Page 42 of Knox Unleashed
“Jesus. Glad I missed it. See you inside.”
I jog up the exterior stairs to the clubhouse, grateful for the air conditioning when I step inside. While I intend to head straight for my shower, it’s disappointing to realize it won’t be half as satisfying as the one I took with Maren. All that swirling hot water in the small space. The snap of tension between us that made it impossible to look away or resist.
North and Lock are sitting, heads together, as I slip behind the bar to grab a coffee.
“Brothers,” I say as I grab a mug and fill it, “what’s cooking?”
North tips his chin at Lock. “Lock’s sister heard some shit.”
Liberty works over at a small cafe at the larger marina towards the tip of the bay.
“What’d she hear?” I ask before taking my first delicious sip.
Lock rubs a hand over his face. “Two men asking around the marina ’bout Paltrow. She overheard one of them question a guy who works in the chandlery. She didn’t know who Paltrow was, but they used the word biker and Outlaw, and she thought to check in.”
“When?” I ask.
Lock glances at his phone messages. “Lib sent me the message to tell me she was hunkered down at her house, but she’d overheard the conversation just before they’d locked up.”
Which probably makes sense. They must have gone back to Maren from there to see if they could get further intelligence. But for some reason, I don’t immediately tell them what happened.
I need a hot shower and more coffee after this one so I can think and decide on a plan.
It’s an odd feeling. I’m usually quick to choose.
“Was anyone able to identify them?” I ask. “Did you get anywhere with the partial plate I sent you?”
North shakes his head. “My contact had already left work because of the hurricane. They said they’d look as soon as they get the all clear to return to work. Couldn’t get ahold of Vex either. King says he’s on his honeymoon on a deserted island or some shit. Said I could call someone named Wren in Colorado. Same skill set, but not a brother. But that’s also where Jackal is, so wanted to check in with you, first. Are we alerting Jackal?”
“I’ll call Colorado.” Grudge, the president of Colorado, and I know each other in the sort of same-brotherhood way, but we were never hugely tight. Yet I know if I call, he’ll offer help, because that’s what we do.
North nods. “Sounds good.”
“The storm gave them cover. Now that it’s passed, let’s get out again. Spread out this time. Have Sunny and Reaper check out the motels. North, go with Lock to check out the marina and find the guy they spoke with. I want to know every question they asked because it might give us some clues about who these people are and what they want. At this point, I’m not a hundred percent they are foe. If they’re people who wanted Paltrow dead, like we did, we might be able to assure them that we’ve taken care of our business and that they can leave.”
“You think it could be that simple?” North asks as Sunny comes in to grab some more coffee.
I shrug. “We won’t know until we know more. I also think we should be trying to figure out who would want to help him, if that’s what this is. Could it be his family? Brothers? Is it some of those pedos who came to help him when Jackal was burninghis ink off his back? Did he have debts with people we don’t like having debts with?”
Reaper joins us at the table as Vandal steps back into the clubhouse, bringing Havoc with him. “What if the rat’s a prospect or someone he sponsored? A hangaround he got close to. Might feel like he owes Paltrow something.”
I think back, because one thing I know and remember is the lineage of every biker. Who proposed them, who supported them, how the club grew because of them. “There was only one. Pax. A hangaround who wanted to prospect for us. He didn’t get picked. Nothing wrong with the candidate, if you remember, just had more people than we could take in, and he was so young. So, we told him to try again in a couple of years.”
Sunny looks confused for a second. “You mean the scrawny guy, dark hair?”
Reaper grimaces. “Makes sense…hewastoo young. Perhaps not too young for Paltrow. Could he have groomed him?”
I get what he’s saying. Paltrow’s problem was his inability to keep his hands off anyone below the age of consent. It’s the main reason I’m glad he’s dead.
“Maybe. Let’s put someone on him,” I say. “I want to know if Pax meets up with one of these guys. Do we have a photograph of him?”
Reaper shrugs. “Possibly. If he came with us on a ride out. I can ask among the brothers.”
“Keep it to the core. I don’t want everyone knowing we’re looking. Havoc, wait for the weather to cool its heels a little, then take Vandal, and when the kid leaves his house, go have a look inside. Leave no trace. Just see if there are any details floating around that could help us.”
There are a few nods, and it feels good that there are finally some threads to tug on.
“Don’t get caught either. I don’t want Caldwell interfering if he gets a call for breaking and entering.”
