Page 63 of Rebel

“Okay,” I said. Eric started guiding us forward with one hand on each of our backs. We walked right past that smoking area and got into the Dark Slayers’ van. I let Richie sit in the passenger seat and I sat on the jump seat right behind the driver’s seat.

“Thanks for getting me outta there, man. You can drop me anywhere near town.”

Eric growled, “No can do. We’re not fucking dropping you anywhere. You’re coming back to the clubhouse with me. We’re getting you into a treatment program and then you and I are gonna find that sister of yours.”

Richie froze in his seat and then his head slowly turned around to stare at Eric. “Are you being serious right now?”

I spoke up for the prospect. “Of course he’s being serious. He’s prospecting with the Dark Slayers MC and they’re never anything but serious.”

Richie spoke in a trembling voice. “I’ll do anything and everything it takes to find my sister.”

“That include gettin’ clean?” Eric asked.

“Anything,” Richie replied.

“After I get finished seeing to Rebel, we’ll head back to Griffinsford. I’ll do my best to find that letter from your mom, but no more breaking into our house and business, okay?

Richie turned to look back over his shoulder at me. “I agree to all that, but just so you know, I never broke into the business.”

I’d been through too much to argue with him, so I sealed my lips.

Eric said from behind the wheel. “You want to go to a men’s clothing store for some clothing and then somewhere close to the jail to pick up snacks, right?”

“Yes. Please, and thank you for helping my family out, Eric. I won’t forget how good you were to us in our time of need.”

“Don’t thank me until we find the girl.”

I tilted my head as I stared at Eric’s reflection in the rear view mirror. “She’d be a full-grown woman by now.”

He made a grunting sound, like it didn’t matter as long as we found her. This whole situation was doing my head in, so I zoned out planning my shopping and visit with Rebel. I couldn’t wait to see his handsome face.

Chapter 22

Rebel

Iguessed word must have gotten back to Lacey that I’d landed myself in jail, because as soon as visiting hours started, she showed up bearing gifts. This local lock-up out in the middle of butt-fuck nowhere was much more lenient than anything I’d heard of here in California. I learned real quick when breakfast arrived at the crack of dawn that the food here was inedible. So I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thrilled to see that she’d brought some food and drinks for me.

I accepted it all in the jail’s visitor’s room with the gratitude of a starving man. Although the grub and extra change of clothing were much appreciated, it was getting to see the woman I loved that made my day.

She was wearing leggings and a sweater that hugged her delicious curves and had her hair thrown up in a messy bun that really suited her. Of course, we weren’t allowed to hug, hold hands, or touch in any kind of way, but just sitting across the table from her reminded me that I had a wonderful life waiting for me on the outside.

“Our club attorney assured me that they can only hold me for up to seventy-two hours without charging me. Other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time, I haven’t done anything to be arrested for.”

“I don’t see the point of keeping you here if they can’t think of anything to charge you with,” she replied, sounding exasperated.

I opened the bottle of soda and took a big swig. I really needed something cold to drink and it went down smoothly.

“Our attorney says there’s some new hotshot prosecuting attorney looking to make a name for herself. I guess three out-of-town bikers are too good of an opportunity to resist. Grey says they need time to process the crack house and interrogate the other people they arrested. If she can find something legitimate to charge us with, she’s gonna do it.”

“Well, if you want, I’ll come and visit you every day,” she promised.

“That’s really not necessary. I hate for you to see me locked up in a place like this when I’m supposed to be out there trying to figure out who is breaking into your home and business. It’s unfortunate that your cousin was in no condition to talk by the time we got to him.”

Her expression turned excited. “Don’t worry about that. I talked to Richie myself this morning.”

“I hope he wasn’t belligerent towards you?” I asked her.

“No. It was quite the opposite,” she said, looking pleasantly surprised. “He admitted to breaking into my parents’ house. I strong-armed him into telling me why he did that, and how he ended up on such a bad path, and the story he told me and Eric was heart-wrenching.”

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