Page 39 of Indie
“He was right about the Bloody Hand being back though,” Fury reminded my brother, shooting him a look that told him to ‘shut the fuck up and listen.’
“The Vandals have been under attack, too. Low-level shit like we’ve been seeing. Break-ins, criminal damage. According to Snatch it’s the Aces.”
“That gang we’ve just dealt with?” Fury asked, looking at me and then glancing at Magnet and Demon.
“Aye. Snatch and Tomahawk reckon they’re prospecting for the Bloody Hand.”
“But they’ve got no bikes, mate. The Hand will want them on Harleys, not the fucking scramblers we saw in that CCTV footage.”
“Maybe not?” Reap’s voice came from the far end of the table, deep and rumbling. “What a better way to distract us by taking up our time chasing a street gang. Anyone checked on the Notorious lately? Know what they’re up to?”
The room fell into a vibration of murmurs, heads turning to each other, mulling over the words that Reap had spoken.
“We’ve not had eyes on the Notorious for weeks. Indie’s had us watching his lass instead.” Demon was enjoying throwing me under that bus tonight.
But he was right. I’d pulled our attention away from our biggest threat. And that wasn’t the Bloody Hand, or the Aces. The Notorious would be the first to challenge us, long before the Bloody Hand made their first move, and I’d lost sight of all of that.
I nodded. Not at anyone in particular, but an acknowledgement of the decision I’d made.
“Magnet, get the prospects watching the Notorious. I want to know their every movement. Cade and Caleb, I want to know what businesses they are running and what they are bringing in cash wise. If they’re building an army, or the finance for one, then I want to know about it. Everyone else, I want you increasing your presence. We ride in our cuts. Make sure people know we are here. That this is our town. Not the Bloody Hand’s, not the Notorious’ and not a fucking street gang.”
The men cleared out. Everyone but Fury. The fucker was making a habit of this. I didn’t look up, but I could feel him there, just over my shoulder.
“What now?”
“You know it’s only a matter of time, don’t you?” He mumbled.
“For what? My dad dying or the Bloody Hand starting a war.”
“Both. But on the subject of war, we need to look up and look out more. Because if we don’t, they’ll come at us from all corners. They’re already winding up the other clubs, making us look at other people. How long before the first MC signs out of the coalition, Indie? And when that happens, we weaken, and we have more people to watch from over our shoulders.”
I said nothing. And Fury said nothing more. But the silence between us said a lot. I closed my eyes, tired and dry, and put my head into my hands.
Chapter Nineteen
The street outside was quiet, darkness rolling in, bringing a thick mist with it. I pulled the curtains shut, casting out the formidability of night and the thick spookiness the creeping mist was bringing. Lily lay on the sofa, half asleep, her little eyes sagging as she tried to watch the end of the film. Luke was already upstairs, the drone of his computer filling the gaps between the warble of an animated character on the television downstairs.
“Come on, baby,” I said, scooping the little girl up into my arms and wobbling up the stairs, taking care not to bounce her head on the banister as I lurched off balance to one side.
“Mammy, can I sleep in your bed tonight?”
“What’s wrong with yours?”
“I like yours better.”
“Ok, Princess.” I kissed the top of her head, disturbing a strand of brown hair that fell across her face.
The double bed was huge for her little frame, and she looked swamped under the covers as I tucked her in.
“Are you coming to bed now?” Lily asked, barely able to keep her eyes open.
“Soon, baby. Once I’ve tidied up.”
Tidied up, washed the dishes, folded the clothes and put the dog out. Everything I hadn’t done today because I was out with Indie instead. Indie. My stomach warmed. A sensation filling me. Something I hadn’t felt for such a long time. Not since Gary. And look how that had ended. I shook the thought from my mind, ignoring the voice of doom that had woken in the back of my head.
Downstairs, Daisy whined, scratching at the utility room door and carving another cut into the rotting wooden frame. I opened the door; the dog rushing out and the cold night air rushing in. I could hear her bark. A half-hearted woof, a smell catching her nose or an animal moving in the night. Or even next door’s cat, which liked to taunt her from a position on top of the fence.
But then the bark changed from conversational to meaningful and urgent. My heart seized, skipping a beat, the muscles in my chest tightening, the icy fingers of fear wrapping around my throat. There was someone out there.