Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 117494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 587(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
The guys hooted in laughter as Crow banged the gavel down.
Church was done.
I was outside and headed back to the barn, Boise next to me, when Crow called my name.
I turned back, and he motioned to the side. “Wondering if we could have that talk?”
Right. I nodded to Boise, dropping my voice. “Connect with Stripes. I want to know if he heard anything last night. Tell the ones leaving tomorrow to rest today.”
He gave a nod, heading off.
I followed Crow to the side of the house and down to where his sister kept her horses. They were penned up in a pretty looking white corral.
“It’s real nice that your sister let us hole up here,” I told him. “We owe her anything for this?”
He shook his head. “Not for the club. Her old man was a Red too. She knows how it is.”
I gave him a sharp look. “Club’s not hurting. We can pay. Seems the right thing to do.”
He watched me a moment before he nodded. “If you’d like then. She’d sure appreciate it.”
We walked a bit farther, going around the corral and toward another smaller barn. Behind it was a walking trail, heading out into the horse pasture.
“What did you want to talk about, Crow?”
He grimaced, his mouth tight before he let out a long breath. “Our president took the fall for a lot of guys in this charter. I know he called you in to help us sort it out. That’s the real reason you’re here, because we got some guys in here that I don’t trust.”
He had my full attention because was he talking about himself? Or others?
“But the reason I want to have this conversation in private is because I’m worried. Makes me nervous how close Estrada was, how quick he got to us. When we pull everything off, what about the afterwards?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Estrada’s powerful. And if he’s hooked up with the Russians, where does that leave us? We’re the Red Demons, but I’m worried about when we do pull away from the cartel.”
“You talking about safety?”
“I’m talking we might want to team up with another power entity. I wanted to broach the subject, get your opinion.”
“Some might say we’re getting out of bed with one devil, so why would we want to team up with another?”
“Because who I’m thinking about isn’t like Estrada. They don’t hang an entire family for passing a fucking phone. They’re in the same area we are. Would make sense to team up with them, if they’re open to it. But I’m thinking you’re national VP, so it’d be up to you to make the approach.”
“Why don’t we cut the bullshit and you name who I think you’re naming.”
He eyed me, a trickle of sweat showing on his skin. But after a moment he nodded, coming to a decision. “I’m talking about the Canadians. They’re here, mostly in the Midwest, but they’d be open to expanding west. They don’t have Texas, and we do.”
I gave him another sharp look. “You know that when we pull out, Texas is where we’re going to get hit first.”
He nodded. “I’m aware. But here too, I think. That’s why I’m asking for this. The Canadians do their business in a way that’s still a mystery to most. They got men, but they hit in coordinated attacks. Their leader is smart, calculating, but he doesn’t kill ceaselessly. That gets me. I got family here. I don’t want them killed, and having Estrada on our front door, I want some measures put in place.”
Well, fuck me. The Canadians were who Max wanted me to approach. But I didn’t trust Crow enough to reveal that, not yet.
“Let’s handle the guys you don’t trust first.”
He gave me another measuring look. Then his eyes closed, and he nodded. “It’s the smart move.”
We needed to do the ugly business first, because we were talking about Red Demon traitors—one of the worst crimes there was. We’d need to handle those guys first, strip them of their patches and decide who to bury and who to burn.
I could see Crow’s reluctance, but it had to be done.
He didn’t want to name them. I didn’t want to hear the names, but club first. Always.
So I asked the question, “Who don’t you trust in your charter, Crow?”
30
KALI
My phone buzzed beside me.
Harper: Justin’s here.
Oh boy. I already knew this. Harper knew I knew, so this wasn’t that kind of a texting conversation.
This was a something-else text.
I sighed, settling in. I was waiting for Shane to do what he needed to do. Then, well, we’d be doing what we needed to do after that. Until then… My phone buzzed again.
Harper: AND HE’S IGNORING ME! Ignoring me, Kali. Ignoring me.
Harper: He came here for me. Now, he’s ignoring me. WTF? Honestly what the effer loving feck?!