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“I’ll talk to her about it,” I promise.
“We’ll get her a brand new, untraceable computer,” Shades offers.
Wild Man nods. “With VPN, security and evasion software. The works. She’ll make a list of whatever else she needs, and I’ll get it. No worries.”
“None of that means anything to me, but I’ll tell Gia.” I’m sure for her, those words will only sweeten the deal. A new laptop fully loaded and a fat wad of cash? She’s as good as gone.
“Good. Real good.” Ace nods, and Church is over.
Soon, Gia and I will be over too.
“Cheer up, Preacher. You still have time to get in the pretty hacker’s pants.” Coop claps me on the back, a tight smile on his face. “Want to watch me have a drink?”
“No,” I shake my head. “Need to get home and let Gia know what we want her to do.”
Coop’s expression turns serious. “We need her to do this, Preacher. However you feel about this chick, the MC comes first.”
“You mean how you put the club first when you agreed to not go to Costa Rica?” I shake my head. “Doesn’t matter. I know what I need to do, and I don’t need you to remind me of my loyalties.”
“Whoa,” he backs up with both hands in the air, a smirk on his face. “Someone’s got his panties in a bunch.”
“Fuck you, Coop. You know what this ask means for her, the danger it puts her in. Like I said, I know what I need to do but don’t ask me to like it.”
I walk outside to my bike, desperate to clear my head before I say or do something I’ll regret later. It’s not Coop’s fault that Gia is a hacker or that we need her to retaliate against the Iron Kings. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s Braden’s, and he’s probably already cuddled up with his wife at this moment.
“Preacher! Oh my God, Preacher, there you are!”
I turn at the sound of the distressed voice I vaguely recognize and find Kathy MacFarlane jogging across the parking lot.
“Kathy, what are you doing here?”
Tears and mascara are streaking down her face, one of the club whores chasing behind her, and she looks at me full of sadness and worry.
“Listen, bitch, I told you no one is allowed over here.”
I hold up a hand. “She’s fine. Get the fuck outta here, Stella.”
Stella freezes and glares at me before she huffs and turns away.
“Kathy, what’s wrong?”
She smiles, but it’s shaky and watery.
“Frank is still missing,” she says over a quivering breath, “and the police won’t tell me anything about it, and now Gia is gone too. I can’t find her anywhere, and she won’t answer my calls or texts. We got into a stupid fight, and I threatened to kick her out, and now she’s gone. What if something bad has happened to her?”
She’s working herself up into a good fit, and if I don’t stop her, she’s probably going to hyperventilate.
“Kathy, stop.” I put both hands on her shoulders to calm her down.
“I can’t, Preacher! My little girl is gone, and it’s all my fault.” Her legs buckle, and for the second time tonight, I’m helping someone else from falling over. Falling apart.
“Pastor Braden is fine,” I assure her.
Kathy shakes her head. “You don’t know that. I’ve been trying to get information for days, and no one will tell me a thing.”
“Kathy,” I bark a little louder. “I just heard from a friend on the force. They’ve located Pastor Braden. He’s safe. And at home with his wife.”
She gasps at my words and shakes her head in disbelief. “No. He’s not…married. Is he? Gia told me, but I called her a liar. That’s why she left. We got into a big fight, and, Preacher, I’m so worried…” Tears roll down her face, and she starts to sob.
