Page 37 of Inglorious
“Exactly. Vortex had no idea because before we could explain, he ran, calling us bloodthirsty murdering bastards. Gotta admit, for a split second, I was tempted to let things play out with Runner, who was targeting Sasha, but Sasha didn’t deserve that. I took care of Vortex’s family even though he hated us,” I explained with heat.
“Tell Vortex that,” Nanci urged.
“Why the fuck should I? Vortex judged us without knowing the full story, and you’ve done the same with the club ever since, andalso with me. Nanci, you know shit, so shut the fuck up with your judgments, which ain’t warranted. Go play at being president and pray you don’t have to make the choices I have until I’m well again.”
With that final strike, I spun on my heel and headed for my bike. I had an appointment with Janet. Her office was in Rapid City, a thirty-minute ride. I had forty-five minutes till I was due, but I needed to get out of here. Nanci had pissed me off
???
made me explain things I swore I’d never do.
“Come in, Inglorious,” Janet invited as she stood in her doorway.
“Thanks,” I said shortly and headed inside her office. It was cleverly decorated, and the moment I entered, I began to calm down.
“Take a seat. Would you like a drink?” Janet offered.
“No. I’m good. And don’t worry about running through the spiel. I took it in last time, even though I was rude and didn’t acknowledge you.”
“Glad to hear I don’t have to waste my breath again. What changed your mind to embrace the meetings now?”
“Nanci’s given up a lot to be here to support the club, and I didn’t realise. If I can heal, Nanci can return to her life quicker. The sooner the better,” I muttered, and some of my anger slipped out.
“Umm, I sense you’re angry with Nanci? Why?”
“Because Nanci sits on her pert little ass and judges people. She doesn’t know the full story and thinks that gives her the right to run her mouth. Like she claims, I didn’t honour my brothers. Janet, I fuckin’ did. Nanci is bringing back memberswho shouldn’t be allowed to return. They didn’t hesitate to run. What right have they got to return?”
“There’s a lot to unpack there. Let’s start with Nanci saying things. How does that make you feel?”
“Like I want to shake the shit out of her and kiss her stupid.” The end part left me before I realised it was going to.
“Interesting,” Janet replied.
“Ain’t that just,” I agreed dryly. I was fucked!
Nanci
Inglorious’s words stayed with me as I headed out to the cemetery that came with Merritt. The graveyard had been placed on a large plot of land behind Merritt’s houses, but only a tiny portion was used. There was a little chapel that held roughly a hundred people. I guessed the previous tenants of Merritt hadn’t been all that religious. Metal railings, which gleamed black with fresh paint, surrounded the chapel and graves.
The chapel appeared first. It had clearly been renovated from the falling-down shack that Psych had shown me pictures of. Attached to the side of the gate was a brass, polished plaque. It stated when the chapel had been built and also restored. Somehow, I was shocked to see the restoration date was after the war.
Shit. Inglorious had the chapel restored, so people had somewhere to grieve the Unwanted Bastards. But I guessed there was more. This wasn’t the monument Inglorious had alluded to. Quietly, I pushed on the door and discovered it was open. On entering, I admired the woodwork and restoration efforts. As I looked at the altar, I stopped in my tracks.
Some churches and cathedrals I’d visited had graves under the church floor, marked by tombstones laid flat. Or they hadplaques on the walls to remember the deceased. Inglorious hadn’t done that. Instead, the dead of the Unwanted Bastards stared down at me.
A stunning stained-glass window had replaced the chapel’s old plain picture window, and their names were scattered throughout it. The scene was cleverly crafted, with each section separate, so that when someone else died, a panel could be removed and their name added. The image the glass created was one of paradise. Green fields, blue sky and a Harley in a field with a huge cross in the middle. The names surrounded the Harley.
But Inglorious hadn’t stopped there. The walls had been painted with the brothers’ likenesses, and then a protective screen was placed over them so time wouldn’t destroy them. Inglorious had immortalised the dead. Even Pink’s name was there, one of the first to fall to Fury. Tears clogged my throat. This was a clear act of love. Slowly, I approached the altar and stared up at the images looking at me.
Seth was there with his smug grin, mischief on his handsome face. Mouse gazed out with amusement. Cutthroat, with his stern expression, and Art, with the cheekiness he exhibited in life. They were all there: the fallen.
There were words underneath the mural, and when I checked, I discovered they told the story of how they’d died defending the innocent.
Fuck! I’d misjudged Inglorious badly. Inglorious had honoured them, which meant there’d been a reason he’d not displayed their photos and cuts. An hour passed as I soaked up the peace and felt a calmness I hadn’t until I entered here. Inglorious had riled me up with his words, and I probably deserved some, but not all.
Reluctantly, I climbed to my feet and headed outside. I’d not visited their graves, and it was time I did so. Surprisingly, thegraveyard also showed signs of recent work. The old, crooked tombstones and crosses had been straightened and reset. A foot-wide patch of gravel had been cleared in front of each marker, and a vase was installed, with flowers on each grave.
On the opposite side, I could see a couple of rows of abnormally thick gravestones, about double the thickness of the usual ones. I headed over as they looked new, and I choked up emotionally again. The first I encountered was Casanova’s. His name, date of birth, and death were present. But it hadn’t finished there. Casanova’s image was etched on the stone, and at the bottom was a small glass window; now I understood why the grave was so thick.
