Page 81 of Devil's Dilemma

“Fucker’s gone!” I scream at the top of my voice, making Red look up from some paperwork he’s checking behind the bar.

“What do you mean, he’s gone?” Red snarls. “Wills and Cuff lost him? One of them come off their bike?”

I stare at the device I’m still holding, shaking my head in disbelief. “Nah. Skull had help. Two cars intercepted and prevented them following. It was stop or be run off the road.”

“They get ID on the cars?” Red moves out from behind the bar and comes over.

I hadn’t thought to ask.

“Trails not dead,” Keys shouts from the other side of the room. “I’ve tracked that licence plate Rope called in.”

“Then let’s get moving. Text me the address.” Red takes his key out of his cut. “Coming, Twister?”

“Try and stop me.”

I nod at both the prez and his enforcer, who don’t bother with asking. It’s obvious I’ll be going along. I even grin as we walk to the bikes. Skull thinks he’s escaped and got clean away. Well, he’s underestimated the Devils.

In the end it’s a large group that pile out of the compound, brothers returning from the search fall into line with the crash truck. I’m anticipating the moment we kick his fucking front door in.

Red soon starts waving his arm, and we slow down then pull over. I’m scanning left and right, but I see no sign of Skull around. Not that I really expected to. He must have gotten the scare of his life and has gone to ground.

Red whistles softly, and we gather around him. “Skull ran earlier, he’ll run again if he sees or hears us. That’s why I brought the crash truck along. Place we’re headed to is a couple of roads over,” he says, probably for my benefit. “Any sound of bikes and he’ll be off.”

“He won’t get away from me next time,” Cuff growls a promise.

Coming to this address Keys had found was the first thing on my mind. Now I wonder who helped him get away earlier. Something doesn’t add up. Was it a coincidence that vehicles appeared to stop Wills and Cuff, or had Skull been able to summon help fast? If so, from who?

When Red continues issuing instructions, I shelve those questions for now. Once we get our hands on the man, he’ll give us the answers.

“Pyro, Twister and I will take the crash truck and check the address out. Everyone else, be ready to roll if we need you.”

“Red?” I suddenly ask, doubt flooding through me. “What are the chances of him coming back? What if he’s left town?”

When the Vegas prez’s eyes meet mine, I know he’s fearing the same thing. “If he were a single man, it’s likely. I’m banking that he might not have thought we could run a trace, or not in such a short time. He’s got a woman and kid with him, might have been able to leave his shit behind, but if they’re his, they’ll need stuff for the child. And we all know what women are like.”

I hope he’s right.

“Let’s do this.” Red wastes no more time and takes the keys of the crash truck from the prospect’s hand.

It’s a short drive, and when the address comes into sight, I whistle air out through my teeth.Is this place Skull’s?It seems unlikely.

“Has to belong to the broad,” I tell Red. “There’s no way Skull could afford to shack up in a place like this. He’s a mechanic for fuck’s sake.”

“We’ll soon know.”

But Red’s wrong. There’s no car in the driveway. The garage has been left unlocked, when we open it up, there are only a few of the kid’s outside toys lying around. Whoever owns the house and car hasn’t come home.

“I want to take a look inside,” I suggest, approaching the front doorway. Maybe once I’m the other side of the door, I can find a clue.

“Twister?”

“Right here.” He’s taking something out of his cut. “Let’s see what we’ve got.” As he steps toward the front door and starts to examine it, Red and I stand to shield him from anyone who might be watching the house. It’s unlikely. It’s a long front yard and well sheltered from prying eyes. But it’s a respectable neighbourhood, and they might have someone watching out for their neighbours.

There’s a click, then the sound of a door being opened. Twister looks up at a device on the wall and holds his breath.

“Thank fuck. They didn’t arm it.” He’s looking at a state-of-the-art alarm. “Serious shit that.”

I nod, recognising the system as one top of the line which Cad likes to use when he can, and once again think Skull’s broad must have money.

---