Page 62 of Elling & Jackie

Chapter 24

A knock at the doorstopped Stassi from talking. Jackie answered the call, knowing it was the runner from the restaurant. She'd ordered lunch for her sister, knowing she'd be hungry after the rushed tripped down from Tacoma.

"Thanks, Leslie." Jackie handed her a ten-dollar bill.

"You don't have to tip me, silly." Leslie tried to hand it back.

"Take it this time. Most of this is for my sister." She stepped to the side, letting her see Stassi.

"Okay." Leslie dramatically slid the cash through the V of her shirt into her bra. "Have a good day."

Shutting the door, she carried the food over to the table. "So, does Chief think they'll keep our brothers at the station or press charges or what?"

"He hasn't said, but I can tell he's worried." Stassi opened the Styrofoam container and picked up half the Monte Cristo sandwich. "Everyone is trying to stay positive for the families who are involved."

"I don't get why Dad sent you here?" She sat down at the table across from her sister. "I was expecting him to order me back home, so I was surprised. He's never done that before. Even when we were younger, if the clubhouse got raided, we stayed."

Stassi finished chewing and wiped her mouth on one of the paper napkins. "Do you want to hear what I was told or what I overheard?"

Jackie bugged her eyes. "Give me whichever one is the truth."

"They were set up."

"By who?" she asked.

"From what I heard, Slag Motorcycle Club. Some of the riders are saying they've been cutting them off on their runs, making threats. They figure it was Slag who ratted them out to the Feds...for a crime they obviously didn't do." Stassi shrugged. "You know what I think?"

Jackie's heart pounded. Slag?

"What?" She reached for her food with a shaky hand, hoping her sister wouldn't notice.

"I think there's going to be an all-out war between the MCs in the territories." Stassi looked up from her late lunch. "Times are hard for everyone on the outside. I never realized the state of the world until I went to work at the nursery, but I hear the workers complaining about money, jobs, cost of living. Most people living in Tacoma have had to go to Seattle to get jobs. Hardly any of the kids I graduated with stayed. Neighborhoods that were once moderate areas where both parents worked, and their two-point-five kids went to public school, are now rundown, and there are vacant houses because they couldn't make their payments. It makes sense that the economy has also taken its toll on the clubs."

Jackie closed her mouth; surprised Stassi would be aware of other people's lives. It'd been a shock to her when she'd gone to college and realized growing up on Brikken land had sheltered her in more than one way.

As the youngest, Stassi had been babied. She got whatever she wanted, and the whole club jumped to make her happy.

During the time she'd moved away from home, Jackie realized Stassi had matured.

"Anyway, I think Slag ratted them out to the Feds. I can't imagine how Brikken is going to deal with that, especially if Jett ends up in prison again," said Stassi. "The whole thing makes me freaked out. I'll probably have to quit working at the nursery. Sydney will need help with all her and Jett's kids, and Jessy's...she's pregnant again. Did you hear?"

"No," she mumbled, feeling sick to her stomach.

Stassi groaned. "I hate it. It's been so long since Brikken had such devastating news. Last time Jett went to prison, he came back different. He loses himself and comes out more like...like...

"Chief?" said Stassi.

She nodded. "I feel so bad for those involved."

"They're going to be angry and ready to retaliate when the news comes out," said Stassi.

"So, they think Slag ratted them out to the Feds?" Jackie brushed the fringe on her shorts, unable to look at her sister in case Stassi could see the guilt flowing through her.

Stassi nodded and took a bite of her sandwich. "I know so. I heard mom and Chief talking."

Her head pounded. "When did this all happen?"

"Yesterday. I hadn't even had lunch at the nursery when Chief called and told me to get home. When I argued that I needed to work, he told me to quit. I talked him down and asked my boss for a week off, but I'm not holding out hope that the Feds will work that fast. It sucks. I don't know what I'll do."

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