Axel (Dark Slayers MC Book 25), page 6
His eyebrows rose a notch. “Why in the hell are out-of-towners interested in our property?”
“The receptionist, Mary, says she doesn’t know why. Just that her boss is keeping the file locked in his office instead of letting her file it with the rest of their open cases.”
Hacker nodded without looking up. I decided he did that a lot. It’s weird how easily he multitasks. At the moment, Hacker had information showing on three different computer screens. One seemed to be cross-referencing our club’s address with old news articles. Another was a bot trying to hack into county records. And the third one was trying to hack into the offices of our regional water board. This man was worth his weight in gold.
He quickly accessed a folder on his computer and opened several documents at once. His eyes roamed over the header and the city file numbers.
“It looks like the planning department filings are public,” he said, “but the city’s portal doesn’t give you the metadata. It’s a good thing that I don’t need access to their portal to grab the information we need.”
He wheeled over to his main desktop computer setup and started typing. After a few minutes, he started explaining, “Every document uploaded to a network leaves a digital trail. The problem is that most of the digital information we need is hidden behind a firewall. Fortunately, there are backdoors in most systems.”
I leaned against the side of his desk, feeling a bit like a kid watching a genius work. Hacker was the fastest computer specialist I’d ever seen. The idea of some rich assholes from the big city leveraging their connections against the club was all the motivation he needed to kick it into high gear.
“I think I found what we’re looking for,” he mused out loud. “The hazardous site complaint was filed under a contractor account the city uses for consultants. The account name is generic, but the IP address…” He tapped a key and a second window popped up. “The IP address looks like it might be the same one being used by a law office over in Stanton. I found it by cross-referencing it against other documents filed with the city.”
“A law office?” I asked. “These fuckers got lawyers doing their dirty work?”
“Lawyers will do any shady-ass thing to earn a buck,” Zoe reminded us.
He smirked without looking up. “You ain’t wrong about that, sister. Not only are they using lawyers, but I know who they are. Bingo. Keene, Mason & Douglass.”
“Then that’s where we start.” I felt my jaw tighten. “Gimmie everything you can get on those fuckers.”
“I will, but here’s the interesting part,” Hacker said, fingers pecking over the keys again. “The same IP submitted three other complaints in the last month. And they are all for properties tied to people who have some kind of legal dispute going with development projects.”
Zoe gasped. “That sounds like a pattern. Storm once told me that the site the clubhouse sits on is extremely valuable because it butts up against a national forest and the highway. It would have a tremendous amount of commercial value to the right investor.”
I straightened. “Maybe this is just some shady shit going on with companies trying to devalue property, buy it for not much and then resell for a gigantic profit.”
“Yeah, that absolutely makes sense,” Zoe responded. “I always say you’ll never get the full picture until you follow the money trail.”
“You want me to dig into the payment trail next? Filing fees don’t pay themselves.” The printer in the corner started spitting pages.
Zoe nodded. “Yeah. If we can track the financial transactions, that should lead us directly to the person behind this land grab. This is just the kind of corruption that small towns usually aren’t sophisticated enough to recognize. We’ll have to alert the other landowners immediately. They probably don’t even realize they’re being targeted because the eviction notice comes from local government.”
Finally, Hacker stopped what he was doing and looked up at us. “Zoe is right, this is bigger than someone messing with our club. Good people stand to lose their property over this. From what I can tell, one of the other two properties has a privately owned equestrian center and the other is an apple orchard.”
Zoe volunteered, “I can ride out and talk to the landowners. You know, make sure they don’t take those eviction notices at face value. And find out if they know anything we don’t.”
Hacker’s voice turned serious. “I don’t want you going out there alone because there is always a possibility that you could run into one of the fuckers involved in this scam. They would move heaven and earth to keep Griffinsford’s most popular truth-teller silent.”
“I’ll go with her and keep her safe while she sweet-talks information out of them.”
Zoe shot me a withering look. “I don’t sweet-talk information out of people. I approach them with respect, trust in their ability to comprehend complex situations, and collaborate with them to find solutions that keep us all safe.”
“Wow, that’s a fucking impressive speech. You should have it printed on a t-shirt or maybe make it the tagline for your vlog.”
Hacker said harshly, “Being disrespectful to your club president’s old lady your first week as a fully patched brother is an asshole move.”
My head shot up. “I wasn’t being disrespectful. It was supposed to be a joke.”
Hacker made an imperious slashing motion with one hand. “Your sense of humor sucks and you’re dangerously close to ‘fuck around and find out’ territory.”
Since I wasn’t fucking totally bereft of the knowledge of right and wrong, I apologized. “Sorry, Zoe. I was trying to be funny, not mean. I’m clearly a dipshit who thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is.”
She flashed me a good-natured grin. “You’re forgiven, but don’t be surprised if I gift you with said t-shirt for your next birthday.”
Gesturing to the large stack of paperwork that Hacker just printed off, she asked, “Is this the financial paper trail that I asked for?”
“Yes ma’am, it is. You gonna dig through it or do you want me to?”
“I’ve got it. You know I have an eye for detail, and you’ve got more important things to do with your time than basic grunt work.”
“You have my thanks. Happy hunting, Zoe. If there’s a fucking clue in there, I know you’ll find it because you always do.”
She took the first warm stack of paper from the printer, clearly excited to be starting her next big case.
***
My phone buzzed before we made it to the front door. It was Tracey. When I heard the distressed tone of her voice, I stopped dead in my tracks.
“Alvin, I’m in trouble and I need you. I mean, me and my girls need you. Can you help us? I don’t have anyone else to call.”
“Of fucking course,” I answered without even thinking about it. “What happened?”
“He hit me,” she said, her voice quivering.
I covered the phone with my hand and told Zoe, “This is an emergency. Go to Storm and tell him to assign some prospects to escort you to talk to the landowners.”
She gave me a nod. “Got it. Stay safe and if you need anything, text us.”
I nodded and got back to talking to Tracey. “What the actual fuck? Was it Bryce or his dad?”
“Bryce hit me again and the girls saw. He swung and Jenna fell. She’s holding her arm. Jill won’t stop shaking. I can’t pry them apart. They’ve never seen their father act like this. I don’t know what to do. I do not have anyone to call and no place safe to go that he can’t find us. You’re our only hope.”
“I’m on my way,” I responded. “Is Bryce or his old man home right now?”
“No. They’re both at the office. His father left this morning, and Bryce just left a few minutes ago. I locked it after, but of course he’s got a key.” There was a slight hesitation, and she added, “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a bother by making our problems yours.”
“You’re not a fucking problem,” I growled, working hard to control my anger. “You’re a human being that just got abused. I can be there in fifteen minutes. I want you to lock the back door if it is not already locked. Check the garage door. Put the chain on the front. Tell me when it is done.”
I heard the clatter of the chain and the thud of a deadbolt. “Done,” she said, voice lower. “The windows are shut from last week. The house is still.”
“Alright, you’re safe for the moment. Even if Bryce comes back, I’ll make it there before he can force his way into the house.”
She stated in a panicked voice, “Jenna keeps saying her arm feels wrong. My lip is bleeding again. I am trying not to get it on her shirt. I need to take her to the ER, but I don’t think I can drive right now, I’m too shaken.”
“Stay calm. I am on my way to you now,” I reassured her. “We’ll deal with everything when I get there.”
“Just hurry, Alvin. We’re all scared.”
“Of course you are. I want you to call an ambulance.”
She stammered, “I can’t do that. Bryce will be really mad. He doesn’t want any kind of bad publicity that might impact his family or business.”
I cursed under my breath. “Bryce is a fucking domestic abuser. What he did to you and your girls is against the law. Never let a criminal dictate your response to their crime.”
Tracey started crying so hard she could hardly speak. “I… just… don’t… know. I don’t want to make things worse. I just want me and my girls out of this situation.”
“Hang tough, darlin’. I’ll be there shortly,” I told her. “If he comes back, take the girls to the back room and call 911. Stay on the line with them until help arrives.” I pulled my helmet on, and the engine turned over. “I will knock three times, pause, then twice again, pause, then once. That’s proof that it’s me.”
“I’ll listen for it,” she said. I could hear the girls crying and Tracey telling them reassuringly, “We’ve got to be brave.”
“You already are,” I whispered before I opened the throttle. I took the backroads and pushed myself to get there as soon as possible.
***
The whole way there, all I could think of was how wrong I’d been about my old friend. I’d known he could be an asshole at times, but I never once suspected he would hurt his wife and kids. Part of me wanted to believe he was just spiraling because of his mother’s death and drinking too much. But it was morning, and he clearly wasn’t falling-down drunk if he went to work.
I skidded to a stop in front of her house, raced to the front door, and gave my knock.
What I saw when she opened the door about broke my heart. Her girls were huddled together on the floor, crying. Tracey’s face was bruised, and her bottom lip was split. I could tell that she had tried to clean herself up. I stepped through the door and gave her a hug. “I’m here now. Everything’s going to be okay.”
“We need to get out of here right now,” she said.
“Not yet. First, we grab your IDs, social security cards, birth certificates, insurance cards, shot records, and anything else you’re gonna need to make it on your own. Also, grab any meds, phone chargers, and pack anything you can’t bear to part with. We travel light and fast. It’ll only take a few minutes. You have to take the important stuff now, because Bryce will use whatever you leave behind as leverage to get you to engage with him.”
Understanding flashed in her eyes. “That’s smart thinking. We keep our important papers in a safe in Bryce’s home office.”
“Go get them quickly. Is there anything you want me to grab?”
“Whatever you can from the girls’ room. It’s the first door on the right. They each have a stuffed squid that’s their special thing.”
“Got it.” I took the stairs two at a time, busted into the girls’ bedroom, and scooped up everything I could fit into four pillowcases, then grabbed their special stuffed animals. I was quick about it.
When Tracey came back into the living room, I broke the bad news. “I called 911 before I left the clubhouse.”
“They were quick about responding when Eleanor stopped breathing. Maybe they’re not coming.”
“They are,” I insisted. “The fuckers just take longer for domestic abuse situations that aren’t life-threatening.”
When she opened her mouth to argue against it, I interrupted. “Look, you and the girls need medical treatment. Doctors and nurses are all mandated reporters. That means they’re legally required to contact the police in situations of domestic abuse.”
Her eyes flashed to the door and back to me. I could sense her anxiety rising by the second. “Are you sure about this, Alvin? Bryce is the kind of man who holds a grudge.”
“Yeah, this is all standard operating procedure.”
She told me quietly, “Bryce said no one would believe me. He said the police are used to women who try to put charges on their hard-working husbands.”
“He is wrong,” I said. “People will believe you. The report will speak for itself. The doctor’s notes will speak. The girls’ voices matter. You are not alone in this.”
She thought it over for a few long minutes before saying, “Okay, let’s do this.”
We heard the sound of sirens drawing ever closer. I saw Tracey’s anxiety increase by leaps and bounds. “The whole neighborhood is going to know what happened here today.”
“That falls into the category of things that aren’t your problem. Bryce made his bed and now he can lie in it.”
I came to my feet and walked to the door, just as a sharp knock sounded through the thick wood door. I opened it and stepped back while gesturing for them to enter. “They’re in the living room.”
One of them turned to me with a blank look on his face. “It’s probably best if you’re not present during our interaction, especially if there are children involved. And I should warn you; law enforcement is on the way.”
“I’m the fucking friend she called for help, not the asshole who abused her.”
The paramedic looked taken aback.
“Best get to it,” I told him. “That little girl in there might have a broken arm. Do your job.”
Chapter 7
Tracey
When I woke up the next morning, it took me a minute to realize I was safe in Alvin’s bed. Only he got patched in by his club and everyone calls him Axel now. There was a story behind that name, but we hadn’t had a chance to discuss it. Hopefully, we’d have an opportunity to jumpstart our friendship properly in the coming days and weeks.
The girls were under the blankets with me, one on either side, still sleeping soundly. I cracked my eyes open to see the sun was just beginning to rise. I could see it barely outlined around the edge of his blackout curtains. The bed was warm and cozy, making me want to turn right back over and sleep a bit more.
I closed my eyes again, thinking back on what an awful day yesterday had been. Memories rose in my mind of Bryce hitting me with his fists. A few days before that he’d slapped me across the face, and I foolishly thought he was spiraling after his mother’s death and let the alcohol get the better of him. But yesterday morning, he hadn’t even been drinking. He was stone cold sober.
My hand came up to cup my still swollen cheek. I knew early on that Bryce wasn’t the nicest man in the world, but I truly never thought he’d go that far. Raising his fist to me was the final straw, and hurting our daughter—even if it wasn’t intentional—was unforgivable.
At least I had a way out, thanks to Axel. He volunteered to let us stay with him for as long as needed and to cover the costs of a very expensive local attorney who specialized in divorce proceedings. I didn’t expect that from him. If I’m honest, I didn’t think my old friend had that kind of money. He was so down-to-earth, unassuming, and really gave off those average guy next door vibes. I felt fortunate that he agreed to help us out when I called. So far, he had been a pillar of strength in our time of need.
Jill’s eyes popped open first and she immediately crawled over me to reach her sister, waking her in the process. I moved over to give them room and turned on my side to talk to them.
“How is your arm feeling, Jenna?”
Before she could answer, Jill pulled the sheet up to cover her sister’s cast. I reached over and covered her hand gently with mine. “Covering it up won’t make it hurt less, sweetie.” Shifting my gaze to Jenna, I told her, “If it’s hurting right now, I can give you some more cherry drink medication.”
She nodded and made a motion with her good hand as if she were drinking medication from a tiny cup, tipping her head all the way back.
I couldn’t help but smile. The twins looked so much alike that some people couldn’t tell them apart. I could though. Jenna was just that little bit smaller than Jill, and her eyes were a slightly darker shade of blue. Jenna also talked more and was a bit more daring. Jill, on the other hand, was protective of her sister and it came out in odd ways, like thinking that covering up her cast would make her arm hurt less.
I sat up. “We need to get up and get dressed, so we can get your medicine.” They both started crawling out of bed. Jill jumped down first and helped her sister off the bed. I quickly washed them off in the shower, careful to keep Jenna’s cast dry. We got dressed, brushed our hair and then the three of us headed downstairs.
I could hear Axel’s voice as we came down the steps. He seemed to be talking to his club brothers. Something about patrolling the area. He ended the call and stuffed the phone back into his pocket as he saw us in the doorway leading to the kitchen. He was standing there barefoot, in a t-shirt and jeans. He tilted back his head, giving me a quick chin jerk. It was the most masculine greeting I’d ever gotten from a man.
“Morning,” I whispered, as we entered the room.
Jenna clutched the sling at her chest. Jill just stared at him with wide eyes. When Axel stepped out to greet them, Jill pulled Jenna back a step. This was what fear looked like on my girls.
I quickly knelt down to talk to them at eye level. “Look, there’s no reason to be scared of Axel. He’s a nice person and we’re safe here,” I told them gently. “We’re going to be living here for a while.”
