Page 39 of Devil's Marker

“S’alright. Let it go. So does everybody use the same code?”

“No. We’ve all got our own. Boss knows ‘em all.”

“Okay.” Win wondered why he’d been given a patch but no code, and made a mental note to ask Cue when things settled down.

He took the incident involving Hop’s beating as a signal that the Rangers were right. The two clubs were on the verge of war, which meant a lot more people were going to get hurt before it was over. Oddly, R.C. came to mind along with the thought that he was glad she was back in Austin, well away from it.

“How many of the members stay here and how many have their own places?”

Bo shrugged. “Most have a place that’s not here. Even the ones who stay here most of the time. About half have families. That’s what the third door is all about.”

Win cocked his head with curiosity. “Show me.”

Bo punched in the code on the third door. It opened into a space that looked like a smaller version of the clubhouse except that it was clearly geared for families. Playroom instead of pool tables. Rooms off the common area, but not so many. No murals on the wall. Tasteful neutral colors that would soothe kids instead of excite them.

“Lock down for families,” Bo said.

“It’s nice,” Win said. “But it’s a fire trap.”

“No. It’s not.”

“How do you figure?”

“First, there’s not much to burn. No wood aside from the furniture. No fabric aside from clothes and bedding. No drapes. No carpet. Come on.” Bo started walking toward the back wall. As he went, he said, “You know that abandoned warehouse across the street?”

“Yeah.”

“We own it, too.” He stopped in front of a door that looked like a broom closet. When he opened it up, that’s exactly what it was.

“Always good to know where to find a broom.” Win looked around. “Or a mop.”

Bo smirked. He stepped toward the back wall that was shelves containing a wide variety of cleaning products. He pressed on the molding and a snick caused it to pop open.

“Fake front,” Win said.

“That’s right.”

Bo pulled the shelving unit open to reveal a four-by-six room designed for no purpose other than to house steep steps. The whole was dark until Bo stepped within a foot of it. That triggered lights.

“Tunnel? Goes to the warehouse across the street?”

“Yep. Comes up into a room just like this one. Broom closet with a fake front.”

“That tunnel must have cost a fortune.”

“I guess. I’m not part of the accounting. So I don’t know for sure. But it’s not the only one. There are two more in the main part of the building.”

“You gonna tell me where?”

“All part of the tour.”

“How many people know about this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, members. Wives. Who else?”

“Nobody else.”

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