Page 57 of Mac
Mac didn't like having a group like this supposed trafficking ring in their area, but he also didn't want to go after a group that wasn't guilty either.Yes, their tip had been from a supposedly trusted source, but that didn't mean it was completely reliable.He'd learned that the hard way a long time ago.He shook his head and turned his attention back to the present and their president to see how he planned to handle the situation.
Tuck stared at the group around the table one by one.Mac couldn't be sure, but he thought their elected leader was doing the same thing Mac had been doing moments before, gauging each man's reaction and how to handle them all as a group.
"I don't want them here either.That's why we're looking into it, but we can't go off half-cocked.We have a tip with no details.We don't have names.Fuck, we don't even have an area of town they supposedly operate in."Tuck shook his bald head, smoothed one hand over it then pulled a worn, shiny half dollar from the pocket of his kutte.Light flashed as he flipped the coin back and forth over his knuckles.
Mac knew from experience Tuck wasn't even aware of what his hand was doing.The coin, and it's never ending motion was something he did when thinking.
"We need to put the word out, quietly, that we want to hear about anything odd.Don't limit it to things normally tied to trafficking.Fuck, we're all guilty of that, when it comes down to it.The difference is how we do it and who gets hurt by our actions."Tuck's gaze once more skimmed the room, then settled on one man."Gizmo.I need you to do your thing.Do whatever it is you do so that you get alerted when certain things hit the web.Include as much of the dark web as you can, I'm not sure how all that works but I trust you do.Have you heard anything on the feelers you already have out?"
The man who'd been called out, the club's tech sergeant, nodded.
“I haven’t seen anything new, but I’ll take a look.”
"Be discrete.We don't need the whole world to know what we're looking into."
"Got it, boss.Can I include my apprentice?"
Tuck lifted one brow."Which one?"
"I'd prefer both."
Tuck chuckled."I figured you'd say that.Use them."Tuck turned to Ruger.
"I assume that's all right with you?"
"Krissi would have my balls if she ever got wind of me keeping her out of this.I'd prefer whatever she's doing for you keeps her here or in one of the other businesses, but if I make it a requirement, she'll find a reason to end up on site somewhere and undercover."Ruger shook his head as he thought of his girlfriend and the way she would react to being told what she could and couldn't do.Slow smiles spread across the room as they all knew he was right, even Mac had a soft spot for the girl.Then again, she'd picked up the part of running the shop that he hated the most, the bookkeeping.On top of that, she was smart, sassy and didn't put up with much from a group of pushy mechanics or bikers.
"Will do.I'll make sure she knows."
Ruger narrowed his eyes at Gizmo a moment then let the comment slide.
"I'll get started on that tonight."Gizmo nodded to tuck, then his gaze went to Ruger."She here tonight?"
"She is, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't keep her busy all night.I'd like a little sleep tonight."
A chuckle spread through the room, leaving their spirits a little higher than they'd been a moment before.
"Everyone keep your eyes and ears open for any clue or rumor."Tuck drew their attentions back to the issue."We check into every lead.I don't want these assholes to stay on the street because one of us didn't think it was too small to look into."He looked back to Gizmo."We just updated security, but I want all the businesses swept for bugs at least twice a month.We can place some of our own in public areas if you think it might help, but I want ours to be the only ones there."
Mac watched the exchange and made a mental note to catch Gizmo when the whole club wasn’t listening and talk to him about getting a security system put in at Elyse’s.
"Got it."
"You can set your apprentice to that if you want, as long as you make sure it gets done."
"Not mine," Ruger put in."Send Sackett or any of the other prospects."
Gizmo nodded but didn't say anything more.
Tuck looked at Ghost."I know it's not taking them out now, but we'll get there.We need to make sure we have the right people and all of them, not just the easy or obvious ones.The last thing we need is to only take down half of them but tip off the rest, so they continue their operation, but hide it better."Mac watched as the younger man finally conceded, dropping back in his seat.The meeting wound down after that.Tuck gave a few more assignments and cut them all loose.
"Mac, can I talk to you?"Tuck called as the last of them filed out of the room.
Mac hung back, not bothering to close the distance to the president until everyone had left.If Tuck had wanted an audience, he wouldn't have waited to speak with Mac alone.
"What have you got going on tonight?"The president leaned back in his chair and watched Mac.
"Nothing.I did what I wanted before the meeting.I didn't know what might be decided tonight and I wanted to be prepared for anything."
