Page 9 of Avenging Devil: Part 2

Chapter Three

Grumbler

I’m first out of the office. Entering the clubroom, I see Salem deep in conversation with Dart. Both men’s eyes narrow as they see us determinedly striding out.

“Whatsup?” the VP demands. “You still looking for Niran?”

Lost quickly sums up where we’re at. “Kink thinks he’s with Saffie and we can’t raise either of them. We’ve received intelligence that we’ve got Wolves on the prowl. They’re in our town.”

Salem, stripping out of his overalls, simultaneously speaks into his phone, “Pennywise, get your ass over here now. And bring hardware.”

Yeah. Too right we’re going in armed. My piece is in a concealed compartment at the bottom of my saddlebags. Knowing Lost and Token, theirs will be as well. It’s not good for members of an MC to be caught carrying in California.

Before we can exit the clubroom, the prospect, Connor, comes running up. “Prez? Fuckin’ Kid didn’t turn up this morning. I still can’t track him down. He’s been missing for hours.” He looks put out, and I assume he’s been landed with some shit job Kid’s managed to evade.

But is it too much of a coincidence to lose track of a member and a prospect in the same morning? Could there be any connection? “Hey, Prospect!” I yell at his retreating back. “You tried calling him?” The roll of his eyes tells me he has. “Know his last fuckin’ location?” When Connor looks down at the floor, managing to look both irritated and reluctant, I add for encouragement, “Spit it the fuck out.”

Connor grimaces. “He was fuckin’ a woman in town, was staying with her. Last text I had was around lunchtime. He said he had something to do for Niran but would be here soon.”

Jesus Christ! That certainly links him with our missing member, and he’s uncontactable as well? From the expressions on the faces around me, it’s not just me who thinks this doesn’t bode well.

“Let’s get moving.” Lost raises his chin to his stepson but doesn’t enlighten him on where we’re going or whether it’s got anything to do with Kid. Prospects get used to not being told shit and from Connor’s lack of concern, he’s not reading anything into it.

With Lost in pole position, Dart and I right behind him, followed by Salem and Token with Pennywise bringing up the rear, we twist our throttles hard to get to our destination.

I thought I was prepared when Niran and Mary had told me the locality around Saffie’s apartment block left much to be desired, but seeing it for myself, shows they’d underestimated, probably to save me nightmares. It’s an absolute shithole. Riding up, I decide when I find Niran I’m going to tear him a new one for allowing Mary to come here, not once but fucking twice. My temper hasn’t improved when we pull up behind Kid and Niran’s motorcycles and I hear a crunch as I put my foot down. Looking down, it’s a fucking discarded syringe. My jaw clenches. Mary should never have been anywhere near here.

Glancing around, ostensibly to see whether the prospect or Niran are miraculously anywhere in sight, I take in the cars resting on bricks, some down on their hub caps, more discarded drug paraphernalia, a stroller lying on its side, and garbage sacks sprawling open with their contents scattered around. At least one, I notice, is moving. I fucking hate rats. If I’d known this was where Saffie was living, I’d have demanded she return to the clubhouse myself. I wouldn’t allow a dog to live here. What was Niran thinking?

Then I think of my Mary, stubborn as a fucking mule at times. Maybe all Niran could do was keep an eye on Saffie. Short of kidnapping her and tying her up, what could he have done? Especially considering her justifiable fear of men who ride motorcycles.

“This place is a fuckin’ dump.” Lost is surveying the area much like I am. “You got her apartment number, Toke?”

“Yeah. Four-twelve.”

Dart starts heading toward the doorway with us trailing behind him. Inside the hallway stinks of urine, and if I’m not mistaken, that’s human faeces in the corner. I eye the elevator with distaste, but even more so when Salem stabs at the button which remains unlit, and my ears catch no sound of moving machinery.

With shakes of our heads and a couple of ‘fuck that’s’ we move toward the stairs. Each floor we pass is an education on the seedy side of life. I swear I see a drug deal going down on one, a prostitute plying her wares on another. On the third a door busts open, and some poor sucker comes tumbling out, an angry female throwing his clothes after him.

My Mary subjected herself to this? I’m gonna tan her ass. Well, maybe I’ll have to wait until our son is born. By the time I reach Saffie’s floor, I’m doubling up on that promise. I, myself am puffing, and she’s seven months’ pregnant for fuck’s sake. She should have been looking after herself.

“Fuck.” Lost, in the lead, pulls out his weapon and waves us to stop. He points down the hallway to where a door is busted and is hanging off centre on its frame.

Mentally, I do the calculation. Yeah, apartment four-twelve would be right about there. Fuck, Niran. Are we too late? Already rethinking my desire to beat his ass when I find him, I veer more now toward hugging. Just let him be safe. That’s all I ask.

We approach the door in cautious formation. I hear shouting from above, but this floor is eerily silent. Dart and Salem take positions to the left and right of the entrance to what I’d correctly guessed is Saffie’s apartment, and cautiously ease their heads around the door, guns held in front of them.

“Oh shit,” Dart says with feeling, causing my heart to damn near stop, then, signalling Salem to cover his back, he steps inside.

As sergeant-at-arms, I should be up front. I push past Salem and enter after Dart. Immediately, I see Kid prone on the floor, his head at an awkward angle, two boxes with liberated pizzas lying next to him.

Motherfucker!

Falling to my knees, I check optimistically for a pulse. I don’t find one. He’s dead. There’s no helping him. I’ll grieve for him later. Most importantly, what else will we find? Hand signalling to Salem, Dart and Pennywise, I indicate we should start searching. Spotting each other, we go to the kitchen area, glancing down at the empty floor, then check the one bedroom and bathroom. Apart from Kid, the apartment is empty.

I open cabinets and drawers, finding what looks like all Saffie’s clothes and personal shit still here, making me suspect she didn’t leave of her own accord.

Fuck.I say it under my breath. Pennywise swears out loud.

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