Page 9 of T-Bone
I watched when she talked to people, the way her eyes tightened just a moment as if she was trying to mentally capture the information to go over later. It was fucking fascinating and by the time we caught up with other Steel Demons, I just wanted to know more.
“T-Bone, where the hell you been?” I heard Diesel’s frown before I saw it.
“Come on,” I tugged Faith with me, because the woman couldn’t be left on her own yet. “Somethin’ came up,” I answered and gave him and Rocky a quick rundown of the past hour.
“Shit, Pike’s sister?” Diesel let out a heavy breath and wiped his hands over his face. “Fuck. How is he?”
“Feeling no pain at the moment,” Faith answered and pointed to a spot about a hundred feet away. “That’s not normal, right?”
Diesel studied her for a long minute before he answered. “It’s fucked up is what it is.”
She nodded. “The only reason he wouldn’t do a death notice is because Mr. Kutner’s also a biker. Are they your rivals?” she asked innocently enough.
Rocky laughed. “Rivals? I wouldn’t say that, but we’re not friends either.”
She nodded. “But if you thought one of them killed his sister, that would change. Right?” Diesel’s gaze narrowed and she shrugged. “I’m just trying to figure out if Red Rock PD is protecting the Ghost Riders or if it’s run of the mill incompetence.”
That seemed to satisfy him. “Be careful. Don’t leave her side T-Bone.”
“Real hardship,” Rocky mumbled under his breath and walked off.
“You brought the cop,” Pike’s words slurred behind us.
Faith turned first and took a step back, hands braced and ready for combat. “I amnota cop,” she hissed through a smile.
“What the fuck ever. Close enough,” he shouted.
I grabbed his arm. “Shut the fuck up, man. I know you’re hurting, but keep your fuckin’ voice down.”
He blinked up at me and nodded. “Sorry brother.”
“It’s all right. I’m sorry too, about Ash.” I gripped his shoulder until his gaze met mine. “We’ll figure this out.”
“With her help,” he asked, pointing at Faith.
Faith took a step forward, her gaze full of sympathy. “I don’t want to cause any problems Mr. Kutner, I promise. I want to help. Yes, I have my own selfish reasons, but I think that finding the real person who killed your sister might help me find my niece.” There was a sincerity in her face that Pike responded to. “And if I find out what happened to Gemma before we have answers about Ashley, I won’t stop until we have those answers.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“Two reasons. I think she might have been killed for trying to protect my niece.” Faith looked away with a guilty expression.
“Call me Pike. I don’t know who the fuck Mr. Kutner is.” He swayed a little, smiling gratefully at Faith when she steadied him. “What’s the other reason?”
Faith pulled out her phone and shoved the screen at Pike. “This.”
Pike stumbled backwards. “Where did you get that?” He looked at me and then back at the screen. “Where?”
Faith shook her head. “I only put it together when I saw this photo on your sister’s social media page. Look.” She swiped the screen and waited patiently. “This is Chloe’s. I think they got them together.”
I stepped behind Pike and looked at the pictures. Each woman had half a hummingbird tattooed behind their ear, the same one with fire-tipped wings. “Holy shit.”
Faith nodded again. “That can’t be a coincidence.”
Pike’s expression sobered and went pitch black. “Not here.” He stormed off, leaving us to follow him.
Faith walked beside me in long, confident strides but as she looked around the Rally she slowed down and put some extra swing in her hips.
Pike stopped abruptly and turned to us with a heavy expression. “Ashley was helping someone, a woman and a kid. I don’t know how long, because she wouldn’t tell me the details, said it was safer if I didn’t know more.” He shook his head. “I didn’t ask more because she was always helping people. You remember,” he said as his gaze met mine.
