Leave a Trail (Signal Bend #7)(117)

With a strike of the gavel on the ebony table he’d made with his own hands, Isaac called the meeting to order. The room was already silent, so it was a formality. The mood on this day was somber.

“You know the main business of this meeting. We’ll end with that. I have some news and a couple of things to talk about before we get to it. First, you all know that with the mother charter of the Scorpions busted, there’s been some discord with the charters since then. Over the past couple of months, they’ve had a full-club leadership meeting, and they’ve given all the charters the chance to reaffirm their patch or go out on their own, no harm, no foul. Hoosier and the LA crew were on their way out already, and even with Sam gone, they don’t want to stick with the Scorps.”

He leaned forward, his elbows on the table. He had new ink on the inside his massive right forearm: words arranged in a circle, with the names ‘Lilli,’ ‘Gia,’ and ‘Bo’ inside, one on top of the other. The words of the circle were in another language. Badger had asked about it. It was Italian, and it had something to do with love and sun and stars. He didn’t remember exactly, but he knew that Isaac had wanted his family with him wherever he was.

There was something almost like excitement in Isaac’s voice when he spoke. “Here’s where it gets real interesting. They’d been talking about starting fresh, their own charter, whole new club. But I got a Christmas night call from Bart, and then another from Hoosier. They’re flying an idea past us. Night Horde Southern California charter.”

Badger whistled. That would make Bart Horde again. But Len was shaking his head.

“Why? What’s the upside for either of us?”

“It helps them start up their bike business again. It turns my stomach to say it, but as Bart explained it, we have a ‘brand’ in LA. Name recognition. The Scorpions had it, because they’re the Scorpions. We have it because of that movie. They can use the name to get whole again. And Bart also wants it for the reason I think most of the people at this table can understand. To make him Horde again.”

Show cut in. “He’ll be Hoosier’s VP, whether they’re Horde or start something new.”

“I thought we were out of the outlaw business.” Badger hated to say it, because he liked the idea of a second charter. And he was impressed that Bart had risen to the rank of VP.

“So are they. With the Perros crushed and the Scorps a mess, they don’t have any relationships that would keep them from going legit, too. That bike business was pulling in big bucks on its own. We’d get a cut of that, as mother charter—that’s our upside.” He leaned back. “It’s a lot to take in. Dom can get some intel, run some numbers, and bring it to the table next meeting. While we’re away, Show has my proxy, and Badge has Len’s.”

There was a heavy, solemn pause as the table was reminded of Isaac and Len’s future. Isaac broke it.

“Next up. Leon Seaver, private citizen. He’s off our backs. Question is: do we count that as full payment?

He burned the B&B and killed Beth. Hurt Adrienne. Is that debt paid by losing his job?”

“We don’t have proof that he arranged the explosion.” Show said that slowly, as if he was fighting the responsibility of uttering them.

“No, we don’t,” Isaac agreed. “But I think everybody around this table knows it’s true.”

Everyone nodded. Badger believed it absolutely. But even if they had proof, was it right to take Seaver’s life—because that was what they were talking about. He had killed Beth and maimed Adrienne. Horde justice would demand his life. Most likely by fire.

“We call it paid.” He’d spoken before he’d fully thought the idea through, but now he had the attention of table, so he went on. “Not because he doesn’t deserve to die. He made that fire happen, and he slowed four of us—all firefighters—down on our way to it. He killed Beth, and he hurt my old lady. He deserves to die. But damn, there’s a lot of blood on our road. So much blood. It gets even deeper when we go out to avenge a wrong—when we’re most right, we pay dearest. It’s got to stop. Our best guess is that Seaver climbed up our ass because we leaned so hard on his cousin. Who deserved everything he got. Hav is dead because we avenged his sister’s murder. She was killed because we avenged Daisy’s. We’re losing Isaac and Len for years because of all this shit. It has to stop.”

He’d straightened his spine and risen tall in his seat as he’d spoken; now, seeing the eyes of his brothers on him, steady and silent, he slouched, sure that he’d said too much.

But Isaac turned to his Vice President. “Show?”

Show’s eyes didn’t leave Badger. His look was not, in Badger’s estimation, appreciably softer than the look he’d given him months ago, when he’d sat across from him at a small table in the Hall and heard Badger tell him that he wanted to be with Adrienne.

Who was now his wife. He held his gaze on Show.

“Badge’s right. We keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t get into more mischief. But we can’t start this new peace off with blood.”

“Vote it.” Len’s voice was gruff.

“Len and I vote last. We won’t be here to take our share of any burden, so we vote after those who will.”

Show shook his head. “You’re taking on more than your share of the burden.”