Ryder
I see them as soon as I climb the dirt track to the compound. Many vehicles are abandoned in the yard with bikers standing around marking their men. Feds are everywhere looking around them nervously as my men stare them down. Fuck, just what I need.
Flash approaches when I pull up and nods. “They’re inside.”
I say softly. “How many?”
He grins. “Three. They’re waiting with Snake and Brewer in your office.”
I growl. “The girls?”
He grins. “Nowhere to be found. I’m guessing the dugout. We’ve left them there until you send for them.”
I feel some relief at his words. Today appears to be a good day for sorting Ashton’s problems out.
I feel the stares as I walk. Curiosity reaches out and hits me as I cut through the scores of men taking up unwanted residence in my yard. As I head inside, I see more of my men standing guard over even more Feds who look nervous as hell.
There can only be one reason why they are here and I feel the excitement beginning to take hold. At last, I get to meet my father-in-law.
By the time I reach my office my mask is in place and I swing the door open and stride inside. Snake grins as he stands watch over two men sitting either side of the one I want the most. Ashton’s daddy.
The look he gives me would melt steel and I stare at him with a blank expression. Then I look at the men beside him and recognize they are Feds, not from these parts but unmistakably establishment.
Sitting down in my chair, I look at them with a hard expression.
“What’s your business?”
Ashton’s daddy goes to speak but one of the Feds beats him to it.
“We have a warrant to search this compound as we believe you are holding an Ashton Mortimer against her will. She’s a missing person and we’re here to return her where she belongs.”
Her father speaks up. “Hand her over, boy. This has gone on long enough. If you’ve hurt one hair on my baby’s head you will spend the rest of your life in the penitentiary.”
Snake laughs out loud and I shake my head and glare at him.
Ignoring his words, I turn to the man in charge.
“On whose authority have you come here?”
The man pushes a piece of paper across the desk with the signature of a man I don’t know. The accompanying description shows this is basic stuff. I reach for my phone and dial my contact at the FBI in Washington.
He answers quickly - as always and I say in a hard voice.
“It would appear we have a problem here, Mack. Some of your guys have stormed my compound with a warrant for a missing girl. I wanna know what you’re gonna do about it?”
I can almost hear his voice shake from here as he says roughly, “Pass the phone to the Fed in charge.”
I hand the phone to him and enjoy watching him pale significantly and the sweat breaks out and runs down his face. His eyes fix on me with fear as he fidgets in his seat. All he says is, “Yes sir, I’m sorry. Yes, of course, leave it with me.”
Mr. Mortimer looks at him with confusion as the guy hands the phone back to me and swallows hard.
“I’m sorry, sir, for the inconvenience. We should leave now and let you carry on with your day.”
He stands but Mr. Mortimer pulls him down.
“Where are you going? This isn’t over, my daughter’s here and you know it. I’m not leaving until I see her.”
The Fed flashes me a look of apology as he fixes Mr. Mortimer with a withering look.
“That’s up to you but we have no jurisdiction here. If you want to stay then you’re on your own.”
Ashton’s father bellows. “You fucking good-for-nothing cowards. You just wait until I get hold of your superior. Heads will roll for this.”
He looks back at me and sneers. “You may have run these lily-livered imbeciles out of town but I’m not leaving without my daughter. You good-for-nothing son of a bitch if you’ve hurt her you’ll pay for it.”
Settling back in my chair, I take a moment to admire his bravery. Then again, on second thoughts, I know it’s borne out of the desperation of a man who stands to lose everything.
I look over at Snake and nod.
“Bring Ashton here.”
As I watch Snake go, I fix her daddy with a wicked look.
“Let’s just see what Ashton wants, shall we?”