by Wilder, L.
“What exactly are you thanking me for?”
“For everything. I know this has all been a hassle, and I’m really sorry you got dragged into it.”
“Let me make this clear once and for all: I want to be involved in all aspects of your life … the good and the bad. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to, so don’t ever apologize for that.”
“You sure make it easy to like you. If you aren’t careful, I might end up falling for you.”
“Might?” I scoffed. “Hmmm … Looks like I’m gonna have to step up my game.”
“Just remember what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I know exactly what I’m getting myself into.” I leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. “And I’m not going anywhere.”
“Good.”
Landry nestled in closer, and it wasn’t long before she drifted off. I looked down at her face, watching her as she slept, and there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I was falling for her. She’d opened my eyes to a world of new possibilities—a future, a family—and my chest tightened at the thought of something happening to her. While I had no idea what I could do, I knew I wasn’t just going to lay there and do nothing. I had to find some way to protect her. Being careful not to wake her, I gingerly got out of bed and threw on my clothes. Once I was dressed, I eased the door open and slipped out into the hall. I didn’t want to get the brothers involved, but I’d need their help to get some answers. When I stepped into the bar, I was relieved to see that Rider and Riggs were still here. They were sitting at one of the back tables drinking a beer when I walked up. Rider looked up at me with a smile as he ribbed me. “What’s up, prospect? You needing a job to do?”
“No, I’m needing a favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
“The kind you might not wanna give, but I’m asking all the same.”
I sat down next to them and explained the situation with Landry. Neither of them spoke as I told them all about the phone conversation I’d overheard, and all of my concerns about what happened at her apartment. When I was done, Rider looked over to me and said, “I get that you want to do something, but it’s not a good idea to get involved.”
“I can’t just sit here and do nothing.” I looked him straight in the eye as I asked, “What would you do if this was August we were talking about?” Then, I turned to Riggs. “Or Reece?”
“I get what you’re saying.” Riggs leaned forward as he continued, “But I don’t get what you’re wanting us to do here?”
“I need some help finding out who’s doing this shit … I need to know who I’m supposed to be looking out for, you know?”
“And how do you suppose we find that out?”
“I was hoping you might be able to hack into the social services database and go through her case files. Maybe we could find some answers there.”
“Yeah, I could do that.” Seeming much more open to the idea than I expected, he stood up and said, “I just need a few minutes on my laptop.”
“Thanks, man. I really appreciate.”
Rider and I stood up and followed Riggs out of the bar. We were just about to head into Riggs’s room when Rider reached for my arm, stopping me as he said, “Before we do this, I’m going to need your word on something.”
“Okay.” Curious what that could be, I asked, “What’s that?”
“If you decide to make a move, any move at all, you discuss it with Gus first.”
I wasn’t crazy about the idea. I knew Gus well enough that he wouldn’t want me getting involved in this shit, especially if there was any chance it could blow back on the club, but Rider left me with no chance. If I wanted answers, I had no choice but to agree. I nodded as I told him, “You have my word.”
“Good. I’m going to hold you to that.”
By the time we made it into Riggs’s room, he was already sitting at his desk, typing away at his computer. Rider and I stood behind him, watching in awe as he worked his magic, and it wasn’t long before he’d made his way into Landry’s work database. A few minutes longer and Landry’s name popped up on his screen. After a few more keystrokes, Riggs shook his head and said, “Damn … she’s got a hell of a case load. There are over thirty active files on here. You got any idea which one we’re looking for?”
“I only know about two. One has to do with a girl who was taken out of the home, and the other is a woman who has a bunch of kids. I think Landry just got her a job or something.”
“Okay, I’ll start with her most recent entries.” Seconds later, a report with a young girl’s face popped up on the screen. Riggs scrolled through it for a moment, then announced, “I think we’ve found the first one. Kid’s name is Katie Coburn. She was taken out of the home a couple of weeks ago, and from the looks of it, they had a hearing earlier this morning.”
“Yeah, that’s her.” I leaned forward to get a better look. “Can you find anything on the father?”
Seconds later, a man’s face appeared on the screen. I was surprised when Rider said, “Wait … I think I might know that guy. What’s his name?”
“Chris Coburn.”
“The name sounds familiar. I just can’t remember where I’ve seen him,” Rider replied.
“Well, the dude has a hell of a rap-sheet. Looks like he’s had more than a few domestic violence charges, a DUI, and recently got charged with assaulting an officer and resisting arrest.”
“Does it say where the guy is from?”
“He lives here in Memphis now … not far from downtown, but he used to live in Oakland. Maybe that’s where you know him?”
“Yeah, he was a few years older than Darcy and me.”
Riggs looked over to me as he said, “I’ll print this all off for you so you’ll have it.”
“Thanks, man.”
“And you said we were looking for a lady with several kids?”
I nodded. “Yeah. One’s a little girl that Landry took a liking to… I got the impression she was younger. Four or five, maybe?”
“This might be her. Aniya and Stephen Strayhorn.” Riggs opened another file and quickly started reading. “Looks like they’ve got two kids who are no longer in the home, but two others who still live with them—Fiona and Joseph. Do those names sound familiar?”
“I’m not sure.” I shrugged. “She never told me any names, and the details were vague at best.”
“Gotcha.” Riggs continued reading for several moments, then said, “The mother’s name is Aniya. Says she started working at a coffee shop a couple of weeks ago. Hold up … Landry just filled a report this afternoon. It’s a full description of the altercation between her and the husband, Stephen Strayhorn. Damn. He didn’t just threaten her, he took a picture of her … and her license plate.”
“Yeah. That has to be the guy she was talking about on the phone this afternoon. I bet that’s how he found out where she lives.”
“Maybe, if he knows someone who could run her tags,” Rider replied.
When Riggs pulled up his picture and I saw the menacing expression on the asshole’s face, my blood ran cold. I wanted to kill that motherfucker for threatening Landry like he had, and from the looks of him, he was more than capable of breaking into her apartment. “So, this guy lives there with the mom and the two kids?”
“I’d say so, but I’d have to read through all these reports to be sure.” Riggs grumbled, “I gotta say, your girl is thorough. There’s a mountain of paperwork here.”
He started typing once again, then seconds later the printer started shooting out one page after the next. Once it was done, Riggs grabbed them and handed them over to me. “This should be enough to get you started. If you need something more, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Riggs. I owe you one.”
“No problem.”
“I guess I better get back to the room before Landry realizes I’m gone.”
“Let her know we’re here if she needs anything,” Rider told me as I started for the door. “And don’t
forget. You gave your word that you’d talk to Gus before you made any moves on this.”
“I know, I will.”
I stepped into the hall, and as I headed back to my room, I scanned through all the papers Riggs had given me. I stopped when I got to the photograph of Stephen Strayhorn. I thought back to the phone call and the state of Landry’s apartment, and it was all I could do to keep myself from hunting him down. I knew that wasn’t an option, not yet, but I found solace in knowing that I was one step closer to getting this guy. When I made it back to my room, I shoved the papers in my top drawer under my clothes, then quickly undressed before easing back into bed with Landry. She was exhausted and didn’t even notice when I settled in next to her. Even though I was just as beat, I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Strayhorn, and I kept imagining all the different ways I could find him and take him down.
I was still lying there thinking it all over hours later. Realizing sleep wasn’t gonna come, I rose out of bed and got dressed. After taking the papers out of my dresser drawer, I left Landry a quick note, letting her know that I had something to take care of, then headed for the door. Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in a chair on Gus’s front porch, watching the sunrise. I don’t know how long I’d been perched there when he finally opened the door and said, “What are you doing here, son? Something wrong?”
“Yeah, I guess you could say that.” As he walked over and sat down in the chair next to me, I told him, “I have something I need to discuss with you.”
“All right, let’s hear it.”
He listened intently as I told him everything that had taken place with Landry, including the fact that Riggs had hacked into her database. He didn’t say a word. He just sat there listening to me with a blank expression. Once I was done, he leaned back in his chair and shook his head. “Looks like Hyde might be back.”
“Maybe, but I can’t just sit here and do nothing. I love her, Prez.” Hoping he’d get my need to protect her, I looked at him and asked, “If this was Samantha, what you would you do?”
“I’d probably go after the guy,” Gus admitted. “But I’ll be honest with you, son. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get involved in this, especially with the cops investigating it.”
“You and I both know the cops aren’t going to do shit. Hell, she’d have to get her ass killed before they even consider taking these threats seriously.” I growled in frustration. “I just want this guy to leave Landry alone.”
“Fine. Do what you gotta do.” Gus stood, and his voice was full of warning as he ordered, “Just make damn sure that whatever you do, it doesn’t blowback on my club.”
“You have my word.”
I’d gotten what I’d come for, so I stood up and headed back out to the truck. I pulled out the papers that Riggs had given me, checking the address one last time, and once I’d figured out exactly where I was going, I started the engine and pulled out of Gus’s driveway. Half an hour later, I pulled up to an old, shabby blue house with white columns on the front porch that were more chips of paint than anything else. The floor boards and steps leading up to the front door were sagging, barely holding together, and there was an old, beat-up truck and an even older Nissan car parked in the driveway. I eased up to the curb, parking close enough to see who was coming and going, and killed the engine. Since it was still early, I was hoping I’d get a glimpse of the guy taking his kids to school or something, so I just sat back and waited.
Just as I hoped, around seven fifteen, the front door opened and two kids came rushing out. One of them was a cute little girl who looked to be about four or five. Her curls bounced right along with her as she raced in front of her big brother. It was easy to see why Landry had taken to her. As they got closer, I noticed several dark discolorations around her left wrist. I leaned forward and tried to get a better look, but I already knew that they were bruises. I was so focused on the little girl that I hadn’t noticed their mother had come outside along with them. She didn’t catch my attention until I heard, “Fiona! Let’s go, sweetie. Momma can’t be late today.”
“Okay, Momma. I’m coming.”
The little girl rushed over to the car where her mother was standing, and my stomach turned when I noticed that the woman not only had a fierce black eye and busted lip, but there were also bruises covering her wrists and arms, much like the ones her daughter had. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions and assume that the husband had been the one to beat her, but the cards were stacking up against him, especially after he came barging out of the house like a mad man. He was a big guy, muscled up with various tattoos and an earring. The veins in his neck pulsed as he stepped off the porch and shouted angrily, “Fiona!”
The little girl stopped dead in her tracks and her face turned white as a ghost as she answered, “Yes, sir?”
He stormed over to her, grabbing her roughly by the arm, and lifted her up with her tiptoes barely touching the ground as he snarled, “What did I tell you about leaving your shit in the living room?”
I’d almost forgotten that Duchess was sitting in the back seat until I heard her start to growl. I turned my head and found her standing with her face just inches away from the glass with her teeth exposed like she was ready to attack. Not wanting her to draw any attention, I reached behind and placed my hand on her back. “Easy girl. I’ve got this.”
She stopped growling but never took her eyes off Strayhorn. I turned back around just in time to hear Fiona say, “I’m sorry, Daddy.”
“You’re gonna be sorry!” He slung her forward as he ordered, “Get your ass in there and clean that shit up.”
And just like that, all the rage that I tried to keep at bay came creeping over me, and it was all I could do not to get out of my truck and kill that motherfucker. My anger continued to rise as I glanced over at the mother, watching as panic washed over her when the guy started walking in her direction. He immediately got in her face, grumbling a stream of curses that I could barely make out, and when she opened her mouth to respond, he backhanded her across the cheek. She quickly dropped her face into her hands and started crying. Without even considering an apology, he barked, “Worthless. The whole fucking lot of you!”
He turned and headed back towards the house, and I was relieved to see that Fiona had made her way back out before he reached the front door. She raced past him and over to the car with her mom and brother. Before she got in the car, the brother put his arm around her shoulder, whispering something in her ear that almost made her smile. Once they’d both gotten in the car, their mother backed out of the driveway, and they disappeared into traffic. I knew I’d just end up getting arrested or worse if I barged into the house, so I had no other choice. I had to wait for him to leave the property.
CHAPTER 18
Landry
When I woke up to find myself in bed alone, I was disappointed, but not surprised. With prospecting, it seemed like every time I turned around, Clay was on the go, but without fail, he’d always found a way to be there when I needed him. It was one of the many reasons I’d found myself falling in love with him. With everything that was going at work, I didn’t have time to lie around and daydream about Clay, so I forced myself out of bed and into the shower. I wasn’t looking forward to the long lecture I’d be receiving from Mrs. Hawkins, so I took my time getting dressed. I was also in no rush as I made my way down to the kitchen for some coffee. When I walked in, I was surprised to find it completely abandoned. I didn’t get it. Normally, there were at least a few of the brothers and a handful of hang-arounds having breakfast. I didn’t have much time on my hands, so I made my coffee and quickly walked back to Clay’s room to grab my things. I’d just stepped out into the hallway when I heard voices coming from the family room. I got the feeling that something was going on, so I went down to check it out.
When I walked in, I found several of the guys, along with Darcy and August, standing in front of the television, watching the news. The familiar
blue banner scrolling across the top of the screen caught my attention and had me walking towards them for a better look. When I saw Katie’s face flash across the screen, I stopped dead in my tracks and gasped, “Oh, my god.”
I couldn’t move. I could barely breathe. I was overcome with panic and guilt, and I didn’t know how to respond when August rushed over to me and asked, “Are you okay?”
“That’s Katie Coburn.”
“Yeah … They just issued an Amber alert for her.”
Without responding, I walked past her and headed over to the TV. I stood there and listened as the reporter stated that Katie’s father, Chris Coburn, had gone into her foster parents’ home, and after assaulting the father, he kidnapped Katie. No one has seen or heard from her since. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It just didn’t seem possible. We were so careful. I couldn’t imagine how he’d managed to find her. “Dammit! I can’t believe he did this!”
August stepped back over to me and asked, “I take it that you know her?”
“Yes, I do.” I tried my best not to cry as I continued, “I’ve been working with her for the past month or so. That kid has been through so much. She must be absolutely terrified.”
“I’m not sure if there’s anything to it,” August said while turning back to Rider and Darcy, who were both now staring directly at me, “but when the news showed a picture of the father…Rider thought he might know him.”
“You do?”
“Yeah… Darcy and I grew up in Oakland with Chris,” Rider answered. “There was a time when he was pretty good friends with Darcy’s brothers, Danny and Eddie.”
“And?”
Rider looked over to Darcy as he continued, “We’re not sure if they’re still in touch with him, but if they are, they might be able to give us some idea of where he might be hiding out.”