by Jade Kuzma
“I know. That’s just how it is. But we’ve gotta find a way to get through it. We… We handle it…”
I gave her as long as she needed until she finally started to calm down. Her eyes wet and her cheeks red, she still looked as beautiful as she did the first moment I saw her. But knowing how she felt filled me with a determination I couldn’t ever remember feeling.
“I’ll talk to Doc,” I said. “I’ll bring it up with the Cobras. We’ll figure this out. Together.”
I put my hands on her shoulders and looked right into her eyes.
“I promise you, Audrey. Booth won’t get away with this. I’ll… I’ll make him pay for everything. I promise.”
I pulled her back into me, holding her close. I would’ve held her through the entire night if she needed it.
The long night was finally coming to an end. But things were only just getting started. I didn’t know who Camden Booth was but I planned on finding out as soon as I could. It all started with talking to the MC about it.
Chapter 16
MICAH
Rex. Doc. Teddy. Ash. Grant. The entire crew was in the meeting room today. While Rex and Teddy were busy reminiscing about the dumb shit they did the night before, Ash and Grant talked about what they had planned in the shop for the rest of the day.
Doc was quiet though. He knew some shit was up after what I talked to him about last night. We all had a chance to sleep on it. It hadn’t even been that long but I knew Doc had something on his mind. You could always count on him to keep everybody in check.
Jordan walked in and got the attention of everybody in the room. The atmosphere changed quickly. We all knew how serious this shit was. And I was at the center of it all.
“All right,” Jordan said. “This ain’t one of our regular get-togethers in church. We got some shit we need to discuss. Doc?”
“I looked into that guy Micah mentioned,” Doc replied. “Didn’t take me very long to get some info on him. Camden Booth. Apparently, the motherfucker is a small-time dealer up in the city. There are a lot of major players up there. Mafia. Cartel. Yakuza. Triads. Street gangs. Even some MCs. They’ve all got their spots but territory is scattered after the shit the Devils pulled.”
“What’s Booth got to do with Ivory?” I said.
“Booth has a connection to all of those groups. Trying to make a name for himself. Like I said, he’s small-time but you keep pushing and eventually you earn your clout. Word on the street is he’s trying to make a move down to Ivory.”
“Ivory?” Ash said. “You mean he’s actually thinking about dealing around here? The last two times that happened, the feds got involved and shit wasn’t pretty.”
“Booth won’t be trying to make a move like that,” Rex replied. “If he’s smart, he’ll keep his head down and lay low. Low enough that he doesn’t draw attention from the feds or Sheriff Sutton. Like it or not, there’s still a market in Ivory.”
“That’s probably the case,” I said. “If he had a man like Pearson working for him, no doubt he’s not alone.”
“Yeah, yeah, all right,” Teddy chimed in. “So this Booth guy… He’s trying to set up his small operation here in Ivory. What’s that got to do with us?”
“It’s got something to do with Micah,” Jordan said. “That means it has everything to do with us.”
Everybody had their eyes on me. I would’ve been intimidated about having a mean group of guys questioning me if I was anybody else. They all had my back though.
“You all know I’m looking out for my neighbor, Mrs. Solomon,” I said. “The kid who they found on the riverbank. That guy you all made disappear last night was the one who killed him. And Booth was the one who told him to do it.”
“Keep following the line and you end up at the top of the food chain,” Grant said.
“Mrs. Solomon… She’s the sweetest woman I know. This is my problem. I’ll deal with it. But I need to deal with it. I don’t need to get you involved in it—”
“If you’re involved, we’re already involved,” Jordan said. “You think any of us are comfortable hearing about some two-bit punk trying to set up his operation in this town, our town?”
“I’m not gonna put you or the MC at risk. This is my responsibility.”
“Look at this guy,” Teddy said with a laugh. “This ain’t the Army, brother. You can’t go all gung-ho. Not in this case. Booth ain’t gonna play by the rules. If he finds out you’re coming after him, he’ll come after the MC, too.”
Doc put a hand on my shoulder.
“We’re all in this with you,” he said.
Ash and Grant nodded to me. So did Rex. Jordan had just as much confidence as the rest of the table.
“Shit,” Teddy muttered. “Don’t go crying on us now.”
“Shut the fuck up,” I responded.
The rest of the MC burst into laughter. Everybody except for Jordan, who put his hand in the air to quiet everybody.
“All right, all right,” he said. “Settle down. This ain’t a joke. Our boy has a got a problem. We need to help him fix it.”
“All right,” Ash said with a shrug. “How do we fix it?”
“We can’t go rushing into it,” I said. “Booth doesn’t know we’re coming for him. We lay low. Find out what we can. Where he’s hiding. Who’s working for him. Get as much information as we can then we settle things.”
“Lay low,” Rex scoffed. “You sure you capable of that, Mikey?”
“What are you talking about?” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
“You head over to the Grindhouse and get into it with their enforcer. Then you’re on the outskirts, putting a bullet in some pusher’s head without telling us. You’re making a lot of noise and if there’s one thing I know about Ivory, everybody’s got their ears open.”
“You’re right… I could’ve done things different. But I’m gonna play this situation with Booth straight. I won’t put anybody at risk.”
“What’s wrong?” Teddy said to Rex. “You afraid of some no-name drug pusher?”
“I don’t know who the fuck Booth is but if he crosses me I’ll separate him from his soul.”
“That’s what I like to hear,” Jordan said. “Same goes for the rest of you. Booth is out there. Keep your ears open. Don’t make a big deal out of this. We go slow. The longer we wait, the bigger target Booth puts on his back. Then when it’s big enough… We aim right down the center.”
I looked around the table and everybody was in agreement, nodding to each other without saying anything.
“I’ve got some connects,” Doc said. “Some guys I trust. They know about every ounce that’s moving through this town.”
“The rest of you, start getting in touch with your contacts,” Jordan said. “We’ll get back together when we’ve got enough dirt on this asshole to bury him.”
Jordan looked at me, a half-smirk on his lips.
“Meeting adjourned, brothers.”
We all filed out of the meeting room.
“We’ve got work,” Ash said as he put a hand on my shoulder. “Grant and I will talk to some people at the shop. We’ll let you know what we hear tonight.”
“Thanks, brother,” I said with a nod.
Grant and Ash left the clubhouse. Rex wasn’t far behind him. He and Teddy were busy with whatever business they had to take care of during the day. I never questioned them because I knew it was some shady shit.
I took a seat at the bar and thought twice about pouring myself a glass of whiskey before I eventually settled on some tea.
“Not drinking?” Doc said as he took a seat next to me.
“It’s 10 in the morning,” I said with a laugh. “I think I’ll wait until around noon before I start.”
“I figure you’d be drinking early today. Especially after all the shit that went down last night.”
“It’s not the first time I’ve ever had to squeeze the trigger, Doc.”
“You know I’m not talking about that.”
He gave me a knowing stare. I didn’t say anything because I already knew what was coming next.
“Where is she?”
“She’s in her hotel room. Relaxing. She didn’t see it but I know it bothered her.”
“I’m glad you spared her from having to see it. Shit like that can traumatize someone.”
“What do you think of her, Doc?”
“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “Never really got a chance to talk to her. Just looking at her, she looks like a sweet girl. But I’m guessing that’s not the case.”
“No,” I sighed. “She’s got a lot more demons than I thought. Shit, demons are all she has.”
“And do you think getting rid of Booth is gonna fix things for her?”
I took another sip of my drink, not looking at Doc but I could feel his eyes on me anyway.
“This is cause of her, right? This can’t be just about your neighbor.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“I appreciate the respect you have for the MC. But you wouldn’t be so hesitant about putting all of us on the line unless you thought it was for a dumb reason. You’re not like Teddy, the type to get in trouble over some pussy.”
“I think it’s a little too late for that,” I said with a laugh. “How about you and Kelly? How is she with you, knowing you’re in an MC and probably getting into trouble all the time?”
“Kelly knows all of the risks. I reminded her. It was her choice. Love can make people do some crazy shit sometimes, like get married to a club member.”
“I get that… I’m not thinking about any of that with Audrey though. The girl has a great life and Booth took it away from her. I’m just not sure taking care of him will give it back to her.”
“Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. But she’s an adult. She knows what kind of trouble she’s getting into. You’ve gotta let her make that decision for herself.”
Doc patted me on the back and got up from his seat.
“I’ll start talking to people,” he sighed. “Don’t go stressing yourself out over Booth or Audrey. We’ll figure this shit out.”
“Thanks, Doc.”
He excused himself and left the clubhouse. It was a quiet morning in the Bone Pit, with only a bartender there cleaning up and getting ready for the rest of the day. I listened to the music coming from the jukebox while I finished swallowing down the rest of my drink.
“You all right, Micah?”
Jordan suddenly appeared next to me. I sighed and shook my head.
“Shit, everybody’s talking to me like I got a fucking problem.”
“You got any plans for today?”
“Nothing specific. I was gonna talk to Audrey and see what she wanted to do.”
“Don’t go letting this chick drag you around by your dick now.”
“The reminder from Doc was all I needed.”
I got up from my seat and gave Jordan a nod.
“I’ll be back tonight,” I said. “Any shit goes down, you’ll know about it.”
I turned around to walk away but he called out to me.
“Yo, Micah… You’re one of us. As long as you’ve got that patch, don’t be afraid about asking us for help.”
“Yeah… Thanks, Jordan…”
This shit with Booth was only just getting started. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more serious than it seemed. I decided to check on Audrey to see if she was feeling better after the night before.
Chapter 17
AUDREY
“I’ll be honest with you. You’re a pretty girl. Especially in a place like this, it never hurts to have a face that’ll have guys coming in to stare at. And you’ve clearly got some money, too. But I’m starting to have my doubts about you. First, you come in here asking me about some street pusher. I thought that would be the end of it. But now you’re back.”
Cain leaned back in his seat, looking me up and down. He wasn’t shy about hiding whatever it was he was thinking about. I wasn’t about to move from my spot though. Most of what he was saying was just going in one ear and out the other.
“I’ll tell you what,” he continued. “I’m always looking for a new waitress. A girl like you behind the bar is good for business. I treat my workers fair. You’ll get to keep all of your tips on top of your salary.”
“I didn’t come here for a job,” I said.
“Maybe not. But maybe it’s best that you settle down. Someone like you shouldn’t be getting involved in Ivory drama.”
“You don’t know me at all, so don’t even think about trying to tell me what’s best for me.”
That half-smirk on his lips, Cain crossed his arms, his body shaking softly with laughter.
“All right,” he sighed. “I’m listening.”
He leaned back in his seat. It was still early in the morning, so Hades was mostly empty except for some of the other club members who were sitting around. I’d been here enough not to feel threatened by any of them.
“I’m looking for someone,” I said.
“Obviously.”
“His name is Camden Booth. Have you heard of him?”
“I don’t keep my ear to the streets as much as I used to.”
“Well, I need everything you’ve got on him. The people he associates with. Aliases he’s keeping. Where he’s staying.”
“And do you mind telling me who this Camden Booth is?”
“I’m here because I’m trying to figure that out for myself.”
“There must be a reason you’re looking for this guy. You can’t expect me to just go trying to get information on him without giving me something. You already know how this works.”
Cain still seemed satisfied with himself. I gave him a pass because I didn’t have much of a choice.
“Apparently, he’s a dealer,” I said. “He’s got people working for him. And he’s in Ivory. That’s all I know.”
“Interesting… First, you were looking for a pusher. Now you’re looking for a dealer. Probably the guy supplying Pearson with product in the first place. I get that right? Yeah, I did.”
Cain scratched his chin like he was thinking about it. I didn’t try stopping myself from rolling my eyes.
“Are you gonna look into it or not—”
“Wait a second.”
I turned toward the voice next to me. Another one of the Devils stood there. Leather jacket. Messy, dark hair over his head. The guy managed to look even cockier than Cain.
“What’s up, Joker?” Cain said.
“Sorry, I wasn’t listening. Don’t really give a shit about your business. But I heard you mention Camden Booth.”
“You know something?”
Joker took a seat at the table next to me and leaned in close.
“It was a few years back,” he said. “I was playing cards with a bunch of guppies. They were mob bosses but they didn’t have any clue what they were doing. But you never wanna go too hard on motherfuckers like that. They take it personal when you beat ‘em. You take your share and be happy with what you’ve got. One of the guys playing there… He wasn’t a boss but damn did he act like one. He was tossing money around left and right, pushing people like he didn’t care if he won or lost. A real bully at the table.
“We get involved in a hand, me and him. I play him straight-up. The guy was easy to read and I took his cash easy. No big deal, right? I play a little bit longer but decide to stand up. Then some guy pulls me aside. He points out the bully to me and says ‘you know who that guy is?’ and I shrug because I don’t know who any of these motherfuckers are.
“Then he tells me he’s Camden Booth. Says he’s a real psycho. And I believed him because anybody trying to make it in the drug trade up in the big city… You’ve got your work cut out for you.”
“I never took you for the type to be scared of someone,” Cain said.
“I’m not afraid of any man. But this was before the MC came along. I’m smart enough to pick my battles. I heard Booth didn’t li
ke it when people played him too hard. He wasn’t rich by any means but he’d spend every last dollar he had to get someone back. The guy’s caught some bodies. I figure he must be the same Booth you’re talking about.”
Joker stared at me. I shook my head and shrugged with indifference.
“What’s a girl like you got business with someone like him?” he said.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said. “Can you get the information or not?”
I didn’t know what Cain had to think about but he didn’t give me an answer immediately. Every second that went by just made me more frustrated.
“Well?”
Cain smiled back at me and shook his head.
“No,” he said.
“No? What do you mean no?”
“I mean, no. Listen, Audrey, I don’t know what the fuck you’re up to, but you need to knock this shit off. Go back to whatever life you had in the city. Stop wasting your time in Ivory.”
“What difference does it make what I do or not? I’ll pay you.”
“I’ve got enough money to live comfortably. You might not think it when you look at me but I’ve got a conscience. I won’t let a girl like you put herself in danger by getting you info on this Booth fella.”
“Because this guy told you some story about how he kills people over poker games?”
“Joker might not look like much but I trust him like a brother. I’m sorry, Audrey.”
“This is bullshit…” I muttered.
I popped up to my feet and let out a frustrated sigh. Right when I did, the entrance to the club opened up behind me. I turned around and saw Micah walking toward me.
“Micah… What are you doing here?”
“What do you think?” he said. “You weren’t in the room.”
“I couldn’t sleep. I thought I would get started.”
“And what did you find?”
“Nothing. He’s not willing to provide me any information.”
Micah walked toward the table where Cain and Joker were lounging nonchalantly.
“What’s going on?” Micah said.
“I’m not giving your old lady info. I’m trying to do her a favor. You’d best do the same if you know what’s best for her.”