Chapter 31

 

Jayce

 

 

I COULDN’T STOP thinking about Tarot’s warning. Although I didn’t want to believe Candi was hiding anything, I had to take him seriously.

After running my errands, I took off with Syd, another prospect, to deliver the kegs to the farm. After unloading them into a section of the barn surrounded by ice, we headed back toward St. Paul in one of the vans the club owned.

“This party should be kick ass,” Syd said. “I heard someone say that Crow Magnum is playing there tonight, too.”

Crow Magnum was a cover band from Minneapolis. Their specialty was playing Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer songs.

“Cool,” I replied.

“Phoenix mentioned that some of the other chapters might be showing up. Not just Jensen. This party is going to be huge.”

Syd went on and on about the bash. He’d just turned twenty-one and was all about getting wasted every weekend. Of course, now that he was new, it wasn’t happening as much as he thought it would. Prospects had to be ready and alert for whatever task was asked,and that could happen anytime.

“You bringing that chick from the other night?” he asked me. “She was smokin’.”

“Yeah.”

“Normally I’d say, why bring sand to the beach? But I don’t blame you for taking her. You tap that ass yet?”

“No.”

He looked shocked. “You’re fucking kidding me. Why not?”

I shrugged. “Haven’t had time.”

Syd grunted. “If I were you, I’d make time. I can’t believe you haven’t banged her yet, man,” he said, pulling out a cigarette. He shoved it into his mouth. “You’re slackin’, Hollywood.”

We went back and forth on the ride back to the clubhouse, giving each other shit about who was and wasn’t getting laid. I found out that Syd had just broken up with his girlfriend, who didn’t like the company he was now keeping. Meaning, the club.

“She doesn’t understand why I want to join and gave me an ultimatum. Either her or the Gold Vipers. Hell, I don’t need that. No chick is going to tell me what to do.”

My cell phone began to buzz and I pulled it out of my pocket. It was Tarot.

I answered it. “Hey, brother. What’s up?” 

“Just thought you should know that Peyton just arrived back home after taking Candi house-hunting.”

“Yeah. How did it go?”

“Fine. They only visited a couple of homes and she didn’t seem to find anything. She did ask a lot of questions, though.”

“About what?”

“That thing with Blade last year,” he replied. “She mentioned that you told her about it.”

My eyes widened in shock. “What?”

“I wouldn’t have thought much about it, but Peyton said that Candi was pretty inquisitive about the entire thing. It has me wondering if she’s actually a cop or a Fed.”

“I fucking hope not,” I said angrily. “I spent all that time inking her, and… shit.” The very idea that Candi could be a cop made me sick to my stomach.” What does your sixth sense tell you? That she’s undercover?”

It took him several seconds to answer. “Honestly, I’m having a hard time figure her out. I feel like she’s digging for something, but I’m not really sure if it’s because she’s a cop. It’s not out of the question, obviously.”

“You sure you’re not just being paranoid?”

He let out a ragged sigh. “I’m usually not feeling like this unless something is really off. You’re bringing her tonight, right?”

“Yeah.”

“See if you can get her drunk and maybe she’ll slip up and tell you something. At the very least, you might be able to search her purse. You know… if she loses it. You know what I’m saying?”

“Totally.”

“I hope I’m wrong,” he said solemnly. “I can tell you’re pretty bummed about this.”

“I’ll be fine,” I replied, although he was right. The woman was getting under my skin already. “Anyway, if she’s up to no good, I’ll find out.”

“I know you will, brother. Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

We hung up and Syd, who’d been eavesdropping, started hounding me about the conversation. I didn’t tell him shit, because he had a big mouth. That last thing I needed was for everyone at the party to start jumping to conclusions. It could turn ugly. Especially when there was going to be drinking involved.

Sid and I made it back to the clubhouse around seven-forty-five. I dropped off the keys to the van, jumped on my bike, and headed to Candi’s motel.