Page 5 of Inglorious (Unwanted Bastards MC #1)

“Cold turkey?” King inquired. A flash of glee crossed his face, and I guessed King was getting some sort of joy from that. Life couldn’t have been easy for King and Moon.

“Yes. I’ve a doctor coming for them. Until then, it’s Razor, our new VP Vortex, and me. Razor is now Chaplin,” I said.

“Okay, I guess you’re taking over the businesses?”

“Yeah, back to prospect duties for you, King. Starting with: until Doc Paul gets here, can you watch over the drunken assholes in the town jail?” I asked.

King snorted. “Somehow, that strikes me as karma.”

“Too true. Why aren’t you asking who I am?”

“Moon gave me a heads up.”

“Party and Gamer are no longer prospects. They are not welcome in Merritt. If you see them, remove them as soon as possible. If they refuse to leave, call Vortex.”

“Got it. Do you want some help in here?” King asked.

“No, I can handle this. But the common room is next.”

King held my gaze. “Inglorious locked the brothers’ rooms. Nobody’s been in there since…”

I puffed my cheeks out. “Thanks. I’ll deal with that when I get my head around that fact.”

King nodded and left. I continued cleaning, and two hours later, I was done. A smell lingered, but the trash and everything else was clean. There was a full in-tray overflowing with mail, and I’d located the books for the club.

Vortex entered, looking disgusted. “The asshole trashed every room possible. The VP’s office is disgusting. I’ve cleaned the worst out.”

“Same here. The rec room’s next. I dread to imagine the state of the kitchen,” I said.

Vortex shook his head. “Moon’s tidying the common room right now. Doc Paul just pulled up outside as well.”

“Why didn’t you start with that?” I demanded, and Vortex smirked.

“I sent Doc to the cells, you can meet him there,” Vortex replied and walked away. “I’m going to pick a bunk.”

“Inglorious hasn’t emptied the rooms,” I called, and Vortex missed a step. “He locked and left them alone.”

Vortex turned slowly. “Guess we’ve got another job.”

“Ain’t we just,” I complained, adding it to my phone notes.

The list was freaking growing. Clean the clubhouse top to bottom, repaint, and refresh.

Buy new furniture. Inspect and pack up the bunks that the previous brothers used.

Find their pictures and hang them up. Display their spare cuts as a memorial.

Check their graves and ensure they’ve got flowers being placed weekly.

Hire a cook for the brothers, because I wasn’t cooking for them.

Call Blackhawk Construction and get them back out.

Review accounting books for the club. Verify the money the club holds in the bank.

Get Inglorious and Chill sober. Then the biggest job: track down the Legacies that remain…

and rebuild. Somehow, I didn’t think that would happen in the month I’d planned on staying.

“Nanci, one day at a time,” Vortex stated as he read my expression.

“Easier said than done. Okay, I’ve got a Legacy to bully,” I replied, straightening my shoulders.

Vortex snorted. “Good luck.”

I’d take all the luck I could get. I definitely needed it!

◆◆◆

“How are they?”

“Chill’s not as bad as Inglorious. I think he just ties one on. Inglorious, however, needs tests run on his liver. He has alcoholism, no doubt about it. I’ve put IVs in their arms for fluids. Nanci, Inglorious is heading for a rough time. Perhaps a rehab centre should be called?” Doc Paul replied.

“No. Inglorious can go cold turkey. And yes, I’m aware of the risks. That’s why you’re here.”

“Nanci, I have a day job.”

“I know.”

“Then you understand I can’t stay here.” “And I also spoke to Doc Gibbons. He’s your immediate boss, isn’t he? Doc Gibbons said you’ve eight weeks’ vacation you need to use up. He actually claimed there’s more, but he’s placing you on forced leave as of today.”

“Nanci!” Doc Paul exclaimed. As much as I wanted to school my expression to look innocent, it wasn’t going to happen.

“You’re a Legacy, Doc.” “Nanci, don’t go there.”

I crossed my arms and eyed him. “Snake was your cousin, and I know you were close. You’re his Legacy.

I’m offering you a place in the club I’m rebuilding.

The plan was to have a doctor stationed in town.

That means I’m asking you to join us, open the surgery here, and be on the club’s inner circle as our medic. ”

Doc Paul held my gaze before shaking his head. “Nanci, I’ve got a job at the hospital.”

“Working for others and answering to them. Here, you’ll get a fully kitted out clinic, with a minor theatre, and will serve several towns who’ve not had a doctor for years. You’re needed here,” I argued.

“How do you know all that?” Doc Paul asked.

“People keep asking me that. Do you think I’m stupid?”

“No. It’s been less than half a day since you returned. So, how are you aware of all this?” Doc Paul demanded.

“I read it in a folder on Inglor—my desk. The budget is damn healthy for the clinic, and it is also partially funded by the local towns you’d serve and by us. The county will pay your wages, and the club will top them up.”

“Snake asked me to join a few years ago. I told him no,” Doc Paul said slowly. He shook his head. “Sorry, Nanci, I don’t want to patch in when the president’s a drunk.”

“You’re not. You’re joining the Unwanted Bastards run by Vortex and me. Inglorious won’t get his role back for a long time. Not until he can prove he can remain sober. Asshole also needs alcohol counselling and serious therapy.”

“You for real?” Doc Paul asked.

“Yes. I’m going to be tracking the Legacies. Former members will rejoin straightaway. New Legacies will do six months on a trial basis. But I’m rebuilding the club. I owe Psych that.”

Doc Paul’s face fell. “We lost so many.”

“And you’re tired and jaded. Doc Gibbons thinks you’re near burnout,” I stated, and Doc Paul straightened.

“Wow. Really? Discussing me behind my back is low, Nanci.”

“Not in the slightest. Like it or not, Doc, you are Snake’s cousin and his only surviving Legacy. I’m offering you this chance,” I said and glanced across at Inglorious. He was still unconscious, but Chill was making slight noises.

“Don’t push, Nanci. I’ll think about it.”

“Do that, Doc. The town requires a doctor, the club needs a medic, and I need you. Will you be staying tonight?”

“Looks like it, if I’m on forced leave. Plus, shit will hit the fan shortly, and Inglorious will start feeling the effects.”

“I’ll get a room made up—”

“No. Get a prospect to bring a cot across, and I’ll sleep here. If someone can scrounge up some food, it would be welcome. I’ve not eaten today,” Doc Paul said, sounding slightly surprised.

“I wouldn’t allow a dog to eat in the clubhouse’s kitchen. We’ll be ordering takeout. A prospect can nip over and take your order. In the meantime, I’ll see if we’ve got some chips and some cans of pop.”

“Thanks, Nanci.” Doc turned to face his two patients.

With my task done, I headed out and back to the clubhouse.

As I approached, I checked out the building. It had been one of the two hotels the town had boasted. Inglorious had taken it over and made it into the Unwanted Bastards’ base. The outside looked great, the restoration was amazing, but the inside needed refreshing and a thorough clean.

The ground level had the common room, formerly a saloon with a bar.

There were toilets off to one side and a kitchen at the rear.

There were several offices that the president, VP, SAA, and chaplain used.

The cellar below had been split in half, creating further offices and the Unwanted Bastards’ church.

In the common room, the stairs were set against a wall and led to four floors of rooms. There were sixteen bedrooms on each level.

During the remodelling, bathrooms were added to the rooms, which were all relatively large.

Somewhat surprising for the era, they were built in.

I remembered Seth telling me about the construction work as it happened.

Our clubhouse was the first building completed in Merritt.

The doctor’s clinic, which had also been extended at the rear, and the sheriff’s office were also finished.

Sadly, the remainder of Merritt was derelict and in dire need of repairs and restoration.

The club had bought Merritt at a steal, and the plan had been to restore it to its former glory and open it to tourists.

The town’s other buildings included the second hotel, two saloons, a school, a post office, and a restaurant.

Shops offered a handyman, grocers, a liquor store, a cigar store, and a few other things that Seth had planned to reopen.

There was also a coaching inn, a stable, and a few other buildings. Over three hundred houses stood behind both sides of Main Street. Inglorious had considered renting them out for employees who’d work in the town.

It was a grand and bold plan, and had been feasible.

But the war had caused the forward momentum to stagnate and die.

It was up to me to get the ball rolling.

It was a task I relished and also feared.

Because deep down, it was dawning on me what I’d bitten off.

No way would Inglorious be ready to resume leadership in a month.

A tiny part of me was steadily growing resigned…

I was back for at least a year, if not for good. Despite what it might cost me, I’d never let Seth’s memory fade. My brother deserved to be honoured and remembered. And God help me, Seth would be—alongside the rest of them.