Hammer

by James, Nicole

  “Where’s the prospect?”

  “When he came to, he tore off down the street looking for the blue Toyota the guy took off in.”

  “Can you follow them to the hospital? Stay with her? Make sure she’s okay?”

  “Of course.” She looked up at him. “You have to find him, Hammer. Ethan was terrified.”

  He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “I will. Go.”

  Twenty minutes later the club rolled up. Shades, Ghost, Griz, Heavy, Gator, JJ, Spider, 12Gauge, Boot, Slick, and even Butcher, who rarely traveled anymore. They dismounted and approached. Shades gave him a backslapping hug. “What do you know?”

  “He was driving the same blue Toyota. I gave Slick the partial plate earlier. Tags are out of Florida.” He turned to him. “You find anything?”

  “It was reported stolen out of Pensacola. Why someone would steal a piece-of-shit car like that, I don’t know. Located a “Coolie” on social media.” Slick pulled up his phone and turned the photo to Hammer. “This him?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He hasn’t been active in a year, but the profiles are still up. Traced through the family members. There’s a brother named Carter Riggs in Montgomery. A sister, Beth, and a mother, Phyllis Riggs, both in Macon, Georgia. No father I can find.”

  “We got lots of family to lean on if we need to, Brother,” Shades assured him.

  “Where’s our prospect?” Ghost asked.

  “Strawberry Shortcake said he took off after them,” Hammer replied.

  “You heard from him?” Shades asked.

  Hammer shook his head. “He ain’t answering.”

  “I’ll keep tryin’ him,” Ghost assured, pulling out his phone.

  “Why didn’t the prospect stop him? He may be out over this,” Butcher warned.

  “He was knocked out. This ain’t on the prospect. This is on me,” Hammer said.

  “Bullshit.” Shades slapped his shoulder. “We’ll find the kid, Brother.”

  Slick pulled out a map and laid it out on the hood of a nearby car. “We’ll scour the city. Let’s work in quadrants.” He drew invisible lines with his index finger. “Gator, Ghost, and 12Gauge take the Southeast. Hammer, Griz, and Shades take the Southwest. Spider, Heavy, and JJ take the Northwest. Butcher, Boot, and I will take the Northeast.” He straightened and locked eyes with Hammer. “I’ve already made a call to our support club down in Montgomery. They’re getting out tonight and searching for him, gonna put a watch on southbound I65 see if he passes by, plus gonna keep an eye on the brother’s house.”

  Hammer nodded.

  “We’ll find him,” Shades promised.

  Hammer nodded.

  “Mount up boys,” Butcher ordered. “Keep in contact.”

  Twelve bikes roared off, breaking off in teams to search every street and parking lot for the blue Toyota.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  At 5:00 am, as the first streaks of dawn lightened the horizon, Shades signaled, and they pulled into a gas station.

  Hammer parked at the pump next to his and crawled off his bike. He was sore and exhausted. They’d come up empty-handed. All the teams had. No one had reported finding anything. Hammer was on a razor-thin edge, balancing between desperation and despair.

  He unscrewed his gas cap and shoved the nozzle in his tank.

  Shades filled his tank, hung the nozzle up, and strolled over to him.

  Hammer looked at him with tired eyes.

  “Brother, you need to go home and get a couple hours’ rest. We’ll head back out after morning rush hour is over. Traffic’s gonna be so bad in a few hours, we won’t be able to get around in it.”

  “I’m not giving up. I can’t. Not while Ethan is in that asshole’s hands.”

  “Hammer, that’s not a suggestion. It’s an order.”

  Hammer looked at his VP. “Are you kidding me with this shit? After all that’s happened to me today? My sister’s dead, my ma’s in the hospital, and my boy”—he paused to correct himself—“my sister’s kid is abducted, and you want me to sleep?”

  “Yeah. Go home. Lay down. Close your eyes. I’ll be at your house at 9:00 am. Maybe by then we’ll have some news from Montgomery.”

  Hammer shook his head. “I can’t.”

  Shades got in his face. “I’m doin’ this for your own damn good, Brother. Now you’re gonna get on that fucking bike, and Griz and I are going to escort you to your house. Don’t make me disable your bike when we leave, because I’m not above doing that. Let’s go.”

  They rode to Hammer’s house. He cut his bike off and climbed off.

  “I’ll stay with him, boss,” Griz said, climbing from his bike.

  Shades nodded. “I’m goin’ home to kiss my daughter. I’ll see you in a couple hours.”

  “I don’t need a damn babysitter,” Hammer insisted.

  Griz stared over at him. “Tough. I’m too tired to ride home, so you’re stuck with me.”

  “Fine, but I don’t want to talk.” Hammer trudged up the steps and went inside. “You can have the couch. I’m goin’ to bed.”

  Griz stretched out, and Hammer walked past him into his bedroom, closing the door. He sat wearily on his bed and turned on the bedside light. He looked down at his phone. There was an earlier text from Sherry. They were keeping his mother overnight for observation. They’d given her a breathing treatment, and she was resting comfortably. Sherry was going to stay with her. She’d call him in the morning.

  He smiled. She was good people; he’d have to thank her for all she’d done. He continued to stare down at his phone, wondering why Tink wouldn’t reply to his calls or texts.

  The place was quiet. He’d come home to an empty house for the first time in weeks. No Tink. No baby.

  His eyes lifted to the crib he’d bought for Ethan, and he spotted his teddy bear lying inside. He stood and walked over to it. Leaning down, he picked up the bear and brought it to his nose. It still smelled of the boy—that sweet baby smell he’d smelled every time he put his face to the top of Ethan’s head. Anguish bubbled up inside him, and he felt like he was going to drown in it. He put the bear down and turned. His eyes fell on the rolled up canvas leaning in the corner. He picked it up and with a flick of his wrists unrolled it on the bed, revealing Tink, naked in all her glory.

  God, he missed her. God, he needed her. She could keep him sane through all of this with just her touch, just her damn presence. But she was gone. He rolled the canvas up and put it back. Then he sat heavily on the bed. He grabbed his phone off the table and called Tink. It went to voicemail.

  “Baby?” His voice cracked with emotion. “Everything is shit, and I need you. I’m so sorry for what happened with Raven. I don’t remember anything from that night. I swear. Ethan—” He broke off, his throat closing up and the words sticking. He took a breath. “Sorry. His dad took him. Broke into Ma’s house and kidnapped him. We can’t find him. We’ve been out looking all night. God, I wish you were here. I need you so bad. Josie—Josie is dead. She OD’d. Everything… everything is going to shit, and I don’t know what to do, baby.” He stared at the floor, then pulled the phone from his ear and disconnected. He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his face in his hands, and broke down in silent sobs, his broad shoulders shaking.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Hammer was sound asleep when someone shook his shoulder.

  “Get up, Brother.”

  He’d been having such a nice dream. He and Tink and Ethan were walking around the zoo. Ethan was on his shoulders, and they were throwing peanuts to the elephants.

  “Brother.”

  Hammer grunted and cracked an eye open. Shades stood over him.

  “We’ve got a lead on the boy.”

  The reality of everything that had happened descended over him like a dark cloud, then Shades’ words filtered through the pain. They had a lead.

  He threw his legs over the side of the bed, sitting up. “What? Where?”

  “Montgomery. T
he brother’s house.” Shades stepped back. “Come on. Griz made coffee.”

  Hammer stumbled to the bathroom, took a piss, and splashed water on his face, then met his brothers at the dining room table. He sat at the chair at the head and reached for the mug Griz had poured him. He couldn’t help but smooth his hand over the wood, remembering the night he’d made love to Tink in this very spot. The pain of losing her shot through him. He had to stop thinking about her, but thinking about Ethan was even more painful. He only hoped—no, prayed—that they’d find him today. “What did they find out?”

  “Boys are headed over here. We’ll make a plan and head out,” Shades said. “Support club spotted a car driving out of the neighborhood where the brother lives. They tried to chase him down but lost him. They’ve been keepin’ an eye on the house for us.”

  “So we pressure the brother?”

  Shades nodded. “Unless we find the car. Brother can lead us to him or get him to show somewhere.”

  Hammer nodded. He was good with that. If he had to, he’d beat the fuck outta whoever he had to. Whatever it took to get Ethan back. He flexed his fist.

  “You heard from Sherry?” Griz asked.

  Hammer reached for his phone, ashamed he’d forgotten. “Shit, my ma.” He dialed Sherry, and she picked up on the first ring. “How is she?”

  “Good. Breathing much easier this morning. The doctor was in. They’re going to release her as soon as the paperwork is done.”

  “Good. Can you drive her home, stay with her? I know it’s a lot to ask.”

  Shades held out his hand. “Let me talk to her.”

  Hammer handed the phone to his VP.

  Shades put it to his ear. “Shortcake? Yeah, Skylar and Jessie will meet you at the hospital and take care of her. Give you a rest. Club owes you one. You’ve been great through all of this. All right, sweetheart. Bye.” He disconnected and handed the phone back. Then he pulled out his own and texted Skylar.

  Hammer ran a hand through his hair, his leg bouncing up and down. “Can we hit the road, get a head start?”

  “Drink your coffee,” Shades ordered.

  He slumped back in his chair and brought the mug to his lips.

  “You want a shot?” Griz offered. “I’ve got a flask of Jim Beam in my saddlebag.”

  Hammer shook his head, set his mug down, and folded his arms. He stared at the tabletop, trying to remember the last peaceful moment he’d had. Before he’d gotten Shortcake’s phone call? Before he’d gotten the call from his mother that Josie was dead? Before the club party? Before Tink had walked in on him and it’d all gone to hell? He closed his eyes and thought of the last time he’d held Ethan in his arms. He’d tickled him until he’d squealed and gotten hiccups. Then he’d held him close and patted him on the back, singing softly to him.

  He had to find that baby. He had to. Not for Ma. Not for Josie. But for himself. He needed him safe. He couldn’t bear to let him down.

  The thunder of a dozen bikes drew closer until the glass shook with the vibration. The men downed their coffee and headed outside.

  Slick climbed from his bike, reaching under his chin to unbuckle his helmet. “You know that party house I sent you to?”

  “In Montgomery? 1402 Shithole Street? Yeah, why?”

  “It’s the brother’s place.”

  “You’re shittin’ me? Let’s go.”

  “Hang on. Ain’t that simple.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “He’s an attorney.”

  “What? Bullshit. Livin’ in a dump like that?”

  “That’s not his residence. That’s just where he does his dirty business.”

  “What dirty business?”

  “He’s an adoption attorney. When he’s not hosting drug parties for young girls so he can get them addicted and under his thumb and then provide them to rich clients for their pleasure, he’s dealing in babies.”

  “What?”

  “He procures them for wealthy couples who want to adopt white babies.”

  “There is no way he’s meeting them at that crappy dump.”

  “Nope. That’s where he keeps the babies while he’s making the deal. Gotta stash them somewhere.”

  “How do you know this?”

  “First rule is you follow the money. I followed the money, brother.”

  “Is Ethan there?” Hammer’s hope soared.

  Slick shook his head.

  Hammer’s hope sank just as quickly. “Just tell me what the fuck you know.”

  “I traced his finances, saw the property records. I got to thinking, what would he want that property for? He had to be into something dirty. Given the influx of money—large sums—into his account, I put two-and-two together. It was just a hunch, though, but I had the support club drive by last night. They got close and looked in the windows. Nobody was home. One of ‘em pried open a window and climbed in. Place was empty, but there were cribs and playpens set up in a couple of the rooms. Boxes of diapers and formula. No food in the fridge, no plates in the cabinets, nothing that said anyone lived there for any amount of time.”

  Hammer frowned. “But you said he had parties there?”

  “Easy enough to fold up the playpens, stash all that in one room. Club said there were bags of trash filled with beer cans.”

  “So what are you saying?”

  “I think Coolie is going to sell him the boy for some adoption he’s setting up.”

  “His own damn son?”

  Slick shrugged. “He’s got no attachment to that kid. When you think about it, seems strange how conveniently the boy’s mother is out of the picture, and Coolie’s the one who talked her into leaving rehab. Coolie’s the one who right away gives her enough drugs to OD the first night. Then he shows up and steals the boy.”

  “Son-of-a-bitch. I’m gonna kill him.”

  “It’s all about greed, Hammer. All of it.”

  “So, if the house is empty, where’s the boy?”

  “I don’t know, but we get our hands on the brother; he’ll tell us what we want to know,” Slick assured him with a wicked grin.

  Hammer looked to his VP, silently asking how far the club wanted to get involved in all this. Torture, murder, burying bodies… Hammer was prepared for all of it. “You got a line in the sand?”

  Shades shook his head, his brows arching. “Whatever we gotta do, we do.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  An hour later, the group was hauling ass down I65. They’d passed the Montgomery City Limits sign, and Hammer wondered how much farther when Slick lifted his arm and motioned them over to the off ramp. They followed him off, passed under the interstate to the east side, and pulled into a gas station.

  “This looks familiar,” Hammer said. “Ain’t that the place we stopped for daiquiri’s right up the street?”

  Shades nodded.

  Slick climbed off his bike and approached. “The support club’s gonna meet us here. They’re bringing a panel van for some of us to ride in. Less conspicuous.”

  A few minutes later a white van pulled up. The side read M & C Electrical, a company Hammer was sure didn’t actually exist.

  Two men climbed out.

  “Mojo,” Slick hugged the driver, who then shook hands with Shades.

  “M & C… cute,” Slick said.

  Mojo laughed. “I ain’t too original, huh?”

  The other guy opened the back doors and pulled a box forward. He tossed black sweatshirts out. “Thought you guys might want to fly under the radar on this one.”

  “Thanks, man.” Hammer took one.

  “Everybody got gloves on? Don’t want to leave any prints,” Shades asked.

  Mojo motioned them close, his voice low. “You keep going east. Turn right at the big water tower. That’s Woodley Road—”

  “That road’s famous,” Griz put in, chewing on a toothpick.

  “What are you talking about?” Ghost turned to him.

  “I’m talking about that song the Eagles did…S
even Bridges Road.”

  “I love that song,” Ghost answered.

  “Well, it was based on Woodley road back in the sixties,” Griz informed, pulling the toothpick from his mouth.

  Ghost slapped him on the back. “You know something, Griz? You’re the king of useless Trivia.”

  Griz threw his toothpick at him. “Fuck off. I won fifty bucks with that answer one night.”

  “Get serious, all of you,” Shades snapped.

  “Past the motels and the storage units, there’s a business park on the right. It’s in a non-descript building—no signs, nothing, just the street number 415 on the door,” Mojo said

  “Wait, what’s this place?” Hammer asked.

  Slick turned to him. “Where the brother does business.”

  Mojo continued. “Got a member watchin’ the place. One car just pulled in fifteen minutes ago. A Mercedes. Guy got out. Right age, vaguely matches the Facebook picture Slick sent us. Couldn’t get close enough to be sure. Didn’t see no kid.”

  “You run the tags?” Shades asked.

  “We ain’t got the connections you boys got, so no way to do that. Sorry.”

  Shades patted his shoulder. “You did good, MoJo. Thanks.” He turned to Hammer and Ghost. “What do you think?”

  Ghost ran a hand down his jaw. “If it’s the brother, maybe he’s waiting for Coolie to show.”

  “Or an adoptive couple,” Hammer suggested quietly.

  Shades nodded.

  Hammer ran a hand down his face. “I say we take the brother now. Least with him, we got some leverage. If Coolie’s on his way, we wait it out.”

  “How many your van hold?” Slick asked.

  Mojo tilted his head to the side and grimaced. “Tight fit, but maybe nine at the most.”

  “Ghost, Hammer, and I will ride. Rest of you take the van,” Shades ordered.

  They loaded up and headed out, leaving Mojo’s second-in-command behind to watch the bikes. Shades, Ghost, and Hammer pulled out in front so as not to be associated with the van.

  Shades led them to the business and rode past while the van trailed behind a good distance and turned in. It parked behind the business next to the Mercedes while the three bikes doubled back and waited across the street in the parking lot of a storage rental place.