Page 159 of Burning Ember

“Yeah.”

“Good. She has some motivation. Remember . . .” His gaze hardens and narrows on T. “Friendly.”

Taz casts a glance my way and I give him a subtle nod. With there not being an official president leading this club, I don’t question his needing assurance.

“I want to know everything. Everything you couldn’t tell me while on the inside,” Edge addresses the group. “About Cap and that night. About where the club stands. What business we got runnin’ and what we’re pushin’ through.”

Half the table tenses up. There’s another weighty pause. Edge is ballsy, always was. He’s a born leader like Cap, but impatient like me. But for some of these brothers, the newer patch holders, him not being around for five years means they don’t know him and don’t trust him. They’re probably questioning whether we should simply open our mouths and books to him so easily. Our lives, our freedom are at stake. Putting trust in the wrong person in this kind of life is costly.

I can see Stone and Diesel askin’ themselves.What if his loyalty’s changed while on the inside?

But it hasn’t. Edge is straight up a HOC. He lives and breathes it. He may be a Marine, and patriot, and but not enough to sell us out. He served because that’s what he was raised to do. He was following in his dead father’s footsteps, the same way Dozer followed in Cap’s. Both of them were trying to be the hero Cap was. But truth be told, he’s more Cap’s son than Dozer is. Through and through.

I speak up to lay some of the fears at rest. My gaze circles around the table. “Tell him anything he needs to know about where we stand. Half of you fuckers want him to lead in Cap’s stead. Well, he’s gonna need to know everything in order to do that.”

Griz backs me up. “Agreed.”

Dozer too by moving the conversation on. “We’ve questioned everyone in or around the area where it happened. But all the businesses were closed and not a lot a people are out on that stretch of road at three in the mornin’. Perez gave us any leads he had. Followed them. Trail’s as cold as a witch’s tit. We got nothin’ new besides the tip Mav got on the witness.”

“Where’d it happen?”

“On 314. That stretch of bare land right before the Palace West,” I answer.

“Where was he goin’?” Edge asks.

“Takin’ Becca home, I expect,” Griz states.

“Tell me the rest.” Edge chin lifts to me.

“Shot four times. Once while ridin’. Took one in the shoulder. I assume it distracted him enough he didn’t see spikes laid out on the road. The bike hit ’em, and went down. Turf ate ’em both up. Becca got the worst of it. The side of her skull shattered upon impact. Neither of ’em was wearing a helmet.”

“He crawled to her after,” Griz says gruffly. “Fifteen fuckin’ feet. Shot, and sufferin’ from a broken leg, ribs, and a dislocated shoulder.”

I add, “That’s where he was shot three more times in the chest at close range. EMT’s said he flat-lined twice on the way to the hospital. Doc said he doesn’t understand how he made it. That he’s fuckin’ lucky to be alive.”

Edge has already been updated on Cap’s condition but some of the patch members from the other chapters are still waiting for word, so might as well fill everyone in at once. “His doctor thinks he’s gonna wake up any day now. But it’ll be a long road to recovery. Warned us he may never ride again.” At that, every brother in the room lowers his head out of respect. Septic makes the sign of the cross.

“So someone who wanted him dead knew his route and waited for him on a stretch of desert where no one would hear or see anything?” asks Edge.

“Yeah. Leaves us with not much to find this motherfucker,” adds Taz.

“What about Cap? We need to worry about another hit?”

“Got a two-man crew on him twenty-four-seven.”

Edge looks to Griz. “Tell ’em what you told me.”

By the look of resignation on Griz’s face, he doesn’t appear happy about what he’s gotta say. “Ramble’s been keepin’ an eye and ear open, and he heard Pappy’s got Bones and Creature searchin’ for someone. Word is this person’s a problem for the GBs and got a price on their head. Pappy wants them taken out. Ramble thinks it’s got shit to do with business and is somethin’ personal.”

“Why does he’s think that?” Taz asks.

“Because Pappy’s made it clear Smoke isn’t to catch word of it.”

This news sinks in.What . . . trouble in paradise?

Goose clears his throat and sits forward. We all look over. He palms his goatee as his mind works. “Maybe Pappy had one of his boys take out Cap. Get him outta the picture, so they can move into New Mexico while we’re searchin’ for a ghost, and leaderless? Either that or could be someone went behind his back and pulled the trigger, and he’s cleanin’ up the mess before anyone catches wind of it. Smoke’s got just as much loyalty to Cap as Pappy. Maybe that’s why he’s keepin’ it close to his chest. Word gets out they had somethin’ to do with takin’ down Cap; it’d mean war between us, and a fall out between them.”

He stops handling his goatee and his gaze travels around the table. “Did anyone else notice that Smoke sure as hell brought a shit load of GBs for a simple visit? I mean . . . if Pappy wants to keep whatever he’s doin’ quiet, he’s smart by sending most of the club away. Less people finding out what he’s doin’ if they’re not around. Another thing that’s buggin’ me. Why is Deed’s here and not with his sick momma? If that’s really the truth of why Pappy stayed behind.”