Page 36 of Shadow

“Looks like you’ve got a bigger problem than you thought, brother,” a man said, walking out of the shadows. Another next to him. The man looked very familiar and the likeness to Kansas was uncanny. I had heard rumors about the Stone family. Well, one man in particular and from the way he was looking at me now, I was damn sure this was one man I didn’t want to fuck with. There was no denying the truth. The man next to Kansas was Montana Stone. The President of the Soulless Sinners. The biggest motorcycle club around.

Kansas shook his head. “It’s all related. I know it is. Shadow, sit your ass down before you fall down. You look like shit. Joan, I apologize for what you just witnessed.”

“I don’t understand,” the pretty woman replied. “I came here for information. If I caused any of this, it was not my intention.”

“It wasn’t you,” I whispered. “They hate me.”

“Because you saved me that night?” she asked.

Shaking my head, I stated, “No. Because I killed the man who was trying to save you. I thought he was hurting you. I read the situation wrong and because of that, I killed an innocent man.”

Joan was about to ask another question when Kansas spoke up. “It’s a long, terrible story and one I will be happy to sit down and explain, but you are here because I need to know what Jinx was looking into for you?”

Joan looked around the room before saying, “He was helping me locate my father.”

“Why?” the man I knew as Payne asked.

“My father is not a nice man. An administrative oversight resulted in him being freed from prison eighteen months ago, instead of serving a life sentence. It happened shortly before my attack.”

“What state?” Montana asked.

“New York.”

“Payne, call Shame and have him and Pippen look into…I’m sorry. What is your father’s name?”

“James Malachi Trinity.”

I flinched at the name.

Was this some fucking cosmic joke?

Was the universe trying to tell me something? Because there was no fucking way it was pure conscience. I wouldn’t believe it.

“Something on your mind, Shadow?” Kansas asked, looking directly at me.

“No. Just hate the name Malachi,” I muttered.

“I do too,” Joan grinned.

“Shadow, this is my brother Montana, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out,” Kansas said, making the introductions. “Montana, this is Shadow. A Golden Skull brother.”

“Former brother,” I whispered.

Kansas leaned forward, placing his hands on the table. “According to your brother, Ghost, who is the temporary President, he never burned your cut. That means you are still a brother, Shadow. I get why you left, but don’t sit there and tell me something you’re not. Now, I asked you here because I have a job for you.”

“What?”

Kansas looked at Joan and smiled. “Joan, meet your new investigator.”

My head snapped up. “What?”

Kansas pointed his finger at me and clearly said, “You cost this club a brother. A very valuable brother. You also cost Joan an investigator. Jinx was helping her. Now you will do the same.”

“But I know nothing about investigating. I wouldn’t know where to start.”

Kansas slid a thumb drive towards me. “Start with that. Whisper found it embedded in Jinx’s bike. You were right. Jinx kept the information close. Check it out and come up with a plan to help Joan.”

“If he doesn’t want to help, I will take the information myself,” Joan offered.

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