Page 7 of Griffin
“Who’s Iron?”he asked.
“The man who runs the club.The man who just burned it down because he knew someone was looking at his books.”My voice sounded steadier than I expected.“Therealbooks.I was hiding when he walked in.He had two of his guys with him.They executed the office manager first.Carl.He just kept slamming his face into the desk until Carl stopped moving.”It surprised me how normal I sounded.I think maybe I’d reached my limit because I just felt… numb.“Then they brought in two workers from the hallway.A guy and a woman.”I swallowed.“They didn’t even ask questions.Just shot them both in the head.”
Griffin’s jaw tightened.“And you caught all of this on that pen.”
I nodded.“Every second.Plus a few other things.”When Griffin didn’t react, I asked a question.“Do you know what goes on inEnclave Éclipse?”
Griffin lifted his chin.“I do.It’s why Knuckles sent me there.”
“Then you’ll know what it means when I tell you I also got ledgers, and copies of the hard drives they took out of the computers once a sale happened.”Yeah.He knew.
Griffin’s eyes widened fractionally.“Fuck.”
“Iron said someone had been skimming,” I continued.“He was right.Carl had been taking a cut.I honestly don’t think Iron cared about that part.Expected it even.To a point.But Iron also said someone else had been keeping their own set of books.That was me.I’ve been photographing everything for months.”
The realization spread across Griffin’s face.He understood what I was holding now.Not just evidence of a murder.
“What does your ledger keep a record of?”
“A detailed map of a trafficking operation, with names, dates, and dollar amounts.Everything matches.My ledger just puts it all together.The accounts I found on those hard drives helped.And the people involved read like aWho’s Whoof Nashville.”
“OK.Stop.”Griffin scrubbed a hand over his face.“Not another word until Knuckles gets here.”He pulled out his phone and shot off a text.
“Knuckles?”
“My president.He and some of the others are on the way.”
I pressed myself harder against the wall.“Why should I wait for anyone?Why should I wait for anything?I don’t know you or your club.I do know that Iron is part of a club that terrorizes the whole neighborhood nearÉclipse.Probably to keep people away so there’s less of a chance of someone getting inside who’s not supposed to or something.”
“Because the men who did this will be looking for you before sunrise,” Griffin said.He didn’t move or change his stance, but something in his voice made the hair on my arms stand up.“And right now, the only thing standing between you and them is this garage and the people about to walk into it.”
He took a half step forward, still keeping his distance but making sure I heard him clearly.“I’m not asking you to trust Kiss of Death.I’m asking you to trust the math.On one side, you’ve got Iron and however many Steel Serpents he has on his payroll.On the other, you’ve got me and my club.One of those options gives you a shot at walking away from this, and you know Goddamned good and well it ain’t Iron.”
My throat felt tight.“And what if I choose neither?What if I walk out that door right now and take my chances?”
Griffin shook his head.“You won’t make it to the gate.Like it or not, you have in your possession what you’re telling me is an extensive trafficking operation.Right under our noses.Whether or not you stay beyond this meeting is still up to you, but until Knuckles talks to you and sees what you have, you’re staying here.After he’s satisfied he understands everything you’re presenting, you’ll have the option to go home.”
We stared at each other across ten feet of concrete floor.My hand had gone numb around the pen camera.The cut on my palm throbbed in time with my pulse.Somewhere in the distance, I heard the rumble of engines.“You’re saying the only way I survive this is if I let you and your friends decide what happens to me.”
“I’m saying the only way you survive this is if we work together.”Griffin didn’t flinch.“What’s on that pen isn’t just evidence.It’s a weapon.You point it at the wrong people, they’ll burn everything to keep it quiet.Especially you.”
“And the right people?”
“The right people,” Griffin said, “will use it exactly how you want them to.”
“You have no idea what I want with this.”I stuck my chin up.“Because I have no intention of blackmailing anyone, if that’s what you mean.What I have here is much bigger than money.”
The engines grew louder, then cut out one by one.I heard voices from outside, the crunch of boots on gravel.Griffin turned to face the door but didn’t move from his spot.“No one here will touch you unless you want them to.Not unless you had something to do with the trafficking.”
I didn’t know if I believed Griffin or not.But I believedhebelieved it and, for now, that might have to be enough.
The first man through the door wore his authority like a second skin.Behind him came another man, taller and heavier, with a face that looked like it had been carved from stone.Neither of them spoke, but the garage suddenly felt smaller.My grip tightened around the little camera until my knuckles ached.
More men filtered in behind them.Their faces were hard, their gazes all assessing me.I pressed my shoulders harder against the wall, trying to make myself smaller.The gun felt cold against my skin where it was tucked into my waistband.
Two women came in through a side door, moving with the same purposeful care as the men.One was tall and lean, with blonde hair pulled back in a tight braid.Her gaze found mine across the room.The other was smaller, with strawberry blonde hair and a face that seemed too open for this place.She looked almost wholesome, but with a slight edge.
Griffin moved subtly, angling between me and the rest of the room, close enough that his shoulder almost touched my arm.I glanced up at him sharply, but his expression changed from intense to open and grinning.
