Page 117 of Irons

“And what will you share about Creed’s Lake if we make that happen? We deserve to know who we are partnering up with as well.” Charlie said.

“You’ll learn what’s necessary and nothing more. This partnership will benefit you more than Creed’s Lake. I presume you want protection, or at least law enforcement agencies that will turn a blind eye.” Travis was not going to bend with them. He couldn’t, we had things so confidential at Creed’s Lake the President didn’t even know. It felt so wrong to be on the other side of a negotiation with my dad. My savior, my angel, and the man who always loved me beautifully and perfectly.

“I think that’s fair.” Dad said. “But I want access to visit my daughter. I want to pull up to those gates and be let inside to see her whenever I have the opportunity.”

Travis turned to him. “You’re not in the position to make demands, Clint. So back off.”

He was right, dad couldn’t demand that and it’s understandable why. We had lockdowns and innocent people’s identities to protect. Not to mention the undercover operatives to protect as well. In fact, it wasn’t likely dad would ever be invited to visit Creed’s Lake, not if an alliance was to work. If their MC was ever investigated we had to be careful not to be a proven partner to their crimes.

“We need to see for ourselves how responsible you’ve been with your cases. Believe me when I say handing over that thumb drive speaks volumes. You kept evidence against yourselves, that’s the dumbest thing I ever saw.” He said.

Charlie spoke up. “It’s to keep our members loyal. They can’t turn on us if we have incriminating evidence against them. It’s all kept in encrypted files.”

“Why the sudden interest in Creed’s Lake?” Travis asked. “You’ve known about us for how long? Less than a day?” Creed asked.

“Longer but we didn’t know what we do now until today.” Dad said. “My research started the moment my daughter got that invitation. It was not something I shared with Charlie until a few weeks ago. We then discussed it and decided not to tell Paula anything. We didn’t want her showing up on your doorstep. We had no idea she already knew until this morning, and the bigger surprise was that she knew more than us. I only told Charlie what I learned because I wanted to see if we could learn more about what kind of danger Wrenly would be in by working for you. Your community is as suspicious as hell. I’m not exactly thrilled that Paula went behind my back to the FBI director in regards to my daughter, just to throw that in there. None of what we are proposing was discussed until early this morning. We based our trust in Creed’s Lake on your relationship with General Pennington.”

Travis walked over to the window with the broken piece of plywood to look out back. “What’s the purpose of parking your bikes out back?”

My dad answered. “I thought you would drive right by and not come if you spotted my bike.”

“What do you think you’ll gain, other than protection, by joining alliances with us?” Travis asked. “Mom has been approached by another organization that probably would have jumped on this opportunity.”

Travis was right, it was an opportunity for the larger outfits. Especially ones that were already in to private investigations. Creed’s Lake was just starting that business, and it was being set up as a legit company outside the community just like the law practice. Prior to last year when Creed was deployed, they only did contract work outside the states. With an outfit like Dad’s MC and their charter clubs they could benefit our DV division and our investigations. They would act as tentacles, able to reach victims faster until we can come and bring them to Creed’s Lake.

“Funding, it’s that plain and simple.” Charlie answered.

“Travis lifted his chin. “So, you think we would slide you small contract jobs?”

“Of course, and we chose Creed’s Lake because we feel we can trust you, Travis. We declined an offer from Deacon Alexander because he doesn’t share the same belief system as us. We do what we can with what little we make doing some shake downs and through private donations. We are a charitable organization that is very involved in community service. There aren’t many of those funds that we can use without tipping off the powers that be. We need an increase of cash flow, mainly because we have members starting families and funding theirkids college educations. They can’t afford to keep giving and not receiving. We do charge a membership to the clubhouse to keep it afloat, but that doesn’t cover our costs for what we do secretly. At one time, when Tony was alive we had a great cash flow, but now our priorities have changed and that has taken its toll on our finances.” Charlie paused for a moment. “The most shocking thing about what we do isn’t what the perpetrators have done, but what they haven’t been able to do. I can’t count how many of these sick bastards have thanked us during their last minutes alive. We were doing what they didn’t have the courage to do themselves. They knew they were sick and would never be cured. These are serial rapists and child molesters. Monsters that wanted it to end because they could not control themselves. They didn’t even have faith in our legal system to stop them, so imagine how we feel as cops and see the failures of our justice system every damn day.”

“You say my father never knew?” Travis asked.

“Of course not.” Paula spoke up. “He struggled, Travis. It wasn’t just Bobby’s disappearance, but guilt. Guilt over fathering another child, guilt for turning away from me, and of course the biggest guilt was what we did to you. He drank to numb his pain, obsessed in finding updates about you, but of course all he really knew was what he found on Facebook. He followed your basic training and then found the mother of one of your fellow soldiers and that’s how he got your group photo.”

“Beltran’s mother.” He muttered. “We were never supposed to be on social media, she risked our safety by doing so.”

That was true, we weren’t exactly supposed to have much to do with social media while part of any special ops groups. We don’t do it while at Creed’s Lake either. Morgan had one but it was a fan page Melissa ran, and the posts were mostly oldphotos reminiscent of Morgan’s past, not anything that included the present. Melissa also had personal accounts on different platforms, but it’s nothing that identifies Creed’s Lake.

Paula proceeded with the conversation. “His mental health wasn’t well enough to handle this kind of information. Your father was a good man that life just kept beating down over and over again.”

“He cheated on you and Emma. Then he neglected two sons, I have a hard time seeing him as a good man.” Travis said.

“Travis.” Paula’s eyes softened as she took a step toward him, but Travis took a step back away from her. “Your father and I both changed after Bobby was taken. I became obsessed with finding Bobby and nothing else mattered. Your father became lost, very angry, and he suffered from depression. He did things he never would have done before Bobby disappeared. Robert and Tony were very close, as close as most identical twins, and they were a lot alike. They may have had other interests, but they still shared a great deal of qualities when they were young. We were deeply in love and the Robert I married never would have stepped out on our marriage, but by the time Emma came around he had been suffering for a decade.”

“Why were you good to Emma but not her son? She stole your husband, but Brock is innocent. Why not help him? Why didn’t anyone help him?” Travis asked.

“I do not care for Emma. I felt as though she took advantage of a very desperate and lonely man, but I’m only human. I tolerated her for years because Robert was the father of my sons. When her son was arrested, I knew she was there alone. It was an internal battle for me, because on one hand she enabled Robert’s alcoholism, but on the other she always seemed so fragile. I only took her groceries because I’m not ascold hearted as you believe. You grew up seeing a very cold and distracted woman, but around the time I opened up to Charlie, things changed. I started to feel like the woman I once was, which is nothing like the woman you knew me to be. Slowly I began understanding Bobby would never be found and my own mental health improved. Your father, unfortunately, never returned to the man I married.”

“Why doesn’t aunt Tricia give a damn? Why did she only keep me for a night here or there and never help Brock?” Travis asked.

Paula looked at my dad and he gave her a nod. “It wasn’t that she never helped him. She allowed them to stay in the house. Your Aunt Tricia was never very open about her life and kept some secrets of her own.”

“Great, more family bullshit?” Travis paced. “I think I’ve heard enough of this shit. Everyone has an excuse.”

Charlie put his arm around Paula. “Just tell him, it’s not a big deal.”

Paula’s eyes followed Travis. “Your Aunt is bisexual, but is now settled and very happy living with a woman. She never wanted your grandparents to know. That’s why she kept her distance. She didn’t want you to catch on to it and tell any of us. We only learned of it when your grandmother died, Tony never even knew.”

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