Page 51 of Joker's Ghost
Cobra nods. “Exactly.”
Cobra and I head into The Cathouse with the other brothers behind us. The women lounging on the couches perk up with huge smiles and eager expressions.
Darlene greets us in the foyer. “Well, gentlemen, I see you brought some friends with you this time.”
“Like we told you before, sweetheart, we’re here on business with the Nomads.”
Darlene cocks her head. “The Nomads aren’t here.”
A trickle of sweat creeps down my spine.
“As far as I know, they went back up to Tahoe last week.”
Cobra and I exchange a look, then Mamba steps beside me. “What the fuck is goin’ on?”
DAISY
Reminiscing about how Joker and I met brought back all the reasons we click and are still together today. I pat my baby bump. And why we’re growing our family.
Not telling Joker about the pictures and the cryptic note was a split-second decision when he sat down next to me on the bed. He seemed finally a bit calmer, and I didn’t have the heart to rev him up again.
I double-check the locks on the front door and the door leading to the garage. I already know I locked them, but I’m sure they were locked the other two times too, and yet?—
I check on Deana, and she’s sound asleep. I marvel at the child’s ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly. Two characteristics I’m never able to achieve. As a child, I always kept one eye open and on guard for my abusive father, and then, being on my own since I was sixteen didn’t lend itself to sound sleeping.
I tuck the blankets around my precious little girl andsecretly wish for a baby sister for Deana. She adores Derek, but he is already grown, and although I would be joyous for either sex, a little playmate for Deana would be perfect.
JOKER
Python flanks my other side. “What’s up?”
“The Nomads aren’t here.”
“Since you’re all here,” Darlene waves her hand around the lounge, “why don’t you sample some of our beauties? Seems a shame to pass up this loveliness before you ride all the way home.”
“Thanks anyway,” Cobra throws over his shoulder as we all stomp outside.
“Shit, they had us come all the way out here for nothing.”
Rattler’s words stop us cold, and we all exchange a look. What better way to plan an ambush than to have all the brothers almost an hour away from Vegas?
“I don’t like this.” Cobra flips up his phone, then swipes at the screen. “No messages from them.”
“That’s ‘cause this is a fuckin’ setup.” I pull out my phone and dial Daisy. When it goes to voicemail, I send her a message. I wait a few seconds for the little bubbles, and when they don’t appear, I dial her again with no answer.
“Fuck!” All the brothers are with me, so there’s no one to call for backup.
“Call your women,” Cobra orders the other brothers. “Tell them to get to the clubhouse and stay there.”
I frantically call Samson’s number at Club Wicked. He could be to my condo in ten minutes, but his phone goes to voicemail too. If he’s working, there’s no way he’ll hear the ringtone over the music at the club.
Cobra puts a call in to one of our allies on the Cali border, but they’re almost as far away as we are.
Two seconds later, my phone buzzes with a message.
Unknown Number: You’ll never make it back in time.
DAISY
