Page 44 of Devil's Queen

“No, Monte. That’s where you’re wrong. You’re lucky I didn’t find you alone because the last thing I would be doing is stripping you of your patch. Let this be a lesson to you, asshole. Touch what is mine again, and I will take away everything you love without a second fucking thought.”

REMY

“Got something,”Cheyenne offers after barreling into my office. “One of my informants finally got back to me. Heard about a heist of a high-value target.”

“You have my attention.” I shove away the invoices I’ve been working on for a distraction. My mind is still reeling from the fight at the strip club and Rex’s sudden appearance two nights ago. He hadn’t so much as texted me since he stormed out with his promise to make it right. Guilt and nervousness have pained me since.

Cheyenne pulls out her phone and pulls up a map of Ruddock.

“That place is a ghost town.” After being hit with a hurricane in 1915, the place was never inhabited again. The only indication that there was a village there is the single road sign off the highway. The last time I’d been through there, the entire place was covered in vegetation. Only the remnants of buildings were left standing.

“Which makes it a perfect place to hide something valuable, Remy.”

“How sure is your informant?”

“Pretty damn sure. He was offered the contract but passed when he realized who he’d be stealing from.”

“Smart man.”

“They were offering a million dollars for the bike. Whoever wanted it has the cash to spare. My informant is trying to figure out who took it, but it will take time.”

I lean back in my chair, staring at the map of Ruddock.

“Call the club. Let’s go check it out.”

“Already done.” Cheyenne smirks. “They’re going to meet us there except for Tinley. She’s still tied up with the emergency case.”

As we gather our things and prepare to leave, I feel a twinge of guilt gnawing at me again. Rex’s absence weighs heavily on my mind, clouding my focus. But there’s no time to dwell on it now. Not when we have a solid lead on our bike.

I stop by Mama’s desk, asking her to get Beaux from school before I leave. Ruddock is small, but I am not going to leave a single stone unturned if there’s any chance the bike might be there.

Cheyenne and I head outside and mount up. Riding through the desolate road toward Ruddock, I can’t help but wonder what kind of secrets this abandoned village holds. Ghost tours didn’t even visit it because there is nothing left of the village that was once there. The families who had owned the properties abandoned them over the years.

As we approach Ruddock, the air grows heavy with a sense of foreboding. The overgrown vegetation seems to whisper secrets of the past, and I shiver despite the warm breeze. We navigate through the crumbling remains of once-vibrant buildings. The only sound is the rumbling engines of our bikes as they echo off the ruined structures. A few moments after we arrive, Maya, Harlow, and Marissa join us.

“Not a lot to this place, huh?” Harlow remarks.

Cheyenne and I dismount our bikes near the center of Ruddock, where a dilapidated structure stands towering over the rest. Its weathered walls look as if a stiff wind would knock them down.

“Fan out,” I tell everyone. “Text if you find something.”

The five of us separate, each taking a portion of the dilapidated village to search. I head north, finding the remains of several homes. Their foundations are all that is left. Tall, undisturbed grass surrounds them.

I make my way through the overgrown grass, my feet sinking slightly into the soft earth with each step. The abandoned homes loom before me like forgotten sentinels, their crumbling walls and broken windows telling tales of a life once lived. I move cautiously, my senses heightened as if I’m being watched by something unseen.

As I explore further, a sense of unease settles over me, like a dark cloud looming overhead. The silence is interrupted only by the occasional rustling of leaves or the distant cry of a bird. It’s as if time itself has stopped in this desolate place, trapped between the whispers of the past and the unknown secrets that lie hidden within.

Suddenly, my phone buzzes in my pocket, breaking the eerie silence. I quickly pull it out and see a message from Cheyenne.

Found something. Meet me at the old church.

I waste no time, my heart pounding with anticipation as I navigate toward the designated meeting point. The old church stands at the edge of Ruddock, its steeple reaching toward the heavens in defiance of its dilapidated state. As I approach, I see Cheyenne standing near the entrance, her eyes fixed on something inside.

“What did you find?” I ask eagerly.

Cheyenne gestures for me to come closer. She leads me around the back of the church. The tall grass swishes and sways as we walk through it. We walk until a small shed comes into view. Its bright brown wood contrasts against the gray boards of the crumbling church. “This is new.”

“It is. There’s a footpath through the grass on the other side. I followed it, and it led me here.”

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