Page 44 of Gatling
In the end, I failed.
Thank God for Baby Doll. She had the presence of mind to follow me to the day care. When she found me bleeding on the pavement, she called in reinforcements. The Blackjacks rallied behind me, taking me back to the clubhouse.
Baby Doll and Blackbeard were stitching me up. Big G and Hot Shot were soothing the pepper burns on my face with a damp washcloth, soaked in milk. Vlad, Spike, and Tex were keeping me pinned down. Kingpin held an oxygen mask over my face, pumping air into my abused lungs.
“What’s her name?” he asked, his voice quiet despite the chaos.
I coughed. My face felt like a puffy tomato and I probably looked like one, too.
“Kelsie,” I rasped. “She’s my…”
She’s my everything.
Kingpin held my gaze with a nod of understanding.
“We’ll get her back, all right?”
Before I could respond, the front door opened. I’d sent Crash to fetch Noah, and they burst into the room now.
“Jesus Christ, Ryker, what the hell happened?”
Vlad stopped Noah from getting too close, pushing him down into a nearby chair. He kept his large hand on Noah’s shoulder, partly for support, but mostly to prevent him from moving.
“Kelsie—her stalker—she was kidnapped.” Every word felt like broken glass in my throat. “Some guy—a stranger. I didn’t recognize him. I don’t think she knew him either.”
“Did he…did he do this to you?” Noah exclaimed, incredulous.
“Tried—to stop him.”
Noah swore and ran his hands through his hair with agitation.
“I thought…it’s been so quiet lately that I thought it was over. Damn it, I should have known better. I should have—”
“That’s not helping anyone, kid,” Kingpin cut in with a firm look. “We have video camera footage of the guy’s face from the day care center. Credence is working his magic. We’ll find this guy.”
The baby,I thought.
Did Noah know? Kelsie would tell him first, right? They’re family—brother and sister.
But he made no mention of it.
I expected Noah would protest our less-than-legal methods of handling the situation. But he didn’t.
“I want to help,” he said at last.
“Not a good idea,” Blackbeard muttered without breaking his concentration on my stitches. “You’re agitated, and rightly so. That’s a big fucking risk. No offense, but you’re a wild card to us and we can’t afford that.”
“I don’t give afuck—” Noah shot back.
Vlad squeezed his shoulder so hard that Noah broke off with a grunt and a grimace of pain. Blackbeard spared a quick glance at him.
“That’s exactly why you need to sit this one out. Besides, from what I understand, there were witnesses to this kidnapping. That means the police will be asking questions. Ryker said that you’re Kelsie’s brother. The cops will be knocking at your door any minute for a chat. So, the less you’re involved with us, the better.”
Noah didn’t like that answer, but he seemed to understand the logic behind it.
“Got him,” Credence announced from a corner of the clubhouse. “Joaquin Olson, thirty-eight years old. Janitor at the gym across the street for two years. Previously lived in Kansas, until his ex-girlfriend took out a restraining order against him. He has an apartment on the south side of town—”
I didn’t need to hear anymore. Brushing the oxygen mask aside, I struggled to sit up.
