Page 47 of Devil's Due

Stevie looks like she’s thinking. “You sure no one other than your club knows about it?”

“Wouldn’t have suggested it if I thought there was a chance. If you agree, I’ll get the prospects to clean it up, and you can go there with Beef tomorrow.”

“You sure you don’t mind?” Her teeth worry her lip. “I know you offered your protection as part of the security service you run, but I can’t afford to pay you much.”

“We’re branching out.” It’s Demon who answers her. “If you’ve been straight with the information you’ve given, when you can, you contact your handler. Put in a word for us. We might get more work out of it.”

My eyes open wide as I wonder whether she’ll swallow that. Us work with the US Marshals? I very much doubt it. But I’m happy that Demon is foregoing payment. No Devil likes a woman being hunted, killed or tortured. If Demon hadn’t agreed to extend his protection, I’d have contacted Drummer. I’d briefly considered taking her to the Tucson chapter, but without knowing who’s after her, I can’t risk it. If they were determined enough, they’d search for her at any of our chapters. They probably still will, but this way, they won’t find her. I’ll need to talk to Demon about it and get him to warn the other clubs.

“I want to stay alive,” Stevie says. “And I need my seeing eye dog back. If you’re sure I’m not putting Beef or your club in any danger, then yes, I’ll go to the cabin. But…” She must have heard our intake of breath as both Demon and I open our mouths, and she holds up her hand to stop us. “But.Once I know my way around the cabin, Beef doesn’t need to stay. I’m sure he’s got better things to do with his time. I’ll be fine once I’ve learned the layout. Perhaps give me a burner phone in case I need help, but I don’t need a babysitter.”

I suppose I’ve got so used to Sally, she’s taken me by surprise, and damn it if I don’t feel disappointed. What she’s suggested would probably work, if the cabin is as far off the radar as Demon has stated.

One thing I’m fast learning, is Stevie’s not helpless. To do the right thing she’s already uprooted and left everything she’s ever known. Why wouldn’t she be fine staying alone?

Demon raises his eyebrow toward me, then raises his chin. “Get settled in, Stevie, see how the ground lies, then Beef can make the calls.”

The meeting is over, or at least the one with Stevie in it. Demon has used gestures to make it obvious he wants me to return. Helping her stand, I take her elbow. Once in the clubroom I see Wills and Dan, and point them in the direction of Demon’s office. Then thankfully I spy Violet and take Stevie over.

“Violet. This is Stevie. Can you take her under your wing for a moment while I have a chat with your old man?”

Chapter Seventeen

Returning to Demon’s office I patiently wait until he finishes giving instructions to the prospects. From the brief chats I’ve had during the short time I’ve been here, I’ve discovered both are more than ready to patch in. Might not know enough about them to give them my vote, but everyone here thinks they’ve served their time and earned enough trust to be brought to the table. When that happens, Beaver and Karl, the hangarounds, will take their places as new prospects. But even when they are, the club will wait a time before trusting them with information that could bring harm to the club. Hence, it’s Wills and Dan who’ll take the lead on preparing the cabin. They’ve shown they can be trusted to keep their mouths shut about where they are going, what they are doing, and why.

Watching Demon, I admire his style, appreciating how he’s addressing the prospects. His manner of showing the job will be done to his satisfaction or else neither will be getting their patch makes me hide my smile. This close they won’t want to fuck up. I doubt I’ll find a speck of dust when we go to the cabin tomorrow.

Wills’ face is serious as he takes an old-fashioned looking set of keys from Demon. His eyes meet mine and he jerks his chin as he goes out the door. It's a silent promise they’ll do what’s needed.

I retake the seat I’d vacated moments before. “I’d take her back to Tucson, but—”

He’s there before me. “No Satan’s Devils chapter would be safe, Beef. I commend that she doesn’t want to give herself and who she’s hiding from away, but it’s making our lives fuckin’ difficult. I don’t know how to prepare us. Are we facing one man? Two? A gang or an organisation?”

“Someone with reach, that’s for sure.”

“I agree. That’s your number one priority. Get her to tell you exactly what we’re dealing with.”

I’ll try. That’s all I can promise. Stevie’s protecting herself, and quite rightly. But in doing so, she’s not protecting us. Club first above everything. Something occurs to me. “D’you reckon she might believe our sympathies would lie with who’s trying to silence her?”

Demon taps his fingers against his desk. “Must admit it had occurred to me. But nothing immediately springs to mind.”

“Not all MCs are as clean as ours.”

“True. Would be easier if we knew where she came from: north, south, east or west. It could be anywhere.”

We both go quiet. Each dredging the depths of our minds thinking of shit that we’ve heard on the grapevine in which she could be involved, but nothing immediately comes to mind. Feds are always chasing MCs trying to get something on the gangs as they call us. But likewise, it could be the Mafia or, my personal favourite, something she’s learned about a corporate organisation from working behind her PC. Demon’s right, I’ve got to get her to tell me. There’s just a chance it might affect where our loyalties lie. Of course I wouldn’t let any harm come to her, but persuade her against testifying? Yeah, that I could do. Though my leanings are against it. I’ll want nothing to do with people who’re trying to take out an innocent woman.

Thinking time is over with no productive result, so I ask something else. “What do you think about leaving her alone, Prez?”

“You’ll find the cabin is out of the way. Biggest danger is someone seeing you coming or going and following you. My view is that it’s best if you stay with her and out of sight. Anyone who’s seen you will have noticed your nomad patch. If we’re questioned, we can say you took off and we don’t know where, they’ll probably believe us.”

Demon sounds certain there will be a ‘they’ turning up. I’m right there with him. It makes sense that not only Stevie, but I will stay off the grid. “Biggest risk is when the dog gets out of the vet’s. We’ll have to get him up there without being followed.”

“You let me worry about that. You’re right, that’s where they’ll focus, so we’ll have to do some kind of diversion.”

“Decoys,” I suggest. “Get a load of trucks. Send them off in all directions. They won’t know which one is carrying Max.”

“Max may need check-ups when he’s released,” Demon muses aloud. “I’ll contact this vet. See what he’s made of. It’s possible he can be persuaded to make a house call, if necessary, instead.” I’ve got a feeling James might. I’m happy to leave that with Demon. “Pick up a couple of burners from Cad.”

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