Page 46 of Devil's Dilemma

“So, apart from Mo, no one’s going stir crazy?”

“Not as yet, Prez. But it will come.”

Demon acknowledges Mace. Then thinks for a moment. “To sum up, Skull’s still missing. Wretched Soulz had nothing, as you know, and the Silvestris are having enough internal problems without trying to start a war with us. If anyone has got Skull and is enjoying making us sweat, they may be holding on before issuing their demand or threat. I appreciate everyone’s cooperation, no one likes being cooped up. And agree, this can’t go on forever. At some point, we’ll let people go home.”

“Can you firm up on a date? It might make Mo happy to know there’s an end in sight.”

Demon gives a slow nod. “We’ll reassess at next week’s church. If nothing happens by then, we can only assume Skull’s dead, or decided to fuckin’ walk out on the club without turning in his patch.”

“You going to strip him of his membership?” Beef asks.

As growls go around the table, Prez bangs his fist. “If we find him breathing, got to be done, Brothers. We get patched in because of our loyalty to the club and the trust we’ve earned. Skull left with no word. This time next week he’ll have been gone almost three weeks. He won’t deserve his patch unless he’s got a good fuckin’ excuse.”

“If he’s not breathing?” I ask.

“Then he’s still a member, even dead.” This time there are murmurs of agreement.

“If he is in the land of the living, or dead by someone else’s hands, Prez, we got another problem. We’ve a cut in the wind.”

“Like that about as much as you, Beef. But until the man turns up, got to assume it’s lost.”

No club likes losing one of their cuts. It’s not unknown for someone to impersonate a member of a different club to get them into trouble. As glances are exchanged no words need to be said, but one more possible reason for Skull going missing has to be acknowledged. Someone didn’t wanthimbut wanted our colours instead.

“Time will tell,” Demon says, pragmatically. “All we can do is record its loss. If it ever turns up with the wrong man attached to it, he’ll fuckin’ wish he’d never been born.”

Amen to that.

I remain seated as the others move on out.

Demon starts to move past, and then stops. “You okay, Ro? Apart from having to sleep in the clubroom?”

At the reminder my hand goes up to the back of my neck and I rub it. “I’m just wondering how the fuck I can tell Mel we’re giving up.”

“Not giving up, Ro.”

“Seems like next week we will be. If we call lockdown off, to her it will appear we’re assuming Skull’s dead.”

“You think he’s not?”

I shake my head. Can’t deny that I do, though of course, I’m keeping that from Mel. “I just expected a body to turn up, you know? Have a funeral, bury him with club honours. Give her and us closure.”

Demon’s finger and thumb find the brow of his nose. “Melissa’s been pretty tied up with all this pregnancy stuff. Worrying whether she was, then, wondering how she’ll cope. I reckon early pregnancy under normal circumstances is stressful enough.”

“What’s on your mind, Prez?” My senses sharpen. Something definitely is.

“I’m wondering whether she’s got info she hasn’t shared.”

I scoff, “You think she’s holding out on us? She’s not. I can assure you of that. Girl’s fuckin’ distraught.”

“Sometimes people know more than they think they do. Things which seemed insignificant at the time, can add up.”

As I stare at him, I realise he may well have a point. “Want to talk to her now?”

“No time like the present, as they say.”

Mel’s out in the clubroom, she’s actually chatting to Mo. That’s one person whose attitude toward Skull’s woman did a complete turnaround once she knew she had a child on the way. I interrupt, having to say quickly there’s no news when her eyes light up briefly, and then ask that she come with me to see Prez.

“Need to pick your brains, Melissa,” Prez starts after she sits down opposite him. I stand against the wall behind her. “Sometimes people let things slip when they don’t mean to, and we’ve been wondering if that applies to Skull.”

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