Chapter 19

Spook

Greer’s been gone for two weeks now and even with all the feelers we have out for her, there’s been no sighting. She left a note for Mitz that broke my heart.

Mitz,

Thank you for taking such good care of Ryland and me. The day you came into my life was the day I started living again. Please take care of Ryland. I’m not in the right state to care for her the way she deserves and I don’t want her to feel the way I did with the way my mother treated me. I love her, please don’t ever think that I don’t, but I know deep down with Spook gone, it was the last straw.

I have matters to take care of before I can feel sure enough that I won’t bring so much havoc down on anyone that I let get close to me. Please allow me the time to right the wrongs that have caused so much chaos.

With all the love I have left,

Greer

In Greer’s mind, she’s a burden and has brought all this on us. She never realized all of us would have gone to even greater lengths for her.

Rudy and Trigger took her absence hard and have spent endless amounts of time searching every possible sighting with no luck. Queenie and Mitz are taking turns caring for Ryland when I’m off doing my own investigations as to where she could’ve gone.

We even called in the Pretty Pinks since they were the ones to get more information on Dimitri than we could. They’ve kept us up-to-date, but they’re at a dead end too.

It’s like she vanished.

***

It’s been ninety-six days since Greer left. Ryland is getting so big and attentive. She’s rolling around and crawling everywhere. Ryland has become the joy to our sadness. Just a giggle from her can make the dread that etches its way into me disappear.

None of the clubs have been successful in finding any tidbit on Greer. We’ve gone as far as calling hospital morgues and looking for Jane Doe’s. She’s nowhere to be found.

My days consist of waking to Ryland letting me know it’s time for her to be fed and my nights rocking her to sleep. In between, I work helping the Devils with side jobs. I haven’t been back to Cumming and I don’t plan to until I have Greer back where she belongs. Rudy hasn’t pushed the issue, which I’m thankful for. I can’t picture leaving Ryland here.

I’m out in the backyard sitting on a picnic table with Ryland on my knee as we take in the fresh air and sunny sky. The honking of a horn has me turning slightly to see a post office van sitting at the gate.

I watch as Peabody rounds the van and the worker hands him a package. He walks back through the gate and locks it making his way to the door to the clubhouse. Once he disappears inside, I turn my attention back to the little lady in my arms.

She giggles and squirms; babbling incoherent words that hopefully one day I’ll be able to understand. I don’t know how many more milestones she will pass without Greer here to witness them. With every new thing she can do, I record it for the day Greer returns.

“Spook!” I hear Brute yell.

“What?”

“Got a package I think you might want to see.”

I get up from the table and place Ryland on my hip. Walking towards the door, the expression on Brute’s face is unreadable.

I walk inside and follow Brute to the kitchen where the package is sitting in the middle of the table. I hand Ryland to Brute and make my way to the package. Not even bothering to sit down, I slide it to the edge.

Pulling out my pocketknife, I slice it open down the center. I place my knife on the table and open the flaps. Shredded newspaper burst from the box. Digging around, I feel something firm and grip it pulling it out of the box.

It’s a manilla folder. Attached to it is a handwritten note from Greer.

Brute,

I’ve done some digging into the explosion at Dyson’s mansion. Not sure if you followed up on it, but the man that was found in the rubbish wasn’t Dyson, but Gerard Dixson. He was the righthand man of Dimitri. It seems that word got back to Dimitri that you had those names and he’s taking care of loose ends. I suggest you look into all the men that you talked to that were on that list.

Senator Allen died two weeks ago of an apparent suicide. Senator Bishop was in a car accident the week before that. You get the hint. Dimitri is getting desperate. Make sure you lock it down and keep your guard up and please let my dad and brother know the same.

And please stop looking for me. You’re bringing more attention than I need. I’m so close to putting an end to Dimitri and his operation and I need ya’ll to back off.

If you don’t believe that I’m okay, call Mauve. I’ve given her the okay to fill you all in.

Love and miss ya’ll,

Greer

How in the fuck is Greer taking care of this all by herself? Plus, we’ve been in contact with Mauve and her club at least once or twice a week since Greer left.

“Brute, you need to get Mauve here. She knows more than she led us to believe.” I hand him the letter with the newspaper clippings of all the politicians and men we had discussions with. I head to the parking lot to call Rudy.

“Yeah.” Rudy answers gruffly.

“I need you here at the Devils. New information has come to light and I need you and Trigger here ASAP.”

“On the way, just tell me though, is Greer okay.”

“She’s apparently fine, but there’s a lot more to the situation than any of us could have imagined Greer getting involved in.”

“Be there as fast as my bike can get me there.” Then, he hangs up.