Page 30 of Hawk
“I thought you might want this,” I remarked as I placed the phone in front of her.
She unlocked the phone and turned it back off just as quickly. Zeus joined us a moment later and found a shady spot in the grass to plop down, and I was reminded that the similarities between her and Hailey were remarkable, from their choice of protectors to their closed-off nature. It took me months to break through Hailey’s tough shell, and I knew, with time and perseverance, I would be able to crack through Stella’s too.
“You said you had some questions,” I said, and she turned to face me.
The carefree look wasn’t gone, but I could see the worry on her face. She folded her hands in her lap, and I waited patiently for her to find a starting point. I knew her ‘redeemer’ was able to break through a lot of her issues, insisting that she talk to a counselor, but I worried she was reliving some of her past just by being in my presence.
“You may not know the answer to this, but I have to ask anyway.” I nodded, and she hesitated before she spoke again. “How do you know you can trust Devlin? He could be manipulating you and your club, and I worry about Hailey being caught in the crosshairs.”
“I can answer your question, but I’ll need to make a phone call. Is that okay?”
“By all means,” she returned, and I reached into my cut and retrieved my phone.
Placing the small case I carried my rolled joints in onto the table, I gave her a look as I dialed the number of the one person I knew who could hopefully give Stella some peace of mind. I placed the phone on speaker and set it on the table as I waited for him to answer.
“Hawk, brother, how’s it going?” Skid asked, and Stella watched me from her seat as I replied.
“Skid. It’s going good. How’s Matthew and Anna enjoying their time with Gunner and Sadie?”
“They always spoil them,” he answered, and Stella smiled at the statement.
“I’ll call tonight and check on them before bedtime. Are you somewhere you can talk freely?”
I heard shuffling and then a door close before he responded, “I’m alone in my office. What’s up? Have you made any progress finding Stella?”
“Some. I have a few leads, but that’s not why I’m calling. I have some questions and you’re the only person I trust to have the information.”
“Go ahead. I’ll answer whatever I can,” he said, and I offered an attentive Stella a smile.
“Remind me again how you and Devlin met.”
“Man, you know this story. When Jacob was seven, a drug dealer tried to rob him, and Devlin leveled that motherfucker without a second glance.”
“And that’s how you started working for him?” I asked.
“I owed him for saving my little brother’s life.”
“Why did you stay, even after your debt was paid?”
“It’s simple. Devlin may come off as an arrogant asshole, but deep down, he cares about people who slip through the cracks. He wants to be more than the thug he was destined to be, and when I saw what he was trying to do, I knew I needed to be a part of it.” Skid’s response was right on par with what I expected, but I needed Stella to hear it from someone other than me.
“And what was he creating?”
“He wanted to find the missing, the lost, and the forgotten people who society turned away from. The people who survived horrible things, like my old lady did, and give them a chance to have a life. To tell you the truth, after learning about Stella, it all makes sense now,” he reasoned, and she leaned closer to listen. I could tell she was intrigued and wanted to know more.
“What do you mean?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“I think, all along, he was looking for his sister. He’s been running that picture they found through every database he has access to, looking for her. And between you and me, I discovered he’s been doing that for years now. He’s never stop looking for her, and if you can bring her home to not only Hailey but to him, I know it would make everything worth it.”
Stella’s eyes filled with tears, and I knew it was time to end this conversation. “I appreciate you speaking with me, Skid. I’ll let you get back to it.”
“FYI, I turned the tracker off on your phone yesterday and password protected it. Once the madman finds out, he’s going to be pissed, but I figured wherever you were going, you deserved privacy.”
“Thanks, man. I completely forgot about that until just now.”
I was going to say goodbye when Skid added, “I hope when you find her, you can persuade her to come back with you.”
“I’ll let you know. Later.”
