Entangled Heart (Ashby Crime Family)

Then she took a seat with a heavy sigh and sat back before flashing a smile at me. “Hey, Jamie. How are you?”

“Good. You?” I thought she looked a little nervous and sketchy, but I waited for her answer before venturing my opinion.

She shrugged. “Been better, I guess. Got a job and a steady paycheck, so I can’t complain, but I will because I don’t have the only thing I came here for. My sister.”

“No luck yet?” She was determined as hell to find her sister and even though she refused my help, I was desperate to find a way to track down Molly. Or her body.

“Nope,” she said, that one word telling the story of her anger and frustration that I’d read as soon as she walked into the restaurant.

“Now with the Bonnie-Mueller thing going on, no one gives a fuck about my sister. No one but me.” She shook her head and asked for a shot and a beer when the waitress stopped at our table. “I went to see her, you know. Savannah change-my-name-so-people-will-forget-the-fucked-up-shit-I’ve-done O’Connor.”

I did my best to hide the shock and fear I felt for her, but her laugh told me I did a shit job. Then I blurted out, “You did what?”

“I paid her a visit at her shiny new office building. I need answers and going straight to the source will give me the best chance of getting them.” She shrugged it off, like it was no big deal.

“Don’t let what happened to her fool you into thinking she’s harmless, Maddie. She doesn’t abuse women, but that doesn’t make her a good person.”

Maddie’s eyes rolled skyward. “I know that Jamie. And no offense, but your guys aren’t the good guys either, or they would’ve helped me find her when I asked.”

I couldn’t deny that, and I didn’t want to argue. “I know.”

“Besides, I don’t think Savannah is harmless. I don’t like her or trust her, but when she told me she didn’t know where Molly was, I believed her more than I believe Kat. Does that sound stupid?”

“No, but why would Kat lie if she found your sister?”

“I don’t know. I have no fucking clue, but she’s a shitty liar, and I know she’s lying. Either they found Molly and she’s dead, or she doesn’t want to be found. Even by me.”

Shit. I didn’t like to see Madison sad or defeated. It just wasn’t how the world was supposed to work. She was lively and bright, a constant smartass, and that was how I liked her. “Have you confronted Kat?”

She glared at me. “Several times, but she’s towing the company line. She always says she hasn’t found anything concrete, but swears she’s still looking. She’s not.” On that note of finality, she downed her shot.

“And Savannah?”

She shivered slightly at the bite of the whiskey, then shook her head. “Said she put two men on the search. If she finds anything, she’ll let me know. I don’t know if I believe her.”

Madison shook her head as if the idea that she believed Savannah O’Connor was a character flaw.

“I’ll find Molly. I don’t know how or with what, but I will. I have to.”

There was one way I could help, at least for now. As soon as dinner was over, she skipped dessert. That was another sign Maddie wasn’t feeling herself, so I paid the tab and held my hand out. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?”

“To get some answers.”

At least I hoped we could get some, but by the time I pulled up to the Reckless Bastards clubhouse, I wasn’t so sure.

“This doesn’t seem like a good idea, Jameson. You’re a cop now.”

“So? He’s my fucking brother. You want answers, don’t you?”

Maddie nodded, but gave me a look that told me she wasn’t convinced of my strategy.

“This might be our best option,” I said, offering her my hand.

We stepped inside the clubhouse where the nonstop party was in full swing. I flashed a smile and a wave at the few Bastards and Bitches sober enough to recognize me as I pulled Madison toward the office where my brother spent most of his time.

Charlie looked up as soon as we filled the doorway, a wary smile on his face. “Jameson, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to ask a favor.”

“Yeah, and what might that be?” He ran his hand through his dark hair. He’d been drinking.

“Get Savannah to give up what she knows about Madison’s sister.” My words sounded more like a command than a favor, and I saw the moment Charlie went from being my brother to being the MC Prez.

“Who the fuck do you think you are, coming into my house and making demands like this?” He stood slowly, his gray eyes glassy, and I got it. He was definitely. drunk.

“You’re not part of this MC, Jameson. You have no fucking right to stroll up in here like Mr. Big Shit cop. And don’t think you can come in here and flash that badge and it’ll mean something. It doesn’t.”