Chapter Five
Later in the afternoon, Calico sat over the files. He paused for a moment and stared into the eyes of a killer. A killer who hadn’t yet committed any crime or so he was told. He was staring at the military photo of Jon Ronin.
They say a photo is worth more than a thousand words but this image spoke to Calico.
Stone came over and watched him for a moment then had to ask, “What does that picture tell you that it doesn’t tell the rest of us?”
Calico threw the photo back down on the table and snorted. “It tells me that your man Hades wasn’t as innocent back then as you thought.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Stone demanded.
Calico turned and looked him in the eye. “Your man was a killer before he joined the service.”
“How the fuck do you know that from a photo?”
Calico picked up the photo again and handed it over to Stone. “I know that by the look in his eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul but if you look closely, you’ll find the man doesn’t have one. His eyes are dead.”
Stone looked again at the photo and finally saw what Calico had seen. Jon Ronin’s eyes were emotionless. With nothing but a black hole behind his eyes. He tossed the photo down on the table and realized the other man was right. He’d seen that look so many times in Jon’s eyes and never really thought about it before. Maybe he hadn’t known what to look for. “How the hell did the man pass the psych exam to get into the Marines then?”
“He was able to hide his sickness well, I imagine,” Calico explained. “Most men like him are cunning, enough to pull it off.”
“Can you track this fucker down?”
Calico turned to stare at the other man. “Yes, I can.”
“How?”
“I’m beginning to know him. If I can get deeper into his mind, I can figure out his method of murder. When I do that, I can figure out how to find him.”
“And you’re certain he began murdering before he signed up?”
Calico nodded. “Yeah, he’s killed before. Maybe not a lot but there’s a certain look in his eyes that say he’s no longer a novice.” He paused then asked, “You said he always left behind a red Hawk’s feather to mark his kills. Did he ever say why?”
Stone nodded. “He told us the red Hawk was majestic because it was a bird of prey, tougher than the eagle. He said its talons could rip apart anything it caught and he said the red color reminded him of the color of blood. To listen to him talk about it, he seemed obsessed.”
“He’s probably watched the bird in action. They live all over the nation.”
“Ronin grew up in the Midwest part of the States, somewhere in Iowa, I think.” Stone informed him. “He told us stories about watching the hawks near the farm he grew up on. Told us he had nothing better to do. His dad was working the fields and his mother had a job outside the home. He was left alone a lot when he was a kid. He didn’t have any close friends, although there was a girl he was close too. Said her name was Amy Reed.”
“I think I’d look at her as his first victim.”
Stone thought back to when Ronin had told them about her. “You could be right about her. He did talk about her in the past. At the time, I thought he was talking about her being part of his past but now, he could’ve been talking about her as if she was already dead.”
“I’d even hazard to guess she simply disappeared and her body was never found.”
Stone startled. “What makes you think that?”
“He was alone and very young when he killed her. He might have thought he was in love with her, even as young as he was. Then she told him something that upset his balance and he just killed her. He might not have even been aware of what he was doing, not the first time. He just couldn’t take the rejection.”
“I’ll have Deke’s man, Zipper run her name and see what he can find out about her.”
“Have Zipper run the parent’s names as well.” Calico stared at the photo. “He might have done something to them. Maybe they caught him doing something sick and they disowned him. Something happened to set him off.”
“I’ll do that. What else have you found?”
“I think there are more bodies out there waiting to be found.”
“Why do you think that?” Stone wanted to know.
“A killer like Ronin wouldn’t go several years without feeling the bloodlust that would demand that he take a life. The five years he was missing after he left the service would have been too long between killings.”
“What about the other murders?” Stone motioned to the files Matthias brought with him.
Calico shook his head. “Even with those they set a pattern. The earliest one is still four years after he escaped the MP’s.”
“What else do you know?”
“A man like Ronin always has a plan in the back of his mind in case he needs to disappear quickly.”
“How so?” Stone tipped his head to one side and stared at the other man.
“I think he takes the time to find his victim, then he follows her for a while.”
“And just how the hell do you know that?”
“I’ve read his military file,” Calico said. “Everyone who’s ever known him says he’s particular about the details. He likes to know every way a mission can go wrong and adjust his course to the way things go down. He likes to watch and listen then work things out the best way for him. He always has his own escape route planned in case he needs it. You said it yourself, he likes to be in the last place you expect him to be. It is his safety trigger. What he needs to survive, to be somewhere where no one can find him and stop him.” He shrugged. “I’d bet he did that before every mission. You guys might not have noticed it with everything else that was going on over there but I guarantee you, that’s what Hades was doing.”
Stone thought back to his time in Iraq. He nodded. “You could be right about that. No matter where we went he always had things planned out, even if it was in his own mind.”
“He may only have a high school education but he’s got the intelligence to do great things.”
Stone studied the other man for a moment then suggested, “You almost sound like you admire him. Now why would that be?”
Calico nodded as if in agreement. “I do admire him. I hate what he does but he’s a brilliant man.”
“Not sure that helps here.” Stone shook his head. “Think you’ll be able to find him?”
“Oh yeah, men like him will always make a mistake and when he does, I’ll find him. What matters now is his mistake. It will end up being something so simple, he overlooked it.”
“Like what?”
Calico shrugged. “Something so simple he wouldn’t even consider it a mistake, but it will be his final mistake and we just have to find what it is.”
Reaper, Doc, Viper along with Deke, Sam, Mountain and Gator joined them.
Calico gazed at the four members of Stone’s team that knew Jon Ronin. “Was there one thing he used to do that stood out about the man? Something he did or something he ate or drank that made him different or that caused him to stand out?”
Everyone thought before a moment then Reaper said, “What was it he used to drink all the time? It was a mixture of alcohol you wouldn’t think would ever go together well but I tried it one time and it was pretty good.”
“I think it was a shot of bourbon, a shot of vodka and a shot of tequila, chased by some kind of lemony soda,” Viper recalled.
“That sounds like a Gangbanger,” Mountain told them. “That drink will fuck you up in a hurry. Oh and just for the record, it’s mixed with lemon lime soda.”
Doc snorted. “Yeah, anybody but Hades would get fucked up on that drink. But not him, he could drink those things like they were water and very often he did, all night long. Funny thing too, he never seemed to wake up with a hangover the next morning.”
Calico nodded. “The human body can become so used to a substance that it no longer works. Painkillers and aspirin often work like that. But then so do some antibiotics.”
“Maybe we can gets the boys to ask around and see if anyone in the bars have been ordering this drink,” Deke suggested.
“It would be a place to start,” Calico agreed. “If we can get a line on him we might be able to find him without involving civilians.” He looked over at Stone. “Does the man have any tattoos or scars?”
Stone nodded. “As a matter of fact, he does. He has a red hawk in flight tattooed on his left arm. Around the hawk is a line of stars with initials in each star. When we knew him, there were four stars around the top of the hawk. As well as four arrows in the claws.” He shrugged. “Lord only knows what the initials and arrows mean.”
“I think the initials and arrows are his own particular way of acknowledging his kills,” Calico suggested. “Some killers like to remember each and every one of his murders.”
“That’s just sick,” Deke commented.
“Everything this guy does is sick.” Sam scoffed. “Have you read the police reports? Nine women that we know of have died by his hands and if we don’t stop him, more are going to catch his eye.”
“I’ll get the word out to the boys and see if we can find his watering hole,” Deke announced. “If they can find where he drinks, they may be able to find where he lives.”
“You might want to start at Drugen’s Bar,” McKenna finally spoke up.
Stone turned to her and frowned. “Why there?”
“Because that’s the only bar I’ve been in since I’ve been here. It’s the only place he could have found me in where I didn’t see him coming. Either that or he saw me on the street and just followed me inside.” She shrugged. “I go to work and come home. My blinds are always drawn and once I’m home, I never go out. I have been out a couple of times but only as far as Drugen’s.”
Calico nodded toward Deke. “Start there. Have the boys ask the bartenders but don’t bring attention to their answers. We need to find him before he knows we’re out there.”
“I can get Amos and Frankie on it right away,” Deke acknowledged. “But I also want the rest of them to check out the other bars.”
Stone looked at the clock on the wall and noted it was almost midnight. He felt tired. “I suggest we all get some rest and look at this with fresh eyes in the morning. Our boy isn’t going anywhere tonight and he doesn’t know where his target is.”
“She’s safe here.” Sam told him. “There will be people walking the perimeter all night. We got eyes on everything.”
Stone nodded and looked at his men. “Get some rest. I’m gonna need you in the next few days.”
Reaper, Doc and Viper nodded and went to the rooms Deke had given them earlier. Stone was going to do the same.
A few minutes later, he entered his room and without turning on the light he went over to the bed. His body ached in places he hadn’t thought about in a long time. His shoulders slumped and he dropped his head to his hands. Then he felt it. A small hand reached out for him. For a moment, he tensed then relaxed as he recognized her scent. McKenna was waiting for him. “I didn’t know if you would be here or not.”
“With you, I know I’m safe.”
Stone chuckled. “You’re in the middle of an MC clubhouse. I hardly think Hades will break in here. He ain’t that stupid, darlin’.”
Her arms crept around his waist as she knelt behind him. Laying her head on his shoulder, she whispered, “I’m safe with you, that’s all I know or care about.”
Stone felt his body come alive just below his waist. “You might not be as safe as you think you are. I want more of what I got last night.”
“Good, because so do I. In fact, I was hoping you did.”
Stone felt himself harden and turned to wrap his arms around her. Tipping her onto her back his lips crashed down on hers. His hands grasped her bare shoulders and moved down her sides. He discovered she was naked and his heart beat a little faster.
She pulled his shirt from the waistband of his pants and Stone pulled it away from his shoulders. Within a minute, his clothes in a heap on the floor. His lips caressed the skin on her neck, as his hands were busy caressing the rest of her body. Her hands fit in the palm of his hands perfectly. His teeth scraped lightly on the hard skin of her nipples and he heard her gasp.
Groaning, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Please I need you inside me right now,” she whispered. “Please…”
Stone pushed his hard cock against her belly and groaned. “I need to be inside you.” He shifted his body and his cock kissed her nether lips. Her juices coated his flesh and he couldn’t wait any longer. He surged into her warm wet core and they both groaned together.
He backed out and surged forward again, this time going deeper and harder. McKenna raised her hips and met him more than half way. With each stroke, Stone felt her body tighten a little bit. His own body was getting ready to explode as he stroked her. Leaning back a bit, his lips found her nipples and he closed in on them. As he sucked them into his mouth, he heard her hiss with pleasure. Stone bit down on her skin as he pushed himself deep inside her.
McKenna’s legs tightened around his waist and he felt her core heat up to the overload setting. “Oh god, I’m going to come.”
Stone pounded her harder in anticipation. When he felt her clamp down on him his brain shorted out. He felt the familiar zing of his own climax and he pushed one last time, deep inside her. Hot ropey bursts of cum shot deep inside her bathing her core with its stickiness. Stone gritted his teeth as his body let go. For a moment, he felt lightheaded with his release.
McKenna sighed. She still held onto him for dear life.
Stone slipped out of her warmth and took her into his arms. He listened to her even breathing and realized she was already asleep. He closed his eyes and felt sleep sneaking up on him. The moment sleep claimed him everything felt right in his world. He knew the feeling wouldn’t last but he hoped it would. Then his arms tightened around her and Stone realized she was what made everything right and he knew he would fight the devil himself to keep her safe and right where she was.
In the predawn hours, Stone woke up and wondered what woke him. Then he heard the noise again. A cellphone chirping. Rolling away from McKenna, he reached for her cell. He didn’t want anything to wake her yet. She needed the sleep badly. Pulling his pants on, he stepped outside the room and glanced at the caller id. The caller was blocked and Stone frowned as he hit the accept button. A woman’s hesitant voice came across the phone line.
“Is McKenna there? she asked.
“Who are you?” Stone demanded.
“My name is Trixie and you don’t know me but I was asked to call this number and give you a message from an old friend. He said his name was Hades and he wants you to know he’s watching McKenna.”
Stone felt his heart grow cold. Goose bumps trailed down his arms and chest.
“He also said to tell you he wants McKenna.” Her voice got thin at the end of her message.
Stone could hear the terror in her voice and he had to wonder if Hades was forcing her to pass the message along to him. “Is he there with you?” he asked quietly.
“No but he wrote down what I was supposed to say and he told me he would know if I said it or not. He also said he would kill me slowly if I fucked this up.” She caught her breath and whispered, “He’s got my baby girl. I work at Drugen’s bar and just before closing, he came in and sat down. Mister, don’t judge me but I thought he was cute and when I sat down to talk to him he began talking to me. Before I knew it, he grabbed me and hustled me out of the bar. He came home with me and that’s when he told me about this message. He took my five year old kid and is holding her hostage to make me do this. He said if I wanted her back in one piece, I would follow his instructions. If I failed, he would cut her up and leave her in dumpsters all over the city.” She sobbed into the phone. “Please mister, I didn’t have a choice. He’s got my daughter.”
“I know Trixie. I won’t let anything happen to your daughter.” Stone closed his eyes and fell against the wall as hopelessness flooded his being. “Did he say anything about how we could contact him?”
“He said he would call with instructions in twelve hours,” Trixie whispered. Her voice sounded weak and Stone could hear her sobbing in the background. “Will he hurt my baby girl? Will I ever see her again, or is she already dead?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I just don’t know.”
“Oh, my god…” She cried out.
Stone heard her crying in the background for a moment. “Just sit tight and don’t tell him you spoke to a man. If he comes to you.”
She cried a little more, then whispered, “Okay…” Then the call went dead.
He shoved the phone into his back pocket and went back into the room he shared with McKenna. Thankfully, she was still sleeping. He quickly grabbed the rest of his clothes and went back to the main room again.
Even at this early hour, there were men sitting around the tables. Sam was there as well as Doc and Viper. He joined them and as Sam poured him a cup of coffee, Stone told them about the call he just got. “Hades has taken a hostage.”
“What the fuck?” Sam growled. “How do you know that?”
“A woman by the name of Trixie just called McKenna’s cell with a message from Hades.”
“Fuck!” Doc swore. “What did he want?”
“He wants McKenna.”
“You aren’t seriously considering it are you?” Sam growled.
“Fucking hell Gunny, what do you think?” Stone snarled.