Page 84 of The Devil's Reward
He has a point. Still, for someone to know about that location all these years later, it’s doubtful. “I think our mole got ahold of it, and that’s why we can’t find them. They’re using Bull’s old hideouts. The ones no one knows about. Most of them are probably underground, in old places. Old bomb shelters or some shit.”
“Bull had an extensive network, so I doubt that he kept those places just around town. He probably had them all over the damn state,” Hammer says thoughtfully.
“So who would he have sent it to?” I wonder, mind working. “He had women and the club girls, but none of them stuck around for long.”
“All his supporters are long dead, so that’s probably a dead end. And none of them had families or women then, either. Too focused on living the good life and fucking everything in sight.”
He has a point. I huff out a breath. “It could be that someone found it by accident,” I say after a moment. “During the move, possibly, when we moved to the new place.”
“The mole did start to show his face around then,” Hammer agrees, perking up. “Could have gone to check out the old spots, and when he did, realized he had an opportunity to make some extra cash and shit. Then sold us out to the damn mafia.”
He’s making some good points. I huff out a breath. “We don’t have squat. Fucking Bull, he’s still fucking us even from the grave,” I growl in irritation. My fist clenches on top of the bedsheet.
“He always vowed that he would haunt us,” Hammer says with a sigh. “Guess he’s trying his best.”
“He always used to say that he liked to play to people’s vices,” I recall. “Said that whores, drugs, and guns were only a few of the things, but they were what made the world go round. Made it profitable. Always hated when he said shit like that.”
“Because he’s right?” Hammer asks quietly.
I’m quiet for a moment. “No, because he didn’t know the true meaning of life,” I reply. I look over at Rose. “The world goes round because of the people we have in it. The club works better than it ever has because we’re a damn good unit, and Bull lost sight of that. He saw us as his personal army to do his bidding. To make him as much money as he could, and to give him the power he craved. But he lost it all because of that. Until now, we’ve had a damn good life with our club the way it is. Profitable, and with the respect of our community because we do the good shit and not the bad. I’ll take that any day over what we used to do.”
Hammer is quiet, thoughtful. “And this mole either hasn’t realized that or doesn’t want to be a part of it,” he mutters. “He’s a part of our club, pretending to want the same things, but is really turning his back on us, and putting on a face.”
I nod. “I want to find him, Hammer, and I want to show him why we left that life. Make him realize how big of a mistake he’s made in joining Dmitri. Then we’ll send him to meet his maker and hopefully, he’ll rot in hell with Bull and the rest of them.”
Hammer nods his agreement. “We’ll get him,” he agrees, clapping me gently on the shoulder. “We’ll get him and we’ll make him pay.”
I hope like hell he’s right because I will settle for nothing else. He’s going to pay for what he did to my Rose. I look over at her, seeing the woman that’s made my life so much damn better. The very reason I wanted a better life in the first place. For her, and our family.
Because without her, I would still be in that life and I would either be in jail or dead. I won’t let this mole, or Dmitri, make the sacrifices we’ve all made in vain.
If Dmitri wants a war, I’ll give him one. We’ve won before, and we can do it again.
FORTY-TWO
MOLE
Too bad he was so smart.
I don’t have a lot of time, especially if I don’t want anyone noticing me leaving. I grab my helmet, stick it in my duffle bag, and head out to my bike. I won’t be on it long anyway, but I need to be careful. Because if Dmitri gets wind of this, I’m as good as dead. Though, with how pissed he was when he called me earlier, I’m as good as dead anyway.
This is why it’s always good to have a contingency plan. And mine is meeting me very soon to discuss our next steps.
I drive through the dark, heading away from the clubhouse, nodding at the Prospect on duty. I always time my exits when one of the lazy ones are on gate duty. They spend more time on their phones or complaining to each other to notice who I am and where I’m going.
Bull would have put a bullet through their brains if he was still President. I have half a mind to, but that would draw suspicion and I already feel the heat. But my plan is just about complete, and I’m ready to strike while everyone is at their weakest; I just need to make sure that the last few pieces of the puzzle are in place. I can’t afford any more mistakes.
When I reach the spot where I left my other bike, I quickly hide mine in the abandoned shed under an old tarp I found before slipping out the back and down the old overgrown road that leads to another shed further in. This place, well, I conveniently made sure that Dmitri didn’t have access to this one. This was Bull’s favorite place, and I don’t need Dmitri and his men tainting it.
Old and run down, the forest has all but reclaimed it. It’s not visible, even from the main road. In the dark, there’s nothing but the light of my bike’s headlamp until I reach the point where I have to stop and park, and walk the rest of the way in.
When I finally reach the cabin, I unlock it and head inside, turning on the lamp in the corner to give the room a soft glow as I set my duffle down and dig out my supplies. Then I reach under the cot in the corner of the room and pull out the insurance I need.
“You’re one crafty son of a bitch, I’ll give you that,” a deep voice behind me says, startling me.
Slowly I turn and stare at the other man. I don’t bother denying him. What’s the point? He’s obviously figured out who I am. “How did you figure it out?” I ask evenly. So far I don’t see a gun, but I don’t put it past him.
“When you came to the club, you asked for a certain room because you said you liked the view, and I never thought anything of it. I didn’t question it until tonight, when I realized who that room used to belong to. Now I think it’s because you knew where to find Bull’s old journal. The one with all the information he kept that we could never find. So you either got lucky and found it, or someone told you where it was.”
