Page 14 of Hell's Claim

“You told me, son, that meeting had been planned to make moves. Then they end up dead. Zeus was so whacked out at the time he’d no idea what he was doing. Someone wanted Hellfire to stay on the path they were. Sure, we now know that Fury and Stingray were pulling the strings. But…”

“Wait up, Mom, what do you mean Stingray was managing Zeus?” Sunny exclaimed.

“Sunny. Didn’t you work it out? Stingray was the one who brought Zeus in, he supported every decision Zeus made. Bullet, Big Al, and Slash went against Zeus. So, Zeus made a power move. Did you really believe Zeus had the brains to carry out what he did alone?”

“But Stingray?” Sunny muttered, stunned.

“He was buddies with Fury, cousins in fact, they were inbred that family. It was obvious Stingray was managing events to suit himself. But then I heard Zeus one night. He was laughing with Grinder, chortling over Bullet, Stingray, and Slash’s deaths. Zeus asked Grinder if he’d have placed money on Cutter killing his own father,” Cherry recalled.

Sunny was horrified. “That shocked us all.”

“More shocking was that Cutter did it for a packet of coke and heroin. That kid was a smacked-out waste of space. No matter what Slash did to clean him up, Cutter was just born bad. Grinder began laughing in return. He asked Zeus if Stingray had realised that when he’d ordered all founders be killed, and that he should have clarified: not himself. They roared with laughter at that.”

“You’re kidding me? Stingray gave the order for them to die and forgot to omit himself, so Cutter thought Stingray meant for Cutter to kill him too?” Sunny exclaimed.

“Yes. Exactly that. Big Al was lucky. I just wish they’d reached Bullet in time,” Cherry said softly.

“You’ve never taken another man,” Sunny replied, taking Cherry’s hand.

“Nope.”

“You’re young enough.”

“Oh, Sunny. That might be so. I was seventeen when you were born. I’m sixty-five now. There was only ever going to be one Bullet, and he is hard to replace,” Cherry responded with a faraway expression.

“Mom, Bullet wouldn’t have wanted you to be alone,” Sunny insisted.

“I wasn’t. I had Liv and you. Bullet’s waiting for me, and we’ll be together again. That’s my belief, even though I’m no churchgoer.”

“You deserve happiness,” Sunny pushed.

Cherry had given up a lot for him and Liv. He was just coming to that selfish realisation. Cherry had never complained when Sunny moved them to Florida and signed up. She was more Liv’s parent than he was, considering his time away on tours.

“Listen to me. Forget what I said, what do you want to do, Mom?” he asked. Sunny couldn’t ask Cherry to give up more.

“I want you to find peace, and you don’t have that. Someone played you, Chance, Bear, and the rest for a fool. Get them and make them pay for nearly stealing Liv’s daddy from her,” Cherry answered emphatically.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, because we have lived with the threat of Hellfire finding out you are alive for the last fifteen years. Even here, we’ve had to watch our backs. Especially with the Venomous Fangsso close. Fury could have recognised you if he’d crossed your path. Those tours abroad were a blessing in disguise. It’s time to get the truth, no matter what the consequences are. And while you’re doing that, I’ll be planning our escape route,” Cherry stated.

Sunny threw back his head and laughed. Sure as fuck, Cherry would do that.

Chapter Four.

Callie - 2021

Iwas trying hard not to laugh as Phil raced out of the old building we were investigating. He’d been setting up the monitors and had switched a camera on just as a shadow figure appeared. Phil had seen it, but I hadn’t, and Phil fled. It was highly unprofessional, but the look of sheer panic on Phil’s face had done me in.

My phone rang, and I glanced down and saw it was Polly.

“Hi,” I answered.

“Hey, are you in South Dakota?” Polly asked.

“No, I’m in Texas investigating an old prison. We’ve got activity already, it’s exciting.”

“That’s good,” Polly said dismissively. That rankled a little. Polly had made it very clear she didn’t believe in ghosts and viewed my job as a bit of a joke. The fact my podcast had become extremely popular had confused and then bemused Polly.

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