Page 19 of Tiny's Law

“I don’t know what Hawk holds over her. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t hit her, but he must have something because she’s miserable. He treats her like shit. Threatens to take the kid away, kick her out on her ass, and everything in between. He controls everything about her life, so she doesn’t have a choice.”

“Why is she hacking our shit?” Ghost grumbles.

“He’s making her.”

“Why?”

“I think that answer is obvious, Ghost. He wants control of Desert Rose and the surrounding area.”

Ghost slashes the air before bringing his fist down hard on the table. “Not fucking happening.”

I click on the other screen with Robert and Jake’s pictures. “Where do these two come in?”

“When Hawk brought up bringing drugs through, he knew you guys would immediately shut it down, so he decided on taking you guys out. Hawk assigned jobs for his brother to do to show his loyalty. His first job was to run one of you off the road, and the goal was the unlucky bastard wouldn’t make it out alive.”

“Horse,” Bones grunts.

Powers nods. “I didn’t know. I’ve been so distanced from the club lately, busy taking care of my own damn family. I didn’t even fucking realize what was going on. Hawk only involved a certain amount of people in the plans. I wasn’t one of them.

Jake’s a fucking idiot. He can barely get til noon before he’s passed out somewhere in the clubhouse, fucking off on some sort of shit. Who knows. Before you guys shoot me in my seat, know that I didn’t know about the majority of this until yesterday, which is why I turned my cut in.”

Powers takes a shaky breath before continuing. “Then, somehow, a kid named Beau starts hanging around. He’s Syd’s older brother. Jake and Robert knew him from their chop shop days. I think Beau used to paint for them or something. I knew he worked for you guys, and he’s Syd’s brother, but I never questioned it. I guess with Syd dating Hawk, Jake and Robert figured Beau could join the club. To earn his way, my guess is Beau was feeding them information about you guys. They knew everything you guys were doing. Whatever gets said at your garage, Beau is feeding Hawk and his minions,” he says, looking directly at Bones and Tank.

“Shit,” Bones says, scratching his bushy beard.

“The bakery?” Ringer asks. “Was that meant for Lilah?”

Powers nods gingerly.

Ringer throws himself back out of his chair and slams his fist into the wall behind him. Too bad Ringer hits a fucking stud. The bone-crunching sound that follows makes me cringe. That hand’s definitely broken.

“Fuck! I’m going to fucking kill that piece of shit!” Ringer’s losing his cool and pacing behind his chair.

“Trigger’s car? Maria’s car?” Flame asks.

“Those were meant as warnings. Not meant to hurt anyone.”

“How do you know all of this now?” Ghost asks through clenched teeth.

“Last night, Jake and Robert were supposed to come here and do something. I still didn’t get the full story on that, but I was at the clubhouse giving one of the pregnant ol’ ladies an IV infusion when Jake and Robert came limping through the doors. They both had gunshots, and I had to fix them up.”

Powers was a medic in the Marines with Razor, so it’s no surprise he’d have to help.

“Weak men spout a lot of shit when you give them the right pain meds,” Powers continues. “Said they used a burner phone to call it in and gave Ringer’s name as the shooter before they ditched the phone.”

Ghost nods with a scowl. “So all of this is because Hawk wants to bring drugs in?”

“Yeah. And get you out of his way. He knows you wouldn’t let it happen. For Jake, Robert, and Beau, I think it’s all personal because of you,” Powers says as he points at Ringer. “Those three are focusing on their personal connection to Ringer. And Hawk’s sitting back while they all do the dirty work, even if it’s sloppy as fuck.”

“It may be sloppy, but people are still getting hurt. My fucking family!” Ghost barks.

Powers nods, his face softened into an understanding sympathy. “My family is outside in the car. I’m leaving town and getting the fuck away from them.”

Ghost presses his lips together in thought. “Are you safe?”

Powers forces a laugh and shakes his head. “I can handle myself. Besides, Hawk won't leave this fucking state. I’ll be fine until I get to our mother chapter in Reno. Got a feeling the Pres doesn’t have a clue what Hawk is up to.”

“Well, I appreciate you coming by tonight,” Ghost says.

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