“I think he’stalking about Hammer,” Daisy said.
“The kid Ipunched?”
“You punchedSmiley’s nephew?” Clutch asked. “He left that part out of the story.”
“Who the fuck isSmiley?” I asked. I was starting to feel like I was in the middle of a 1940’sscrewball comedy film.
“Smiley owns abiker bar out in Colorado,” Daisy said. “Legendary place for those who know.”
“Right,” Clutchsaid. “And Smiley’s got a kid sister named Lacy, and Lacy’s got a kid namedScott, ergo, Smiley’s nephew.”
I shrugged.“What’s this got to do with me?”
“Booker agreedto make Scott a prospect in return for a favor Hatch owed Sundance, thePresident of the Primal Howlers’ who happened to owe Smiley a favor. Word onthe street is that Booker welched on the agreement and cut Scott loose in orderto give you his prospect spot. Now I hear you beat the kid up, which only addsa layer of mystery.”
“Don’t be anasshole, honey,” Edlie said.
“What?” Clutchprotested. “That’s what I heard.”
“May I tell himthe true story?” Daisy asked.
“Please,” Ireplied.
“Huck came to aclub party where he met Hammer, aka Scott.”
“Why’d they callthe kid Hammer? He swinging a big ol’ dick between his legs or something?”Clutch asked.
“Oh, Jesus,”Eldie said, selecting a shot from the table and slamming it down.
“Sorry, my gooddoctor,” Clutch said sarcastically. “Does the patient suffer from anenlargement in the groinal area of the sexual organ region?”
“No,” Daisyreplied, trying, and failing at stifling a laugh. “When my dad brought Scotton, he warned Hatch that the kid seemed okay, but was dumber than a sack ofhammers. Apparently, after working with Scott for a few days, Hatch had concludedthat he was ‘dumber than a sack with only one hammer in it,’ thus his name.”
Clutch chuckled.“Why’d the hell did Hatch keep the kid on?”
“Like you said,my dad owes Smiley a favor. He and Hatch were being patient, hoping he could betrained to do something useful, but they’d all but run out of steam with thekid by the time Huck showed up.”
“Then whathappened?” Eldie asked, now invested in the story.
“I was shootingthe shit with Hammer and another prospect, when he started making commentsabout what he was going to do with Daisy when he got his hands on her,” I said.“That’s when I put my fist on his jaw.”
“And Hatchoffered you Hammer’s spot.”
“I guess so,” Isaid. “That’s about it.”
“How come thetruth is never as good as the bullshit story?” Clutch lamented.
We spent thenext few hours talking about everything from family life to club life. Clutchwas funny, disarming, and brutally truthful about what it means to patch into aclub. As Daisy and Eldie locked into their own conversation, Clutch invited meto sit with him at the bar, where we could speak privately.
“Some things inyour club might run a little differently than ours, given that your club hasalways been legit, while the Burning Saints only recently became civiliansafter originally being one percenters,” he said. “But then again, noteverything is as it seems, you know?”
“I’m not sure Ido,” I admitted.
“What I’m sayingis that before you patch in with the Dogs, you should know what you’re gettinginto. What kind of life, I mean.”
“I just love theidea of having a solid bunch of guys to ride with. Brothers who have eachother’s backs out on the road.”
“Membership is alot more than that. Lemme tell you. A hell of a lot more.”
