Chapter 28
Making Bail
Hammer rose early and banged on his door two times. The guard who came was one he didn’t recognize.
“What do you need, Mr. Hark?”
“I have a bail hearing in thirty minutes?”
“I’m aware.”
“Don’t you think it would be fortuitous to take me over to the courthouse?”
“They already began your hearing. Said there was no need to drag the whole lot of you over there. Been watching it on the viewer. The judge has already heard your case and about three or four others. Looks like the old crone is rubber stamping them all.”
Hammer let that settle in his gut for a second. He’d been approved for bail and it looked like they all were going to be sprung. “I didn’t know that. Thanks for the information.”
“Gather up your shit and sit tight. We’ll be by to release you as soon as the paperwork comes through.”
Hammer stepped back and the door slammed in his face for what he hopped was the last time. Sure enough an hour and half later the door opened and he stepped outside into the hallway. A long line of Kingsmen were looking him in the face. One swift jerk of his chin had them all moving after the guard in charge. Each man was carrying his duffel bag that Alina, Jaden and the standoffish little Non had made for them. Hammer sighed that his betrayer of a woman had at least done right by his brothers. That fact alone would earn her his respect but certainly not his trust.
Stepping out into the sunshine, would have been better without the sharp bite of the November air clawing at their faces. His former guard met them halfway through a huge mostly empty parking lot. He was wearing black jeans, a rough looking matching jean jacket and had gloves and a motorcycle helmet stuffed under his arm. Hammer almost smiled at the enthusiastic look on the man’s face. He’d bet anything the man was packing a large caliber handgun in the small of his back.
“I see they finally cut you lose, convict.”
“Yep. Didn’t think you’d really step up, Turnkey.”
“Well hell, let’s see how many more times I can impress and amaze you before the day is out.”
Rip spoke the words that Hammer knew every single one of the brothers was thinking. “What the actual fuck, Hammer? Since when did we begin associating with fuckin jailhouse guards?”
“As of the day before yesterday, when he became a regular unemployed citizen.”
“Fuckin’ right about that.” He moved his hand to his waist and fingered a large clump of keys. “Made a copy of every single goddamn key they ever gave me. That should come in handy at some point.”
Hammer couldn’t hold the grin back. “Yea, that probably will come in real handy if one of our brothers ever ends up on the inside again.”
“Oh, I made the most of my little defection. I scattered currency and trade items around on the inside as well, behind air vents, ceiling tiles and such. Now if any of us end up there, we won’t have to resort to prison shanks if we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place. Got a little map of the loot right here.” Patting his right breast pocket, he nodded to Hammer.
“Well consider me fuckin’ impressed. That alone would have gotten you a spot in our crew.” Turning to his men he announced softly. “Meet Turnkey. He doesn’t feel like he meeting his full potential as a jailhouse guard. I tend to agree. Get him a cut and let’s get the fuck outta here.”
Nodding, Marlow stated. “Good call, Prez. What’s the plan?”
“I want Rip and Duncan driving Alina, Jaden…I mean Hawk and Non to the clubhouse. Don’t let anyone fuckin’ near them. The rest of you get your asses to the clubhouse as well. Marlow call our suppliers and customers and see to fuckin business. Me and Turnkey are taking the Russians to the bank. I need to get them paid for watching over Jaden. I’m going to stop and talk to Cavanaugh for a bit. I want to know where we stand on getting the charges dropped permanently. We’ll be gone a few hours. When we get back, the Russians go back to sitting on Alina. Jaden and Non come back to the clubhouse with us, and we go back to business as usual. Any questions?”
No one answered. They all gathered around Turnkey to talk and welcome their new brother. Heading out to the parking lot, Hammer met up with Alina, the boys, and the Russians. Jaden ran to him. Non ran to the large group of men and stood beside his brother, Duncan. Hammer spoke with his son for a bit then requested that he go over and say hello to the brothers.
Alina had been standing her ground, watching from a distance with Ivan on one side and Serge on the other. Hammer jerked his chin and pure pleasure coursed through him when she immediately came to his side. Looking down at her, he murmured. “Thanks for looking out for Jaden. We appreciate that you saw to our needs on the inside. You did right by us. Doesn’t mean I forgive what you did, but I do respect your dedication.”
“Do you have any idea how convoluted that sounds?”
“Look, now’s not the time or place to argue the finer points of betrayal. I believe the Grim Crew has women locked in a storage container down at the dock.”
“Alert the police. This is a chance to put him away, once and for all.”
“Cavanaugh tried, but they didn’t have enough to get a restraining order. We’re going to raid the joint and the Russians will report they were hired to find one of the ladies and arrived to find…whatever in the fuck we find. It’s black Friday, so the place will be a ghost town. We’ll get in, secure the evidence, and get the hell back out before the police arrive. The Russians are legit, so they’ll stay and do the paperwork.”
“I want to come.”
“Not that shit again.”
“The way I see it, you have the same problem you had before. No one speaks Spanish and I do. It came in handy before and might again. I read and write Spanish as well. How are you going to know what is evidence if you can’t read any of it.”
“Fuckin’ fine, you smart little bitch. This has to go down the right way. We can’t keep looking over our shoulder all the time to see Miguel gunning for us. I’m real tired of this shit with the Grim Crew. They all need to go away for good.”
“Understood. It’s now or never time.”
Hammer’s attention drifted to Turnkey. “It really sucks how the police are always all too happy to give us a ride to jail, but they never drive us home afterwards.”
Hammer murmured, “Stow it Turnkey. You ain’t never even been arrested.”
“Just trying to enjoy the humor of the moment. You have to admit, it’s kind of funny how you’ve got twenty guys all standing here with no way home.
Just then Cavanaugh showed up with the fifteen seat passenger van that Hammer had requested.
“Wow, that thing’s practically a bus.”
Hammer sighed. Turnkey was way too excited and there’d be no shutting him up till the shooting began.
Hammer nodded to Rip and he moved forward snagging Jaden by the arm. Duncan moved Non forward as well. They all climbed into Alina’s Prius. With some quick goodbyes, they began to buckle up. Hammer jerked a swift nod to Marlow as they pulled off. He’d left him with instructions to keep Booker under close monitoring and everyone on lockdown at the clubhouse.