Page 112 of Marcus: Sins of the Father

“They’ve been taken,” Cole continues.

“What the hell? Who took them?” Shane turns and questions me, and there’s that guilt again, spiking up my spine and locking my jaw.

“We’re figuring that out,” Cole answers for me.

“Who exactly has been taken?” Jake asks.

“Harley and Brandy,” Cole responds.

Jake glances to where Crash sits, and the sympathy is written on his face. Every brother in here can imagine his pain.

I notice Billy visibly relax.

“What do we know?” Green leans forward in his chair, his face sterner than I’ve ever seen it.

“They were taken within thirty minutes of Marcus talking to them. We found a credit card that seems to have fallen out in the struggle. Wolf is running the name now.” Cole pulls out his phone and sets it on the table.

“Do we think it's club related? Anyone else in danger?” Shane asks.

“We don’t know. So, I want everyone on high alert and ready to move if we go into lockdown. Understood?”

A murmur of agreement reverberates around the room.

“Until I hear more—” Cole lifts his gavel to adjourn, but his phone vibrates.

Crash leans forward, peering at it.

Cole holds the phone to his ear. “Yeah?”

You could hear a pin drop as every man in the room waits.

“You’re sure? Fucking shit.” Cole sets his phone on the wooden table.

“Did he find something?” Crash blurts before Cole has even taken a breath.

“It was the Death Heads.” Cole drops the bomb.

My blood stills, and a band tightens around my chest. I suddenly feel like I can’t breathe.

“The card belonged to that asshole we beat the shit out of at the trailer,” Cole continues. "Wolf traced the name to an arrest record. He said the mugshot was definitely Jackal."

“Goddamn it!” Crash roars, flinging his chair against the wall.

“We’re on lockdown immediately. It was obviously retaliation, and we don’t know if they’re planning to hit anywhere else.” Cole looks at all the men. “Get your families here now. TJ, go get your mom and Melissa. Billy, go get Shannon.”

They nod and quickly leave with the rest of the guys to collect their families.

Crash leans his palms on the table, his head drooping. Green pauses to squeeze his shoulder before exiting.

I stay frozen against the wall. I have no family to get. Brandy is my family, and she’s gone.

Red Dog lingers in the doorway with a pensive look on his face. “Why the hell would they go after Marcus? Wouldn’t they aim for someone bigger?”

Cole looks up. “I have no idea. Maybe they thought he was an easier target being a prospect.”

Red Dog seems unsatisfied with that answer. His gaze moves to Crash for a protracted moment before he, too, walks out the door.

Crash looks up, despair on his face. “Cole, what am I going to say to her? I have to tell her Harley is gone. Taken.”

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