Page 38 of Raggedy Dan
Underneath was one line of text.*Pretty thing.Shame if something happened.*
Dan’s vision narrowed until he could only see black at the edges.The room smelled like burning wiring and old blood.He shook his head, pulling himself back to the moment.“He was in my fuckinghouse.”
Denver’s voice was quiet, careful.“Looks like the window in the guest bath was point of entry.Barely open long enough for a single missed connection alert.Once the connection was resolved, the system went back to normal armed.Quick and clean entry, quick and clean exit.We need to do a deep sweep at your place for devices—bugs, cams, trackers.”
“The fuck were you doing pulling me away from there?”Dan realized he’d drawn back a fist when he felt a hand on his shoulder.Glowering, he turned and saw Tinder standing there.“Did you hear about this?”
“I don’t know anything, brother, except that you do not want to hurt Denver.I don’t know who you want to hurt, but it’s not him.”
Denver worked his keyboard and launched the alarm system installed at all the officers’ homes.The current state of his house was locked tight.
“Still shouldn’t have pulled me away from there, Denver.He was close enough to touch her, brother.”Dan turned on a heel and left the clubhouse at a dead run.
Another handful of minutes later, he burst through his own front door, heart slamming against his ribs.
Riley was in the kitchen, barefoot, pouring cereal into a bowl.She took one look at his face and turned pale, the bowl slipping from her fingers.It hit the tile and shattered, milk and cereal spraying across the floor.
“What happened?”Her voice was small.
He held up his phone, photo on the screen.
The rest of the color drained from her face.She swayed and caught herself on the counter.
“That’s gotta be my ex,” she whispered.“I thought he was dead.”
Dan’s phone rang, and he answered without taking his eyes off Riley’s face.
Denver’s voice crackled over the speakerphone, “Dan, brother, I finally found him.Ronald ‘Ronnie’ ‘Match’ Valdez.Did four years for theft, then another two years for arson.During that last stint he was reported dead.He isn’t, and the asshole was released four months ago.Last known address is a trailer in Wilkins.”
“Why’s the nickname Match?”
“Because he likes burning things.”
Dan stared at Riley.Her eyes were huge, pupils blown, but her chin was up.
“You still trust me?”he asked, voice rough.
She didn’t hesitate.“With my life.”
“Then pack a bag.We’re ending this tonight.”
***
They didn’t sleep.
Riley readied her gear in silence while Dan checked every lock, every window, every sight line into the house.He found the jimmied entry point, a thin metal shim on the ground outside beneath the window, and he nearly put his fist through the wall.
When she was ready, they rode straight to the clubhouse.Her bike was there, safe, and Dan was glad she hadn’t asked to take it days ago when they’d come back to the clubhouse to pick up her stuff.Inside, the brothers were already gathering, because like any bad news, word had spread fast.Tinder met them on the lot as Dan rolled to a stop.
“Church in ten,” he said.“We’re going hunting.”
Riley looked up at Dan, eyes steady despite the tremor in her hands.“I’m coming.”
He cupped her face, thumb brushing her cheek.“You’re gonna stay here with Ella.Safe.I’ll come back to you.”
She searched his eyes, then shook her head once.“I trust you, babe.But I need to see him gone, Dan.”
He kissed her hard.It was a claiming, a promise that they’d have an after.
