Page 42 of Baratta's Darkness

Timber puts a chair behind me and tells me to sit. I only listen because I know it’s not time to fight yet. Someone else brings me food, but I can’t eat. I’m too busy watching the video screens in front of Snake. I notice something odd on one of the screens.

“Is that? Is that my apartment? Blood, why does the club have a camera in my apartment?”

“The club doesn’t have a camera in your place. Baratta has a camera in your place. He gave me the code for emergency use only.”

I’m not sure how much time passes, although it feels like forever. Snake is busy typing away doing his thing, when he suddenly shouts, “Got him Boss.” They all crowd around him, as he walks them through the night. Nobody notices me.

“See here on this screen, he is watching the shop. That’s from the camera in the bakery across the street. Then we switch over to the hardware store cam, he must have left his truck there. From there we can follow him camera to camera until he gets out of town. Last sighting is at the stop light on the North side.

“Isn’t that out by Brown road, towards the airport?” Timber looks to Blood.

“Yeah,Brown is where I picked up his bike.”

Going by what Baratta told me about the accident I have a pretty good idea where they are. It surprises me that Blood hasn’t picked up on it yet but I’ll not be volunteering the information.

“Church!” Timber calls out, gathering up the men. I start to follow, knowing they won’t let me in. “FiFi.” My head snaps up. Blood knows to never ever call me that.

“Sorry, just wanted to make sure you hear me. I know what you’re thinking. It’s not possible, I burned it down. You can’t come to church either. You already know it's not allowed. Go see the baby, Mina came home this afternoon.”

I lurk around the hall watching as the men file into the room. Blood kisses me on the forehead then shuts the door in my face.

This is my chance. Scoping out the clubhouse to be sure of where the prospects are doesn’t take me long and before anyone notices, I’m riding out on my brother’s bike.

I only look back once I’m through the gate. I see the guys running out the door. It’s too late to stop me. I know something about the old home place that Blood doesn’t. He moved out when he turned 18, leaving me behind with the Monster.

He wasn’t there when the cabin was built. I wouldn’t have known it was there if I hadn’t been nosey and followed the Monster into the woods one night. One peek in the window was all it took for me to run home and hide in my closet.

Blood

“Do we follow, boss?” One of the Prospects asks me. I don’t even know which one.

“Not yet. I taught her to ride, she'll be safe. I know where she’s going but last I checked there was nothing left out there.”

Timber puts his hand on my shoulder, “I can have one of the guys follow her and keep us updated. You know she can handle herself.”

“But she shouldn’t have to, Timber. I never should have left her in that house.”

---