Chapter Sixteen
Styx was in the middleof an oil change on Bulldog’s Harley when Bishop found him in the shop.
“Hey, you got a minute?”
“Sure, what’s up?You need me to stop this or can we talk while I work?”Styx said, glancing up at Bishop.
“You can keep going.I know you’re in charge of the route and the run over the next couple of days, and I’m not trying to step on your toes, but I had a couple questions and a request, if you don’t mind.”
Styx scowled up at him for a moment, then turned his attention back to the bike in front of him.
“Go ahead.”
“The question first.How much of the trip is on the Interstate?”
Styx frowned.“The trip out, just until we get out of town, then it’s state highways.The trip back could go either way, we could do a good stretch on 10, or we could do mostly state highways.I planned to play it by ear and see what traffic conditions are like.Is there a reason you’re asking?”
“Yeah.I’m taking my woman with us tomorrow, but she has issues being on a bike on the Interstate.I was wondering if I maybe I should put her in the tail car until we’re done with the Interstate then stop and let her get on with me.And I was going to ask that we stay on state highways and surface streets as much as possible if Wrench isn’t going with us.”
“I’m going.I’d love a chance to have a sweet young thing as my passenger, even if only for part of the ride,” Wrench spoke up from where he was under the hood of the pickup they used as a tail car.Bishop glanced his way but turned back to Styx without a word.
“I’ll see what I can do.I don’t know what it will do to our travel time to stay on surface streets through town, but it looks like you’ve got that part solved.I’ll look into it and let you know before we head out in the morning.Will she be okay in the tail car?”
“I think so.I’ll check with her to be sure.”Bishop watched Styx for a minute then spoke again.“You need any help getting things ready?”
Styx shook his head.“Nah, we’re almost done here.Go spend time with your girl.She’s new, isn’t she?”
“Yeah, and I don’t quite have her locked down yet, but we’ll get there.”
“Think she can handle the life?”Wrench called from under the hood.
“Since she grew up in it, I’m leaning toward yes.”
“Grew up in it?You picked up a patch rat?”Wrench pulled his head out of the engine and looked at him.
“Patch rat?I’m not sure I like that one.”
“Rug rat, patch rat, get it?”
“I get it, I just don’t like it.Winter’s wearing what she calls her patchling vest for now, I told Bulldog to order a property vest.”He didn’t tell them he hated seeing another club’s colors on her.They didn’t need to know that.
“Patchling.I’ve heard that.I don’t remember where offhand, but I know I’ve heard it before,” Wrench said ducking his head back under the hood.
Bishop looked back and forth between Wrench and Styx for a moment, then, when neither of them said anything more, or even acknowledged that he was still there, he shrugged and headed back inside.
