Chapter 13
Jackal
After spending a couple hours searching all the vehicles, I needed a shower. It was over ninety degrees and humid as fuck. Not to mention that in the rush to find something, we didn’t bother with lifts and creepers, so I needed to change, too.
Once I had washed up and thrown on new clothes, I made my way back downstairs. It was getting close to dinner time, and I hadn’t finished my meal at the mall. Since all the women on my watch were under our roof, I decided a beer was in order after the day I had.
Keys was going to try to see where the trackers came from and he thought he may be able to reverse track a signal. We found ten. Each officer’s bike had one except me, plus Cindy’s SUV, Penny’s car, Lacy’s car, Eagle’s truck, and Falcon’s truck.
So much started to make sense. Daisy was attacked when they were out of town and Falcon hadn’t noticed anyone tailing him. Lacy and Shivana were plucked off the side of the road on theway back from downtown. And today we weren’t tailed, but they made it a point to fuck with us. They probably got there hoping to ambush Cindy but saw the Harley next to her car so, instead, they flattened my tires.
If they were hoping to catch her alone, what would they have done? Shaking my head as I walked into the bar, a shiver went down my spine. Cindy was like a mother to Butch. How the fuck could he try to harm her? Why would he want to?
“Exciting afternoon,” Shivana said as I passed her.
“Long, for sure. Did you get everything you needed?” I asked, trying not to stare down at her cleavage.
She leaned on the table, only making it harder not to look. She must have noticed me glance down, because a smirk spread over her face. “You know, you could get a closer look anytime.”
Her friends weren’t sitting with her, so I sat down across from her. “Lil Bird, are you really planning to stay?”
She rolled her eyes and leaned back, taking the excellent view away. “Yes. Why?”
“This place ain’t for you. Why are you being so stubborn?”
“Hello, pot, meet kettle,” she said as she crossed her arms.
“I’m not being stubborn. I’m doing the right thing.”
She leaned forward again, dragging her finger over my hand lightly. “Last time I checked, you’re not the boss of me. What does me staying have to do with you? Do I repulse you or something?” she asked with a grin.
“You know that’s not it.” She was an astute woman and the question annoyed me as her light touch sent sparks of electricity up my arm.
Her grin turned into a smile. “Okay, then what?”
“You don’t belong here, Lil Bird. The sooner you realize that the better.” Before she could say something smart, I stood up and headed to Hawk’s table.
He was sitting at his normal spot, but instead of a beer, he was sipping some kind of brown liquor, neat.
“Hey, Prez. What you having?”
“Crown. You want some?”
“Here, old man,” Eagle said as he handed me a beer and sat down. Chatter erupted and I looked back to see Lacy pulling up a chair at Shivana’s table. They were so loud they could be heard over Mötley Crüe.
“Guess I’m having beer.” I took the cold bottle and held it up. “Thanks, man. So, what’s the plan when you guys make the run?” I had babysitting duty, but shit just got real.
Falcon came and sat, and more giggling was happening at the table on the other side of the room that seemed to have become the ladies’ spot. “Daisy isn’t happy, but she’s staying put. Although, I’d keep a close eye on her because that was almost too easy,” he said as he took a drink of his beer.
Hawk blew out a heavy sigh. “Red went to the bar and Rooster’s covering at the club. But Penny, Ma, and those troublemakers over there can’t leave the property. At least not until we get back. For nothing.”
“Penny agreed?” Falcon asked.
“She’s home. But we need to keep an eye on her. I have her car keys, but I wouldn’t put it past her to call an Uber and try to escape,” Hawk said as he shook his head before drinking down the rest of his Crown.
“Is she still in school?” I asked. It was summertime, but she was gone a lot.
Hawk rubbed a hand down his face. “She’s always in school. But that’s alright. Hopefully she can get far away from here someday.”