Brick
You need backup, you call. Anytime.
Stone
Appreciated, brother. I might take you up on that.
One problem handled. Now for the harder call.
For this one, I step into the hallway, keeping Josie’s door propped open so I can see her, and dial Tank.
He answers on the second ring. “Prez. Wondered where you disappeared to.”
“Get somewhere private. I need to brief you.”
A pause. Muffled voices, footsteps, a door closing. Then Tank again, more serious. “Hold on, Stone. Bones and Lee are here. I’m putting you on speaker.”
I don’t waste time.
“I left to pick up Josie. But she wasn’t home when I got there.” I keep my voice level, the voice of a president delivering a report. Not a man falling apart. “So I rode the route she takes from work. There was an accident about two miles out. T-bone collision at the intersection by Miller Road.”
Silence.
“She’s alive,” I continue. “Ambulance got there right as I did. But she’s in bad shape. I followed them to the hospital. They’ve got her now. I’m waiting to hear more.”
“Jesus,” Lee breathes.
“You sure you don’t need us there?” Tank asks.
“No. I’m fine on my own.” I make my voice firm. An order, not a request. “I need you three to keep this quiet. Let everyone have tonight. Keep the party going, business as usual.”
“Stone—” Bones starts.
“That’s an order.” I cut him off. “We don’t know if this was an accident or a hit yet. Could be nothing. Could be Summitsending a message. Either way, I don’t want the whole club in panic mode until we know more. Keep this between us, let everyone celebrate Duck and the zoning win, and we deal with what this means in the morning.”
The silence stretches. I know what they’re thinking—that they should be here, that brothers don’t let brothers face this alone.
But I need them there. If Summit is watching, if this was intentional, we can’t show them we’ve been tipped off.
“Understood,” Tank says finally. “You call if anything changes.”
“I will. One more thing—the crash was a hit and run. Black SUV, driver fled. I want eyes on this first thing. Traffic cams, police reports, witnesses. Everything.”
“I’ll handle it personally,” Bones says. “First thing tomorrow.”
“Good.” I pause, exhaustion pressing down on me like a physical weight. “Now get back out there before people notice.”
“Stone.” Lee’s voice is careful. “She’s tough. She’ll be okay.”
My son, trying to comfort me. He’s a good kid, he’s become a better man.
“Yeah,” I manage. “She will.”
I hang up before they can say anything else.
The fluorescent lights buzz overhead. Somewhere down the corridor, a machine beeps. A nurse walks past, her shoes squeaking on the linoleum.
I should feel better. The club’s handling things. Brick’s got the prospect. Bones will dig into the crash. Everything’s under control.
