Bomber, page 12
part #1 of War Brothers MC Series
“Come here, I’ll point to them. I’m not even going to bother trying to pronounce them.”
Zara smothers a laugh.
The waitress steps toward Kane, who’s holding the menu and pointing to what he wants. “That one, two of that one.” She nods as she scribbles them down.
Zara’s eyes are on the ocean, her hand touching the glass. “I forgot how beautiful the view is from here.” Instead of the view, my eyes latch onto the ring on her finger. A sliver of warmth lightens my chest that she’s still wearing it after all this time.
Kane leans back in his chair and peers at Zara. “So what else have you been up to?”
“I’ve been really busy with work, and apart from that, I occasionally help at the local homeless shelter when I can.”
Fuckkkk! We have gone on two very different paths, almost the opposite of one another.
Her eyes bounce between the two of us. “What else have you guys been up to?”
Kane looks at the ground, then rubs his chin. “Not helping at a homeless shelter, that’s for sure.”
“I wasn’t expecting you to,” she says, smirking. “How’s the casino going?”
“It’s always chaos. Each day, I never know what I’m going to walk in on or what drunk asshole I’m going to have to deal with.”
Zara shifts, giving me her full attention. “What about you? What do you do for work?”
I don’t even have to look at Kane to know he has a stupid, smug grin. When I glance at him, I see I’m right. He raises a brow, as if curious to know how I’m going to answer her.
“I don’t have a day job. I’m sergeant at arms in the MC.”
She squints at me. “But how do you earn a wage?”
I pause. “I can’t divulge that information. It’s club business.”
Kane doesn’t even know what we do, but he’s not stupid. He knows we earn money by doing something illegal.
An awkward silence hangs heavy in the air. I can’t tell her. She would have to be my ol’ lady before I can give her details, and even though I’ve been saying to everyone that she is, she’s really not. No civilian can be half in and half out. We can’t afford for anyone to let slip that we grow and distribute weed.
“Are your cousins still living here?” Zara asks us.
Our cousins hung out with us during the holidays when they came home from private school, but then we all grew up and did our own thing.
“Yeah,” I answer Zara. “Alec, Lawson, and Harrison are still here. Sophie moved away a while ago.”
“Are they coming tonight?” she asks.
“They are. I’m not sure about Sophie, though,” Kane replies.
The waitress brings our drinks and sets them in front of us on the table. “Food won’t be long.”
Zara raises her glass. “To Misty.” We pick up our glasses and clink them.
“To Misty,” we say in unison.
Shortly after, our food arrives. There’s a comfortable silence as we eat. I glance at Zara every so often to check that she’s eating. When we finish the food, we chat among ourselves.
As we leave, I pull out my wallet and open it. Kane gives me a weird look. “We aren’t paying.”
Shelly smiles. “Yes, family is free.”
Zara steps up next to me and gasps when she sees the photo section of my wallet. I watch her closely as she takes my wallet from me, bringing it closer to her face to get a better look.
“Can I take this out?”
I slowly nod, watching her expression. She slips her finger in, pinching the photos and sliding them out. There’s two of them. Two of Zara, one recently and one before Misty left—before the pain tainted her.
Her brows pinch. “How long ago was this one?”
I look away, thinking. “Six months.”
Her eyes widen. “You really came to see me.” She frowns. “I wish you would have actually spoken to me.” Her voice conveys her longing, underlined with sadness.
I clench my teeth as guilt churns my stomach. “You were better off.”
“No, I wasn’t.” Her voice breaks.
My shoulders fall and my chest is heavy. Did I make a mistake? Should I have gone to see her and spoken to her?
As we walk out, my phone rings in my pocket. I pull it out to see Reaper’s name. I answer it immediately. “Is everything all right?”
He lets out a deep chuckle. “Everything is fine. I was calling to tell you we just arrived.”
I pull my phone away from my ear to see that it’s five thirty.
“Who’s that?” Kane asks.
“Reaper,” I mouth to him.
“Oh . . . Tell him they should allow everyone to come in for free now for the vigil.”
“Did you hear that?” I ask Reaper.
“Yes. See you soon,” he replies.
“We’d better get going,” Zara says, her anguish obvious. “Mom is probably already here.”
Kane’s shoulders fall. I wish I could take their pain away from them. I know I need to look into Misty’s disappearance again, for everyone’s sake. “You two go ahead. I need to make a phone call.”
They pause. Zara nods. Kane searches my eyes, interested in who I’m calling.
“I’ll tell you later,” I say quietly. I wait until they leave, then I call Alec.
He’s my cousin on my mom’s side. He practically manages all his father’s businesses in Crown Village, and if anyone can get the ins and outs, he can because nothing happens in this town without my uncle and Alec’s say so.
“Hello, Alec speaking,” he says in a professional, monotone voice.
“It’s Knox.”
“My apologies for today. I might be late to the vigil, but I’ll get there when I can.”
I’m grateful my family is coming. “I appreciate it. Can I ask a favor?”
“Anything.”
“Can you investigate Misty’s case for me? I’m going to try to get more answers tonight, but I want to go over everything again. Something has been missed. Someone knows more than they are letting on.”
“Sure . . . It’s been playing on my mind since Helen approached me about having the vigil. Ten years, I can’t believe it. The vigil is all everyone’s been talking about. Everyone’s going, so be prepared for a crowd. All my family should be there soon to pay our respects—even Sophie traveled for it.”
Having the family back together with Mom and Dad, just like old times . . . I wish it were under different circumstances.
After we hang up, I search for everyone. When I see men with cuts on huddled around the carousel, I walk toward them. They all turn to look at me when I arrive.
Reaper squeezes my shoulder. “The women and some men are getting the supplies from Zara’s mom’s car. What do you need from us?”
I tip my head. “Thanks, pres. When they get back, I’ll ask Zara’s mom, Helen.”
Viper steps toward me, gives me a bear hug, and slaps my back.
“Did you want me to check the crowds?” Demon asks. “See if there’s anything suspicious or watch out for anything out of the ordinary?”
“Yeah, actually.” I’ve got my hands full with Zara. At least I have the men to fall back on. They will step up if I need them to, especially Demon. He nods and leaves us as he strolls. A woman pulls her child closer and gives Demon a wary stare when he walks around the back of them.
Rage, Cash, and Axle walk to the tables with big brown boxes in tow, women trailing.
“What’s the boxes for?” Viper asks me.
“I have no idea.”
The men put the boxes down and make their way to us, while the women open them. Zara pulls out a pamphlet. She studies the front of it. Her fingers trail over the image. When she opens it, she wipes away tears. I step toward her, but both women dash to her side. Elena puts her arms around her waist, pulling Zara to her, as they all peer down at the pamphlet.
I’ve appreciated the women helping around the clubhouse, but I’ve never truly valued their kindness and support until now. They’re there for Zara, when they don’t even know her.
“The women have got her back.”
I glance up at Reaper and let out a heavy breath. I clear my voice. “It means a lot.”
“That’s not all. We purchased hot dogs, rolls, and some sauces, and we’ll grill some hot dogs for the people attending.”
“You didn’t need to.”
“My woman insisted. You know what she’s like.”
I hear a sob and peer up to see Zara holding Helen. Their arms are wrapped around each another. I look up at the sky, wondering why bad things happen to good people. Zara hugs her dad next, and I make my way to them. I peer over my shoulder to see the men following me.
When we reach them, Helen leaps into my arms. “Oh, Knox,” she says, and I wrap her tight. When she pulls back, she wipes her nose with a tissue, which she then puts back in her pocket. When she lifts her eyes, they widen at the men surrounding us.
Reaper steps forward. “We’re here for you. Whatever your family needs.”
Helen steps to Reaper and puts her arm around him. She looks so small next to him. He puts his arms around her. “Thank you,” she says, then looks around at all the men. “I’m thankful for all of your help.”
Viper puts his arm around her shoulder. “Bomber’s family is our family.” John introduces himself to each man, shaking their hands, then Ava and Elena fuss over Helen. I’ve never been prouder than I am today to wear the club’s vest and patches.
Kane makes his way to us and stands beside me. “Who did you call?” he asks with a raised brow.
I turn my back on everyone else and lower my voice. “Alec. I’m not settling for what we already know about Misty’s disappearance anymore. I’m looking into it myself, and Alec is going to help. The police might have missed something.”
Pain etches his face. “Are you sure you want to bring all of that up again? We would have found out when it happened with all the resources we had.”
“Actually, I do. The Pratt family needs answers, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to find out what happened.” I gesture toward the crowd. “Look at all the people here already. Her disappearance rocked our community just as much back then as it does now.”
Kane lets out a deep sigh. “Okay. I’m with you, every step of the way.”
My eyes land on our mom, who strides toward the Pratts. Helen lets out a squeal, and they embrace each other.
“Well, she showed up,” Kane deadpans.
“Mmm . . .” I grumble.
It’s not good enough. I lost all respect for her a long time ago.
Twitch steps to us. “Hey, I heard Helen mention needing to set up the sound equipment and projector.” He peers over at Zara’s parents. “I can do that for them.”
“I’ll show you where it is and help you,” Kane replies.
They stride toward the hall.
Mom’s eyes land on me, and I groan when she walks my way. Her arms come out for a hug, but I take a deliberate step back. She frowns and her arms fall.
“It’s good to finally see you.”
“Well, whose fault’s that?” I reply bluntly.
My once-confident Mom breaks eye contact and looks away briefly before glancing back up at me. She used to be covered in diamonds. Her hair was always tied back in a bun, and she wore the most expensive brands. She’s none of that now. Instead, she has black jeans and a long black shirt on. Her face isn’t full of makeup, and her hair is back in a ponytail.
I peer around her, seeing no guards with her. “Where’s all your security?”
Something flashes across her face but quickly disappears. “There was no need for them to be here.”
There was never a need for them. She’s just paranoid. “Is the one-million-dollar reward still applicable?”
She slowly bobs her head. “It is.”
“Good.”
Another motivation for people to help.
“It’s been ten years. I doubt any new information will be found.”
My eyes narrow at the stranger in front of me. “You don’t know that.”
“Where’s Kane?”
I glance to the hall, where I see Kane and Twitch with their hands full. I tilt my head in their direction. “Helping with the sound equipment.”
“I’m going to make myself useful.”
I grab her arm as she goes to leave. “What was the private investigator’s name?”
She stills momentarily. Then her mouth falls open. “Why?”
“I want to ask him some questions.”
She blinks rapidly. “Knox, it was a long time ago. You can’t expect me to remember.”
“I need for you to look into it for me.”
“Why?”
The frustration in her voice makes me grind my teeth. What a stupid question!
“Just do it. It’s the least you can do.”
Her eyes narrow and she pulls her arm out of my grip. “Don’t talk to me like that. I’m still your mother.”
I shake my head. “Nah . . . my mom died a long time ago.”
Harsh but true.
She gasps and covers her mouth, but I walk away. She left when we needed her. I don’t recognize who she’s become.
I look around at everyone working together. Kane’s setting up the sound equipment. Twitch and Helen talk while looking at a laptop on the table. Rage and Axle are off to the side, handing out the pamphlets. Elena and Ava are getting the candles out.
I see John talking to my dad. We make eye contact, and I give him a small wave. My dad smiles and waves back.
“Bomber.” I shift to face Viper. His eyes are bulging. “Who’s that?” He points into the crowd, but there’s a lot more people here now and I can’t decipher who he’s talking about. “Who?”
“The blonde bombshell.”
The side of my mouth curves when my eyes land on her. “That’s my cousin Sophie.”
She’s off to the side, talking with my other cousins, Harrison and Lawson.
“Do you mind if I . . .?” He gives me a suggestive brow raise.
I scratch my head. “I wouldn’t.”
His jaw drops. “Why?”
“She will eat you alive.”
He laughs. “I fucking hope so.”
I chuckle, knowing how feisty Sophie is. “Not even you are a match for her.”
He groans and runs a hand down his face. “Is she into women?” He smiles. “I think I can turn her.”
“She’s not into women. Well, not that I know of.”
Viper smiles smugly. “I think I can handle her.”
“Don’t whine to me when it all goes to shit.” When we were younger, she left a long trail of broken hearts everywhere she went.
He whacks my back. “Sweet! How long is she going to be in Crown Village for? You’ll have to introduce us.”
I shake my head. Idiot! He can’t help himself thinking he’s God’s gift to women. It will be entertaining to see him try and fail miserably. “I’m not too sure how long.”
I search the crowd for Zara. She’s talking to Iris. I go to them, and when I reach Zara, I press a kiss to her temple. She looks up at me and smiles, then I glance at Iris. “Hey.”
She grabs my cut. “What’s this?” She clicks her tongue.
“What do you think it is?” I ask her.
“Trouble!”
We laugh together.
“Can I see you before you go?” I ask Iris. “I want to ask you a few questions.”
Zara tugs on my hand. “I’m meeting up with her tomorrow if you want to come.”
My eyes flick between the two of them. “I will. If you don’t mind.”
“Zara!”
We turn to Helen. “It’s time . . .”
Zara’s breath hitches and she bows her head.
I lace our fingers together, bring her hand to my mouth, and plant a kiss above her ring. Her eyes soften, but I let her hand go so she can be with her parents. The crowd goes quiet when “Memories” by Maroon 5 plays.
The projector is showing a photo of Misty that was taken prior to her disappearance. Helen passes out roses to Zara and John, and they walk over and put them by the projector. Elena and Ava go around with their lit candle, lighting others.
When the song finishes, Twitch hands Helen the microphone. She looks out at the group. “I’d like to thank everyone for coming out tonight.”
As she says a prayer, I peer at the sky. There’s only a small beam of light left from the sun as it descends, and apart from her voice, it’s quiet besides the rides in the background. As I glance at everyone, I see Reaper off to the side, speaking to Parker, the police officer. There’s a line of my MC brothers around the back of the crowd, paying their respects.
“Please protect my baby girl, Misty,” Helen says, with tears streaming down her face. “We miss her every second of every day.” She chokes on her words, and even I’m having trouble keeping the tears at bay. I stride toward them, linking my hand with Zara’s once more. “Did you want me to talk?”
I had no idea what I was going to say, but I hated seeing Helen breaking down.
Zara shakes her head. “No, I will . . .” She looks at me with glassy eyes. “Can you come up with me?”
I squeeze her hand in support.
“Okay . . .” she says through a breath.
We step to Zara’s parents, and Zara gently takes the microphone from Helen’s hands. Helen sags into John.
“Heavenly Father,” Zara begins, glancing up at the sky, “protect Misty, my sister and best friend. Please watch over her and guard her from evil. Give her the courage to return to us, to reunite us . . . because she has left a hole in my family”—she looks at her parents—“in her friends”—she looks at Kane, then looks back at the crowd—“and in the community.” She takes another deep breath. “Help us find out what happened to her. Grant us peace. Amen.”
I wrap my arm around her waist. While holding her, I reach for the microphone. She passes it to me as she buries her face in my chest and cries, and every tear shreds me. I turn to her parents before talking into the mic. “Do you want to talk again or . . .?”
John replies, “Zara said everything that needed to be said.”
I bring the microphone to my mouth. “For those who don’t know me, my name is Knox. I’m a close friend of the family. Again, we would like to thank everyone who has come to pay their respects.” I search the crowd and wave Parker over. “If anyone remembers anything leading up to or on the date of Misty’s disappearance, no matter how small, please speak to our local police.” I wait for Parker to join me. “This is Officer Parker, and he will record the information.”
