Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 76203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76203 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 381(@200wpm)___ 305(@250wpm)___ 254(@300wpm)
He hid bodies for the mob.
It was so absurd, I wanted to laugh.
But after everything I’d been through, my parameters for what was possible and not had really widened. So. York was a former mafia body-hider and current arms-dealing biker. That somehow seemed even less crazy than me being chased across states by two crazed men for completely unknown reasons.
“So… you could hide the bodies. If there were any.”
“Yep. And it would never trace back to you. I’m assuming you didn’t take that job using your real information.”
“I don’t even have any real information anymore. I use a fake business name and new burner phones everywhere I go.”
“Good. I’ll look into it. And if that leads nowhere—and I don’t think there are bodies there—then I will get more information from you about what you were doing and where you lived in that first town, so I can look into local crews there who might be responsible for this.”
“You make it sound easy.”
“Not easy, no. But easier when you’re on the inside and know where to look and who to talk to.”
“It’s not dangerous?”
“I can take care of myself. And you. And Denali. Now that I know, I’ll handle this.”
“I won’t lie. I was kind of hoping that you would be willing to help us. That’s why I came down here now. I mean, I did want Denny to know you and have a father figure in her life. But the timing just… it worked out.”
“And this place doesn’t trace back to you,” York said, waving toward the apartment. “And having neighbors is a good thing too.”
“Yeah.”
“Do you have a weapon?”
“I mean… I have knives in the kitchen. And bear spray.”
To that, he smirked.
“How do you feel about guns?”
“I mean, I grew up with guns. I think I shot my first one not much older than Denny is now.”
“How would you feel about me giving you a gun? A clean one that won’t trace to you if you ever have to use it.”
“I would feel like I’d need a really good safe to feel comfortable having it around Denny.”
“I can make that happen.”
“Then I’m open to it.”
“Bear spray is good. But only if it’s accessible. No digging around in your purse for it. And keep a separate one in your car.”
“I can do that.”
“A pocketknife is never a bad idea, either. I can get you a good one.”
“I’m not about to turn down any protective measures,” I told him. “I really thought I was going to die the past two encounters. I never want to be that vulnerable again.”
“You won’t be. You’ve got me now.”
I guess I did.
CHAPTER TWELVE
York
“Uh-oh. Trouble with the missus?” Dixon asked when I came through the back door and made a beeline for the liquor cabinet.
I was usually more of a beer guy when it came to casual drinking, especially outside of a party, so going right for the whiskey wasn’t common for me.
I poured three fingers and threw it back before turning to him, Velle, and Eddie.
“She’s been chased across half of the United States by guys who pretty seriously want her dead.”
The guys shared a look.
“That sounds about right,” Huck said, coming in from the laundry room. “What’d she get herself into?”
“That’s the thing. She has no idea. One day, she was a new mom just trying to figure shit out. The next, she had guys stalking her. At first, it was just that—the stalking. But then out of nowhere, it progressed to trying to run her off the road, poisoning, strangulation, and a nasty fight up in Georgia. She’s still got the bruises on her ribs.”
“What about the kid?” Huck asked, body tense. A family man himself, of course he was worried about Denali getting hurt.
“From what Runa has said, no one has put their hands on her. Yet.”
“But they did try to run her off the road. Presumably with the kid in the car.”
“Yeah. I mean, I don’t think we can assume men like this have any scruples. Garden-variety thugs.”
“Which means they’re working for someone else,” Huck said.
“That’s exactly my thought.”
“Where did it all start?”
“Philly, as far as I can tell.”
“I can reach out to the mother chapter. See what they know about any crews operating over there. Philly has some organized crime going on.”
“That’d be helpful. And I was wondering if you could send someone up that way to try to get some information once we know something.”
“We can do that. But I’d also suggest reaching out to Arty. He could listen for any chatter. Check around to see if there is some kind of bounty on her. That kind of thing.”
“Yeah, I can do that. I also have one more thing.”
“There always is with our women,” Huck agreed with a huff of a laugh.
“She was attacked at some rental in Georgia. I need someone to go up there and tell me if there are bodies. And if there are, I’m gonna need to handle that.”