by Jayne Blue
I nodded again. I was not onboard with getting rid of Jen from my life. But one problem at a time. Zig didn’t know how this was. He didn’t have a woman in his life right now. Axle, he understood. He’d also voted my way, without even a conversation with me. He heard the evidence and knew it was good for the club to keep her alive.
I knew he’d die for his old lady, too. But Axle wasn’t the one asking me to leave Jen.
I made my way to Mama Bear. She was in the office again and smiled when she saw me.
“Well, you show up the old man?” A smirk played across her lips.
“I didn’t want to show him up.” It did pain me to go against Bear.
“It’s okay, honey. I’ve disagreed with him on every single thing in our lives from the fucking bath mat to how to drive to Oklahoma. We fight. But he’s still here. And so am I. He’ll get over it.”
“Mama, he wants me not to see Jen ever again.”
“Well, that’s a different thing isn’t it?” She took off her reading glasses and looked at me.
“You obviously love the hell out of her. How that’s gonna work is something you two have to figure out. You know?”
“Yeah, just work on him for me, okay?”
“I’ll do my best.” I came over and hugged her. I knew she would work on Bear’s soft side. He had one and she had the keys. But she was also right about working out my life with Jen on my own.
I had to trust her and she had to understand me.
I didn’t know if she’d ever be hanging out at the MC and knocking back drinks with me and the other old ladies. But there had to be a middle ground. A way for her to live her life and me to live mine, together.
After a few more hugs from guys at the MC I went outside to my bike.
I had hated even the thought of not being a part of this and, at least for now, things were better. They were settled.
I was going back to Jen’s. I wanted to be by her side as the word got around. I didn’t want some idiot to think it was still Bear’s order to kill Jen Guffy.
For the first time in two days I felt a little weight lift off my shoulders. I wasn’t fucking supposed to kill the woman I loved and I didn’t have to kill one of my brothers for acting on Bear’s orders.
That was a scenario I feared almost as much as my worry for Jen getting hurt.
I drove through Port Az.
As I did, a powder blue, a VW Bug, caught my eye.
It was Jen’s car. What the fuck?
She was at the Port Az Police station?
I’d asked her not to go anywhere. I’d asked her to stay put. And here she was again. At the damn cop shop. She hadn’t learned one fucking thing in the last two days. My guts were on the table back there and she was at the cop shop?
It was then I realized that Bear was right.
I loved her. Totally and completely. She was the only woman I wanted to see. The only one I wanted to be with.
But she was dangerous as hell for my club. I kept driving. I had just saved her. I’d been willing to give up my club and my life to do it.
And I’d asked her to do one goddamn thing.
It settled in, what I had to do. I felt like I might throw up or run my bike into a wall at top speed. But doing the hard thing was the right thing and I knew it.
As wrong as Bear was about putting the hit out on Jen, he was right about us being together. I didn’t know what the fucking shit she was doing at the cop shop, but none of it mattered.
I’d told her not to, because she could have been whacked at any moment. I’d trusted her too quickly. The second I left her alone, she’d done the exact fucking opposite thing I’d asked.
I drove to the little hotel. I made a quick stop at the front desk for a pen and paper.
I had no idea how long Jen Guffy was planning to hang out with Port Az’s finest, so I made it quick. I knew seeing her again would only shake me. I had to do this fast. I had to do this now.
There were a million things I wanted to say to her. I was hurt. I understood. I didn’t understand. All of it was in there.
All she really needed to know was that I’d got the hit off her.
The smartest thing for her to do was to get out of our town. She should get out of Port Az as fast as her Bug could take her.
I hope I made that completely clear.
21
Jen
I found Officer Peter Peck sitting at his desk just like last time.
He didn’t notice me come in or even notice that I was right by his desk. He didn’t look up.
Probably not the best quality for an investigator.
“Hi,” I said. I started him.
“Oh my Gosh. You.”
“Me.”
“How are you?” he said. It was like we’d been on a date or something.
“Fine. I have a few questions though.” Before I could dive into my questions, Detective Janning appeared. He’d clearly observed me come in and had made a b-line for me.
“Peck, back to work. I’ll talk to Miss Guffy here.”
“Yes, sir.”
“My office, Miss.” He put his hand out and gestured for me to head to the corner. There were four of five walled glass cubes. I supposed since this was a big open room, the term ‘office’ was applied loosely.
“I have some questions, Detective, about the bust the other night.”
“Yes, two known, low-level drug pushers put away for a few hours.”
“So that wasn’t a good arrest?”
“For a small time, low volume trafficking, it was a gold star.”
“So do tax payers pay extra for the sarcasm?”
“No, free service from me to you.” I guessed Detective Janning was in his late forties or early fifties. He’d been around Port Az or somewhere for a while. Newbies like Peck and me were a thorn in his side.
“Can I talk to you off the record?” I wanted real information and I knew he had a relationship with Bear.
“I don’t know. Can you?”
I didn’t want to reveal anyone or anything to this detective, even that Bear had ordered me dead. I was smarter now.
My lack of understanding of how this town worked had already nearly gotten me killed. I was trying to play things close to the vest now. I wanted information, but was careful not to give it in return. Unless I absolutely had to.
And if Benz couldn’t get the hit off me, I’d need to have some options. I hoped knowledge was power. I hoped, if pushed, Detective Janning would see the wisdom of protecting me from The Saints. But I wasn’t so sure.
“The Dark Saints, were they working with you?” I blurted it out. I wanted to be subtle, but I had to know.
“Jen. You’re young and I looked you up. I know you come from a law enforcement family. I know your ambition is to what? Be a Ranger? So I’m going to give you a few courtesies I wouldn’t normally extend. Namely. I’m going to answer your questions. To a point.”
“So?”
“There is a local biking club that does, from time to time, provide credible tips for our law enforcement professionals.”
“That’s how we’re going to do this?”
Detective Janning didn’t trust me. I supposed that was valid. He knew of me, but that isn’t the same as knowing me.
“The other night, was that one of those times?” I continued pressing.
“I am unable to provide you with details on specific cases, unless of course, you have a freedom of information request form in that purse. And then, of course, some names will have to be redacted.” Art Janning smiled and took a sip from a coffee mug that looked older than me.
“I see. Were you, uh, planning to bust that operation?”
“No, we were watching it. Baiting the hook with a smaller fish. Did you learn that in police school?”
“And my actions were, uh, not helpful. It is like Bear said.” I realized that everything Bear had said about the drug meet-up was true.
“Not helpful would be a way to describe yo
u.” I slumped in my chair.
“I wanted to put away The Dark Saints. Or cripple them in some way. I had this idea that they were hurting this town. That’s what was in my mind my whole life.”
Detective Janning slid the mug aside and leaned on his forearms to look me square in the eyes.
“Miss Guffy. What happened to your father broke my heart. I was a young officer back then. Here’s what I know. Kenny Bass was not a Dark Saint. He was a trouble maker who no one wanted. He lured a few Saint probies in for his dumbass robbery scheme. Those probies got killed inside. He, well, you know what happened to him. He was rightly killed by your Daddy. And you Daddy is a legit hero. That’s all true.”
“But The Saints? I thought they were the ones.”
“No. Let me tell you something else. This town, not even a decade ago, was dying on the vine. The Saints are a big part of why it’s not anymore. They helped me and a few others get the hard drugs out. They make sure if there’s crime, it’s away from my citizenry. Do you understand?”
“I think so. Yes.” There was a balance here that I’d tipped over in the wrong direction. There were things that Detective Janning needed The Dark Saints for and vice versa. The town needed The Saints. And my Daddy didn’t die at their hands.
My need to punish someone was a waste. Daddy had punished Kenny Bass himself when he shot him.
I was going to tell him about Bear’s hit on my life. I was ready to lay the ground work, but something stopped me. I didn’t know if Detective Janning would believe me, and worse, I didn’t want to test his loyalty like I had Benz’s. Janning was an unknown commodity to me; confiding in him was like standing on ice and hoping it wouldn’t crack.
“So, are we done here? If you, in the future, have concerns about law enforcement in Port Azrael, please come right to me. Officer Numb Nuts is a poor vessel for sensitive information. Maybe someday he’ll gain the required subtleties, but right now he can’t even drink coffee without spilling it on his tie. As far as The Saints…”
He stopped and it fell into place.
“They’re the devil you know,” I finished his sentence.
“That’s correct Miss Guffy. You might turn into a better cop than Numb Nuts out there. Your powers of observation being what they are now.”
I left the station house.
It occurred to me that I should probably head to the library and finish my assignments, but it was getting late.
I’d promised Benz I would be in the hotel.
If Benz lost the vote, I need to get the hell out of Port Az fast. If Benz lost the vote, I’d have to run. If Benz lost the vote, I wondered if I’d ever see him again.
I kept my head on a swivel as I drove back to the hotel. Even more so when I walked into my hotel room. I looked around it just as Benz had before.
No one was there.
My stomach was in knots after meeting with Detective Janning. For the first time, I had real worry that Benz was the one in danger now. Not me.
I sat down on the bed and that’s when I saw it. A piece paper with my name on it.
Jen,
You’re all clear. I won the vote.
But you need to leave Port Az as soon as you can. Finish your library job and go.
I loved our time, but it’s done. It has to be this way.
I can’t have the MC and a cop for an old lady, and you’re a cop. Or will be.
It’s not something you can change or should. And I’m nothing without the club.
I hope you get all that you want in life.
Love,
Benz
Seven lines. Seven shitty lines. It was practically a form letter. I reread it.
He won the vote. That was something. The Dark Saints didn’t have my name on some list of people to kill. Awesome.
But I’d lost Benz. I wondered if I’d ever even had him.
I walked over to the window and looked out at the motel parking lot. When did he leave this? Did I just miss him?
I wanted to talk to Benz. That was it.
I was going to talk to Benz.
As much as I had thought I was going to have to run away from him or The Saints, I didn’t want to now. It was clearer than ever that he had changed me. He was my future. And it was a future that I hadn’t charted. It was thrilling and exciting and scary as hell, but it was a future with Benz. And these seven shitty lines weren’t enough to change that.
I drove to his apartment.
I had no idea if he was there, but banged on the door anyway. I called for him. I got no answer.
I thought about driving to the MC. I was that desperate. But I chickened out on that.
Bear had ordered me killed. Vote or no vote, Benz or not, I wasn’t suicidal. Going into their turf after what had just gone down wasn’t an option.
In the end, I drove around Port Az looking for signs of Benz.
I didn’t find any.
I wound up at the library.
Where I’d started. I climbed the steps and there she was.
Inez.
“You been gone a couple of days. I wondered if you were done. I hoped you weren’t ‘cause it’s a mess over there.”
“Good to see you, Inez.”
I walked over to my little area of the Port Azrael Library. All the papers and files were there. Just as I had left them.
Time had run out on whatever Benz and I had. Time had almost run out on this job. I’d been given four weeks for this project.
I could barely believe all that had happened in that time. I was a different person than the one who’d walked in here.
Tears started to flow.
I didn’t think they would stop. I quietly came apart.
“Hey.” Inez was standing at my desk and she had a tissue.
“Thanks. Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just don’t get anything wet. Bad for historical preservation.” Inez turned and left me to my heartbreak.
It was time to leave Port Az. I had to accept Benz’s seven shitty lines.
I took his letter out again and looked at it. I crumpled it in my hand and threw it in the trash.
Benz’s letter was one document I wouldn’t be saving.
22
Benz
It had taken six months. But we were set up.
The two idiots that Officer Peck had arrested were quickly replaced and the rats were sniffing around the docks to get a flow of New Jack Swing into Port Az.
Each time we’d let it in and then contained the damage. Finally, after the six months, we were going to see the next step in the chain.
I was tailing the mid-level guys. They’d been supplying the low-level assholes that Bear allowed to operate in Port Az.
But they had to get their shit from someone, somewhere.
I wasn’t on my bike, but in a nondescript minivan. Not my favorite look, but it worked. No one noticed a family vehicle driving here and there.
I was parked and ready to watch. My job was to see who met the middle man. We were slowly working up.
I wasn’t going to interfere with their deal either. That would be the guys set up in Port Az today, later.
I was here to watch and take a few photos and bring them back to Bear. We’d figure out who was pulling the strings and decide from there.
I was expecting Tico Dawes, Prez of the Hawks in Loredo. We knew the Hawks were trying to get into Port Az. This would be the proof.
My two middle-men walked into the restaurant and sat. I still had a good view. A good half hour later their lunch date arrived.
It sure as hell wasn’t a Hawk. I was surprised. I was also more concerned than I’d have been if it were a Hawk trying to encroach.
Something way bigger was looming over our town.
I took a few photos and watched. Part of me wanted to go in there and beat the shit out of all three.
I wanted to tell them to drive out of Port Az and keep going.
But I knew my job.
This was going to
be harder than we thought. The meeting busted up. The two middle-men drove off in the other dude’s car. They had switched. That was one way to get shit into Port Az. Trade vehicles. Simple.
I picked up my phone.
“Maddox, Benz here, yeah, meeting’s over. They’re headed back to Port Az with a trunk full.” I gave him the vehicle description.
Maddox and Domino, two of my brothers, would track the vehicle and its contents. The operation was expensive. That was for damn sure. But we’d voted on every aspect of it.
The MC was going to contain and control.
I sent the picture of the meet up to Bear.
I drove back and parked the family van at the shop.
It was there for an oil change or some shit. The actual family would have no idea they were helping keep New Jack Swing off the streets by allowing a little drive.
I threw the keys to Moose.
“Thanks, kid. All done. Make sure it’s detailed.”
“Yep, gotcha Benz.”
I walked into the club and back to Bear’s office. I guessed we were okay.
He’d tried to make things right with us. I tried to be my old self.
For six months I’d done nothing but club business. I kept my nose out of everything else. I didn’t have a taste for it.
At all. I didn’t know if I ever would again.
I sat down and Bear was looking at his phone.
“Well, this is going to be a shit show.”
“Yeah? Is that who I think it is?”
“If you’re thinking it is Ricardo Pilar, then yes.”
“Yeah, a South American boss right outside of Port Az.”
“We’ll handle it.”
“Yep.” I didn’t have time or interest in any other conversation. With anyone.
“Look. You’ve been a real dick since, well, since that girl.”
“A dick?” I supposed it was true.
“You don’t have a drink with us at all. You ride for hours, alone. Even Axle is worried about it.”
“You sound like an old lady.”
“Yeah? Well, that’s the fucking point I guess. You’re still thinking about Jen, aren’t you?”