When his eyes flick up to me, I know he’s seen something I probably don’t want to know about, but he quickly redirects his gaze to Lewy.
“You find footage of what Tups did to break those fuckers out?”
“Yeah, caught it all from the hidden camera over there.” He points to some trees nearby, but I don’t see any camera. “Tups came out of the dark with a cricket bat and a knife. Moved faster than I’ve ever seen the old fucker move.”
Ringo scoffs. “Adrenaline will do that.”
Chatter washes through the crowd of gathered Sadists and Doxies as they congregate outside the shipping containers. Tups, Spud andBanes get shoved to their knees before us, a Sadist behind each one, and guns pressed to the back of each of their heads.
I try to ignore the sounds of Maggie’s sniffling, but it’s hard as I look at the scene the way she must be seeing it.
She’s terrified, that’s for sure. There are dozens upon dozens of leather clad bearded men, none of whom look savoury. There are guns, knives, cigarettes and tattoos. All the things the church preaches is the work of the devil.
If that’s the case then I’m a devil worshipper for sure, but I know better than to listen to that rot.
These men are dangerous, there’s no doubt about that. But there’s honour amongst them.
Does exposure to this count as rehabilitation for my sister? Probably not.
Moving to me, Ringo hands me the papers, a frown furrowing his brow.
“Take a look at some of the names on that list. You might recognise some.”
I’m assuming it’s my parents’ names, so I nod and take them before he turns and moves out to stand in front of everyone, stepping into his role as President.
“There have been three traitors in our club, working behind our backs, and doing the very thing we fight against,” he starts, and my eyes drop to the papers.
I immediately find Delany. Priscilla and Colin. I’m not surprised, but it still stings. As well as Karl Stone with Elizabeth’s name in brackets with a question mark.
I then go through the entire list, stiffening as I see more names I recognise.
Some are high-level politicians, and my mind flicks back to when Smitty told me he knew the state was going into another lockdown. He really did have connections in high places, and I bet they are the same ones that are on this list.
I spot a couple of celebrities amongst the hundreds of names, but it’s the others I recognise that has my veins turning to ice.
Hill, Terence & Viktoria.
Not a surprise since they were the previous owners of this land who ran a sex club from their home. The same sex club Rhys and Shaun got tangled up in, but it’s the names underneath that gets me.
Bates. Brian and Julie.
I shake my head, frowning. The surname Bates is familiar to me since it’s the maiden name my mum used… but it isn’t her real maiden name. She just made it up, because it’s really Banes.
It’s not just the surname that has me. It’s the names, Brian and Julie. I know those names. I recognise them from the news reports after everything came out about Rhys and the sex club and… shit. Brian Bates was Rhys George’s biological dad… surely it’s just a coincidence.
Glancing up, I see Ringo still talking as he paces, anger contorting his features as he points to Tups, but I can’t hear anything he’s saying.
All I can hear is the blood rushing past my ears.
When I look at my mum, I find that she’s been gagged, and I frown… When did that happen?
I can’t even make sense of things right now, because this list… I have to keep reading.
Ryland. Christopher. (Fox Pines Catholic College)
My eyes widen. Ex Principal Ryland? Holy shit!
I don’t know why I’m so surprised after what he allowed to happen to Lexi, but now it makes total sense. He was a predator.
