Page 33 of Devil's Dilemma

Cad’s staring at his tablet in front of him. “Six pm,” he suddenly announces.

Time church is scheduled. We all look at the door expectantly, but it doesn’t open. I glance at Ink and raise my eyebrow. He shakes his head back. Other brothers around the table are making similar gestures.

“Fuck,” breathes out Hell.

“Okay,” Demon says after one more moment. “That’s our confirmation. Cad, widen your search, perhaps get Mouse, Token and Keys on it to help.” He lists the computer experts in the other chapters. “What are we thinking, a two-hundred-mile radius?”

“Make it three,” suggests Beef. “Does he have any contact with the other chapters?”

“Not that I know,” Pal states. “We did talk about him going to Vegas to look at the way they run their security business, but he hasn’t been yet.”

“Okay. We’ll focus on the hospitals and police reports looking for accidents or arrests. Three hundred miles in any direction.” He waits for Cad’s nod. “Next, though I think it unlikely, I’ll talk to the Silvestris. Beef, this would be a good chance for you to meet them. We’ll also talk to RIP, see if he knows anyone who’s gunning for us.”

Again, I raise and dip my chin along with my brothers. Yeah, the prez of the local Wretched Soulz might have heard something.

Demon hasn’t finished. “Lastly, we go on lockdown.”

“What?”

“The fuck? Prez?”

“Hell no.”

Demon’s hand slams down on the table. “Hear me out.” He waits for silence. “We’ve got a brother missing. Could be nothing at all, in which case I’ll tear him apart myself as soon as he shows his face. Could be accidentally dead or injured. Could be deliberate. Could have been captured or lured away. Not risking anyone else and not risking any of our women or my kid being taken. Until we know what’s happened to Skull, I want everyone, and I meaneveryone,Hellfire, here.” He has an extra glare for his father. Moira, his mother, hates being at the compound.

As I’ve had the thought which no one else seems to have, I suppose it’s down to me to suggest it. “I know this is unthinkable, Prez, but your reaction, quite sensibly, is a lockdown. No,” I say hurriedly holding up my hand, “not protesting or saying that’s wrong, but it’s the predictable response. Skull’s been missing four days, so why hasn’t something hit us sooner?”

“Because they were waiting for everyone to be called in,” breathes Beef catching onto my meaning fast, “and then launch an attack.”

“Yes,” but I haven’t finished, “or something’s already here on the compound.”

“Explosives?” Lizard suggests.

I nod at him. “It’s the way I’d do it, yes.”

Demon doesn’t waste a second. “First off, we search the fuckin’ clubhouse. Top to fuckin’ bottom. Ro, need your expertise. If you were Skull, if you knew every inch of the compound, where would you hide that shit?”

I rapidly work to get my mind in gear. “Fuck, Prez. Depends if we’re looking at a man who hid something in a hurry, or whether this has been planned for some time.” My hands massage my forehead. “He’s been gone a few days, if it was the former, what was hidden could already have been found. I’d go for long-term planning, so could be fuckin’ anywhere we wouldn’t normally stumble across. Loose floorboard? We’d better check under it. Backs of cupboards, anywhere he could have hidden shit.”

Demon stares, then nods. “You heard Pyro. We fuckin’ tear everywhere apart. Then, when we know it’s clear, or,” a glance of pain goes over his eyes as he knows, in that case he’d have to admit we’d all been betrayed, “we’ve cleared it, we go on lockdown.”

Serious looking men start getting to their feet. When Liz and Ink hang back, the others take their cue from them, and suddenly, everyone’s looking at me.

“Where first, Ro?” Bomber throws out.

I roll my head back, close my eyes, and visualise the compound. “It would either have to be in the clubhouse, or in one of the outbuildings close enough to cause damage. We’ll start in the basement and work our way up.”

“The businesses?”

“Yeah.” I seem to have been put in charge of the search, but hey, I know fire and its behaviour. “Liz, get the tattoo parlour checked out.” We’ve just opened a new one. Fucking bad time if that was taken out. “Rusty, check the bowling alley.” Christ, we have families and kids going there.

“I’ll take Tits Up,” Mace offers, as we’ve yet to put in a permanent manager.

“Sparky,” I ask, “can you check the auto-shop?”

“I’m with you,” Bomber offers.

“Me too,” says Ink.

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