Page 42 of Animal's Reformation
“Damn—it was wild. Some of the guys from the Night Rebels stopped over on their way to Wyoming for the bike rally. Shit—I’m so damn hungover.” Smokey sank down in the chair and put his head in his hands.
Throttle laughed then rose to his feet and patted Smokey on the shoulder. “I don’t envy you, dude. I gotta go. Kimber and me are riding to Vail.”
Smokey nodded and waved away the shot of Jack the prospect brought over. Hog then put it in front of Animal and asked Smokey what he wanted.
“A fuckin’ Bloody Mary. I always have that when I’m fuckin’ wasted,” he replied, and Hog scurried off to make the drink.
Bones and Klutch walked in just after Throttle left. Animal bumped fists with them, then they plopped down on the chairs, joining him and Smokey.
“How’s your dad?” Bones asked. His facial muscles were taut, and he kept fidgeting with his keyring.
“Good. What’s going on?” Animal said.
“Just got some shit news. A friend of my sister’s was found murdered in a small hotel just outside of Pinewood Springs. She was found tied up and stabbed. Fuck, she didn’t deserve that. You met her,” Bones said to Animal.
“Who was she?” he asked.
“Katie Sellers. Jada knows her. My kid sister’s been freaked out and crying all day.” Bones picked up the shot of tequila and swallowed it.
“That’s fucked. I better give Jada a call. Do the damn badges have any idea who did it?”
“Not a clue.” Bones gestured for another shot.
“As usual.” Klutch snorted. “They couldn’t find their asses with both hands.”
“What was she doing at the hotel?” Animal asked.
“Anna said she didn’t know. I guess Katie didn’t tell anyone she was going.” Bones picked up the second shot and threw it back.
“A woman goes to a hotel to get fucked,” Smokey grumbled. “Find out who she was meeting and you got your goddamn killer. It fuckin’ pisses me off when men do that shit. They’re nothing but pussies who can’t get it up without hurting a woman. Fuck!” He slammed his fist on the table then groaned and put his hand back on his head.
Animal couldn’t help but think of his sister, and a stab of icy fear hit him in the gut. “Maybe it’s an ex.” He took out his phone, then rose. “I’ll be right back—I gotta make a call.”
He walked through the hallway and out onto the back porch, then tapped in Jada’s number.
“Hey, Animal.” Jada’s voice was thick, as if she’d been crying.
His heart squeezed. “Bones just told me about your friend, Katie. That fuckin’ sucks,” he said in a low voice.
“I can’t believe it.” A few sniffles echoed through the phone. “You’ve met her a few times, remember?”
Animal couldn’t place her. “Not really.”
“She came to my birthday party last year, and she was at the carwash a few weeks ago when you came by to talk with Wheelie. The girl with the dark brown hair down to her shoulders. She was kind of freaked out by all your tats, remember?”
Katie’s face became clearer in his mind and he nodded. “Oh, yeah. That was her? Fuck. She seemed like a real nice girl.”
“She was. Why would anyone want to do this to her?” Her voice hitched and then she went quiet, and he could hear her crying.
“People are fucked up assholes.” Each sob and gasp made him flinch. “I wish I knew what the fuck to say,” he muttered.
“It’s okay. Thanks for calling me. I’ll be all right.”
“Be careful. Don’t ever go anywhere with a guy unless you really know him well, and even then, let me know.”
Jada let out a soft laugh. “Yeah, that’ll really work. I have a hard enough time with Dad screening my dates. I can’t imagine what it’ll be like if you get involved.”
He chuckled. “I probably don’t wanna know everything about your dates. But on a serious note, just let me know the name of the guys so I can screen them. There’re too many twisted fuckers out there that it isn’t enough to just be careful—you gotta be smart, armed,andcareful.”
