
t the only sound is the clicking of keys as everyone gets back to work. Having been lying on my feet, App stands and repositions himself, trying to get comfortable.

  “Who’s that?” Stormy asks, as the movement catches his eye.

  “Oh, it’s App, my hearing dog.”

  I thought he’d scowl, see it as a weakness, but he surprises me when he nods responds with just one word.

  “Cool.”

  “I’ve got a location for Gun,” Bolt interjects suddenly, and all eyes go to him. “It’s a place buried under several aliases, but I’m pretty certain it’s the Jeffrey Morgan we’re looking for.

  “Local?” Honor asks, optimistically.

  Bolt shakes his head. “Halfway between Flagstaff and Phoenix. About five hours riding from here.”

  Which would at least tally with the area where Stormy escaped from.

  “Can we get our Tucson brothers to check it out?” They’d be much closer, and I have to say, after seeing how San Diego could handle themselves I’m fairly certain we could trust them to get the job done. Of course, if Drummer, Wraith, Blade or Peg got involved I wouldn’t have any doubts.

  “I’ll go speak to Snatcher.” Bolt stands.

  “I’m coming with you.” Stormy tries to push himself up but he hasn’t got a handle on using the stick yet and if Road hadn’t been there to catch him, he’d have crashed to the floor.

  I’m surprised he’s managing as well as he can, it must be his desire to see his woman safe that keeps him defying physical laws. He can’t go on like this. I decide to take charge. Standing I round on him. “You sit yourself the fuck back down, or I’ll take you back to the hospital myself and have you chained to the bloody bed. You’re fucking lucky we’re letting you sit in on this. Just be honest, man. You can’t even stand let alone ride a bike. This is one time you need to trust us to have your back.”

  It’s like watching a tyre deflating as all the fight goes out of him. “I know,” he says, and fuck me, but there are tears in his eyes.

  Going over, I crouch down beside him and take his good hand in mine, just like I had for the past three weeks when I’d been with him in the hospital. “We’ve got this. We’ll find her.”

  Road rests his hand on my shoulder. “You can depend on us,” he tells him firmly. “It’s what we do. You know that.” He waves to indicate Honor and Bolt, and then down at me. “You’ve got the best in the business at your back.”

  The door opens and in walks Cowboy. He’s carrying a tray laden with sandwiches, BLT if I’m not mistaken. He leaves them in the middle of the table. His eyes soften as they land on Stormy, he knows what it’s like to lose someone close, and in his case, he’s never recovered.

  “Pip’s going to need to talk to you,” he tells him. “He’s found out some shit that might have started all this.”

  “Pip the target?” Stormy asks.

  Cowboy raises his chin. “Could be. Kincaid wanting revenge for personal reasons was one thing. Kincaid being used to get close to Pip to deliver him to someone else is another. That’s Pip’s thinking right now. He just doesn’t know how the pieces fit together.”

  Road’s phone suddenly appears in his hand. He reads a text, then touches Stormy’s uninjured arm. “Snatcher wants to talk to you.” Stretching out his hand he helps Stormy to his feet and waits until he’s balanced. “I’ll come with you to his office just so you don’t fall the fuck down.”

  28

  Stormy…

  Feeling as weak as a kitten I accept Road’s help. He opens the door to Snatcher’s office, with a steadying hand on my arm. When I’m settled in a chair, he props the stick against the desk, and leaves with just one instruction.

  “Give me a shout when you need to go anywhere.”

  His offer surprises me. Before he’d never have given me the time of day. I suppose his sympathy is because he knows what it’s like to cope with injuries such as mine. I hadn’t been that way with him, in fact I’d dismissed him as a waste of space. Cat would be disappointed in me. She might not be here, but she’s taken up residence in my mind.

  Belatedly I notice the phone sitting face up on the middle of the desk, but my attention is drawn to it when Snatcher speaks, not to me, but into the device.

  “Stormy is with me now, Drummer.”

  Fuck. I’d hoped we’d find Cat and I’d get myself straight with Utah before having to talk to the mother chapter prez, or at least be feeling stronger. I’d expected Snatcher would ask for help in checking the Arizona address on the excuse we were tracking down an anonymous girl. But he’s clearly come clean to Drummer.

  “So the lost sheep has returned. I hear you’re something of a miracle,” Drummer remarks drily. “And that you’ve been hiding out with a girl.” He chuckles softly. “There’s always a fuckin’ woman at the bottom of it.”

  “I shouldn’t have left, Drummer.” I dive straight in. “But I’ve been running on anger for many years now. It was when I met Cat and stopped for a moment, things became clearer.”

  “I get that,” Drummer says. “First things first, we find your girl. You were a brother even if you’re not one now, and family matters. I might have issues with you Stormy, shit that needs to be resolved, but I lost Sam once so I know how you feel. I’ve got Blade, Peg, Rock and Marvel heading north as we speak. It’s only a ninety minute ride from us, so they should have something soon. Mouse is contacting Honor to see if there’s anything he can do from our side.”

  Even if I had the strength to argue there’s nothing I can object to. I might not be able to be there myself, but I’ve met Peg, the sergeant-at-arms and Blade, Tucson’s enforcer and despite not showing it at the time, have a lot of respect for them.

  “If Gun’s not there, will you search the house? There may be paperwork, anything.”

  “Already asked my boys to do that,” Drummer confirms, his tone making me suspect if I could see him he’d be rolling his eyes.

  “Drummer, I…”

  “As I said. We’ll concentrate on finding your woman, anything else comes after that. I heard that you were unexpectedly delayed in reporting her missing. I’m sorry to hear about that.”

  Last time I’d seen Drummer he was spitting nails at me. Again, my eyes feel watery which must have something to do with me being so weak. Cat deserves their help, I don’t deserve anything myself. As for his reference to me staying unconscious for three weeks, well I can’t take pleasure in that. If Cat’s not found alive, I would prefer that I’d died.

  “I’ll keep in touch, Snatcher. And let you know what Blade and the boys find.” Drummer ends the call without uttering goodbye.

  Snatcher eyes me for a moment. There’s something in his expression that has me asking, “What?”

  His mouth quirks. “The doctor warned Swift you might have brain damage. Seems like you have. You’ve come back with a personality transplant. I’m just wondering whether it will last.”

  I don’t take offence. It’s probably something that in his position, I would also query. “It’s all Cat.”

  His brow furrows but he says nothing further. I guess he’s wondering whether I’ll revert to my previous form if we’re unable to find her. I don’t offer my thoughts, I think I’ll be worse.

  “Then we better find this woman of yours. Oh, Pip wanted to see you.”

  I reach for the stick, but it falls over. My eyes close and I count to ten, seems my impatience is hiding and not completely gone.

  With a sigh, Snatcher gets up and comes around the desk. “Let me help.”

  I want to tell him I’m perfectly capable of getting up myself—if I can’t, how am I going to rescue Cat when we get word of where she is? But I know I’m unable to. I mutter something like thank you when he hands me my stick and helps me to stand. But almost fall, forgetting I cannot put weight on my broken leg.

  Damn it! I’m going to have to call Road for help. I refused to get back in the wheelchair earlier, preferring to get around by myself, but hell, I’ve got to swallow
my pride and admit my body is still broken, though not beyond repair. I’ve just got to give myself time. Time Cat hasn’t got.

  “Let’s get you to Pip,” Snatcher says in a matter-of-fact voice.

  He’s helping me himself?

  Pushing down my misplaced pride, I let him take my weight as we exit his office and move to the smaller one Pip had been assigned when he gave up his position to Snatcher.

  Entering, Pip stands and comes to help me into a chair. Fuck, how I hate being so useless.

  He raises his chin toward Snatcher. Once the prez has closed the door, addresses me. “You want anything, Stormy? Water?”

  “Water, please.”

  He gets a bottle from the fridge, twists off the top and puts it on the desk in front of me. Then without asking questions about my health as he probably knows all he’d hear is a lie, he gets straight down to business.

  I don’t want to be here. I want to be out looking for Cat. Fuck knows, if Pip wants to pick my brain I’ve got nothing for him. All I can think of is finding the woman I love, hoping against hope I won’t be too late. But the damage that Gun had done was more than enough to ensure that I was going nowhere.

  Instead my nightmare had become my life. I’m depending on others to do what I should be doing myself.

  The only difference being, is deep down I trust them. That’s why I came back, that’s why I apparently defied physical laws to do the impossible and ride a bike. Because there’s only one team I need at my back, the Satan’s Devils MC.

  Why have I changed? It’s not down to me, it’s down to Cat. It all comes back to that one revelation of hers which I haven’t been able to get out of my head. That I wasn’t solely responsible for Pooh’s death.

  He could have persuaded me to leave the kids there. Perhaps he’d been the only man who could have done. But he’d not said a word.

  “You said Gun didn’t know you were part of the MC, hence there’s no connection between he and I in your mind. So I’ve been thinking about why Gun was so interested in coming across you. The only link is Afghanistan, and what happened there,” Pip says, “I’m presuming you had no contact with him since?” He notes the shake of my head, retakes his seat behind the desk, and rubs his temples thoughtfully. “You don’t know this, but when I first learned about your case, I pulled strings and got Smythe chained behind his desk.”