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“Better,” I tell him. “I’m almost ninety percent sure I know who took that girl. You’re going to get me to hundred percent.”
He nods and awaits my instructions, his fingers poised to start a new search.
CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
Seer was nearly manic when he asked me to grab Bones and turn over the Bayou Reapers’ old hideout. He was either onto something oronsomething, but he wouldn’t give me a hint either way. He just said it was important for us to look for clues about Melissa’s whereabouts. So far, they’re the only suspects, and apparently time is of the essence with this. Personally, I don’t know what we can do with 20 minutes, but he said that was all he could give us.
I’m grateful Bones is with me, since he is one of the best shooters of the club. It’s why I made him my sergeant at arms all those years ago. He’s strong and he’s a fighter. If we encounter any danger at all, he’s going to put himself in the way of it. That’s what he’s best at. Tonight, though, there’s a heaviness about him I haven’t seen before.
I haven’t seen him at all since I caught him smiling at the dance teacher a few weeks ago. It’s incredible to see how this relationship has changed him. He’s worried to the point of obsession. It’s a feeling I know very well. Love is a blessing and a curse. It’s the most wonderful feeling in the world until it makes us crazy. Suddenly, it’s like we have no control over our thoughts or our actions. Everything we do is consumed by it.
He may deny it all he wants that he isn’t in love with this girl, but he wouldn’t be here if that were the truth. We’re potentially walking into a viper’s den. If there are any Bayou Reapers who haven’t been arrested, they’re going to be defensive and extremely dangerous. If there’s no one there, he might become defensive and extremely dangerous. Either way is a sure sign that his feelings for her run deeply.
We park our bikes a quarter mile away from their old hideout, not wanting to announce our arrival. If anyone is here, we want to see them before they see us. We approach the old house very carefully. The place is rundown, situated in the middle of an abandoned graveyard. They are called the Reapers for a reason.
We pick our way carefully through the headstones, ready to duck and cover if need be. Bones is all tension and heightened awareness. He looks like he’s ready to pounce on someone at the first sign of trouble. For his sake, I do hope he gets the chance. There’s nothing worse than that helpless feeling of loss.
So far, though, it’s quiet on this front. We approach the house and there’s no sign of life. I pull out my pocketknife to cut through the layers of police tape surrounding the front door. It falls easily to the ground, and I test the doorknob. It’s locked, but it’s an old door. I’m surprised they didn’t have more security at their front door, though I suppose the Reapers’ reputation is enough to keep people away.
In my time as Prez of the Ruthless Kings, I made sure to never get into tangles with the Reapers, or their leader, Samson. He was named for his incredible strength and his spotless record of taking down his enemies. It was better for everyone if we just stayed off their radar and never tangled. We had enough enemies as it was, but even our fiercest enemies were puppies compared to the Reapers.
My pocketknife is sufficient to jimmy the lock, and soon enough, Bones and I are stepping over the threshold into a clearly empty house. If anyone else were here, I’d be able to sense them. It feels exactly like the graveyard. It’s dead inside. Maybe if Hex were here, he’d be able to speak with the ghosts who surely make this place their home.
“No one’s here,” I tell Bones. “Let’s get this done fast. You take upstairs and I’ll take down.”
Bones nods, picking his way through the house to the squeaky staircase. I hear each step groaning under his weight. I can’t believe anyone lived here, let alone operated a major gang from this house. It’s a relic of a New Orleans of the past. I hold up my flashlight and carefully pick through all of the rooms on the downstairs. Apart from scattered furniture, it looks like everything else is gone. Either the police were extremely thorough in their raid, or someone’s come back to clear the place out. There’s nothing here, even in what clearly was the main office.
I hear Bones approaching, and turn my flashlight on him to see his downtrodden face. The anger and disappointment he’s experiencing would be evident even if I couldn’t feel it.
“There’s nothing here, Pocus,” he says with a pained voice. “This was just another dead end.”
“Seer was probably counting on that,” I tell him as we make our way out of the abandoned house. “He seemed really sure of himself when he called and asked me to check this out.”
“So he purposely wasted our time?” Bones grumbles as we pick our way through the graveyard. “Why would he do that?”
“Because he knows where she is, and he just wanted to be sure.”
Bones grunts his displeasure at this and remains silent as we quickly walk back to our bikes. He pulls away first, driving so fast I can hardly keep up with him. By the time we reach the clubhouse, he’s off his bike and storming toward the front door as I park. His anger is so strong, I can feel it from the driveway.
I quickly follow after him, hoping to mitigate any fight that might break out. As soon as I get inside, I see that he’s already taken out his anger on one of the hallway walls. There’s a perfect fist-shaped hole and an annoyed Seer.
“You’re going to feel like kissing me in a minute,” he says to Bones, not concerning himself with the man’s outrage. “Come into the meeting room. You too, Pocus,” he calls so I know he saw me come in.
I clap Bones on the shoulder and push him toward the meeting room where Snake is, staring at a wall full of mugshots he’s hastily taped there.
“That’s all of them,” he says, turning toward Seer and looking surprised by our presence. “Good timing.”
“Gentlemen,” Seer says, motioning us to sit down. “While you were checking out the Reapers’ hideout, Snake was cross-referencing their membership records with the arrest reports. Everyone who was associated with the club is currently sitting in jail. He’s just confirmed it.”
Seer looks over to the wall and Snake nods once.
“And we had to drive all the way out there, why?” Bones grumbles. “Couldn’t you have figured that out without us leaving?”
The irritation falls off of him in waves.
“We could have,” Seer confirms calmly. “But you needed to do something with all that nervous energy and clear your head. And, hopefully, you’re more geared up now for a fight. Because I know where Melissa is, and we’re going to go get her.”
The irritation swiftly changes to surprise and Bones sits up straighter.
