Page 68 of Creed

She bit that bottom lip of hers then her eyes met mine. “We closed the services early. If he wants to see Callie, then he can talk with me first. Callie said she loved him, and I need answers. I know he wants to hurt me, but I feel safe with you, and I need to ask questions. Is there a quiet place for us to talk with him before he sees Callie?”

I gave her a nod. “I’ll make it happen.”

I got Axton’s attention, and he approached us. I promised Morgan I wouldn’t leave her side, and I meant it. “What’s up?” He asked.

I answered in a whisper. “Sniper is outside. If he has anyone with him, make them leave the premises. You can let him in the foyer and search him thoroughly. Have Magnus speak with Mr. Rhys and find a quiet place for us to meet with him. Morgan will be joining us, and if he answers our questions truthfully, he will be allowed a moment with Callie. I want a one on one meeting with him, and this might be our only opportunity to make that arrangement.”

He nodded. “I will make it happen.”

I then led Morgan over to her family and explained what was about to happen. Mr. Rhys was to hold off the services until after everything was done. It normally wouldn’t have been something I would chance with Morgan, but we needed answers, and I couldn’t have him taking off again.

We waited until I was assured that Sniper was searched and agreed to our terms. He was in the office and watched over by Axton and Magnus. I guided Morgan to the office and asked her one more time if she was sure about it, and she was determined to speak with him. I opened the door and entered first. What I saw was not what I expected, sitting down in a chair with Magnus and Axton standing at each side of him was a broken man. I let Morgan in, and Snipers eyes met hers, but I didn’t see someone that wanted to hurt my girl, I saw warmth and grief in his eyes. I directed Morgan to a seat then stood behind her with my arms crossed.

Sniper shut his eyes and whispered, “Thank god.”

I tilted my head. “What for?” I asked.

His eyes went from Morgan to me. “She really is okay.”

“Why? So, you can kill her over some fucking drugs?”

He tilted his head in confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Morgan spoke up. “Shane said he told people he hid stolen drugs and hid them in a place I would only know. That your gang was coming after me.”

He looked at me then back at Morgan. “Drugs? Who gives a fuck about those damn drugs? I was cleaning up the MC. I wanted to join ours with the Fallen Angels. It was all for Callie and Addie. My men were getting fucking tired. Some workedagainst me, but most wanted to join with us. I never wanted the bullshit that came with my fucking dad. I never wanted the damn club. It was only for survival then I met Callie, and my world changed.”

Who cared about the drugs? Obviously whoever Shane stole them from, but they also may have been Morgan’s saving grace. Callie’s cause of death wasExsanguination with the manner of death being homicide. Shane’s on the other hand was the opposite. The cause of death was drug overdose. The manner of death was suicide. Morgan did not take his life. Darren informed me of the conclusion of their investigation. Shane never planned to let Callie ever walk out of that room. He had a large amount of heroin on him, there were also gas cans in the motel room closet. They presumed that it was all planned. Shane would give Callie a lethal dose of heroin and then burn down the motel, giving him time to kidnap Morgan and get money out of her. The best anyone could guess would be that he planned on running with Addie but dumping Morgan along the way. Instead of overdosing Callie, he took the fatal overdose himself. I presumed he took it because he knew he was dying, and the pain was too much. Nobody ever said Shane was a man with much intelligence.

“Where are the drugs and who do you owe for them?” I asked.

He shook his head. “What drugs? Sure, we had a run planned but our warehouse was empty. If Shane got ahold of anything it wasn’t from my MC. We were cleaned out. Making room for the next fucking run I didn’t want to make.”

Morgan crossed her arms. “He lied about the drugs and stealing from you?”

He shrugged. “If he did then nobody caught him, or at least nobody reported it to me.”

Morgan leaned forward. “I need to know everything that happened from the moment you met Callie until right now.”

He rested his elbows on his knees and looked down at the floor. “Not long after I got out of the Army, my dad got sick with cancer. I had no intention in staying in the MC, but when he got sick I didn’t feel right about leaving him. He was the President of the Devil’s Rejects since the 1980’s. He knew everyone and was powerful because the MC was the biggest in the Midwest. He ran drugs from Mexico to Chicago, and nobody ever crossed him. He wasn’t a good man, but then he got sick. He met Callie at the bar she worked at. He liked her, genuinely liked the girl. He didn’t like Shane, but she wouldn’t leave him. So, when he got sick, he offered her an opportunity. She was starting to go downhill. Shane had hit her one too many times. She was starting to drink, and my dad didn’t like what he was seeing. He asked her to come to the compound and become his caregiver. He paid her well, but Shane didn’t like it. His dad was once a member of the MC, but when he was arrested for child molestation, dad kicked him out. He really should have killed the bastard, because that son of a bitch had dirt on my dad. Callie, of course.” He rolled his eyes. “Needed Shane’s permission to take the job dad offered. Shane confronted my dad and promised to hand over what he had on him if he allowed Shane to become a prospect. Shane would never have made rank, and we were all just dealing with him until after my dad’s death. Dad was fine with it because he could keep an eye on Shane. His men were told if he touched her or Addie one time, we were to put him down. Shane fell in with the men who now want to split from the MC and take over the drug runs. Callie was spending more and more time at the compound. Dad’s health was deteriorating, and he wasn’t noticing thebruises she was getting when she went home at night. I began spending more and more time with Callie and Addie. We fell in love, and she was finally going to divorce him. Then my dad died, and I became President. I never wanted it, but there were some circumstances that kept me on the compound that aren’t related to what you are asking. Callie was my rock, and she helped me try to clean up the MC. Shane found out about the divorce and went rogue with the group I told you about earlier. Now that my dad was dead, he couldn’t blackmail him anymore. He got ahold of Callie one night when she was closing up the bar and beat her down pretty good. I learned what happened and put a price on Shane’s head. I was so angry, not just with Shane but Callie as well. She refused to give up her job and let me take care of her. By this time, we had been together for a year, and we couldn’t marry until Shane was located and taken care of. We couldn’t take the chance of letting Addie go to school until she was safe from Shane. I took Callie and Addie under my protection. Eventually, we learned there was an Amber alert for Addie, so we knew we had to get our hands on Shane. One night, I had to go out and left the girls with someone I shouldn’t have trusted. He gave the girls to Shane, and it was the night she was killed.”

Morgan sat back in her chair. “She told Shane that night. She told him she was in love with you. She also said you guys just wanted the drugs back.”

He broke down and cried then looked at Morgan with wet eyes. “She wasn’t talking about us, she was talking about the rogue men. I don’t know what happened there, but those men were still claiming to be a part of the MC. He might have stolen from them.”

“So, Morgan isn’t safe until you find these men and take care of them?” I asked.

“I don’t know anything beyond what I told you, but my MC will do whatever we can to help.” He promised.

“How many men?” I asked.

He shook his head. “I found all but four.”

“We need to arrange a formal sit down and plan how to find these men.” I believed his story.

He gave me a nod then looked at Morgan. “Addie, is she okay?”

Morgan gave him a nod. “She’s okay.” That was all she was willing to give him.

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