I forced myselfnot to gag, once again. “Right. Well, life isn’t all about looks.”
“But you’re theprettiest singer of all of them.”
“Thank you. ButI’d like to think I have a singing career because I worked really hard. Haveyou ever worked really hard at something?” I asked.
“Last year, Icame in third at the spelling bee.”
“See, that’sgreat. You’re using your brain.”
“Shit all goodit did me. I lost on sphynx. Who the fuck cares about that cat lady from Africaanyway?”
“It’s in Egypt.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind,honey, sphynx is a hard word,” I said. I heard the toilet flush and grabbedCarrie’s hand. “Please Carrie. Will you help me?”
“I don’t know…”
Before she couldfinish her sentence, Denny walked out of the bathroom.
“What the fuckare you talkin’ to my sister for?” Denny demanded and backhanded me, beforegrabbing a roll of duct tape from the table and taping my mouth shut.
Train
Irushed outof the dressing room andpulled Chip aside. “Did you put a tracker on Melody?” I demanded.
“What?” Chipscoffed. “No. She’s not a dog.”
“You’re right.She’s my woman, and I’m gonna get her back.” I turned to Doom. “She’s got myring.”
He gave me achin lift in understanding and pulled out his phone. A few years back,Savannah’s first lady, Olivia, had decided all the old ladies would wearnecklaces with tracking devices on them so that if they were ever in anytrouble, anyone within range could locate them.
Rabbit’s woman,Parker, decided the men needed the same level of protection as well, and sincehe was a genius with anything computer-related, he was able to develop atracking device small enough to fit into the rings that most of us in the clubwore.
Of course,Maisie, decided this had to happen in Portland as well, so it did. This meant,the ring Melody had around her neck was the one that had a tracker in it. OurVP, Booker, had worked closely with Rabbit to make sure all the chapters crosspollinated so to speak, so we were covered around the country.
Now I just hopedto fuck it hadn’t been broken or fallen off because it was my only way oflocating her.
“No, Jax, she’sjust gone,” Harmony snapped into the phone as she paced the hallway. Jaxon hadbeen pulled away on a pressing case, so he’d had to miss the show. “Doom andTrain are trying to track her now. Yes, please, call Dalton. Now.” She growled.“Then, I’m hanging up so you can do that.” She pulled her phone away from her ear.“He’s getting the Savannah office on it.”
“We won’t needthem, Harmony. She’s in Pooler,” Doom said, looking at the tracker app. “1842Sycamore Drive. That’s only ten minutes from here.”
“My bike isparked in the loading bay with the trucks. It’s the closest to the freewayentrance. I keep a heater locked up in my saddle bag.”
“I’ll be rightbehind you,” Chip said, before turning to his lieutenant. “Call 911 and givethem the address.”
“We’re comingwith you,” Doom said, and Chip nodded.
I ran as fast asI could to the loading dock, my lungs on fire by the time I reached my bike.The frontage road leading to the freeway was completely clear, and I hauled assinto the Georgia night as my GPS led the way.
Driving throughPooler, it was clear to see the town was in rough shape. It made me think aboutthe desperation of the people who live here, the kind of animal who tookMelody, and what he could have done to her by now. I just hoped I could get toher in time before he could hurt her. Either way, whoever it was that kidnappedher wouldn’t have much longer to live once I got my hands on him.
I parked my bikea block away from the address, grabbed my gun from the saddle bag, and quicklymade my way to the house. I quietly crept around the side, near a window. Thewindow was covered with tin foil, so I couldn’t see a thing, but I heard raisedvoices coming from inside. None of them sounded like Melody’s but I knew shewas in there.
I moved to thefront of the house, and carefully crept onto the porch. I put my ear to thefront door and clearly heard a man’s voice yell, “What the fuck are you talkin’to my sister for?” followed by a slap. My head was pounding. Every second thatpassed by felt like a lifetime. I had no idea how far behind me Chip and Doomwere, but I couldn’t wait for them or the cops. I needed to get into that housenow.
I tried thedoorknob, but it was locked. So I backed up a step and put the heel of my bootinto the door, sending the deadbolt flying straight through the rotteddoorframe. I raised my gun and entered.
