My eyes gleam. “You going to take someone on the back of your bike?”
“Didn’t get it for anything else.” He smirks.
“Got anyone in mind?”
My stomach churns with excitement when he answers, “Sure have. And stop playing games, Jay. You know there’s only ever going to be one girl on the back of my bike.”
I have to remember that means something to him. Now it’s my turn to look down at our joined hands. “Pal, I…”
“Jay. Not asking you to commit to anything. Told you that before. But I know I want you riding up behind me. Not going to push you for anything more.”
I’ve got butterflies in my stomach, but my internal analysis doesn’t help me understand why. Is it the thought of riding on his bike? Or, the realisation of how significant that is to a biker.
“Pal, you won’t take anyone else, will you?”
“Thought I just told you that.” He looks exasperated. “You can trust me Jay. I know it was easier back in Tucson. Here, apart, it’s harder. But there’s never going to be anyone else riding behind me. And I won’t be going with the whores. I promise you that, babe.”
As he stares at me so earnestly, I have to believe him. Perversely, I begin to feel guilty. “But is that fair, Pal? I’m making you wait, when I’m not sure I’ll ever be ready.”
“Haven’t I told you before? I don’t care how long it takes, and if it never happens, I’ll deal with it.” His brow scrunches. “Seeing you with another man wouldn’t be easy, but I’d step away, Jay. I just want you to be happy. Fuck knows, you deserve that.”
What I don’t deserve is him. “Pal, I might never be ready for you or any other.”
He stretches out his hand across the counter, laying it gently against my cheek. I lean into his touch. “I think you will, Doll. But we’ll take things slowly. No need to twist the throttle just because we’ve got more freedom now.”
I don’t disillusion him, but with Moira as my babysitter, I’ve doubts I’ve got much more liberty than I had in Tucson. As I watch him drain his beer, a thought comes to me. We’d started off as teenagers having fun, him nineteen, me five years younger. We joked, laughed, played pool. Swam in the pool back in Tucson. Gradually he became my confidant. Without me noticing, our relationship has been gradually changing. Perhaps if I just let it run its natural course, we’ll either end up together or, he’ll give up waiting. But either way he’s right. No reason to speed up now. We don’t need to take advantage of our new situation.
“So nothing needs to change?”
“Your pace, your needs, Doll. I’ll be here and will be whatever you want.”
But for how long?
“You looking forward to starting school? Getting back to normal?”
It’s Paladin, no reason to put on a brave face. “Not really. I won’t know anyone, and I’ll be a new girl. I’ll be in a lower grade than others my age, and I won’t want to tell anyone why.”
“Hey, Doll. You’re beautiful and intelligent. Might have fallen back on some of your schooling, but you’ve a good fuckin’ head on those shoulders of yours. They’re going to love you.”
I have no illusions about how cruel teenagers my age can be. Find a weakness and pick up on it.
“Hey, first day of semester, how about I take you there on the back of my Harley? Make a grand entrance and a point that you’re under the Devils’ protection.”
I grin. “And, a point that I’m taken? My boyfriend dropping me off?”
He chuckles, “Doll, you see right through me. Thought I was hiding it better than that.”
I don’t mind. I don’t want to fend off unwanted male attention. Showing that I’m spoken for would make it easier.
“Thanks Pal.” I smile. “It would be like old times. And, if something comes up and you can’t make it, I’ll understand, okay?” He won’t be able to drop everything here like he was able to do back home. I need to grow up and understand that. I’ve said the right thing, his face relaxes.
As if on cue, his phone pings. He takes it out, reads the message, and shakes his head.
“You got to go?”
“Dynamics babe. Said I don’t know what they are. Cad’s asking to see me.”
I interpret what he’s saying. In Tucson, he knew which brothers he had to jump and respond to. Here, he hasn’t yet figured that out. “You have to go then.” I paste the most genuine look I can on my face. “It’s okay, Pal. I really do understand.”
His crooked smile is both of appreciation, and of regret he’s having to leave. He softens it by asking, “Want to go for a ride, when I get my new seat fitted?”
Do I? Of course I freaking do. Trying not to bounce up and down in anticipation, showing my eagerness like a young child, I keep my voice as even as I can when I reply to his question, “Sure. Why not? Sounds fun.”
He stands, leans over and plants a gentle kiss to my forehead, then picks up the empty beer bottle and looks around for the trash can. I already know where it’s hidden away, so I stand and take it from him. Being so close to him, I take advantage, driven to do something I’ve never done. Going up on tiptoe, I press my lips against his cheek.
His smile is worth it. “Thank Moira for the beer for me, will you?” Then, after one last lingering look, he’s gone.
“So that’s your young man?”
Abruptly turning, I see Moira standing in the door way. I nod at her question which doesn’t need an answer. Her speedy appearance proving what I thought all along. She’s been listening to every word.
Chapter Twenty-One
Hellfire
Walking into church I take my place at the head of the table. I’m the last in. While the brothers settle, I use the moment for myself. Glancing around, I don’t miss that Paladin’s sitting quietly at the end of the table. Other brothers are talking, sharing a joke, but ignoring him. Takes time to find your place in a new club. He’s wearing a pensive expression. I hope he’s not considering he’s made a mistake in coming here.
I pick up the gavel and knock it against the wood, then wait for the boys to quiet down. It’s not my way to shout or growl at them, except when it matters. When Taser and Lizard continue their conversation a little too long, it’s Demon who stares down the table. Catching his eye, they stop talking, sheepish looks on their faces.
“Sorry, Prez.”
I raise my chin at Lizard. “Ain’t no problem if you’re discussing a solution to bring to the table.”
The guilty look he gives back suggests they hadn’t been.
“The detective in charge of the case has updated me on the man in the dumpster at Tits Up.” Paladin’s eyes shoot to mine as soon as I start speaking. Of course he’d be worried. Cops would love to pin something on one of us. I put him out of his misery fast. “Body was that of a vagrant, died forty-eight hours before. Which puts you in the clear, Pal, as you weren’t even in Pueblo then.”
As I expected, a visible wave of relief comes over him and some of the tension leaves his face.
“Still say it was stupid puttin’ his hands on the body.”
“What if he hadn’t been dead?” I’m pleased to see Pal’s not letting Taser get away with the implied criticism. “What if he’d been alive?”
Taser shrugs. “Probably have been dying in any event.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “If he’d have been alive we wouldn’t have had a dead body on our hands and fingers pointing at us. Cops still trying to determine if that’s where he died, initial signs from the forensic evidence suggest the body might have been moved.” Gazing at them one by one, I add, “While the heat’s off Paladin, it’s on the rest of us now. Tase—do you know when it could have been placed there?”
Taser looks up sharply as though he’s just coming to the realisation fingers could be pointing at him. I watch as he starts to take it seriously. “I’ll ask the cleaners. They’d have been the last to throw the bags in. But it’s high, Prez. They might have just chucked the trash over,
and not looked inside.”
“No bags on top of the body,” Pal puts in. “If we know when the trash was last discarded then that sets the start of the timeframe.”
Taser scowls as though he’s wishing he’d made that point.
“If I can, Prez?” I nod at Pal. “What was the cause of death?”
“Seems like natural causes. Sent some samples off, waiting for them to come back.” I confirm.
“Then the most likely scenario is someone found him dead and moved him to fuck with us,” Paladin continues.
The sergeant-at-arms is nodding. “Agree with Pal.”
“But why?” asks Pyro. “What’s the point of going to the trouble of leaving a body behind one of our businesses?”
Cad’s shaking his head. “If I hadn’t seen movement on the cameras, we wouldn’t have gone looking. Dumpster could have been collected before the body had been found, and it might have been discovered when the contents were tipped out. Would have taken more investigating, but would still have been linked back to us. More heat then, too, as it would have looked like we’d hidden it.”
“Fuckin’ sloppy way to dispose of a body. We’ve got the desert for that.” A few smirks go Mace’s way.
“If it was natural causes, surely they’d just have thought he’d climbed in and died there?”
“We’ll never know Lizard. I agree with Cad though. I’d rather know it was there and face the implications head-on, than have it come up and blindside us when we’re involved in other shit.”
“What do we tell the cops if they come prying?”
“Same as last time, Taser. The fuckin’ truth. Or will that be too hard for you to remember?” Demon snaps.
“Er, Prez? Can we get on to the auto-shop?” Taser sends his friend a quick look as if to thank him for taking the attention away.
“Sure, Pyro. Anything new?”
“Just those few hundred dollars of parts stolen as you already know. I’ve explained to the customer they’re going to have to wait an extra few days. Had to pay express delivery for replacements. Oh, yeah, Pal, ordered your new seat in with that.”
Pal nods his thanks.
“Any idea who we’re dealing with?” Who is fucking with us? One thing I know, I don’t like it.
“Cad took fingerprints.”
“I can’t get into AFIS, Prez. I’m working with Mouse, Keys and Token to see if one of us can break in. But we’ve got the prints there as something to refer to when anyone gets in our sights.” As he mentions his counterparts in the other Satan’s Devils Chapters, I realise he’s missed one. “No one from Utah helping?”
“Don’t think they’ve got someone like me.” They’re losing out then. Couldn’t do without our computer and technology expert.
“Lizard?”
“Nothing new at the tattoo parlour, Prez. Just want to know who these fuckers are.”
“What we all want, Ink. What we all want.”
“So who the fuck wants to mess with us?” Demon throws out to the table. “Whose toes have we stepped on?”
“And is it against the club, or one of the members?” Thunder growls. “Could be one of us fucked with the wrong person.”
As everyone looks pensive, all end up shaking their heads, I feel frustrated. I want an enemy I can fight. “Cad? Anything come up while you’ve been looking into the new police chief? He seem one to want to clean house?”
Cad shrugs. “I’ve looked at his record, Prez. No cop likes a one-percenter club, but if he was behind messing with us like this, he’d be a dirty cop. No sniff of that so far.”
“Well, keep looking. Coincidence we’ve got problems when he rides into town. Okay everyone. Keep your fuckin’ thinkin’ caps on. Anything that occurs to you, doesn’t matter how small, bring it to me or the VP, alright?
After a round of nods, I turn to my left. “What about improving security, Demon?”
Demon nods down the end of the table. “I suggest Pal leads on this bit. He’s been comin’ up with some good shit.”
Pal looks startled, but jerks his chin, then starts to come up with suggestions. “Your security cameras could do with an update. They’re old, just detect motion, and at night the pictures are grainy. There’s new shit on the market that doesn’t cost a fortune.”
“What would we get if we replace them?” Lizard, presumably making up for his previous lack of concentration asks.
Pal’s face suddenly looks years older as he sits forward. “To start with, your current system relies on you knowing there’s a problem and then looking at the recordings. Or Cad, using up time going through the triggers that set it off each night. That’s old hat now. You, we,” he quickly covers his mistake, “ideally want a system that sends alerts out as soon as an event occurs.”
“So we could have got to the shop while the thieves were still inside?” Pyro looks interested.
“That’s it,” Pal agrees. “It gives us a chance to catch the fuckers red-handed.”
“And who would monitor the alerts?”
Paladin’s voice seems to be gaining in confidence as he responds to Bomber. “Anyone, or all of us.”
“Fuck, I don’t want us all to set out in the middle of the night just because a squirrel’s gone investigating.” Ink throws out.
There’s a curve to Cad’s lips as though he already knows how Pal’s going to deal with that. Guess the technical guy and Pal have already had their heads together.
“New cameras would have far better night vision so you’d be able to see if it was some rodent scratching for food. We’d all have an app on our phones. Can view in real time, or check what triggered it. You’d get an alert, call up the system, and see if it was anything you had to leave your bed for.” Pal takes back the floor.
“Needn’t even take your cock out of your bitch,” Mace observes.
“Like it wouldn’t put you off your game, Mace?”
“Mace would probably have finished anyway by the time he picked up his phone.”
The enforcer glares at Sparky and Thunder.
“As I was saying,” Pal’s lips twitch. “It’s possible that with the new cameras and their better definition we might have got a decent picture of the man at Tits Up the other night.” He frowns. “With the current system it’s not even possible to see clearly whether it’s a man or a woman.”
“What else?” It’s time I show my interest as well.
“The current system is hard-wired. That relies on phone lines. Anyone wanting to fuck with us would just need to cut them, and no notifications would be sent. There’s a lot of benefits in a wireless system. Cameras can be placed where we want them, moved around if need be. They’re fairly cheap, so we can have more of them. Oh, and one other thing, most now have heat sensors, so can give early warning in the event of a fire.”
“We’ve got fire alarms.”
Paladin takes Taser’s comment seriously. “Sure. But a camera can show where the fire actually is.”
“Okay. So what about cost? Gismos like this sounds like they’d be fuckin’ expensive.”
Pal runs through some estimates he’s brought with him. It’s certainly not as much as I thought, and that seems to be everyone’s impression. Cheaper than putting the original system in ages back to the best of my recollection.
As the new member appears to have run out of steam, I turn to Demon. “Anything you want to add?”
“Nah, Prez. Pal’s covered about everything. If we go ahead, he’ll be workin’ with me on the installation.”
“Cad?”
“Yeah, Prez. Pal and I have been discussin’ this. Personally, I can’t wait to get my hands on the new toys, and it will save me a lot of time reviewin’ the recordings. Having spoken to Pal, that’s old hat now. I’ll be workin’ on the technical side. I particularly like the idea of more cameras which can be easily moved around and hidden.”
“Hang on,” Lizard’s brows are drawn down. “If you’re putting in more cameras, does this mean all areas will
be covered?”
“Liz?” I ask, not sure of his meaning.
Now his eyebrows waggle up and down, “You know, the dark corners where…”
“… we take girls and fuck ‘em,” Taser completes the sentence for him.
As laughter ensues along with predictable discussions of sexual antics being broadcast in real time to all brother’s phones, with most for and only a couple against the idea, I pull my smokes out of my pocket, glance at them, then put them away. My mind drifts to Moira and my little problem. Maybe cutting down on the drink and cigarettes might be a start in the right direction.
Demon’s head tilts in question, I shake my head. There are some things not up for discussion between father and son.
“I still say I don’t want to see Cad’s pasty white ass on my phone.” Mace is grinning. “Now that would put me right off my rhythm.”
“Could there be a voting system? Thumbs up or thumbs down?”
Ink raises his chin toward Pyro. “Or marks out of ten.”
“Thirty,” Thunder joins in. “Ten for effort, ten for technical skill and up to ten for how horny you get.”
“What do you think, Pal?” Bomber, sitting next to Paladin, asks him with a nudge to his arm.
“Depends on what you want to come on your screen.” Pal says it so seriously, the emphasis he uses takes a second or two to sink in. When it does, the whole table erupts in laughter. I throw him a chin lift. That’s the way to fit in.
While the merriment continues, I let them have their moment of fun, raising my eyebrow at Buzz as he studies the estimate Pal had passed to him. A practiced unspoken conversation between us. Got the funds? Yes.
I bang the gavel for attention. “I’ll okay the upgrade in security. Demon will lead, Pal and Cad with him. Get that shit installed as soon as you can, then we’ll have a meeting to go through it. In the meantime, try to think of anyone you’ve come across who may have taken a disliking to us, doesn’t matter how small, even if you’ve cut in front of someone when you’ve been riding. Cad. Look into the new police chief some more.”
Satan's Devils MC Colorado Boxset 1 Books 1 - 3 Page 19
