Page 17 of T-Bone (Steel Demons MC #11)
Faith
I was surprised that T-Bone was even considering my idea of going to Ashley’s place, but it made a certain kind of sense, and I was happy to help him see reason.
I hitched my chin up high and crossed my arms. “We can’t go back to the cabin but if we go back to the Steel Demons clubhouse, then we’re just there, doing nothing to figure this out. ”
“It’s called regrouping. Isn’t that something you cops are always doing?”
“Yeah, but regrouping doesn’t mean going back home to twiddle our thumbs. Look, these guys are willing to kill a child over some imagined debt they think they’re owed. We need to stay ahead of them.”
“And Blade and the Ghost Riders?”
I shrugged. “I haven’t seen him or his cronies in the past few hours and I’ve been looking, but we can take precautions if we spot them.” I crossed my arms and glared at him. “Why are you so against this?” Was there something at Ashley’s place T-Bone didn’t want me to see?
He shrugged his broad shoulders casually but there was tension around his mouth. “I’m not against it, just making sure you’ve thought it all through. They followed us to her studio the other night, what’s to say they won’t be watching her home?”
While what he was saying made sense, that wasn’t the reason for his tension, but I didn’t call him out on it.
“Well you can do what you want, but I’m going to Ashley’s place.
Not only is victimology our best clue at figuring out who actually killed her, but any details that exist about Rachel Grey will be inside Ashley’s place.
” I was done arguing with him about this.
“We can go now.” I snatched the helmet off the bike and slammed it over my head, working hard to regulate my breath in that stupid, suffocating helmet.
With my arms crossed, I stood near the back of the motorcycle and waited for T-Bone.
He didn’t say anything, but he slid me several hesitant glances like he wanted to say something. Finally, he got on the bike and gestured for me to hop on.
I did, holding him loosely as we barreled down the highway, the cool wind against my skin wasn’t enough to shake the unease that there was a reason T-Bone didn’t want to go to Ashley’s place, which only made me more determined to get inside.
Whatever he thought, we needed to make sure we got to whatever secrets Ashley’s place held.
I’d used my investigative skills to dig into Rachel Grey, and I couldn’t find anything on the woman, at least not with just her first and last name.
I needed more.
The bike slowed and came to a stop in a residential neighborhood a few blocks from Ashley’s house. “I’m still not sure about this,” T-Bone growled the moment he killed the engine.
I jumped off the bike and shook out my arms and legs again, still not used to long rides on two wheels. “You don’t have to go in, or stay,” I shot back. “I’ll do it myself.” I was used to people letting me down, so I was used to going about life and work, on my own.
“The place is a fuckin’ crime scene, Faith.”
I rolled my eyes. “Maybe. It’s been a few days and from what I’ve seen of Red Rock PD, they probably already cleared the house.
If you want to know for sure, call Mr. Kutner to see if the landlord has reached out to him to get his sister’s belongings.
” I knew he wouldn’t involve his grieving friend, but I left the choice with him.
“We are not bothering Pike with this shit,” he growled. His big hands fisted at his sides, his jaw clenched, and his gaze narrowed angrily.
“Then wouldn’t you like to do this for him, so he doesn’t have to?” It was low and I hated to go there, but it had to be done.
“Goddammit woman, don’t you have a brake? Everything doesn’t have to be done at break-neck speed.”
I shrugged. “Maybe not but if we don’t do it now, we risk the Ghost Riders doing it first and getting the information we need.”
T-Bone opened his mouth, probably with another reason why we shouldn’t go into Ashley’s house, but I held up a hand because I didn’t want to hear it.
“You figure out what you want to do, T-Bone.” I shoved the helmet at him with a huff.
“I know what I need to do.” I didn’t wait for a man to decide what happened next, I marched down the block without T-Bone heart pounding from the exchange.
I was done waiting. This was the first lead I’d had on anything related to Gemma in three years and I refused to squander it because my so-called partner had doubts.
He could doubt all he wanted, I planned to act.
“Wait up, dammit.” T-Bone’s voice was a frustrated grunt when he caught up to me. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” I said without stopping. “I’m just doing what I need to do.”
“Stop.” He grabbed my arm, which forced me to stop. “Just fucking stop for one minute.” His gray eyes bore into me until I shivered. “We can’t just march up to the front door and go inside.”
“Yeah well, that’s not what I’m planning to do,” I said and yanked my arm from his hold.
“Then, what?” He looked impatient.
“The house behind hers is vacant. If we cut through there, we can get in without notice.” I turned away and stepped off the curb, looking left and then right before I crossed.
It was just late enough that most of the lights in the neighborhood were off.
The low hum of television shows helped conceal our footsteps as we moved between two colonial style homes, climbing over a wire fence that separated the yards.
“I got it,” T-Bone whispered when we arrived at a tall wooden fence that was locked from the inside. He reached over and unhooked the latch, pushing it open and waving me inside.
The last obstacle was a chest-high fence that we both climbed easily until we were in Ashley’s backyard. The house wasn’t just dark, it was cold and lifeless. The scent of blood still lingered in the air, and it grew stronger the closer we got to the back door. “See, no crime scene tape.”
T-Bone only grunted and then we stepped inside the dark house, adjusting to the darkness before we began to move.