Chapter 14
“Hanger, the Sheriff is here wantin’ to talk to you,” the prospect says into the phone.
“Let him through.” Fuck! What the hell does this fat old fuck want now? I stand from my chair in my office, walk down the hall, and out to the front of the bar to meet him.
He parks his patrol car, steps out, and begins walking towards me with a file in his hand. “Hey, Hanger.”
“What you want, Jenkins?” When he shows up, it’s always fuckin’ something, and the last time was to let me know the club was getting searched. We had enough time to get the compound and our storage units cleaned out. It’s good to have the Sheriff on your payroll in times like that and judging by the look on his face, I’m going to be grateful now.
“Let’s go in your office.”
I open the door, walk in, and we walk back to my office. Shutting the door behind us, I go sit at my desk, and he sits across from me. He lays the file on my desk and slides it towards me. “What’s this?” I sit up straighter.
He runs a hand over his bald head. “Dennis Yearly has been missing for a week.”
My brow cocks. “What’s that gotta do with me and my club?”
His eyes bore into mine. “He was released from prison a few months ago, after doing fifteen years for vehicular homicide. The halfway house he resides at has reported him missing.”
Leaning back in my seat, I cross my arms over my chest. “Get to the point, Jenkins. I don’t know who the fuck Dennis Yearly is.”
“You may not, but Hacker does. Hacker’s wife and son were killed in the accident caused by Dennis.”
“What the fuck are you talkin’ about?” I snatch the file off my desk, open it, and start looking over everything. The conviction, pictures of the accident, photos of a man I’m assuming is Dennis Yearly, and a report.
I scan through it; Tisha Jackson pronounced dead at the scene, Daniel Jackson taken by ambulance to hospital for injuries, and ten-year-old Max Jackson later pronounced dead by attending physician Sierra Greene. Oh, fuck! That’s why they have a history and why he’s so angry with her.
“Hacker is the prime suspect in his disappearance.”
“I’ll talk to him. You need to give them another lead. Do whatever you have to, but steer them away from Hacker.”
“I’ll do my best.” He stands from the chair, takes the file, and shows himself out.
Rubbing a hand down my face, I decide I need to go home.
“Babe?” I yell when I get into my house.
“Hey, baby!” My beautiful Crazy Girl smiles, and for a split second I forget we need to talk. She presses her lips against mine, and I push my tongue between her parted lips, tasting my wife.
“Daddy!” My twin princesses, Ava and Harper, come out from the hall, running to my legs, each latching on to one.
“Hey, girls.” I run a hand down both of their little dark-haired heads. “Where’s Damion?”
“He’s napping. He hasn’t been feeling well today.”
“His teeth?”
She yawns. “Yes, two have finally popped through.” She looks exhausted; I’ll run her a hot bath tonight, give her some time to herself.
Pulling both girls away from my legs, I bend down, hug them both, and kiss their foreheads. “Daddy has to talk with Mommy, okay?” They nod. “So I need you both to go back in the playroom and I’ll come in there when I’m done.”
“Okay, Daddy,” Ava answers for the both of them. “Come on, sister.” They hold each other’s hand and run back to play.
“What’s going on?” I see the worried look in her eyes.
“Let’s go sit down.” I take her hand in mine, lacing our fingers together, and we walk over to the couch. I sit down and pull her onto my lap. “Has Sierra ever told you the history with her and Hacker?”
She leans back onto my chest and shakes her head. “No, she always shut it down. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her. Why?”
I gently run my thumb along her stomach, between the hem of her jeans and where her shirt has ridden up. “Did you know Hacker was married?”
“Married?” Her mouth gapes open. “No!” She turns her head to look at me.
“I didn’t, either. Even when I was younger, he never talked about his home life, never had her at the club or anything.”
“So, what does that have to do with Sierra?” Her brows pull down in confusion.
“He had a son, too.”
“Had?”
“Yeah, they were killed in a car accident. Sierra was the attending physician that called it on his son.” I stare at my wife; it would kill me to lose her and our kids. I can’t imagine how Hacker buried his family, but it explains a lot about why he is the way he is.
“Oh, my God! That’s why he hates her. Poor Hacker, I can’t even imagine.” She shakes her head.
“It’s gotta be. I can’t tell you much more because it’s club business, but Hacker might be in some trouble. Jenkins is supposed to be working on it, but I’m gonna have to talk with Hacker.”
Damien cries from his room. “Duty calls.” She sighs and stands from my lap. “He really shouldn’t blame Sierra, though, if she did everything she could.”
“I know, but I’d be angry, too, if I lost you and our kids. Honestly, I don’t think I would survive that kind of pain.” I kiss her forehead. “I’ll get him and then go in with the girls. You sit and relax. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She plops back down.
I walk into our son’s room. “Mama,” he whimpers.
“Hey, buddy. It’s Daddy.”
“Mama!” he cries.
“Shh.” I pick him up; he wraps his arms around my neck and settles in my arms. “Let’s go see the girls.” I carry him into the playroom.
Ava and Harper are sitting on the floor playing with blocks. I sit on the floor with them with Damien on my lap and help them build a castle. I enjoy spending this time with them all the more and I’m grateful to have them here. People take shit for granted every day, myself included, but seeing that report makes me remember just how easy it is to lose it all.