Jed accepted the shot Cutter set in front of him and tossed it back.He swiped a hand over his mouth as he remembered Sadie’s face when he told her the news about finding Tori’s body at the gate and how Tinker left them a message saying she was next.It was like she’d been punched in the gut.Her eyes had rounded, and her breath got stuck in her chest.It took her a moment to collect herself, then she shook it off and said she’d do whatever she needed to do to keep herself and Oliver safe.She didn’t want to cause the brothers or the club any problems.
“Baby, I believe it’s the other way around.The club has caused you all these problems.”He cupped her face in both hands.“And I’m so fucking sorry.”
While Jed was breaking the news to Sadie, Race had gotten the old ladies together in the kitchen to give them a heads up on what was going on.He didn’t think anyone but Sadie was in danger, but he saw no reason to make anyone else available to Tinker if he couldn’t get his hands on her.He asked them all to stay at the clubhouse while they took care of business.He didn’t know how long it would take, so they would all probably be staying the night.
Ginny and Jane came up with the idea to call it a sleepover “since it was Christmas break.”They would have a movie night with popcorn and junk food for all the kids.The older kids, having grown up with lockdowns, didn’t give it a second thought.They thought a sleepover and having the run of the clubhouse while the brothers were out was a cool idea.
The brothers all divided up into groups of two and hit the streets.Some were making phone calls while tracking down any possible leads.
By the time they got back, it was close to three in the morning.They were all beat, but everyone wanted to know what the others were able to find out.He was glad he’d gone to his room to kid-proof it before he left.He’d made sure the television, if turned on, wouldn’t pop up to porn.He also slipped one of his pistols behind his back and another in an ankle holster.He made sure any other weapons were secured in the floor safe in his closet.He grabbed a trash bag from the kitchen and gathered up all sex toys Sadie or Oliver might stumble across.He even changed the sheets, not having changed them since having sex with Tori the day Sadie came in to tell Darren she was pregnant.
He gave a chin lift to Trick and Jackson as they took a seat at the end of the bar.He was so sick of chasing their tails when it came to Tinker.They’d done everything they could think of to find the bastard and kept coming up empty.The time for trying to keep their business with Tinker inside the family was over.When Tinker dumped Tori’s body at the front gate, and the police had to be brought in, he’d seen to that.Race was calling in every favor the club was owed.They were going to question anyone who could possibly have come in contact with him.Some would be resistant to spilling their guts on Tinker, but the Sons could be very persuasive when they needed to be.
Race and Dagger had just returned from informing Tori’s brother of her death after getting the address from Kylie.They’d come in and gone straight to taking shots like the rest of them.Neither of them was talking.That in itself had Jed’s nerves on edge.He wasn’t sure what it meant, but he had an idea it wasn’t good.
The old ladies and kids were all asleep by now, and the place was eerily quiet.It gave them all too much time inside their heads.He imagined every single brother here was remembering their time with Tori.Each one of them had been with her, and each one of them counted her as a friend.
The door opened as Maverick and Chris slipped inside.They were the last to arrive.The cold December wind followed in behind them, bringing snow in their wake.He wondered when it had started to snow again.
Race had given them time to grab a drink, then called church.He sat at the head of the table and asked for reports.He leaned back in his chair, his elbow resting on the arm and his thumb and finger supporting his chin.
“We found out that he’s been hanging with a guy named Lyle,” Trick spoke up first.He and Jackson hit several dive bars around town, knowing Tinker wouldn’t be caught anywhere that might be a step above low-brow.“The person we talked to didn’t have a last name for the guy, but he got the impression they might have served time together from the snippets of conversation he overheard.He was also able to give us a description of the man that matched what Miles was telling us.”
Race nodded his head once, but remained silent.
Tuck spoke up next.“We found someone who gave us a description of a truck Tinker has been driving.It sounds like an old beater.”
He gave a description that had Jed’s ears perking up and his stomach dipping.“Where did your person see this truck?”
“Got it from a group of three women at Big Dick’s.They said they fucked Tinker in his truck,” Darren replied.“They also said he gave them something that made the sex ten times better.”
“Goddamn it!”Jed threw himself back in his chair.“I’ve seen that truck there at least twice.I can’t believe he was that close, and I didn’t even know it.I can’t believe he was that close to Sadie again.”He rammed both hands through his hair and pulled at the lengths.
Lance leaned forward to give his report.“The dealers that Jed and I talked to selling EZ Lay said they have no way of reaching out to Tinker.He calls them every few days, no set time.And he blocks his number.This dealer also said he had a friend who works the streets.Tinker and Lyle picked her up and drugged her.They kept her tied to a bed, leaving her completely defenseless, fucking her for two days straight.He said she’s totally messed up in the head now.”
Race nodded his head toward Jackson for his and Trick’s report.“When we stopped by the clubhouse to drop off the antibiotic for Harper, Kylie gave us the information on the man Tinker spent the most time with in prison.His cellmate was a man named Lyle Parks.He has an old lady here in town.Her name is Misty, and she had a lot to say when we stopped by the address Kylie came up with.”He looked to Trick to pick up the story.
“Yeah.She said he didn’t come home last night, and when asked about Tinker, she said she knew him and hated him.He and Lyle drugged her, then they both fucked her.She’s not into that kind of thing, but the drug made her want to do it.She said three other men have been hanging around the house, too.She gave us a description of each and their first names, but didn’t know much about them.The only thing she knew about Tinker was that he’d served time with her husband.After our little visit, she said she was changing the locks and filing for divorce the first chance she got.”
Jackson and Trick’s visit to Misty appeared to bear the best results.Jed sat up a little straighter as hope sparked to life for the first time in weeks.If Kyllie could figure out who these other men were or where they could be found, maybe they’d finally get their hands on Tinker.
Race waited a minute to see if that was all the information they had to give before he finally spoke up.“Dagger and I called our contact inside the Redemption PD.He says from what they can tell, it looked like Tori had been tied to her bed, probably for days judging by the number of empty takeout containers and beer cans thrown around the place.Then we went to see Tori’s brother.”A muscle in his jaw ticked from how tightly he was clenching his teeth.“To say he was devastated would be an understatement.I told him we’d pay for the funeral and burial because it didn’t look like he had a whole lot of extra to spare.He also said he’d reach out to their parents, but didn’t have much hope they would care one way or the other.”
Wow.What shitty parents.Jed had half a mind to find these people and fuck with them.
“I reached out to Chance and the Horsemen.He can’t send anyone.The whole fucking club is down with the flu.”He let that sink in before he went on.“I reached out to Preacher.He’s been staying in town with a few of his men.He wants to be here when Bellamy has the baby.”He scratched the scruff on his chin.“He’s going to send us some men to help us however we need.Whether that’s sticking close to the clubhouse and protecting our families or out there helping us chase that bastard down.”
“What did it cost us?”Maverick asked.
“The club?Nothing.Me?A marker.”
For Race to give a marker to Preacher showed how far he was willing to go to protect the ones he loved.
With nothing new to add, Race sent everyone off to bed.They’d start back up again tomorrow.Hopefully, Kylie would have something they could work with at some point.
He let himself into his room, not bothering to turn on the light.Sadie left the bathroom light on with the door cracked enough to light his way.He took a pair of boxer briefs from his drawer, then took a quick shower.His eyes grew heavy as he stood under the hot water.He couldn't wait to climb into bed with Sadie.
He grinned when he saw how Oliver took up half the bed.Sophie was sleeping on her side in the middle, leaving him enough room to slide in behind her.He spooned his front to her back and slid his arm around her waist.He stopped her when she started to stir.
