Page 18 of Rattler’s Revelation (Demon Dawgs MC: Las Vegas #6)

“You’re heading back to the clubhouse?” Chill asks Rattler.

“Yeah, we have more addresses on our list that we’ll cover tomorrow. We only crossed three off our list, and two of them lived together. Taylor gave us the biggest lead,” Rattler admits.

“It was a great lead,” Chill says. “Look, I have a favor to ask of Bianca. I read through the information you left for me about the times when Walt accosted you. I compiled a file on the network that contains a list of male employees who were working during those shifts. Could you review them and let me know if any of them made you feel harassed or uncomfortable? I need somewhere to start.”

Rattler’s jaw clenches at her request. I think he’s going to object, but instead, he shares a dark look with Chill. Something else is going on.

“I’ll be happy to look through the file,” Bianca says.

“I’d like to look through them, too, if that’s okay with you,” I say. “I might recognize someone.”

“Good idea,” Rattler says. “Let’s grab some dinner and head back to the clubhouse where we can spread out,” Rattler says, taking Bianca’s hand and leading her toward my car. I follow along behind them.

“What do you want to eat?” Rattler asks once we’re all in the car.

“I’d kill for Chinese,” Bianca says.

“Chinese it is,” I say, pulling out my phone.

“Wait a second,” Rattler says, stopping me from searching for the closest Chinese restaurant on my phone. “Let’s go to the casino and pick up our dinner there. They have the best food around.”

“That sounds great!” Bianca chimes in.

I start the car and point it toward the casino. Once I park, Rattler stills us from opening the door. “Look over there.”

I glance to where he’s pointing and at first don’t see what he’s seeing. He’s pointing to the location closest to the loading zone. The space is dark and empty, except for a dark van. I can almost make out the shape in the darkness.

“What are you looking at?” I ask.

“That van. It shouldn’t be there. I’m going to check it out,” Rattler says.

“I’ll go with you,” I offer.

“Bianca, stay here,” Rattler says, opening the door.

“No way. I’m going with you,” Bianca says, scurrying out of the car before we can stop her. She joins us near the hood. “I’m safer with you both than by myself.”

Rattler looks at me for backup, but I shrug. “She’s right. What’s to stop someone from seeing her alone in my car and trying for her? She’s safer with us.”

Rattler glances at my car as he rubs his neck. I can tell he wants to argue, but he must have run through the possibilities, because he doesn’t argue.

He takes Bianca’s hand as we approach the van.

We stay in the shadows to check for movement.

No one is behind the wheel, and the passenger seat is also empty.

The immediate area is silent. All we can hear is the traffic on the nearby street.

When we reach the van, we circle it before returning to the front.

I turn on the flashlight I grabbed in the car and shine it over the van.

The broken left headlamp has streaks of paint on it.

“That paint matches Bianca’s car,” I say.

“This looks like the van that chased me,” Bianca admits.

“I recognize the decal there.” She points at a sticker in the bottom left corner.

I lean closer, but can’t make it out. It appears that someone attempted to remove it, leaving only a few strips of white with indiscernible black and red lettering.

I flash the beam over where the license plate should be, but it’s missing.

I circle to the rear and don’t find one there, either.

When I try the door, I find it unlocked, so I open it.

Bianca and Rattler move next to me to get a look.

The inside is empty except for two large hooks drilled into the ceiling.

I feel Bianca tense next to me, so I wrap an arm around her shoulders, only to find Rattler has his arm around her waist.

“Are those what I think they are?” Bianca asks.

“I think so,” Rattler says.

“I’m calling it in. They can pick up the van and transport it to the station for examination. I’m guessing they dumped it here after they failed to grab Bianca.”

“Good idea.”

When the tow truck arrives, Rattler and Bianca head inside the casino to grab our dinners while I watch them load up the van. I hear a motorcycle pull up nearby, but don’t think anything about it until I hear Rafe calling my name.

“What have you got?” he asks, as he and Viper join me.

I explain to them about finding the van and how Bianca is confident it is the same van that chased her down.

“Hooks inside are for keeping their victims detained,” Viper says, studying the inside.

“Yeah, that’s what we thought.”

“Bastards.”

“I’m hoping we can get some fingerprints, although they likely wiped everything down,” I muse.

“You never know. Another good find,” Rafe says as Bianca and Rattler join us, carrying bags that are wafting a fantastic aroma that makes my stomach growl.

“Head off, I’ll stay here until they’ve finished. Viper and I already ate, and it sounds like you need some fuel.”

I thanked my uncle before heading to my car.

The scent of the food has me wanting to pull over and dig in, but I force myself to focus on getting us to the clubhouse.

Once inside, we head to Bianca’s room. Rattler leaves us to hunt down his laptop while Bianca organizes the food.

When Rattler returns, we dig into the food and spend several satisfying minutes filling up our empty stomachs.

Bianca finishes first, so she opens the laptop.

Rattler tells her how to access the file that Chill wants her to review.

Once she’s settled, he rolls off the bed.

“I have something I need to do. I’ll be back shortly.”

We’re silent for a few minutes as Bianca reviews the file on her screen. She switches between windows as she jots down notes. I hate to interrupt her, but knowing we have a few minutes alone, I don’t want to waste the opportunity.

“Did you have a chance to consider my suggestion?” I finally ask her.

She slowly nods without taking her eyes off the screen. “I did.”

I can’t tell anything by her expression, so I push. “And?”

“I’m interested, but I don’t know if it will work out the way you think. Rattler is the wildcard, and he might be hard to convince.”

“I know, but I think the two of us can do it. I also have an idea to get us started. Finish going through those files.”

“Yes, sir!” Bianca mocks me, giving me a cheeky salute.

“Very cute,” I say, kissing her cheek.

While Bianca finishes her task, I clean up the food containers and refresh our drinks.

“I’m going to take a shower,” I tell Bianca. “If you identify more men who you think might have been working with Fake Max, I’ll take a look at them when I’m out.”

“Okay,” Bianca says, tearing her eyes from the computer to study me.

I grin at her when I catch her focused on my chest after I take off my shirt.

I reach for my belt buckle and yank it off.

With her eyes fixated on my jeans, I shift my fingers to the button and wait.

She tears her eyes away to glance at me in confusion before scrunching her nose. She knows I caught her checking me out.

“You’ll see the goods soon, I promise. Just not yet.”

She shakes her head before turning her attention back to the laptop.

I step into the bathroom, strip, and hop into the shower.

I search through the duffle bag I brought into the bathroom with me and pull on a clean pair of boxers and a t-shirt.

Returning to the bedroom, I find Rattler stretched out on the bed next to Bianca.

They both watch me cross the room to climb onto the bed on the other side of Bianca.

I don’t miss the hungry stares tossed my way.

“Any luck?” I ask Bianca.

“I think so,” she licks her lips before turning the laptop in my direction. Staring out at me from the screen is my old buddy Tommy. “That’s Tommy,” I tell them.

Rattler grabs the laptop to turn it in his direction. “That’s him? I don’t recognize him. But, I didn’t hang out at the casino much.”

“Why not?”

“I usually had kid duty. I spent most of my time babysitting the kids and helping the Old Ladies.”

“That makes sense,” I say. “Puma probably only trusted his best prospect with the kids.”

Rattler’s cheeks redden, which makes him seem younger.

“Didn’t you say Viper used to watch the kids before Puma patched her in?” Bianca asks.

“She did.”

“Then he assigned you and patched you in,” Bianca muses. “That makes sense. Prospects prove themselves by caring for the kids.”

“It’s a test,” Rattler agrees. “Most bikers would think babysitting kids to be beneath them. Viper and I both knew it was the greatest honor. Puma wants to fill the club with people who recognize that the innocent have the greatest value.”

Bianca and I study Rattler as he’s lost in thought. When he finally shakes himself free of whatever he was thinking, he focuses on the image of Tommy. “We need to tell Chill. Have you looked at everyone in her file?”

“I have. I made a list of the ones that always made me uncomfortable. I also made note of everyone I saw Walt spend time with.”

“Let me send the file to Chill, and then we can get some sleep,” Rattler says, taking the laptop and sending Chill an email with Bianca’s list attached.

“Can we watch a movie?” Bianca asks. “I’m tired, but not sleepy yet.”

“Are you staying here?” Rattler asks me.

“I’m going to crash on the couch,” I tell him, indicating the couch against the wall. “I want to be here in case Walt and Tommy show up at the storage unit. Plus, we have more apartments to check out tomorrow.”

Rattler glances between Bianca and me before shrugging and picking up the remote. “What do you want to watch?”