Page 116 of Paladin's Hell

Just when I’m wondering about the ricochet if I try to shoot the lock out, the door opens. Prez is standing there, a thunderous look on his face.

“No interruptions,” he snarls.

Looking past him I can see Runt strung up, tears rolling down his face, Mace, Thunder and the VP surrounding him. Their faces, turned toward me, all look furious.

Leaning forward, I tell Prez, “You’ve got the wrong fuckin’ man. Runt’s not behind this. Or not the lead, anyway.” Belatedly I admit he could have played a part.

“Who the fuck is then?” Prez’s eyes blaze. “You better have something to back yourself up.”

“Oh, I’ve got evidence,” I tell him. “It’s Taser.”

He rears back. Then gets into my face. “You’ve had a fuckin’ downer on Taser since you’ve been here.”

“I need to tell you what I know, Prez. Shooter was with me. He can back me up.”

“What the fuck’s holdin’ us up, Prez?” The VP’s walked over.

Hellfire turns. “Pal thinks Runt is innocent. Says he’s got shit to prove it’s someone else.”

“Yeah?” Demon turns, looks at the man who’s strung up and weeping. He pinches the bridge of his nose as he spins back. “Think we ought to hear it, Prez.”

I wait. Hellfire thinks. Then he calls to Thunder and Mace. “Get him down. Tie him to the chair so he can’t escape, then come to my office.”

Only minutes later, Shooter and I are standing in front of Prez’s desk. The spare chairs occupied by Demon and Mace. Thunder’s standing at my back. From the things they’ve been saying, I got back just in time to stop Runt being tortured. Now I know what that feeling of urgency driving me was. I may not like the prospect, but he doesn’t deserve to be put through a fuck load of pain if he’s innocent.

“Talk to me,” Prez instructs.

It only takes a few minutes to go over my story.

Demon lowers his head into his hands. “So,” he glances again at the pictures on my phone. “You’re pretty certain these are the parts that were stolen.” He looks at the Prez. “Only proves he was responsible for the break-in. The other shit happening the same night could be a coincidence.”

Hell’s shaking his head. “How much were those parts worth again?”

“Two, three hundred dollars.”

Thunder speaks up. “Not a lot in monetary value, Prez. But we lost business because of it. Promised a customer we’d deliver, didn’t have the parts to put on his bike. Loud-mouthed asshole, been bad-mouthing us across the city. Says we’re a bunch of cowboys who don’t know shit about running an auto-shop. He wanted those parts as he was showing his bike the next weekend at some festival or other.”

“Bad luck it was him, or…”

“Or Taser knew the effect it would have.”

Prez doesn’t seem convinced. “Pal, you’re new here. You might think you’ve added two and two together correctly, but you don’t know our brother like we do.”

“Hang on a moment, Prez.” Mace raises his hand. “Taser was pretty cut up when he didn’t make Enforcer.”

“But he’s moved on. Got over it,” Thunder objects.

“Has he?” asks Demon. “He was quick to throw his hat in the ring after Ingot died.”

“Ingot was your old enforcer?” Shooter asks.

Prez throws him a look as if wondering why he’s spoken. But Drummer always encouraged all members to speak up. He answers him anyway. “Yeah, we lost Ingot about six months back.”

“How did he die?” Shooter continues.

“Fuckin’ hit and run. Never found the fucker who killed him.” Mace sounds like he’s still upset about it.

“So your, our, troubles started then.” I throw in.

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