Page 82 of Injustice and Absolution

“But there are other evils and dangers out there that have nothing to do with being an outlaw. And after speaking with Delilah in person last night as well as witnessing a display of toxicity from her new boyfriend, I know she’s unsafe.”

The room begins to hum with a charged energy as determination bleeds into the stares of the men looking back at me.

“What are we going to do?” Ronin asks.

“First, we need to dig up any information on Drew that we can. Ronin, can you reach out to Mickey, and see what you can find out? I want to know the link between them. Maggie said Drew hangs around with a younger crowd sometimes…”

My train of thought is interrupted by this fact. One I just remembered, and another alarming red flag gets added to Drew’s rapidly growing list of them. He probably shows up where he knows younger, impressionable girls will be.

Delilah has come a long way in the last several years, but it doesn’t take a seasoned psychopath to recognize her lack of self-confidence. He sought her out and baited her. Now he’s waiting to go in for the kill.

Armed with this new piece to the puzzle, I turn my attention back to Ronin.

“Keep your ear to the ground regarding any parties coming up, and make sure you’re invited to them. Atticus, you go with him.”

They both nod, accepting their orders.

“Chubbs, Zephyr... Ask Maggie for help buying a gift for Harleigh—her birthday is coming up. But donotlet her know what’s really going on. Go sniff around at the outlets, and check out Mathieu. Find a way to strike up a conversation with Maggie about Delilah while you’re there, and see if any of the clerks chime in with something helpful. She used to work with them. You never know what information they may have about her or Drew.”

“You got it,” Chubbs responds for both him and Zephyr.

“I have a call into Cyber, the techie from our Memphis chapter. I got a chance to speak with him when we were there a few weeks ago. He’s a master hacker, and I believe his help will be invaluable.”

I look at Draven, ready to ask him for an update, but he’s way ahead of me.

“I heard back from my cousin, JD, Unfortunately he doesn’t know Drew. But there’s a member of the Krymson Destroyers MC who JD has run around with since they were kids. Hound, their secretary. He said there’s a good possibility they’d know Drew or at least be familiar with Spotlight.”

This is good news that we can use to our advantage as long as the MC agrees to help us out. I’m not familiar with the club myself but have noticed their presence at a couple of different charity rides we’ve been a part of. A good sign.

“Can you see if he can get us a meeting with them? They can pick the time and place.”

As I make my request, Draven is already on his phone, typing out a text to his cousin. I hope this avenue pans out. As well as whatever we can get from Cyber. I have a long list of requests for him alone.

Saying it out loud, my plan feels weak at best. But I need to have faith that we’re on the right track to take Drew down and bring Delilah home safely.

At any cost.

* * *

I threw myself into work the moment I adjourned this morning’s meeting. Since then, I’ve kept busy at the stone yard by stacking and restacking full pallets worth of stone. None of which needed it, but ensuring each piece is perfectly in place has helped quiet my racing mind.

Stepping back, I appreciate the mound of bluestone I’ve perfectly layered when I feel my phone vibrating in my back pocket.

I tug it loose, and I can’t hit accept fast enough when I see who’s calling.

“Cyber, hey. Thanks for getting back to me. Were you able to dig anything up?” Skipping the pleasantries, I get down to business.

“I just finished a preliminary dig into this Drew character. He doesn’t have any criminal history, at least not on record.”

I’m as disappointed as I am relieved. A criminal past could have been enough to get Delilah to agree to leave on her own, but it could also mean she’s in more danger than I originally thought.

“But I can only trace his history back twelve years. There is no record of him existing prior to that.”

Another red flag.

“Twelve years ago, he would have been eighteen...” I mutter to myself, but Cyber thinks I’m talking to him.

“Right. Could be a WIT-PRO situation or something like that. I’m working to unearth any bit of information I can to paint a picture of who he was before then. Currently, I’m running his image through … let’s call it a database.”

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