Page 64 of Ryder

Bronco steadies me with one hand, but I knock it away. “Jett says he took her downtown. Lost sight of his truck halfway. Is there anywhere you can think of that he’d take her?”

“How the fuck would I know?” I pull at my hair, frustration coursing through me like a runaway bus. “I don’t fuckin’ know him.”

“The Devils have several buildings and supposed businesses,” Harlem says. We’re in Jett’s office at the back, waiting for the order to ride. We just don’t know where we’re riding to, and I’m like a cat on hot bricks.

“Wait.” I think back. “Crystal said they had a warehouse downtown. It’s where she was told they stored secondhand furniture.”

Nevada, back from his run from the Devils’ clubhouse, snorts. “Is that what they’re callin’ storage for their illegal activities now?”

“Before you ask, no, I don’t know where that is,” I say. “How the fuck are we goin’ to track this motherfucker down?”

“Got a buddy workin’ on a trace,” Jett says. “Tryin’ to get a ping on his cell.”

Suddenly, there’s hope. “How does that work exactly?”

He looks up at me. “It’ll work faster if we can try and get his attention.”

I rummage in the back of my jeans pocket where I slid Crystal's phone earlier.

I open the messages screen and click his name. I look up. “What the fuck do I say?”

“Provoke him,” Harlem suggests. “Be better if we had somethin’ to bribe him with, make it worth his while to hand her over.”

“I know what to do.” And I’m thumbing out a text before I can stop myself.

Crystal

We know you have her. But she’s worth more alive than dead

It pains me to write that, but I have to. If Jimmy is as stupid as I think he is, he’ll take the bait. Especially if he thinks there’s something in it for him.

It doesn’t take long before he reads the message. I wait in anticipation as the gray bubble appears, then disappears.Just fucking reply, dick.

Jimmy

I’m glad I got your attention

Crystal

Where is she?

Jimmy

That’s a very good question. The short version? I sold her

“Fuck,” Harlem mutters when he reads the text over my shoulder.

“I’ll fuckin’ skin him alive.” I tap out another message.

Crystal

Her parents are rich as fuck. They’ll pay more to get her back

Jimmy

Wish I’d known before, then again, you don’t get much for whores

Crystal

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