As she brushed past him, he caught just the hint of her scent.He wasn’t sure what it was, but it was light yet heady.He didn’t know why but it made him want to bury his face in her hair and take a deep breath.If she smelled that amazing, how would she taste?
Demon shook his head and pushed the thought away.That wasn’t was she was here for.He glanced over to make sure Puck had things then he opened the door into the short hallway.The hallway was clean but plain.No one but staff and delivery people were back here normally, so there was no reason to worry about it looking just perfect.At least that was how Demon saw it.He wasn’t sure that was what Ruger or Krissi thought and since they owned this place, it was ultimately up to them how the place was decorated.
After closing the door leading into the bar, Demon opened the one into the storeroom.He’d briefly considered the office, but he couldn’t be sure there was no club paperwork there where she might see it.If she still thought he was Jim Bob, the last thing he wanted to do was to lead her to the Souls.
Realizing he hadn’t been in here yet tonight, he turned on the light and stepped inside, he glanced around, making sure everything was where it was supposed to be, then stepped back so she could join him.She eyed him for a moment then stepped inside.Demon caught a hint of her scent as she moved past him.He swore there was something about it he recognized but he couldn’t say what.At least not from the small samplings he’d gotten so far.
Once she was inside, he closed the door.She jerked her head around and stared at the door for a second, then her gaze flicked to him.
“It’s not locked, I just didn’t want to chance anyone overhearing us.”Demon held his hands up in front of his torso as if showing he was unarmed.It was a lie, it just wasn’t in his hands.But he didn’t intend to harm her, or keep her here so she didn’t need to know that.“What was it you wanted to talk about?”
She stared at him a moment longer then sighed.The stiff way she held herself eased.“Your cousin.I need to take him in, but I can’t find any sign of him anywhere.”
“I’m still looking into things.I haven’t found him yet.I do have a couple of leads, but I’m still hunting.”Something occurred to him.“Who put up for his bond?”
She frowned.“Why?”
“Because if it was who I hope it was, it may give me what I’m looking for.”
She frowned and tilted her head back as if she was trying to remember something.“It was a woman.I’m sure about that.Same last name, because I wondered if it was his mother or his wife, But the address for her wasn’t the same as his, so if it’s his wife, they’re estranged.”She shook her head and looked back at him.“I’m not sure how that helps.”
“Jim Bob’s never been married.But he does have a sister.Do you remember the first name?And does the file have their address?”
Her eyes went wide.“You know who he’s hiding with, but you don’t know where they live?”He could hear the excitement in her voice.
“I know where he might be hiding.”He held up one hand to keep her from jumping to conclusions, even though he knew his chances of stopping that were somewhere between slim and none.“I plan to turn him over to you, but I need to be sure he’s there first.But you need to be prepared, he likely won’t go in easy so take someone with you.And preferably not the idiot who was with you when we met.”
12
RonniestaredatJoeand tried to decode what he was telling her.Did he want to go with her?She couldn’t do that.
“Look, if you’re wanting to be there —”
“No.I can’t do that.I don’t want to be seen anywhere near there when you go in to get him.”Joe shook his head as he spoke.
“Then what do you want?”
“I just want you to be prepared.”He paused for a moment, then seemed to decide as he took a deep breath and started talking.“I don’t know if you have it in your files, but I’ve found out that Jim Bob is involved with another MC.”
Ronnie scowled.This man stood in front of her, in this tiny room, barely big enough for one person to stand and turn around, wearing one of the leather vests like the men outside had been.He was part of a motorcycle club, why did he care if his cousin was in one too.Unless the one the cousin was in and his were rivals.She blinked and stared at him a moment, wondering if that was why he was helping her.To get one less whatever the other club was out of the way.
Her thoughts must have shown on her face because she hadn’t said anything when he spoke again.
“I know it seems hypocritical,” he hooked his thumbs in the open sleeves of his vest and adjusted where it sat on his shoulders, “and maybe it is.But I’m not doing this because he’s in the club.I’ve got several other reasons and all of them were valid before I found out he’s associated with the Devils.Have you heard of them?”
She stared at him as if he’d lost his mind.Who in Tucson hadn’t heard of the Devils?As far as she knew, the news didn’t publicly call them out, but if you were at all involved with law enforcement, even as peripherally as she was, you’d heard of them.
“I take it that means you’ve heard of them,” he said after a moment.
She nodded slowly, not sure what else there was to say.
“Now consider what you’ve heard about the Devils with what you’ve heard about the Demented Souls.”He folded his arms over his chest and watched her in silence.
She recognized the name.She’d heard it more than once, but she also knew she’d never picked one of them up as a skip.Maybe they used another bail bond agency?Or maybe, they stayed on the right side of the law?Somehow, looking at this man, and having seen what his friends had done to Jack a few days ago, she doubted that.More like they didn’t leave enough evidence to convict them.
And it wasn’t like they’d hurt Jack, just kept him from doing something even she thought was stupid.Well, he’d likely been in pain at the time, but it hasn’t lasted.Once they let him go, he was fine again, nothing lasting.
“Okay…” she said, drawing the word out hoping that he’d understand that she didn’t entirely see where he was going with this.