“Good morning, sleepyhead. I’ve got the bathroom window to mend while you eat breakfast. Then we’ll go to the clubhouse and pick up Corey. Specs wants to speak to us about something, so don’t take too long.” Chaos bends and kisses my forehead, not mentioning the fiasco of last evening.
An hour later we walk into the clubhouse, and Corey throws himself at me. I give him a huge smile, kiss the top of his head, and hug him fiercely. “Are you okay, Corey?”
“I’m good, Mom.” Corey throws that out as though it’s already a done deal, and for once I don’t correct him.
“We have to speak with Specs, but you are coming home with us today,” Chaos informs Corey. “Make sure all your things are ready to go with us.”
“Will do, Dad.”
We both watch as Corey runs to the playroom. “He’s one hell of a kid,” Chaos states as he takes my hand and leads me to Specs’ office.
Stepping inside the office, Chaos guides me to a seat and then takes the one next to me. “Specs wants to talk to you about working with him. I don’t know enough about the tech side of watching over the club, but it appears Specs needs someone else here with him.”
I look at Specs who is smiling softly at me. “Yeah, I am thinking your expertise would help me immensely. I watch all our businesses. Check anything we need information on. Keep ahead of anything that may impact the club. That means watching town movements, particularly gangs or groups that start to appear.”
“I can do that. But I don’t want to let my current clients down. I have someone working with them, and if they say they are more than happy to stay with them, then I’ll step back. But yeah, I can work with you. Let’s do it on a month's trial period to start with. Just in case I don’t fit.”
Specs nods. “I’m okay with a trial period. I would want to start with general things and build on what you know and can do as we go along. I don’t want to overwhelm you. BaronsSecure has taken some of the steam out of the security side as they patrol our business premises now.”
“Do you have an issue?” I ask.
Specs looks at Chaos, and when Chaos responds with the smallest of nods, Specs continues, “We do. Someone is watching the wood supply business. It’s a lucrative business and the four that run it are now brothers. They are new brothers so feeling their feet within the club, but not in the business. They know everything that needs to be known about supplying wood. I don’t know what anyone would want with the supply yard, but we are watching closely.”
“Do you have cameras?”
Specs responds with a smirk, “Yeah, motion detection and high-res lights that would blind anyone if they came on.”
Before I can say more, the door opens and Star walks into the office. I’m a little surprised she isn’t in something dress-up, or role-play if that’s what you want to call it. She is in jeans and a t-shirt, which for her I would think is boring.
“Hi all,” Star smiles, and I mean a huge smile. “We’ve got rid of the trash, and we went to cover asses up when they left bodies in a van. Honestly, sometimes we have to babysit.”
Looking at Chaos, he has a guilty look on his face. “Oh!” is all he says, and Star gives him a look I’m not understanding, but you know they are all so weird I’m not even going to try to unravel what’s going on.
“Specs, Meat said he’s in the armory and he’ll be there for the next twenty-four hours.”
“Okay, Star. I’ll make sure the Stooges know he’ll not be in the kitchen.”
I’m watching both of them and wondering why she’s telling Specs this, but you know what! Never mind… I jump to my feet. “Thanks, Specs. I’ll work after I have Bethy’s funeral arranged, and I have her things sorted.”
“I’ve given the death certificate to her lawyer and he wants to read the will. I can arrange a meeting with him if you want? I also told him Art is dead,” Specs asks, and I see the care he is giving and the way he is trying to ease the situation for me. “Mia has arranged things with the funeral home to take care of Bethy. You need to speak with Mia about that.”
“Okay, I’ll do that. Star…thank you.”
She knows why. She and Meat had no reason to help me, but to be my friend at this time means more to me than she’ll ever be able to imagine.
“Hey, we are besties now. Don’t forget Winter is a bestie too. She wants you to report for training in two days, and she won’t take no for an answer.” Star is bouncing around with excitement, which is strange because I’m not finding any of this exciting.
Turning to leave the room I look back when Star speaks again, “We are having a girls’ night. Find a Cleopatra dress, it’ll suit you.”
Chaos guides me out the door. “She’ll get one. I’ll take her to Lily’s costume shop.”
Finding Mia in the kitchen, I sit next to her and give her a weak smile. “Thank you for all you have done for Bethy.”
“It’s nothing. I was becoming friends with Bethy, and I really liked her. We had arranged for her to ride with me on my trike. I am still struggling to believe she’s gone, even though I’ve spent time with her body.”
I grip Mia’s hand, and she squeezes it back. “She was my sister in all but blood, but more than that, she was everything to me. Friend, confidante, sister, stability and family.” Chaos says nothing, but he places his hand on my thigh, giving me support without being overbearing.
“I left all arrangements for you to make. I just wanted Bethy to be cared for and respected until you could do that. Are you going to see her lawyer before you make plans? Just in case she has set out what she would like if anything happened to her.”
