Page 32 of Gator (Bourbon Kings MC #1)
“Alright, boss,” Worm began. “This is what I’ve been able to piece together.
The man you beat the shit out of and who Braveheart barbequed alive was Jaxon Ross, Eliot’s dad and the former brother to a Mr. Elias Ross.
It seems the parish of that Podunk town is not as good at keeping records as our own New Orleans parish is.
Elias Ross owned the auto body and the tourist shop here in NOLA.
When he passed, Eliot inherited everything. ”
“So the kid owns the auto body shop, too?” Thore asked.
Worm nodded. “Yep.”
“Well shit. Now I feel bad fer burnin’ the place to the ground.”
“When I looked into Jaxon Ross, I found a laundry list of nasty things, boss. Braveheart and Thore did the world a service by killing him. Trust me. No one is going to miss that bastard.”
“I feel a but coming,” I growled.
“Yeah, a big one.” Worm gulped before continuing. “Jaxon Ross has a cousin. Someone we know very well.”
Smirking, I shook my head. “Let me guess. Garland Coltraine?”
“Bingo,” Worm said. “From what I can gather, Garland and Jaxon were thick as thieves growing up. Always in trouble with the law. When Garland borrowed money from Elias and couldn’t pay it back, he and Jaxon conspired to kill Elias, believing that everything Elias owned would go to Jaxon.”
“But big brother knew little brother was a dipshit and cut him out,” Donut sneered as Worm nodded.
“When Jaxon learned his son inherited everything, he kicked Eliot out and told him to never come back. The kid was smart and did just that until Garland got it into his head that Eliot would want the debt paid.”
“Let me get this straight,” I groaned, rubbing my forehead. “Garland had his other cousin, Beau, steal from me because he stupidly thought Eliot would demand payment of the debt?”
“That’s what it’s looking like, boss.”
“Jesus Christ!,” I roared. “Eliot didn’t give a shit about any debt. The kid just wanted to live his life on his own terms. Hell, he was plannin’ on turnin’ his uncle’s tourist shop into a premier boudoir studio.”
“Never said Jaxon or Garland were smart, boss.”
“And my shipment?” I asked.
Worm scratched his head nervously. “That’s the thing, boss. I think the shipment’s in Eliot’s shop.”
“You think Garland set up the kid?” Donut questioned.
“Yeah, I do. Garland isn’t smart by any means, and he’s proven he’s okay with using his family to take the fall. Add in Eliot’s dad and his abusive homophobic ways and well, yeah. I think the both of them cooked up this stupid scheme to kill two birds with one stone. Erase the debt and Eliot.”
“I wanna kill that fucker all over again,” Braveheart sneered.
“Get in line,” Donut added.
“Alright,” I said, my voice steady despite the rising storm inside me.
“This is what we’re going to do. Worm, you and Donut head over to Eliot’s shop.
I want every damn corner searched. Don’t trash the place, just look.
That shop is Eliot’s only source of income.
If the shipment’s there, I want it back before Garland or anyone else has the chance to sniff it out. ”
“And if it’s not there?” Donut asked, his tone sharp but resolute.
“If it’s not there,” I replied, my gaze unwavering, “then Garland’s house is our next stop. Braveheart, you and I will handle that one personally.”
“I’m coming too,” Donut insisted.
“Brother, you get squeamish around the messy shit.”
“Don’t give a fuck,” my brother sneered. “That fucker set up an innocent kid, just because he’s different. You know I can’t walk away from that.”
I studied Donut’s face, his jaw tight with a determination I rarely saw. There was no stopping him when he got this way, and honestly, I didn’t have the heart—or the time—to argue.
Nodding, I looked at my watch and stated, “I want everyone back here before five. We got dinner tonight at my m?man’s, and you know how she’ll be if we’re late.”
It had been a few days since my m?man offered her home and heart to Eliot and his siblings, and from what I knew, those kids hit the jackpot. My m?man was the best!
Pulling up to my childhood home exactly at five, I cut the engine and smiled as my woman strolled out of the house with either Rémy or René on her hips. The boys were fucking identical, and I was having a hell of a time telling them apart.
Now I knew how my m?man felt when I was younger.
Getting out of my truck, I walked over to my woman. “Hey, Chèr. Which one ya got there?”
Grabbing his foot, she looked at the bottom of his shoe and said, “This one is René.”
Shaking my head, I laughed. “ M?man used to do the same thing to me and Elliot growing up. That’s until we learned her trick and started swappin’ shoes.”
“Well, I must admit. It’s a handy trick,” she said, looking around before asking, “Where are the others?”
“They’re comin’. Just got held up at work.”
My woman narrowed her eyes and scoffed. “Wade, those boys never worked a solid day in their life. Where are they really?”
“Found the shipment. They are securing it at the scrapyard. They should be here shortly.”
“Well, I bet that’s a load off your back. And what about the person who stole it?”
“He will get his soon enough.”
“Heads-up, your mom invited the Sons of Hell, so everyone is here.”
“Everyone?” I cringed, looking past her into the large house.
“Everyone.”
Grumbling, I nodded just as the one person I didn’t want to see came barreling out of the house, running straight for me.
“HIYA, GATOR!”
“Carnage,” I said stiffly, looking down at the pain in the ass. “You come here to lay claim to my shit?”
“Why, you lookin’ to lose it?”
Growling, I heard laughter as the screen door opened and out walked King, the president of the Sons of Hell Motorcycle Club.
“Cameron Hobbs Montclair, go wash up. Ms. Marabella is about to serve you kids.”
The brat smiled at the man he idolized and said, “Sure thing, Dad!” before running past him back into the house.
“I better get this one inside as well,” Devlyn said, winking at King as he walked over to me, held out his hand, and I shook it.
“Dad, huh?”
King grinned. “Yeah, thought I’d make it official before the brat staged a full mutiny.”
“You mean like the summer paintball free-for-all you barely survived?”
King grumbled, “Shut up, Gator.”
I laughed heartily. It was well known in the biker world that Cameron Hobbs, apparently now Montclair, was a force to be reckoned with. When that kid wanted something, he stopped at nothing to get it. Even claiming the president of a biker club as his father.
“Well, since yer here, you plannin’ on taking possession of the shipment? Finally located it, and my boys are securing it now.”
“Yeah. I’ll send some of the brothers over to the scrapyard tomorrow morning to pick it up. Thanks for getting me one so fast.”
“No problem.” I said then asked, “Speaking of which. How are things over at the track?”
King groaned, “Ansel’s being an ass. Trip is threatening to quit, and C.C. is giving Trip the runaround.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say that more than the bride and groom got together at the wedding.”
Shaking my head, I groaned, “Better not let Romeo find out. That’s his baby sister.”
“Already one step ahead of you. Fiona’s never been to New Orleans, so I’ve asked Romeo to show her around.”
“The doc’s little sister?”
“Yeah,” King muttered. “She wanted to come and, well, I couldn’t tell her no.”
“Well, I’m sure Romeo will show her a good time.”
“BOYS!” I heard my m?man yell. “Time to eat!”