Chapter 11
First Real Clue
Racing up the steps to the third level she found Hammer’s suite. It was huge, and totally out of character with the rustic feeling of the clubhouse. His sitting room was painted a pale taupe and his furnishing were masculine, modern, and streamlined. The room looked like something from a fashion magazine. She explored, finding a small kitchenette and a dining space tucked in a small alcove. She could see Hammer and Jaden taking meals there together. The bedroom had huge windows framing a king size bed. The bed was still unmade. Alina kneeled down and ran her hand over the sheet. It was soft and welcoming and smelled like him.
Swallowing hard she headed for the bathroom. Peeling off her clothing, she stepped into his shower. As the water cascaded over her body, she thought of Hammer. He’d been so rough and angry, but she could now see most of that was some kind of ego defense mechanism. He must have been hurt by women before if he felt the need to protect himself from her.
Her head spun as she remembered him talking about how he was going to give her a punishment fuck and that it would be for him and not here. That had been absolute bullshit. The sexy bastard had gone out of his way to make sure she came multiple times. She sensed that he got off on seeing her climax. There was a certain rhythm to his lovemaking that she loved.
Getting too attached to a man like him would be a mistake. He wasn’t the type to keep women around. His life was set up solely for him and Jaden. There was literally no room for anything else except his club. Sighing she shampooed her hair and washed the scent of him from her body. The thought of never seeing him again left her feeling a bit dejected.
Wrapping a towel around her, she dried her hair and combed it out with a big black comb she found on his bathroom sink. She went to his room and rifled through his drawer, pulling out one of his t-shirts. Though it was huge, she at least felt covered.
After cleaning up behind herself in the bathroom she sat on his sofa to wait as he asked. She hadn’t anticipated waiting so long, but finally he appeared with a shopping bag in his hand. Reaching it out to her, his gaze slid up and down her body.
“Sorry, I borrowed a shirt.”
“I sent one of the prospects to buy clothing for you. He’s not all that bright. I just hope it fits.”
She smiled. “I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Come down to the bar when you’re ready. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
“I have papers to grade. I’ll get them from my car and try to stay busy.”
Nodding, he left the room with his hands drawn into fists at this side. It was strange. She didn’t think he’d been angry with her but she sensed some anxiety. Maybe, having her in his personal space was difficult for him. That sounded about right to her.
Opening the bag, she found several pairs of pants and several biker t-shirts. There were some underwear in slightly different sizes and no bras. For some reason it didn’t even surprise her that his men would consider bras optional. She pulled out a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt that rode high on her waist.
As she headed downstairs, she noticed Jaden’s closed door. Knowing she was coloring outside the lines, she quietly opened his door and began to search around his room for potential clues. She saw a monitor but no tower. Hammer would have given it to his geeks to dissect for information on his whereabouts.
She moved around the smartly appointed room and marveled at how neat both of the males were. Jaden didn’t have books or music, but she did see an e-reader and an iPod. Made sense for the modern age. His closet was neat and there were very few empty hangers. His suitcases were stacked neatly in the bottom of his closet with an assortment of shoes on a nearby rack. His room was decorated with an assortment of biker memorabilia. It was clear Jaden loved the MC as much as his father did.
As she was turning to leave something caught her eye. It was a small Buddha statue made of paper Mache. She walked over to get a closer look and realized it was about a foot tall and as wide. There were tiny shavings, like someone had been sawing off pieces of it. Lifting it she looked at the bottom and her blood ran cold. There was a large hole cut out and when she placed her hand on the inside, she could feel the shape of a gun and some other bumps. Tucking it under her arm she heads downstairs.
Approaching the prospect behind the bar, she decided to solicit his help.
“I need to speak to Hammer, please.”
“He doesn’t talk to whores until the evening.”
“I have a clue about the whereabouts of his son. He’ll want to talk to me. I’m Jaden’s teacher.”
“Ever since you called the cops on us, you ain’t been very popular round these parts.”
The man’s gaze flickered over her in an assessing fashion about the same time she realized that she really doesn’t have to deal with him at all. Pulling out her cell phone, she texted Hammer.
Alina: I was in Jaden’s room and I found a clue. Can you talk to me now?
Hammer: Yes.
Alina: I’m in the bar. I asked for you but the prospect says you don’t talk to whores during the day. Guess he has me pegged.
Hammer: Sorry about that. I’ll set him straight. Be there shortly.
Alina dropped onto a bar stool, sitting the statue on the counter. Frowning, ideas tumbled through her mind. Maybe he’d decided to leave the area. Hitchhiking seemed like the most reasonable way for person to leave the area without being seen but who would pick up a child? No one. Maybe…
Suddenly a rough hand came out, gripping her around the upper arm. The prospect jerked her to her feet.
“Boss wants his whore.”
“You’re hurting me.”
“Don’t give a shit about snitches. Get your ass moving. The whore is going to church.”
What the hell did that even mean? Grabbing the statue she stumbled as he jerked her along. He shoved the door roughly open and tossed her inside, sending her careening straight into Hammer.
“Brought the snitching little whore to church, just like you asked boss.”
“Would you like to leave your cut on the table or would you prefer to get your fucking head back in the game, prospect?”
“What the fuck are you talkin’ about?”
“You’re not a very good listener, Mal. I said bring the woman to me. I didn’t say anything about dragging her around, bruising her all up, or calling her names.”
“She’s a whore and a snitch. I’ve never gotten into trouble for calling a spade a spade before.”
“She’s not a spade. She’s mine.”
The man swallowed hard.
“Regardless of what she may or may not have done, are prospects ever allowed to carry out their own personal vendettas?”
“No, sir.”
“Do I look like the kind of man to tolerate someone mishandling my property?”
“No.”
“What do I normally do to men who mistreat our women here at the clubhouse?”
“Strip of them of their patch or they eat a bullet. Look, I thought she was our hostage. I didn’t know…”
“You didn’t know shit because you aren’t even patched. On a scale of one to ten, she’s a smoking hot ten and you are a minus three at the moment.”
“Sorry, boss. I just don’t like snitches.”
“Guess daddy will have to educate you today, Mal. Teachers, doctors, social workers, police officers, and camp counselors all have one thing in common. They’re mandated by law to report abused or missing children. She’s Jaden’s teacher. Of course she’s going to call Child Protective Services if he fucking turns up missing. It’s her job, dumbass. It’s not her fault the police got wind of it and used it an excuse to snoop around.”
“Sorry, boss. I didn’t know all that.”
“Are you capable of being a team player, Mal. The Kingsmen are only interested in team players. You know that.”
“Yes, sir. I’m fuckin’ straight now.”
“Great. Grab a seat and let’s see what my pretty little bitch has for us.”
Alina walked up to the huge round table and thumped the statue down.
Hammer sighed dramatically and put his hands in his lap.
“That’s not a clue, Doll. It’s a goddamn art project.”
Refusing to reveal what he told her about their way of creating caches, she lifted revealing the huge hole sawed out of the bottom.
Marlow spoke up. “That hole wasn’t there before. I helped him with that project.
Inserting her hand into the hole she pretended to be confused. “The impression on the side is strange. It made me wonder what he had molded this around.”
Hammer’s face flashed recognition at once and he leaned over snatching it from her grasp. After exploring the indentations with the pads of his fingers he looked around the room. “Feels like he had supplies of the usual nature hidden in here. If he made a cache and tore into it recently, that probably means he ran away. It probably also means he just fine on his own.”
Marlow smiled. “Smart little fucker. He’s got balls of solid brass to be carrying that shit to school for a project.”
Hammer smiled slightly. “Gets it from his old man.”
Several people chuckled.
Alina asked, “I know you’ve probably checked out all the places the two of you might have camped at nearby.”
“We searched every single campsite we ever used thoroughly.”
“Cemetery?”
Hammer looked thunderous. “The only grave he would have visited is untouched. If he’d been there he would have brought flowers. No sign of even a wild flower laying around there.”
Alina looked pensive. “Sometimes children revert to a place of safety during times of stress. Is there any special place the two of you visited that would hold special meaning for him?
“You mean besides Sturgis?”
Everyone on the room laughed and Hammer clarified. “Biggest bike rally in the nation. We go every year. Ain’t for another month and it’s in South Dakota, so that’s out.”
“That’s exactly what I mean. Are there any places where you two have made memory moments? Places of symbolic or emotional significance.”
Hammer shook his head. “That’s everywhere for us. Dammit, don’t you see? It’s only ever been the two of us. We do about everything together. I’ve checked all our favorite places. He’s not hanging around any of them.”
“Friends?”
“You’re looking at them.” The arrogance in his voice was apparent.
“What about the kid from school? The one you were teaching to fight.”
“Haven’t seen him since Jaden went missing.”
Everyone in the room jerked their head to look at him.
Alina whispered, “How would he have known not to come, unless he knew something about Jayden’s whereabouts. He’s used to turning to a brother first. It makes sense that he would develop a similar network of support among his peers.”
Marlow’s amazed voice rang through the room. “Goddam bitch is onto something. Fuck if she doesn’t understand a kid’s mind. I can see him running his own goddam kid club just like this one somewhere. Fuck me, the kids got the right stuff.
Hammer stood to leave murmuring under his breath. “The little fucker knows something. I’ll get it out of him.”
Alina stood between him and the door. “Let me talk to him.”
“Get the fuck out of my way.”
“If you scare the shit out of him, he won’t be able to tell you anything. Kids are fragile creatures. He might shut down if he’s overwhelmed.”
“I’m a father. I know how to talk to a little boy.”
“You’re angry and desperate. Let me handle this. I’m his teacher. He trusts me.”
After a careful moment of consideration, Hammer decided it was selfish to put his driving need to control every detail over options that were likely to bear fruit. Reluctantly he relented.
“You can accompany me. Decker, you’re with us. Everyone else will be on standby. Keep the geeks working leads just in case we are way off base in our thinking on this one.”