Savage Love (Back Down Devil MC #7)(88)

“Call Miller,” Gaige said. “Get him here and then stay inside.”

“Okay, bro,” Blaine said.

Gaige took off his helmet and rubbed his face. He looked around to make sure there wasn’t some kind of sting going on. There wasn’t. There was no need for it. The business Miller ran was completely clean. The guys who handled the legitimate business had nothing to do with the MC and never would. Miller never mixed business and pleasure. The business money was legit. The MC money stayed within the MC.

Walking to the cruiser, Gaige smiled. He reached into his leather cut for a smoke knowing he’d get the chief’s attention damn fast.

The chief threw open his door and jumped out, drawing his gun.

“Put your f*cking hands up,” he bellowed.

“Jerry,” Gaige laughed. He showed the pack of cigarettes. “Just having a smoke.”

Jerry lowered his gun and tucked it away. “Fucking prick.”

“Aren’t we all?” Gaige asked.

“I have some questions,” Jerry said as he slammed the cruiser door.

“You know we generally don’t have answers,” Gaige said. “We try to keep to ourselves. It’s a MC thing, you wouldn’t get it. We don’t snoop into everyone’s business.”

“Yeah, where’s your boss?”

“I don’t have a boss,” Gaige said. “I only ever had one boss actually. My first job when I was sixteen. Stocked shelves over at Arnie’s. The old man’s kid told me I needed a haircut so I put a box cutter to this throat.”

“Take it you were fired?”

“Well, I didn’t get employee of the month that month,” Gaige said. He pulled out a smoke and lit it. He offered the pack to Jerry.

“No,” the chief said. “I quit after Anne got pregnant.”

“Oh, that’s right. Big daddy Jerry. Come on, man, have a smoke. She’ll never know. Has to be hard at night with a newborn. And a miserable wife.”

Jerry clamped his hand over Gaige’s. The chief had a fierce grip. He ripped the pack of smokes from Gaige, took one out, and put it between his lips. Gaige tossed his metal lighter to the chief. He lit the cigarette and took a deep drag.

“Damn,” Jerry whispered.

“Good stuff, I know,” Gaige said.

Jerry leaned against his cruiser while Gaige stood with a defiant stance.

In the distance Gaige heard the rumble of Miller’s motorcycle.

“Anything you want to tell me about yesterday?” Jerry asked.

“What was yesterday?”

“Don’t piss on my boots,” Jerry said.

Gaige gripped between his legs. “I don’t have to piss.”

Miller’s bike came barreling into the compound. He sped up and blew by the chief and Gaige. He backed his motorcycle in and then took a slow walk toward them. He was smiling and once close enough, he offered a hand to Jerry.

“Just wanted to say congrats,” Miller said.

Jerry took his hand and they stared each other down.

“I’m not here to celebrate,” Jerry said.

“Well, life is worth celebrating,” Miller said. “We wanted to give you something.”

Miller reached into his pocket. The chief reached for his gun again and Gaige put a hand to the chief’s wrist.

“You f*cking touch me like that again and I’ll shoot you,” Jerry warned.

“We’re not going to hurt you,” Miller said. He looked at Gaige. “That’s the fatherly instincts kicking in.”

Miller pulled out a long jewelry box and handed it to Jerry.

“What’s this?” Jerry asked.

“To celebrate life,” Miller said. “From all of us here. Congrats on your baby.”

Jerry tapped the jewelry box against his hand. “Speaking of life… anything you would know about the shooting at the junkyard yesterday? All the way down near Riverside?”

Miller shook his head. “Shooting?”

“Don’t,” Jerry said. “We found a young woman in a car. Shot several times in her back.”

“Drive by?” Miller asked.

“Hardly,” Jerry said. “She was in an alley. And according to the ME she was put in the car after the shooting. Bullets hit her from a distance too. Doesn’t make sense either, considering who she is… well, was.”

“And who was that?” Gaige asked.

Jerry smiled. “Rachel Strokner.”

“Don’t know the name,” Gaige said.

“Rachel is the daughter of Bob Strokner…”

“The real estate guy,” Miller said. “Shit.”

“Worried?” Jerry asked.

Miller smiled. “Not at all.”

“Well, let me be clear about this,” Jerry said. He took one last large drag of his cigarette and tossed it to the pavement, scattering embers. “I know that girl probably has some kind of tie to the MC here. How? I don’t know and I don’t give a shit. The junkyard hasn’t been fully investigated yet, but I’m sure that will come in time. I haven’t visited Mr. Strokner yet. He’s flying in from Seattle on a private jet as we speak. When he lands, I’m sure he’s going to want answers about the death of his daughter.”