“What’s your name?”
“Harley.”
“I’m going to get you some help, Harley, and then we’re going to find this bastard.”
“Okay.” She blacks out, and a minute later there’s a pounding on the door. I leave her there, hoping she doesn’t die while I let Doc in. Pulling my gun out from my drawer, I walk to the door and check. It’s just him, so I let him in.
“Thanks for coming. She’s in my office and she’s looking fucked up. I don’t know if we should have called an ambulance or keep her hidden.”
“Let me see.”
We go into the room, and he checks her out for the next ten minutes.
“Honestly, other than a broken wrist, some bruises, dehydration, and exhaustion, she’s not in terrible shape. Let’s move her upstairs and set her up with a drip. I have everything in the back of my vehicle, but I’m due in the hospital in an hour so I can’t stay. I’d say keep her here and call Cyber. We need to know how she got here and who is after her.”
“Exactly.”
For the next fifteen minutes we set her up in the guest room, and then my staff begin to pour in for their shifts. Shit. How am I going to get everything up and running without telling a soul about this? As if reading my mind, Doc says, “Call Boomer and Crystal. Get them over here to lend a hand because I’m sure they won’t mind.”
I give Boomer a call, and he comes straight over. Crystal’s at school, so it’ll be a couple of hours before she can make it down here. “Come talk to me while they open up the bar.” It’s early, so there aren’t a lot of customers at one in the afternoon. Boomer follows me upstairs to the apartment, and I lock the door behind us.
“I’d been working when a young lady came pounding on my back door. She’d been in here the night I met Esperanza, but I kicked her and her friends out after one of them was a bitch to my woman. This girl was the nice one, but she looks like she’s been kidnapped. I think they said they were from Dallas that night.”
“Maybe one of them was from around this way. If she was running… maybe she recognized this place. Can I see her?”
“Sure.”
I take her into the room. “Doc says her injuries aren’t life-threatening.”
“But those are real fucking close. Damn.” He’s looking at what I saw. The rope marks on her wrists and throat—she escaped and fought. “We’ll do whatever we can to protect her. Find out who she is. Have you spoken to Cyber to get surveillance?”
“He’s busy at the moment, but I told him to get back to me when he can. We’ve been keeping him on his toes with all the damn drama around here.”
“That’s for fucking sure.” I run my fingers through my hair, and so does Boomer. “I’ll send Crystal over to help, but I want to keep her safe and protected. I don’t want my wife in danger either, so I’ll have guys just within earshot if she needs us, okay?”
“Understood. Thanks.”
We both head down, and I check on my staff. They aren’t part of the Rider family, but they are locals to Steeleville, which has grown into a nice community and we want to keep it that way. “So how’s it going down here?” I ask Sam.
“Good, Boss. Everything all right? You called in the big dog. Did we do something wrong while you were gone?” He looks toward Boomer who walks out of the bar.
“No, no. Everything went smoothly, it seems. It was club matters. I’m proud of you both for holding down the fort so damn well.”
“Thanks, Boss.”
“No—thank you. I wouldn’t have missed Roxie’s wedding for the world. Now, you are both off for the next three days, so I hope you enjoy that time off. Any plans?”
“Just online schoolwork for me,” Hans says.
“I’m taking classes at the trade school to be a mechanic,” Sam replies.
“Why didn’t you tell me? Does Wrench know that?”
“I haven’t mentioned it to anyone, really. I’m only in my first quarter, and I wasn’t sure if I’d like it.”
“Well, how’s it going?”
“I’m a hell of a lot better at it than I thought I was. I’ve always loved cars, even though I grew up without one. Reading up on them, watching car shows, and all that shit, I picked up an insatiable appetite.”
“Tell Wrench, Sam.”
“Nah. He’s busy. Besides, I’m just getting started.” He blushes as if he’s intimidated, but I’ll do it for him. Wrench could always use good men who are willing to work with their hands. Sam’s a good kid.
“Okay.”
A man with a gruff build comes into the bar, looks around, and scowls. “Can I help you, buddy?” I ask, remaining cool, but stern because I am the owner, and I won’t show weakness to anyone especially to the likes of a man like this.