Page 58 of Hawk's Cry

“His name is Gabe.” I’m faced with two men who are used to dealing with information, seeing by the look on their faces they’re adding two and two together in a type of math I can’t understand. The name doesn’t register. Until Mouse expands, “I’m guessing it’s short for Gabriel.”

“Fucker’s playing with us.” Wizard slams his hand down on the desktop.

My gut churns. “Mouse?” I ask cautiously, hoping the answer to the sum I’ve come up with isn’t right.

Seems that it is when Mouse jerks his chin upward. “Unless it’s one hell of a coincidence, and I think it’s not, it’s Archangel Gabriel. He wants us to fuckin’ know it’s him who’s got her.”

Turning, I slam my fist into the wall.

“I should have put two and two together.” Throttle speaks through a tensed jaw. “Didn’t get much of a description, but the waitress said this Gabe had white blond hair and was a tall, muscular motherfucker.”

Wizard waves him off. “You weren’t thinking of matching a man from his description at the time, Throttle. Don’t beat yourself up. We wouldn’t have done differently if we’d known earlier. We can confirm it properly when we get the CCTV footage from the coffee shop, but I’d say there’s not too much doubt with what you’ve just said and the handle he’s using. Drummer. I think it’s best we assume fuckin’ Archangel’s got Olivia now, and I’ve fuck all idea what he’s going to do with her.”

“Give me the phone.” I hold out my hand. “I’m going to fuckin’ talk to him.”

Prez shakes his head. “Not without us thinking this through.” He closes his eyes as if he’s thinking. “Eli and Ollie were out on their own. He doesn’t know the club is involved, unless Olivia told him. If there’s a chance he doesn’t yet know, I want to keep him in the dark.”

A chance. A slim one. “He’s playing with us,” Throttle observes.

Mouse waves to Wizard, holding out his hand. “Let me examine that, Prez.”

“Can he trace the phone?” I remember Wraith could from his own.

“That’s what I’m going to find out.” Mouse looks tense.

It could make a difference if Archangel knows of our involvement. Wizard is right. If there’s a chance we can stay in the background, we might have a better chance. If he believes there’s only a man who’s not in his right mind trying to find her, then he might fuck up.

I rake my fingers through my hair, questions chasing each other around in my head. Why take Olivia? And, should I tell Eli exactly who we think has got her? What will it do to him for him to know it’s our worst enemy? Let him believe she ran off with another lover? Would that be kinder? At least he wouldn’t have to worry about her not being alive.

No. He might think it right now, but no man deserves to believe he’s been left for another. I beckon for the unlocked phone which Mouse reluctantly hands over. I read the messages for myself. Mouse was right. Nothing more there than to think they met for anything other than coffee. Mouse impatiently reaches for the phone again, and I surrender it back.

Thinking about it, Olivia went from being surrounded by people, both men and women, to living an isolated life with a man who gave her no attention and wanted none from her. She was lonely and would have been ripe to be picked by a friendly voice. Everyone here had known she was Eli’s from back when they were kids. No one’s ever seriously flirted with her. She’s not learned to be wary around strange men, and is likely to have treated him just like she would a woman who approached her.

“What you thinking, VP?”

“This Gabe targeted Olivia. Fuck knows how. It was planned.”

“How, we can only guess at, but we do know why. To hit us where it fuckin’ hurts.” Prez whistles out air through his teeth. “I asked Butcher to round up everyone for church. We need to locate her and fast. Jeez, Drummer, I hate to think what he might be doing to her.” Fuck. Archangel could use her to hurt us in so many ways. Disappear her so we never know what happened to her? Leave her dead body where it could be found? None of the reasons why he’d want her are good ones.

Prez continues, “Mouse, you stay here and search for any leads that could help us.”

A sharp rise and dip of his head and the half Native American shows his agreement.

“What do you want to do about Eli, Prez?” I ask him, being undecided myself. Would knowing what’s happened to Olivia destroy him completely? Or is that just as likely to happen if he eventually finds he’s been left out of the loop? I have no idea what a man in his state can deal with.

Wizard thinks for a moment, clearly considering my question carefully. Then he voices my own thoughts. “Things have happened fast. Do we make or break Eli by getting him involved in this?”

If Eli’s head was screwed on right, I know there’d be only one way to look at it. I realise I don’t have any option but to treat him like the man he was. “Involve him,” I decide when the decisions passed back to me. “How the fuck would you feel if it were Amy? I know how I’d be going crazy if it had been Sam who disappeared. Can’t keep him out of it, Wizard.”

Prez’s hand grasps my shoulder. “You think he can handle it?”

Shaking my head, I reply, “I’ve got fuck all idea, Prez, but that we should give him the chance is my gut feel.”

He nods. “Okay, Drummer. He’s your son. I’ll defer to you on this one. Eli joins us in church.” He then opens the door and disappears out of it, Throttle close on his heels.

I pause a moment. Mouse reaches for his joint, picks up a lighter and applies the flame to it. “We’ll get her back.” As he speaks, his intense dark eyes compel me to believe he’ll do what he can, but if he’s right, we’re dealing with a man who hasn’t got an ounce of compassion within him. We might not have much time.

“Find her fast, Mouse.”

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