The conversation moves through the brothers for a few minutes—theories about old enemies, a name from a deal sixyears ago, a man Phantom had a beef with in San Antonio that Cash settled.
None of it adds up to us. Phantom listens, but doesn't decide, then he looks at me. "Spur."
"Yes, Prez?"
"You've been holding something. What is it?"
I take a moment before I answer because I've been working on it for two days and I'm not ready to lose the thread by saying it wrong.
"The way the man smokes the cigarette," I tell him. "Two long drags. Then a hold. Then a third drag taken right down to the filter. It's a specific rhythm. I've seen it. I just haven't figured out from where."
"Really? You don’t know where?"
"That's the part I can't get to."
Phantom nods slowly. "Keep thinking it over."
"I am, Prez."
He looks around the table. "Twenty-four-hour patrol stays. Two-man rotations. Family at the main house. Dakota doesn't move without Spur and one other patched member. He’s free to go to their cabin with her, but I’ll have two prospects on the cabin at all times."
I speak up. "I’m more than capable of protecting my woman, Prez."
Phantom shoots daggers at me. "And I gave a goddamn order, so you follow it."
I swallow hard. The last thing I wanted to do was poke the bear. "Yes, Prez."
Phantom clears his throat and gets back to it. "Holt'll be here at sunup. He's bringing Wells and Tread. They're staying at Sharp until this bullshit is done. Cash and his charter are sweeping the southern corridor. Roan's covering the panhandlewith his boys. The whole state of Texas is closed to him. He just doesn't know it yet."
The whole group nods or grunts in response.
Phantom looks at Rogue. "Anything from the burner?"
Rogue doesn't look up from his screen. "Nothing yet. He hasn't sent another message since the photo. Burner's gone dark. But he'll come back to it. Men like this always come back to the messaging because the messaging is the point. When he sends the next one, I see it."
"How long?"
"Day, two days. He's working up to it. Men like him get off on the fear, on making her scared. He won’t be able to contain himself for too much longer."
"Stay on it."
"Yes, Prez."
Phantom looks at me again. "Spur. I want this man dead inside the week. You're running the hunt. Banshee's running the property. You report to me twice a day until it's done."
"Yes, Prez."
He slams the gavel. "Out."
The brothers stand up. Some go for coffee. Some go for the assignments board on the wall.
Bullseye comes over and puts his hand on my shoulder once and tells me to bring the man home in pieces. Banshee heads out to start his rotation.
I nod at him, not trusting my voice to answer.
Phantom waits until the room has cleared. Then he tilts his head toward the back hall. "Spur, meet me in my office for a minute."
I follow him straight there.
