“Of course, I do.”
“Then hold your questions, they’ll be answered as I go.” And with that I dove back into my past. “This man, we’ll call him Blackhawk, sat on a chair opposite mine, made a show of putting his gun down on the floor and kicking it out of reach. I wasn’t stupid; I figured he had another one on him somewhere that I just couldn’t see. It was obvious he was trying to gain my trust though. He pulled something out of his pocket and held it up so I could see. It was a picture of him with a deceased family member of mine. They had served together a long time ago.” I sighed. Remembering the moment when I realized the man who had kidnapped me was standing beside my father in the photo brought back the same pang of pain I had the first time. I remember feeling so heartbroken and hostile in that moment.
“The man explained that he heard chatter about a murder for hire scheme and that he recognized my name. When he made contact, the person providing the information turned out to be a blond woman about 5’2” with blue eyes and big, fake tits. She had a sparrow tattooed on the cleavage of her right boob.”
“That’s pretty descriptive,” the sheriff muttered, interrupting me again.
“Yes, it was, and for reason you’ll understand momentarily. The description he gave sounded familiar immediately. It sounded like a woman I’d seen around my husband before. Actually, I had suspected she might be the one he was having the affair with, but he had assured me she was just a business partner in the whorehouse he was funding for a biker club in Nevada.” The sheriff leaned forward in his seat then, completely enraptured with my story now.
“The woman gave Blackhawk a picture of me, and told him Josh wanted it done quickly, but that she wouldn’t mind if I suffered a bit before I was taken out.” I clenched my teeth through the last bit, so I had to unclench to finish. “Blackhawk accepted the hit, took half the money up front. It was something like $10,000, and the rest of the information that he needed. She informed him that my father’s death anniversary was in two days, and that he could find me at the cemetery at some point that day.”
Both Rabbit and the sheriff were watching as I continued telling my story. “Blackhawk has video evidence of the transaction. He played it for me when I didn’t believe him.”
“Are you in possession of this evidence now?”
“No. Two days after he took me, Blackhawk went back to Josh with photos he had of my faked death. He was supposed to make sure Josh knew that my body would be found in a public place in the next few days, and that it had no way of linking back to him. That was the plan, anyway. He was supposed to come back to get me and take me to his friends for safe keeping once he was done with that meeting, but he never returned. I don’t know why, or what kept him away, but I stayed in that house for a month living off of what was there, before I ventured out. Then I found a job at a strip club there, dancing in order to make money, because I didn’t know what else to do and I wanted to stay as far off the radar as possible. The club owner took me on without identification, and paid me under the table. I stayed there for 6 months until one night a guy Josh and I had both gone to high school with rolled in and recognized me. He called my name out in front of the customers, and I knew I couldn’t stay there. I was already listed as a missing person then since no one had discovered my body yet.” I continued on with my story. “Before I left, I checked my e-mail at the local library. There was a message, which I assumed was from Blackhawk. It was months old already, but I had avoided all electronics since I’d been taken captive. Anyway, the e-mail was a quick video of Blackhawk’s interaction with Josh the day he went to meet him.”
“Do you have that video?” The sheriff asked.
“Yes, if I can see your phone, I can pull it up for you.”
He handed the phone over immediately, and I pulled up my e-mail account, not caring that the Sheriff would probably have access to it from there on out, or that it could be tracked since everyone already knew where I was anyway. Once it was queued up I handed it back to him and he and Rabbit watched as Josh spilled the beans about how he couldn’t pay the rest of the money until the body was found, because the insurance money had to come through first. He explained that the Biker Club known as Modern Saints, in specific a man named Hammer, could vouch for him, and that they would make sure Blackhawk got the rest of his money. Blackhawk slyly asked a few questions through the conversation, made Josh just comfortable enough to tell him all about his plan.
Josh was looking at the pictures we had faked of my death. “I can’t believe she’s gone. It’s so weird. She was an okay girl when we went to school together, and I hate that she had to die, but she had no one. No one will miss her or mourn her, because she was all alone. Honestly, I did her a favor by marrying her so she at least had a little taste of happiness before she died,” he told Blackhawk callously.
Blackhawk, as I’d been calling him for the interview with the sheriff, stood and left the scene, but as he left, fiddling with his phone, was hit and fell to the ground with a grunt. The video ends with him being dragged away. Both men glanced up at me then. “Holy fuck, Charlie! Why didn’t you show that to Iceman right away?” Rabbit asked.
I shrugged. “We weren’t sure until recently that they were tipped off by the background check you guys ran. I didn’t want to take the chance of accessing the e-mail account in case it was compromised.”
The sheriff was still staring at me, slack-jawed, and wild-eyed. “I just saw Josh Cooper admit to trying to have you killed. I watched him dismiss images of you supposedly dead like they were trading cards.”
“Yes,” I agreed.
“You had this video, why didn’t you go to the police?”
“I didn’t trust them. Josh’s close friend works for the Las Vegas Police Department, and I had already witnessed him fixing smaller incidents for Josh’s buddies before. The FBI Agent on his way here is more than likely Gordon Cooper, correct?” Sheriff Mitchell nodded at me. “Cooper doesn’t ring any bells for you? That’s Josh’s cousin. I can’t tell you if he’s dirty or clean, but what I do know is my husband tried to have me killed. His buddy is a dirty cop, and I wasn’t about to take any chances where his cousin was concerned.”
“I need to make a quick call. I told the boys to give me 20 minutes. That time is just about up. I don’t want them storming in here.” Sheriff Mitchell picked up his cell and dialed out to the men waiting to serve the warrant to search for me. Then he paused and looked at me. “There was a video of you in the shower that was sent in today as proof that these guys had you here.”
“We realized someone with a grudge about their buddy getting kicked out of the club for attacking me set up cameras earlier today. Unfortunately, we realized it after I’d showered in one of the rooms he rigged,” I stated. The boys of this club had nothing to do with that. They are my family.”
“One more question, before I put this call through. Mr. Cooper seemed pretty sure you had no family beyond him. How is it you found yourself out here in South Dakota with the Aces High Biker Club?”
“Divine intervention for the most part. A dancer told me about these guys when I was on the run, and when I got here, the guys informed me that my dad was a nomad in their club, and that I’d been brought up in it when I was a little girl.”
“And you believed that?” He asked.
“Well, they have plenty of pictures to prove their story,” and they did, because Shameless had shown me a couple albums he had in his room one night when I was in need of some cheering up.
“Okay.” The sheriff made the call, sending the guys away, and told them to inform him when the FBI agent got here.” Iceman and Rage came back up to the office after Rabbit sent them a text.
When they came into the room Rage came straight over to me and pulled me into his arms. “You doing okay, darlin’?”
“I’m fine. Sheriff Mitchell has been very gracious in listening to my story.”
Rabbit interrupted and asked Mitchell if he could show the guys the video fr
om the e-mail. He also forwarded a copy to a general club email address for safekeeping. The men watched, and as they did Rage pulled me even closer, not wanting to let me go. Then he turned to the sheriff. “So, what are we going to do about the FBI agent that happens to be the cousin of this bastard who attempted to murder Charlie?”
“We are going to welcome him here for a little chat, if you don’t mind.” He pointed up at the cameras positioned throughout the room. “I assume those are running at all times?”
Iceman smiled. “They are.”
“And you wouldn’t have any issues with handing over the segments of video pertaining to this case, correct?” Sheriff Mitchell asked.
“We’d be happy to,” Iceman told him.
“Good. Then I’ll have my men re-direct the agent out this way when he gets here, because I have no control over whether your cameras are running as opposed to the ones at the station.” I smiled at Sheriff Mitchell then.
“Thank you, Sheriff.”
“You don’t have to thank me for doing my job. People tend to forget that part of the job is to protect. Seems you need some protection that your boys can’t offer without borrowing a whole heap of trouble.”
“No, but I feel that it’s necessary considering how I couldn’t count on other law enforcement to do their jobs.” He nodded at me and grumbled about that being a damned shame.
“You boys did a good thing here,” he tipped his head towards me. “I wish you’d come to me sooner, but I understand why it was that you didn’t.”
Chapter 13
We sat inside Iceman’s office for more than an hour waiting for Gordon Cooper to show up, and when he finally did we were met with shocking news.
Spinner, who met him at he exterior door, escorted him into the office. “Charlie,” he greeted. Spinner stayed out of the office, off on a mission to take care of the people they had to question downstairs, no doubt.
“Gordon,” I offered back. We had only met the once at our quickie wedding. He had been in town visiting his mom when Josh decided we should get married so Gordon served as one of our witnesses.
“I know we didn’t know each other beyond that first meeting when you got married, but I wish you could have trusted me enough to come to me.” I just nodded at him, and then sat back as he listened to the recording Sheriff Mitchell had made of me telling what happened to me. Then he watched the video of his cousin with absolute disgust written on his face.
“I already had the video in my possession. It was sent to us by your friend, the one you referred to as Blackhawk. I’ve been part of the team investigating my cousin.”
“How is that possible since you’re related?” Iceman asked what we were all wondering.
“It was possible, because they needed me undercover to get more information. Trust me when I say I was being watched like a hawk. Not that it was necessary since I would never get behind what my cousin was attempting to do. I had a hard time believing my cousin was capable of any of it at first, but when he thought I was dirty and willing to help him out, I got a lot more details out of him. He was planning on offing the girlfriend too, because she knew too much, and he didn’t want to part with half the money he knew would be coming in. He was asking me to do the job since I’d know exactly how to cover it up.” My mouth dropped open.
“A regular male black widow, huh?” Rabbit asked.
“Precisely. It sickens me to think that this was my family we’re talking about.” His head is shaking, and his disgust is still very evident. I feel for him, but at least he didn’t have a choice in being the man’s family. I had stupidly walked into a marriage with him. As if feeling my misery, Rage pulled me closer to him, and held tight. I was already perched on the man’s lap, so I just allowed my head to rest on his shoulder and soak in his heat and his comfort. Gordon noticed and smiled weakly at me.
“Looks like you found a much better match, Charlie.” He finally said as he continued watching the interaction between Rage and I. “I know I was only around the two of you for a couple days, but considering you were newlyweds, I never saw that level of interaction.” I just nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. Josh would have never held me like this. He would have just told me to get over whatever was bothering me. God, I was such a damn fool.
I didn’t really say anything to Gordon to acknowledge my seemingly new relationship. I just watched him, and waited for whatever news he brought us. “I hoped that you would be okay when we finally found you. The message we received with the e-mailed video included the line,” he looked down at a notepad he pulled out of his pocket. “She’s still alive, and well.” Gordon sighed. “My cousin, not so much,” Gordon finally revealed.
“What?” I asked incredulously. That seems like information he should have opened the conversation with. He reached into the briefcase he’d brought in with him, and handed me a piece of paper. We were interrupted by a knock on the door that Iceman answered, allowing Spinner into the room with us, and shutting the door behind him again.
“Sorry,” he told everyone, “I needed access to the computer in here for a minute,” he claimed as he moved behind Iceman’s desk and angled the monitor back towards himself.
Gordon didn’t hesitate in continuing on with his news. “Josh was found a week ago with a bullet lodged in his skull. He was in the apartment he had shared with you, and it appeared that a woman had been staying there with him recently too.”
“Do we want to know how you came to that conclusion?” Iceman asked.
“Used tampons in the trash, lipstick on a glass in the sink, birth control pills in the cabinet that did not have Charlie’s name on them. Then there was the security footage we went over for the building’s entrance where we watched the two of them enter and leave together quite often. My cousin was an idiot. If anyone had been looking, with any seriousness, into his claims that Charlie had disappeared and he was a distraught man awaiting his wife’s return he would have given them enough evidence to suspect foul play on his part in the disappearance. You were right about his buddy in the Vegas PD though. He, and a couple others, were taking point on your case, and since you had no other family to raise a stink about how long it was taking to get results the case was falling through the cracks.
“Except for the fact that the FBI were already involved with our own sting operation and investigation into the corruption and suspected cover-up,” he added with a wink.
“So, he’s dead?” I asked to clarify one more time. Gordon nodded, and I let out a sigh of relief.
“That doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods yet. The woman he was seen with, Sheri Lynn Michaels, was last seen coming out of the apartment near the time of death with a man dressed in biker gear. His patches did not indicate he was a member of either Aces High or Modern Saints. Instead, he is a member of The Tribe.” A series of cuss words rocketed out of nearly every man’s mouth in the room, including Rage’s.
“The Tribe are not some cursory worry,” Iceman interjected.
“No, they are not,” Gordon agreed. “Our gangland taskforce has them slotted as the number three one-percenter organization in this country. They deal in drugs, weapons, and human trafficking. We have yet to nail them down and obliterate them, because every time we try serving warrants on their properties they are beyond squeaky clean.”
Spinner laughed. “That’s because you’re serving them on the wrong properties, no doubt. They are notorious for their ghost properties.”
“We are aware of that.” Gordon agreed.
“What does this have to do with me? Surely, the insurance scam won’t work now, because the woman was implicated in my murder for hire already. I’m assuming this Sheri Lynn lady matches the description I gave you from the first video I saw. She’s the one who hired Blackhawk.”
“Blackhawk?” Spinner asked, and I blushed.
“The codename for the man who helped me escape their plot,” I informed the guys who weren’t there for the initial interview. Spinner smiled at me and n
odded.
“Yes, she matches the description, down to the sparrow tattoo, but the problem is without the video you spoke of seeing, we have no way to connect the dots. Granted, she’d land herself in the middle of a ridiculous investigation as to how she became the beneficiary, how Josh died under more than suspicious conditions, and how she ties to the both of you. It’s enough to keep things tied up, especially since they still have the small problem of not having a dead girl to claim insurance on.”
“What about Josh?”
“What do you mean?”
“Is she able to claim anything belonging to him? Technically, I’m his wife, and everything would go to me unless he left a will or something stating otherwise, right? So, what about his part in the whorehouse, club, whatever that he was financing with the Modern Saints?”
“Well, we found no evidence that he was working with them beyond an initial deposit of interest. It’s safe to say, he strayed into the The Tribe’s territory instead, and ended up dead for it.”
I remember the guys saying something about how they thought Josh was buying into human trafficking instead of the Modern Saints’ club before. I didn’t mention it, because none of them did, and I didn’t think they were ready to share all with Agent Cooper, no matter the story he was spinning.
“There was some chatter a few times when I was around about inheritance you should have come into from your dad. Do you know anything about that?”
“No,” I stated honestly, because I was only just finding out about any money that may have been saved away for me in a club account. “My dad had been dead for two years before all of this started. Why would they suddenly think I was about to come into money form my dad?”
“Josh was informed by someone, recently, that you had ties to Aces High MC. I think they just assumed there was more money that you didn’t know about when your dad died as a result.”
“So, their plan to get a hold of me now and sell me to this guy who makes snuff films is what? Part B of the plan after they somehow trick or force me into signing over whatever insurance money and accounts from my dad I have access to?” I asked the questions while still unsure as to how they thought that would play out in their favor. “I’m just stumped. I have no clue what in the world all that means.”
Dancing With Danger Page 15