The men returned safely with more than they thought they would find.
Hawkins stared at the bounty laid out on the table and just shook his head. “Holy fuck, the drug trade is a shitload of cash kinda job,” he said aloud to no one in particular.
“Yeah, too bad it’s an illegal trade,” Cash added. “Along with all the headaches that come with it. This is her second stash, we’ve found. No wonder, she wanted us out of here so bad.”
Kota gazed at the money, jewels, and drugs on the table. “My question is why would she keep this shit here, of all places?”
“She knew it would be safe here,” Cat told them. “Between the cave and the old barn, who would think to even look for it? It’s hidden on an MC compound who do not deal in this stuff. And you guys certainly wouldn’t look for it because you had no need to be looking in either of those places. She knew that and she made sure. She comes and goes from here and you guys never even knew she was here.”
“Well dammit, we know about it now.” Hawkins growled. “This is where her shit stops.’
Cat suddenly got a shiver as if someone had walked over her grave.
Titan saw her shiver and walked over to her. “Baby, are you okay?”
Cat nodded yes, but didn’t say anything. Something felt off but she didn’t know what it was and she couldn’t explain it either.
Tatum looked up from where she was sitting at one of the tables farthest away from the main table. She looked confused and troubled.
Cat glanced over at Titan. “I’ll just go sit with Tatum. She looks a little lost with all of this. There isn’t much of anything else I can do anyway.”
Titan looked over at Tatum and saw what she saw. “Ok. She’s been a little shy with everyone. It might even help Brute, I’m sure he would like her to get to know everyone.”
Cat nodded. She went over to where Tatum was sitting. She smiled at her as she quietly sat down beside her. Cat asked softly. “Are you all right?”
Tatum nodded slowly. “I think so.” Shaking her head she admitted, “I thought my life was hard growing up but this?” She motioned around the room. “This is really real, isn’t it?”
Cat nodded. “Real? Yeah, this is as real as it gets.”
Tatum looked at her and asked, “Are you really Hawkins’ granddaughter?”
Cat shrugged. “I guess I am.”
“You don’t sound too happy about it,” Tatum pointed out.
Cat snorted. “I don’t think he is either. I was born here. When my mom killed his son, my dad, she dragged me away from here. She didn’t want me per say, but she also wouldn’t let him have me either. I became her pawn to play with, then when I no longer mattered, she tried her best to just get rid of me.” She paused then looked at Hawkins. “Now, he doesn’t quite know what to do with me. I’m part of him but he’s not sure where I fit in. To tell you the truth, I’m not sure where I fit in either.”
Tatum nodded. “I hear ya. I never knew who I was either. The woman that raised me was a sad, angry, mean old bitch. As hard as nails, she never told me who I was or where I belonged either.”
Cat leaned forward and patted her hand. “You know now though, don’t you?”
Tatum rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know now. I’m the daughter of a drug dealer’s daughter and an underground mob boss. Yippee for me.”
“So are you going to stay with Brute?” Cat asked her, changing the subject.
Tatum looked around the room and spotted Brute talking to Titan. “I want to. For the first time in my entire life, I feel safe, cared for, I feel like I’ve found a-a home with him. He makes me feel—I have so many feelings when I am near him for some reason.”
Cat smiled. “I know how you feel. I feel the same way about Titan and he has been on my side since I first came here. But I’m not sure I will be able to stay. My mother sure fucked things up. That sort of thing tends to leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, you know?”
“Yeah, I think I can relate to that.” Tatum paused. “Just how did the dominoes come together, so this Cheryl witch could mess with our lives so badly?”
Cat shrugged. “I guess it all started with her and Big Mike.” Then she frowned. “I have a feeling it will all end when I die. I will be the end of their family line.”
“You have a family?” Tatum asked.
Cat shook her head. “I was married to Davy for three years and we never had any kids. I kept hoping but it never happened for us. I doubt I can get pregnant now.”
Tatum nodded. “I get it, but why do you feel you won’t get pregnant now?”
Cat shrugged. “If it didn’t happen by now, I know it might not happen at all.” Then she studied her for a moment. “You want a family don’t you?”
Tatum nodded. “Yes, I do. I want a couple of kids and I don’t think I could have chosen a better man to be their dad, do you?”
Cat smiled softly as she too, looked over at Brute. “I agree, I don’t think he will ever let you down. Maybe that’s just what this club needs, a new beginning.”
“Well, I hope it happens.” Tatum nodded. “I know growing up alone was horrible and growing up with someone who hates your very life is even worse. Anyone would have been a better caretaker than Mrs. Wyman.”
Cat sighed in disgust. “You didn’t grow up with the likes of Cheryl, looking over your shoulder every day for any opportunity to make you miserable. There is always someone worse out there.”
Tatum shrugged. “I’ll give you that much. So now what? What did those guys bring back?”
Cat glanced over at the table where everyone stood then answered Tatum’s question, “Isobel was using one of the caves in the woods as a bank. When the guys found it, they found a ton of cash and precious gems along with a ledger of payouts and payoffs. They turned that over to the local police a week or so ago. Isobel didn’t leave, she was still hanging around, and we couldn’t figure out why. Then I suggested that maybe she had another bank nearby, still on the property. Wanderer remembered about an old barn he knew of. The guys hadn’t used for years as it was some distance away from the clubhouse. They went to search it out and it seems I was right. She had been using it as another place to stash her drug stuff. They found even more money, drugs, and jewels. They also put up cameras in case she or someone else comes around.”
Tatum shook her head slowly. “Oh wow, she is really evil. I overheard someone saying she is or was playing one cartel against another. She has to be crazy, taking chances like that.”
Cat nodded. “Yes, she is. She was directing a serial killer when I first got here.”
Shocked at this news, Tatum’s brows rose.
Nodding, Cat explained, “It was to set up Kota, Hawkins’ son. She is a stone cold killer too.”
An hour later in the afternoon…Cat felt it. That cold pit in her stomach and she got agitated. She grew more anxious and tense as the feeling began filling her whole body. She found herself pacing back and forth and she wouldn’t let anyone near her.
Titan looked upset when she pushed him away, mumbling about giving her some space. She decided she couldn’t even be in the same room with anyone as she felt death was closing in on her.
While everyone was busy with everything else going on, she slipped up to the roof. She could hardly stand still even up here, pacing back and forth, back and forth.
Down in the main room, Brute and Juju were watching the cameras, Juju had sectioned off an area and set everything up earlier.
Brute noticed them first. He tapped Juju’s arm and pointed to the cameras.
Both men watched as four bikers rolled up to the old barn. One of them stood tall, he was huge. His beer belly hung over his pants. His hair was long and what would have been completely white was now grayish, dirty and badly in need of a good washing, along with his long stained beard.
All four men walked into the old barn.
Brute looked up and called out to Hawkins, “We got company, Prez.”
Hawkins and the rest of the men joined them at the table.
Hawkins asked, “Who and how many?”
“Looks like it could be Big Mike.” Brute growled.
Juju had snapped a few headshots and he brought them up as still shots.
When Hawkins studied the photos, he nodded. “Yeah, that’s Big Mike. God damn, I really didn’t think he would still be alive. I thought for sure somebody would have stopped him with a hail of bullets a long time ago.” He looked up at the men standing there. “Well boys, this is it. Now is the time we need to get ready. When he finds nothing in the cellar of that barn, he’s coming here to look for it. I’m pretty sure he won’t be happy about it.”
“Ya think?” Brute snorted. He got up and shook his head. “Come on men, its play time.”
The men all hurried off to their rooms and returned a few minutes later, loaded for bear. Five men left the clubhouse to go to the tree stands and several men went to the roof.
Cat came back down the stairs a few minutes later. Hawkins motioned for her, Luna and Tatum to come with him. He led them to the kitchen where he showed them to a basement room. “I want you girls to stay here until this is over. I’m not sure what’s coming but I’m not going to risk your lives. So please, you three stay here.”
“You guys be careful too,” Cat told him. “That man is looking to collect death’s due.”
Hawkins nodded. “I know honey but death is not going to be taking any souls today. I ain’t looking to give him any. He will be stopped if it’s the last thing I do.”
Cat looked at Luna and held out her hand. Then she took Tatum’s hand as well. “Now we wait,” she said softly.
Hawkins went back up the stairs and shut the door, leaving the women alone.
Brute and Juju watched the monitors as they saw Big Mike and his friend come back out of the barn. They could see the rage on the older man’s face.
When they all got on their bikes and rode away, Juju looked at Hawkins and the others still there. “He’s coming in hard and fast and man, is he pissed to the max.”
Hawkins reached for the weapons on the table. He’d brought them out after he took the ladies down to the basement. He rubbed imaginary dust from the barrel of his revolver. “If I don’t make it, you tell Kota I said good luck with him taking over this club. Jesse should have taken it over a long time ago but now that falls to Kota. You tell him Titan will make a perfect VP. Then you boys send everyone coming at us to hell.” He looked over at Brute. “You don’t stop until you find Isobel then send her straight to hell.” Hawkins leaned into Brute’s space, “Then you marry that little girl and have a lot of babies with her. Keep her close and keep her safe. I failed Jesse’s daughter and I’ll be damned if I let that happen again. You tell Kota and Titan that you boys are to bring the next generation to life and they can live the good life. We made this club what it is today but you boys will take it further than we could.” Hawkins holstered his weapons and slowly walked to the stairway leading to the roof.
Brute looked over at Juju and shrugged. “I wonder where the fuck he thinks he’s going? He’s not dying today.”
Then the sounds of bike engines broke the silence in the compound.
Brute grabbed his weapon and went to one of the windows. He saw the four bikers coming in fast. He lifted his weapon and crouched down to the floor.
Gunshots rang out and the bikers split up to circle around the clubhouse.
Juju was at one of the other windows and he was shooting as well.
Neither man noticed the door to the kitchen open and Cat sneaking through. She ran for the stairway to the roof and thundered up the steps. When she burst through the door, she saw pure chaos as men were shooting at the targets on the ground.
She saw Hawkins step from behind his protection and she ran for him. She pushed him down, then she flew backwards. She slammed on the ground and stared at the sky for a moment. She could barely catch her breath as pain washed over her for a moment then she no longer noticed the sounds of gunshots anymore.
Cat felt a weird sensation as she left her body and was floating above. While watching everyone, she saw Hawkins sitting there stunned from her pushing him down.
Titan was running toward her and Kota was yelling at some of the men.
Cat could feel herself slipping away. She didn’t feel any pain as she watched herself close her eyes for a moment. She just felt so tired.
