Page 17 of Clear Your Mind

A real shit show. We all voted to wait and see. Let ’em do the dirty work and destroy themselves. Then we scoop up anything left worth salvaging and that’ll be that.

When we arrived, we estimated it’d take a year tops. It’s getting close, and they are fracturing, as far as we can tell. We want to bulk our membership before we get in their faces, so to speak, but with one following my woman, I’m sure that will change.

This Bullfeather is marked. I tap my Bluetooth and give a quick rundown of my movements to Kilt. No need to disturb prez if I don’t have to.

I end the call and realize we’ve headed out of town. Up ahead, Krystal is signaling to turn into what looks like a very small apartment complex. A complex I realize I know about. The information Cowboy gathered for us mentions it.

An eight-unit complex owned by the fucking Bullfeathers. The only piece of property they still own that isn’t in default or a cunt hair away from foreclosure.

The Bullfeather following her is about three cars back while I’m sitting at the light. Far enough behind to evade notice but close enough if shit goes down, I can be right fucking there.

Once Krystal makes the turn, the motorcycle hits the suicide lane and goes around, leaving off the chase. It’s obvious, even with his helmet, that he glares at the back of her truck as she ambles through the small lot.

I check behind me, and no one is there, so I sit through another light cycle before following the route Krystal took. The last thing I want is for her to see me cruising past. She’ll think I’m stalking her. In a way, I guess I am, but it’s for her own safety. I turn into the complex and don’t like it one fucking bit.

In the area between the two attached buildings of four apartments each, there’s a fucking full-on Bullfeathers party happening.

I want to find Krystal’s apartment and drag her away from there. Tuck her away safely in the clubhouse, but I don’t.

A part of me wonders why she’s living in the heart of the Bullfeathers territory, as it were. She has to have some connection to them and that pisses me off.

Pulling around the back to exit the lot so as not to draw the attention of the men outside laughing and drinking, I speed off.

The ride back to town and the clubhouse did absolutely fucking nothing to calm my nerves. I’m waffling back and forth between getting her away from them or letting her lie in the bed she made.

The questions are assaulting me and so is suspicion. Is it an accident that we ran into her and Faith? My gut says it was just a chance meeting, but I’ve been burned by a deceitful woman before.

Striding into the clubhouse, I head straight for the alcohol and plop on the couch.

“Hey, Kilt, go grab Cowboy, will ya? Tell him to bring his laptop and all the info he has on the Bullfeathers.”

Kilt takes the stairs two at a time as I steady my nerves. I want all the information before I bother the prez.

I down two more drinks before Kilt and Cowboy descend the stairs.

Cowboy sets up his computer and lights a cigarette.

“Give me one of those.”

Two sets of stunned eyes turn to me. “What?” I extend my hand and take one, lighting it up. A deep inhale does the trick. My nerves are instantly solid, steady.

“Shit, veep, I didn’t know you smoked.”

“I don’t.” I only smoke when shit is about to hit the fan. And a big steaming load is about to be hurled at high speed into an industrial-sized fan. “Now, hit me with what you got. Especially anything you have on the occupied units in the apartment complex.”

“The building and property are owned by Ida Belton, seventy-five, Texas native, or should I say,wasowned. Clarence Taylor, a.k.a. Badger took possession and immediately mortgaged it to the hilt. Best guess is he forced the old lady to sign it over somehow. She resides in unit one, while a Deidre Krystal Cox resides in unit two. The rest of the units are unleased, but the building is listed with no vacant units.”

The information about the ownership is old news, but the occupants are interesting.

Deirdre.

I smirk at the name.

Krystal Cox.

It suits her better than Dierdre.

“Best guess is that’s where the rest of the bullshits are staying from the looks of it. They were out there partying.”

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