“On the scant facts we know, I agree,” inputs Demon.
I raise the fingers of one hand then lower them to their original position. “Unless she’s robbing someone from behind her computer.”
“How can she do that shit?” Cad asks. “Hard enough for me, and I’ve got good eyesight.”
I shrug, don’t know, hadn’t asked.
“It’s possible,” Demon says. “Even blackmail can be done remotely.”
“Or she’s totally innocent and has been caught up in shit not of her own making.”
“So she goes into hiding. Hard to do on her own.”
“She’s an expert with computers. Maybe she set up her new identity?”
Cad’s shaking his head. “Cara said the way the entries were done was good enough to throw most people off the scent. She suggested there’d need to be official sanction to alter the database like that.”
“She’s had help.” I think for a moment. “Witness protection?”
“That would make sense.” Prez raps his knuckles this time. “And if that hit and run wasn’t a fuckin’ accident, all her carefully laid plans have come undone.”
“If that’s the case and if she’s sensible, she’ll be talking to her handler. Moving on.”
“Did she suspect it wasn’t an accident?”
I go back over our conversations in my head. “No, she didn’t seem at all suspicious. Was more fuckin’ concerned about the dog. Don’t think she saw herself as a target.” Which is a worry in itself. If she’s in danger, she doesn’t know it. Damn, I need to warn her. Then she can contact whoever made arrangements for her and do it all over again. I frown, thinking how she explained she was so used to bruises. Now, with just a white stick to help her around, she’ll be picking up a load more of them if she has to start all over again.
But she had dismissed me fast yesterday. Maybe she might not have seen the car as deliberate, but something else has spooked her. Max. Jeez. “For fuck’s sake.” I slam my fist onto my leg. “The vet is tracing the microchip. Of course that won’t be fucking registered to her current name. If, and it’s a big if, that accident was simply carelessness, that he’s checking the dog’s identity will be raising a red flag somewhere. She’s fucked whichever way you look at it.”
“I hadn’t even thought about something like that.” Cad’s shaking his head now, his eyes sharp. “Of course all service dogs are chipped.”
There’s more too. “She was reticent about filling out forms for the dog’s insurance.”
“It’s possible that’s one detail that was missed. Her new identity was set up to be watertight, from what you say, it didn’t occur to them to set one up for her fuckin’ pet.”
Not a pet. But I don’t correct him.
“She’s a fuckin’ wise girl if that’s the case. Careful, as she should be. I bet she’d never thought about it until she was asked for the details.”
I nod. It was at that point her demeanour had changed.
“She’ll know better than to start filling in forms. You know what those companies are like, they’ll want to know every detail. Including where she is.” Cad sighs. “Companies like to think they’re secure, but you’ll no doubt have heard about all the high-profile data leaks. Most times, when there’s a breach people just patch over the hole and get on with it. Young kids try to get into databases for fun. Someone like me? If I’m just looking for info, no one knows I’ve even been there.”
“You saying if she puts in a claim then they’ll find her?”
“Her dog’s hurt, everyone will expect her to claim.” Cad pauses, then looks from me to the prez. “People go into Wit Sec for one of two reasons. Either because they need a permanent change, they’ve been a witness in a high-profile case and they never can return to their old life. Or, they are moved temporarily until a trial is over. If the latter, whoever sorted out her new identity may not have thought of all the details.”
“If she’s a programmer, maybe you’re wrong, Cad. Maybe she does have the skills to do it herself?” Maybe that’s why she wanted to get rid of me. A flicker of hope that she might be helping herself.
But Cad knocks that on the head. “Not necessarily. She might know code, but unless she’s committed a computer crime which is why she’s in the system—” he breaks off as I give a violent shake of my head.
“In that case,” he resumes, “she’s probably never used her knowledge nefariously. People like Mouse, Cara and I spend a large part of our time on underground forums learning tricks and how to look for weaknesses. Doesn’t mean she can.”
“We’ve got one fuck of too many 'don’t knows' here, and a brother who’s been seen with her wearing our cut.” Demon uses a prez’s stare on me. “That’s what I’m concerned about. I want to know what’s at the bottom of this to know whether there could be any blowback on us.”
Drummer would have done the same thing in Tucson. Make sure a member didn’t step in shit and then brought it back to the club.
“Of course, all this conjecture about Wit Sec might be completely the wrong tree we’re barking at. Could be she’s trying to escape an abusive ex, in which case, her preparation could be flimsy.”
My turn to eye Demon. He’s correct. But there’s the worry that my cut might have signalled to someone that the Satan’s Devils are involved. I understand why he’s worrying. And fuck, here am I, not even a Pueblo member. Anything I’ve inadvertently put wrong, it’s down to me to right. “What do you want from me, Prez?”
“Can you get her here? So we can talk to her?”
I remember the way she dismissed me last night. “Pretty damn certain I can’t. I wouldn’t even count myself as being in the friend zone right now.” She’d wanted me gone. But then, if she’s got all this worry on her shoulders, I’m not surprised. Being reminded Max’s microchip would reveal details that she wanted hidden would have been a shock. If she’s in Wit Sec, she would have wanted to talk to her handler. Of course, if she is here under a new identity, her safety means her keeping everything to herself. She’s not likely to spill everything to a virtual stranger.
Demon sees my dismissive shake. “Okay, if you can’t get her here, can you at least approach her? Find out what’s going on for yourself? You taking her to see the dog after his op?”
“She told me she’d sort herself out. I did tell her I’d call and find out how he’s doing.”
Demon stares down at his hands for a moment, then he looks up. “Force the issue. Go see her, Beef. Do your best to get her to open up.”
Cad scoffs. “If she’s scared for her life, she’s not going to say anything.”
He’s right. At the first sniff of trouble, she’ll run. But then, she might want to, but it’s not so easy for her. She could change her looks but the one thing she can’t pass for is a sighted person. Far easier for the world to have disappeared from her, than for her to disappear from the world. She can’t merge in with the background, however hard she tries.
“Got an idea, Prez.”
Demon nods at Cad.
“We found her. If her new identity hasn’t been found already, then it’s only a matter of time before it is. In the end, Cara said, it was easy.”
“Hold up. You only found her as you were looking backward. You still haven’t found who she was before she became Stevie Nichols.” I note Prez is sharp remembering everything Cad had said. He goes up in my estimation.
It seems Cad has taken that as criticism. His mouth tightens. “We’ll know soon. Cara’s still trying to track back. Would have started with that if I’d thought.”
I point out what they have forgotten. “Hang on, there was the accident. Her location could be already known if that car was targeting her.”
“What if it was just that? Someone falling asleep at the wheel as we first thought?”
I breathe out. It could well have been, that’s what I’d accepted at first. “So she could still be safe. If that fucking accident wasn’t deliberate.” Then I sigh. “But t
here’s the problem with the dog and his fuckin’ microchip. If…”
“Lots of ‘if’s’ there, Beef. Just hear me out?” When I nod, he continues, “Pal’s setting up a security business. He’s looking at security gigs at venues. Not too much of a leap to extend that to personal security. He even joked that you would be a good addition if we got into that.”
“Hang on.” I try and catch up. “You suggesting I become her bodyguard?”
Demon’s head tilts to one side. “Way to broach the subject, Brother. Rather than scaring her saying I know you’re a fake, offer something up. Tell her you know she needs help, and you can provide it. In an official capacity.”
There’s no doubt in my head. “I’d do it anyway.”
“We know that. But she doesn’t. It at least gives you a place to start.”
Chapter Thirteen
“You recognised the sound of my bike.” I’d spent an hour yesterday listening for a rattle, but I’ll be fucked if I could hear it. I’d also parked a little way down the road, but clearly I hadn’t fooled her.
She’s holding the door open, enough so I can see lines on her face which weren’t there yesterday. Immediately I’m concerned.
“How’s Max?”
“He’s doing as well as can be expected. Came through the op, James put in a plate to support the bones, just got to wait now. He’s still under heavy sedation, no point me going to see him tonight. I thought you were going to call, not come around.”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
“I’m tired, Beef. I think it’s all caught up with me.”
She’s probably telling the truth, but I’m going to insist. “Babe, let me in. There are things we need to discuss.”
Her sightless eyes stare at me. “Is it money? Have the vets taken it out of your account? I’ll pay you back, Beef.”
“Babe, this isn’t about fuckin’ money. It’s about you and your life.” I’ve had enough. I step forward, crowding her. As she gasps my hands go to her biceps and carefully, watching what’s behind her, I push her back. Enough so I can kick the door shut behind me, then release her.
It strikes me she’s not the only blind person here. I’m used to being able to stare someone down, to see their pupils change with different emotions, to use their small giveaways to see into their souls. As her eyes give nothing away, I’m relying on other clues just as she leans on her senses.
“We need to talk,” I tell her again.
“I don’t think so.” Her hands raise, she moves closer until they touch my chest. She pushes but has no chance of moving me even an inch. “Please leave.”
“No. Not without you listening to what I have to say.”
“I don’t have to talk to you. I don’t want you in my home. I’m very grateful for your help with Max, but now, please leave.”
I’m conscious she’s starting to look unnerved, and I can’t blame her for that. She’s got six foot five of well-muscled biker standing uninvited in her house. I slide a card out of my cut, and hand it over to her, pressing her fingers against it.
“Read that.”
“What?” she almost screams at me. Then her mouth opens in an O, and her other hand comes up to hold it. Her forefinger traces the front.
“SD Security Colorado. Dwayne Carson Security Consultant? Who’s that?”
“Me.” As of this morning. Well, obviously it’s my true government name, but the job is new.
“You had this made special,” she throws at me accusingly. “No one walks around carrying business cards in braille. Not unless there’s one hell of a lot of blind people you do business with.”
“Nope. Just one. You’re right. Made that special. But I wanted you to know who I was and doubted you’d listen otherwise.”
“So what else is fake? Just how long has this company been in existence?”
“A few months. It’s a new business venture we’ve been getting into.”
She shakes her head, disbelieving. “Are you going to tell me that’s why you came to Pueblo? To join a security company?” Then she frowns and says contemptuously, “What are you then, the muscle?”
My hand snakes out and slides around the back of her neck. She jumps at my sudden touch, but I don’t feel apologetic. “I might be muscular, babe, but I’ve got a fuckin’ brain as well. I won’t be dismissed as nothing more than brawn by anyone, not even you.” She’s touched on a sensitive point. All the times Drummer had me going to meets just as a dumb-ass threat. All I needed to do was stand looking like I could kill someone with my bare hands. I didn’t object but had had to bite my tongue more than once, feeling frustrated I couldn’t add to the discussion, particularly when I saw a point someone had let slide.
“I’m sorry.”
Releasing her as the apology comes, I step away, giving her space. “Stevie, come sit down. Let me talk to you.”
She knows she can’t physically remove me from her house, and her requests have failed. Her shoulders slump, but before she moves to the couch, she has one more thing to say, “You can talk to me, Dwayne, doesn’t mean I want to talk to you.”
How long was it since someone called me by my real name? Even Sally hadn’t used it. Coming from Stevie’s mouth in that softly spoken voice shouldn’t have caused my cock to twitch, but it did.
Forcing my brain to kick back into gear, and my dick back under control, I nod, agreeing to her terms. Hoping she’ll change her mind when she hears me out.
“Beef, I can’t see if you’re nodding or shaking your head.”
“I’m agreeing, babe, sorry.”
It’s her turn to raise and dip her head, then she walks straight to the couch, sitting down on one end. As before, I sit on the other side, and the sagging cushions dip. Her head tilts expectantly.
“Your name isn’t Stevie Nichols,” I begin, ignoring her sharp intake of breath. “It’s hard, isn’t it, when you choose a new identity? Hard to respond to a name that isn’t your own? You risk ignoring people however good your hearing is and stumbling over giving a handle when you can’t remember it. So you choose something you wouldn’t forget. You a fan of Stevie Nicks? Your parents’ favourite singer?”
She makes no move, not admitting or agreeing to anything. But if we were wrong, she’d have denied it by now.
“You could be a criminal, or you’re in witness protection, or you’re just running as you don’t want to be found.” I pass a hand over my face. “I might not know you, but from the little interaction we’ve had, I don’t reckon it’s you that’s done wrong.”
If I had a statue sitting beside me, it wouldn’t have been more still. Only the slight rise and fall of her chest gives away she’s a living woman.
“You’ve got family, yet you’re in a strange town without them. You can work anywhere, as you said, so why here? Why not stay where it’s familiar? Because you had to get away. Because someone is after you.”
I can almost see the wheels whirring in her head. Eventually she responds, “Perhaps I’m escaping an abusive relationship.”
“Nah. Dismissed that. Whoever set up your identity knew what they were doing.”
“I’m a programmer,” she objects. “You don’t know what I’m capable of.”
“Is there an ex somewhere? And did you do it yourself?” I ask direct.
Her mouth opens, but she can’t force a lie from her lips. Yeah, just as I called it.
I change tact. “What are your thoughts about the car that almost killed you?”
“An accident. I spoke to the cops earlier. They’ve still had no luck finding out what car it was. They think, because they hit the dog and not me, that they felt they needn’t stop. Should have, but maybe acted in panic.”
“That might be what the cops think. But how about you? What conclusion have you arrived at?”
“I haven’t had the time, or the want to think about it, Beef.” She throws herself off the couch and starts pacing, expertly avoiding everything in her way. “I’ve been too tied up with w
orrying about Max. Since I’ve had him he’s made my life worth living. I couldn’t have come here without him. Now he’s not here, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
I stand. I move into her space, my hands stopping her forward motion. Again she tries to push me away, her fists hitting my cut. I pull them away before she damages herself, knowing she’d bruise before I do. “You’re fuckin’ worried, aren’t you? Whatever you’re running from may have caught up with you, and while you’re trying to ignore it, you can’t.”
“They can’t have found me, Beef,” she admits at last. “I was assured it was impossible. Yeah, what do you think? Of course I’m wondering if I was deliberately targeted, but the driver probably just made a mistake. That’s more likely than someone finding where I am when I’m halfway across country.”
“Where do you come from, babe?”
Her mouth slams shut.
“I’m not here to hassle you. You really want me to go? Then that’s what I’ll do.” It wouldn’t sit well with me, and she’d probably hear my bike more times than she’d like as I kept a careful eye on her from a distance. I’m more protective over her as she can’t see what’s coming for her. A sighted person would have been able to jump out of the path of that car, but she’d had no warning. “Before you show me the door, can we talk a little more? You don’t need to tell me where you’re from or who’s after you. But I’ll tell you what I can do, and you can tell me what you need.”
Her brow furrows as she considers my words. Her frown disappearing shows me the moment of capitulation. “Okay.” I’d expected it might take more to persuade her. Then I remember, she doesn’t appear to have anyone else.
“Okay.” I take her hand and lead her back to the couch. Once there, I let her go again, then flex my fingers, missing her touch. “Can you tell me this, has your move, and the reason for it, been legit?”
Satan's Devils MC Colorado Boxset 1 Books 1 - 3 Page 82