Page 56 of The Devil's Redemption

“You know you’re more than welcome to come visit her any time you’d like.”

The look Royce gives him unnerves me. As though his time is too precious to come visit his only daughter.

“We’ll take 30 all the way to Chambersburg. The house isn’t far from the main drag.”

“Lead the way.”

I don’t miss Stone’s scowl as he fastens his helmet under his chin. It looks like our partnership may be on the rocks. I don’t like Royce to begin with, but I’m especially suspicious after hearing him talk about Maggie. I don’t believe for one second that he’s oblivious to what happened to her and Sasha.

Which means he really is just an asshole.

* * *

It’s a straight shot to Chambersburg on Route 30, and within forty minutes, we’re cruising into the center of town. Just before the main intersection, Royce turns off onto a side road. A quarter of a mile down the road we hang a left and immediately pull into the first driveway.

We’re here,Doobs… You better have some fucking useful information for us, too.

The house is small, a Cape Cod. It doesn’t look like it has many places to hide either. I just hope this Doobs is home. Between the two clubs there are eight of us here today. If this guy has any information about Jasper, there’s no way this amount of intimidation won’t scare it out of him. Royce and Stone walk up the steps and knock on the guy’s door. I use the time it takes Doobs to answer to have a look around. Walking to the backyard, I notice a window near the base of the house. One leading to a basement.

Stepping up to it, I squat down and place my hands at the sides of my face to block out the sun so I can see inside. It’s dark. I can’t really see more than the concrete walls and a pipe and joist lined ceiling. Looks like a shadow of a washer and dryer in the back corner.

By the time I rejoin the group of guys, the front door swings open, and a man who looks like he walked off the set of an eighties’ porno stands tall on the top step.

“You Doobs?” Royce asks.

“Depends on who’s asking,” he responds.

Royce hits him with a shit-eating grin. As if this guy can’t tell who the fuck we all are.

“Looking for Jasper. You seen him?”

The look that crosses Doobs’s face surprises me. He almost seems scared just hearing the name. Or is he hiding him, and he’s worried we’re going to figure it out and then kill him for it? But in a second it’s gone. He’s good, but if I saw it from down here, there’s no way Royce missed it.

“I’m afraid I don’t know who you’re talking about,” Doobs answers, crossing his arms over his chest.

At this, Royce pulls Doobs down the stone steps by his shirt and forces him to his knees on the grass before him. Pointing the gun in his face, he asks again.

“I’m only asking once more. My time is very valuable, and I won’t stand for it being wasted. Jasper. He come around here recently?”

This is a small town. I don’t think for one second that no one saw a gang of eight bikers roaring down the street. There’s a very good possibility that the neighborhood’s Gladys Kravitz is watching all of this go down from her living room window at this very moment.

Doobs looks between the few of us standing over him until finally staring Royce down and answering.

“I haven’t seen him since I left Wayne County. And I don’t care to either. The last thing I want to get mixed up in is an MC war. You’d be wise to stay clear of him, too. He’s always been a crazy motherfucker.”

The unamused look on Royce’s face turns hard.

“We don’t have time for games. If you’re hiding him or know where he is, it would be in your best interest to give us what we want.”

“The last thing I want to do is end up on your shit list. I just recently got out. I’m trying to go legit. I don’t want to have anything to do with Jasper, or you for that matter.”

“You won’t mind us having a look around then, would you?”

Stone turns and hits me with a glance. Following him up the steps, Royce, Stone, me, and Konstantine enter the house. Before the storm door closes, I hear Royce call to one of his members.

“He tries to run, shoot him.”

“But only in the leg,” I add before looking at Royce. “He may still have answers we need.”

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