Page 54 of Ink's Devil

“What d’you do, Beef? Push that Fat Bob too hard?”

Beef glares at Lizard, who makes as if he’s sinking down on his chair, then continues, “Someone’s ratted out the club, or rather put in a report that there’s dealing around our businesses.” He waits for our exclamations to die down, then lifts his chin. “I suppose it was only a matter of time. Needles in bathrooms, shady people around. Anyway, I was interrogated. I had to decide fast what to tell them and decided ‘no comment’ was unlikely to help. I settled back, drank my water, and reminded them of the meeting I’d had with their chief a few months back. Told them again how they already knew we do our part to keep drugs away from our part of town.”

“They happy with that?” Thunder enquires.

Beef shakes his head. “Nah. Suspicious fuckers said things might have changed. I pointed to that report they had in front of them and asked how the hell they thought that fitted with what we were trying to do, that is, trying to make an honest living. As we have done for years.” He pauses for a moment. “They still weren’t convinced, so I shared our thinking of who was behind it, or rather, what little we surmised. That someone is coming in from out of area and using our businesses either as everyone local knows to stay clear, or because they saw a vacuum and filled it.”

“We’ve no rep for dealing or using,” Hellfire says, sounding annoyed.

“I told them we’d be fuckin’ stupid to shit on our own doorstep,” the VP responds. “Seems that got through their heads. I reminded them no member has been picked up with more than marijuana for a number of years now.”

“Ever since we became Satan’s Devils,” Hellfire states.

Beef raises his chin in acknowledgement. “I may also have given the impression we were fuckin’ angry about the situation, and they told us firmly not to address it ourselves.”

“General warning?”

“Nah. They’re planning something.” The VP grins widely. “When they’d finished questioning me, they went out in the corridor, but hadn’t closed the door properly. Maybe Steph’s rubbing off on me, but I’ve got excellent hearing. I heard a few words, didn’t have to hear it all. Tonight, Tits Up and SWAT. That was enough for me to put together there’s a bust planned for today. Look,” Beef leans forward, “the last thing I want is for us to be caught up with a trigger-happy SWAT team.”

“So our stakeout is off?” Sparky catches my eye and grins. Guess he might also have plans for later.

Demon looks at Beef. “I’m not happy. I want to know who’s fuckin’ with us. Cops have Tits Up in their sights, and may well have gotten info we haven’t dug up yet.”

Mace completes Demon’s thoughts. “They may only end up with a dealer. A bit player who’s too scared to talk to them. Someone will be behind this, I’m fuckin’ certain, and it’s more than just one or two fuckers outside our club.”

“They catch someone, he might make a plea bargain,” Hellfire challenges.

Beef gives a slow nod. “That depends on who he can give up. Snitches don’t last long inside.”

“But you are saying we should stay clear tonight?” I ask, my brow creasing. It doesn’t settle easy with me to sit back and let others do what I see is my job. Protecting my club. Like my brothers, I hate drugs and the problems they cause, but it’s understandable the cops want to be involved and catch the dealers. Getting whatever’s being sold off the streets would look well on their record. Conversely, there’s a very good personal reason why I’d be happy to not be out with my brothers tonight.

“We leave it to them?” Rusty is obviously reading the VP’s words the same way as I am.

Sparky’s eyes roll. “They couldn’t find their assholes with a flashlight and a map,” he states. “Leave it to them and whoever it is might get away.”

“They’ll know we won’t let others handle it for us,” a voice interjects. “If they expect us to sit on our hands, they don’t know who they’re dealing with.”

Beef grins and nods at Pal. “I didn’t let on I’d overheard, obviously. But I told them we were doing what we can to stop this shit going on. In legal ways, of course, protecting our premises and businesses. That we’re beefing up security at the strip club. They sort of huffed and exchanged glances at that. They weren’t going to admit to getting a SWAT team ready, but hopefully they’ll have their eyes out for Devils and we won’t be caught in their crosshairs.”

“Or we’ll be rounded up if they catch no one else.” Like any one-percenter, I know the risks of getting too close to the cops. I start to be certain we’ll be stood down tonight and that evening with Beth could be back on the cards.

The VP gives another grin. It’s not a very warming one. “Oh, we’ll be there. Just not where they expect us. My fear is this is organised crime, and we’re not faced with someone who’s stupid. I’m certain the dealer will have an escape route ready. My proposal is we go along and block any way out. Hopefully we can nab him ourselves and bring him back here. Our methods of persuasion,” he takes a moment to jerk his head toward Mace, “are probably more effective than those of the cops.”

Mace’s answering expression is even more chilling than Beef’s smirk. I happen to think that’s a much better suggestion, even if it means I’ve again lost my chance to be deep in Beth’s cunt tonight.

“So no one’s being stood down,” Beef surmises, and then looks around, but as could have been predicted, there’s nothing but nods and murmurs of agreement.

“I want the fucker here,” says Mace, cracking his knuckles. “I want to give him payback for fuckin’ with the club.”

“Twenty years would do that if he lasts that long inside,” Demon observes, then pinches the bridge of his nose. “Look, I hear you, but I just want him and his crew off the streets. If that means letting the law deal with him, well, that’s one less body we’ve got to bury.”

“When you put it like that,” Thunder grins, “it almost sounds better. Hate digging fuckin’ graves.” He murmurs the last almost to himself.

“You’re suggesting if we get him, we pass him over to the cops?” The road captain’s face is creased in confusion.

“No, Sparky. But what I don’t want is us to be caught spiriting him away. It can’t look like we’re protecting him.” Demon frowns. “That’s my only objection. If it comes to that and we’re seen moving him, I’d prefer to hand him over. I don’t want anyone risking this club just to get up close and personal with our revenge.”

“I don’t like it.” Pal grimaces. “We’ll get a reputation for helping the cops.”

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