Switch

“It ain’t good.”

San Quentin was the last place on the planet I wanted to be. Kitt’s voice on the phone kept replaying in my head. She was going to bolt. I could feel it. In her mind, she probably thought I’d done the one thing I promised I wouldn’t. She thought I was pushing her away.

“You listening to me, son?” My old man looked even more haggard than the last time I saw him. He had a bandaged cut above his eye.

“What do you know?” I asked.

“It’s deep,” he said. “This might go further than the cartel. Word is, somebody on the fed side has a hair up their ass about the Wolves. I don’t know what it is. An old grudge. Maybe they’re trying to save face after what happened with Dex McLain all those years ago. When he got his conviction overturned, it gave the Bureau a black eye. Whatever it is, the club’s running out of allies.”

“What are you talking about?” I said, leaning far forward. Just my being here was drawing attention the club couldn’t afford.

“You get that because of me?” I asked, pointing to his eye.

Max’s nostrils flared. “Don’t you worry about me. I’ve been taking care of myself in here for half your life, son. You’re the one that’s gotta watch your back.”

He was posturing. Blowing smoke up my ass. No matter what Mad Max had done, he’d been a Great Wolf. Even though his ink had long since been blacked over, the club’s influence had always been strong enough to keep him away from the worst trouble in here. Until now.

I didn’t know how to feel about it. My father had made his own bed long ago. At the same time, he was still my father. And the shit that happened inside San Quentin could be a harbinger of what could happen on the outside. That was what Sly knew all along.

“Tell me what you know,” I said. “Every bit of it.”

Max looked left and right. There was only one other inmate in the visitors’ room now. He was groping his wife under the watchful eyes of two guards.

“It’s gonna get bad, Switch,” he said. “The Rebels are hungry. The word is they’re planning to relocate their entire Albuquerque chapter to Redding. They’re making moves. Calling in every favor they have. And you can’t trust a word Londo says. The Paganos are waiting to see which way the wind blows. There’s no loyalty. There’s only power. Sly’s losing it. If he’s not willing to fight this the old way, it’s already over.”

“Don’t underestimate him,” I said. “Sly knows what needs to be done.”

“Does he?” Max’s eyes went cold. “Do you?”

“Don’t start this shit. Don’t sit there and pretend to know me or what I’m capable of. I’ve survived, Pop. I’ve thrived. It wasn’t because of you. It was in spite of you.”

He flinched.

“Yeah. I know that. And you can say what you want about Blackie, but he knew how to take care of his crew.”

“Really? Is that why you’re sitting on the other side of this table? Is that why you were so quick to turn rat the second you thought it would save your skin? I don’t even know why I’m here. This is Sly wanting to give you a second chance. Don’t get confused about that.”

He sat back and turned his palms up in a gesture of surrender. “I got that coming to me. I know it. But you’re not listening. This thing ... it’s not a war the Rebels want. They’re going for total annihilation. They don’t just wanna take over Green Bluff. They want to end the Wolves. Nothing’s off limits. The only reason I’m alive is because most people know you don’t give a shit if someone takes me out.”

I waited a beat. Old wounds were tough to heal. The bitch of it was, I did give a shit. He wanted me to say it. “I can’t do this,” I said. “If you’re looking for sympathy from me …”

He put a hand over mine. “No. I know I don’t deserve it. I’m not talking about what went down with me and the club. I mean with your mother. With you. I should have done better by you both. I’m sorry for that. You don’t have to believe me, but I’m going to say it. And I know you’re not like me. You’re better. Maybe Sly’s better too. He took care of you when he didn’t have to. I owe him. That’s why I got this.” He pointed to his head.

I dropped my head. I would not let this man back in. Not the way he wanted. It’s just ... I knew he was broken. As much as I hated to admit it, he wasn’t the same bastard I knew fifteen years ago. For that, I could at least put down my sword. It didn’t mean I had to go much further.

“Thank you,” I said. “I get the risk you’ve put yourself in to get what info you can.”

“I don’t care about the risk,” he said. “I just want you to have more than I gave you. You deserve it. Your mother deserved it. I can’t make amends with her. And I don’t expect you to forgive me all the way. But ... I can do this much.”

I nodded. One of the guards started to walk toward us. Our time was almost up. “You have a name?” I asked.

“There’s an A.T.F. investigator,” he said. “The name Kinney’s been thrown around. He’s been talking to somebody. I don’t know where it’s coming from. Londo’s crew. The Diaz cartel. I’m just not sure. But I think the minute Sly tries to get in bed with Londo again, they’re going to spring a trap.”

It was more than a rock and a hard place. It seemed every road Sly tried to go down was blocked.

“Time’s up,” the guard said.

“Switch.” My father’s eyes bore into me like he was trying to get inside my head. There was a desperation to it that made my spine stiffen.

“I got it, Pops,” I said. “Just keep your head down. Your ears open.”

“Son, listen to me. When it comes to it, you gotta promise me that you’ll save yourself. You’re the only one you can really trust.”

“That’s enough, Max,” the guard said. “You can talk to him next month.”

“Promise me, Switch.”

“See you around,” I said.

My father nodded. The guard hooked a hand beneath his arm and helped him to his feet. It was hard to see him for what he was now instead of the man I kept in my memories. That man was hard as steel, almost larger than life. This man seemed more human. I could still see a little of the fire in his eyes, but his age and prison life had taken so much out of him.

Once again, it drove home how much Sly Cullinan had done for me. He’d given me a chance. He’d shown me a different life. Without him and without the club, my father’s path would have been mine too. In that, my father was dead wrong. The club was worth fighting for. Mad Max Madison is what happened to those who forgot that.

I made my way out of the gate. The sun blazed down. I slid my sunglasses on. Sly and Dex expected me back at Sly’s house by the evening. I hoped I had enough time to make a little side trip before I reported back.

There were no calls or messages from Kitt. I called the safehouse landline in Alameda. If she’d done what I asked, she should be there by now. She had to know I’d be the only one calling if she was inside the house.

It rang three times, then clicked off. I called again. Same thing. “Dammit, Kitt,” I muttered. I fired up my engine and headed away from the prison and back toward Green Bluff. If Kitt hadn’t done what I asked about Alameda, hopefully she just stayed put at the Hansen. It wasn’t ideal, but I could still fix this.

The ride did me good. It helped clear my head. I knew I was right keeping Kitt’s secret away from Sly for just a little while longer. It would blow his life up. He needed to keep his head clear. And there was no telling what Scarlett would do. In the end, I knew she’d welcome Kitt with open arms. Scarlett was crazy protective of Sly, but she had a good heart. She’d want to make up for the life Kitt had led. She’d want Kitt to know what a good man her dad really was.

I just had to figure out how best to deal with this little bombshell. The more people knew about it right now, the more it would complicate things.

Three hours later, I pulled off the exit to Green Bluff and stopped for gas. I tried the Alameda house one more time and got no answer. I tried her cell and that went straight to voicemail. I hadn’t let my mind wander to the third possibility. What if Kitt just up and left altogether? Then my phone rang as soon as I clicked off. It was Josh, one of our most promising probies.

“Hey, man,” Josh said. “How far out are you?”

“Ten minutes from Sly’s house. What’s up?”

“Maybe nothing,” he said. “Maybe everything. I got word from Lyle Everett, you know, the handyman who works over at the Hansen.”

My heart hollowed out. “Yeah?”

“Sly’s calling everybody back to his place pronto. Lyle saw three assholes wearing Rebels cuts pull into the parking lot of the Hansen a couple of hours ago. They’re getting bold as fuck, man.”

“Where’s Kitt?” I asked. “You better tell me you got eyes on her.”

“She was with them, man. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”

He wasn’t making any damn sense. “Josh, I swear to God if you …”

“Lyle said she let three of them into her room. He called me right away. He got distracted and didn’t see her leave with them, but they’re gone and she’s not answering her door. I’m sitting right outside it. I don’t see anybody inside. Tell me what you want me to do. Lyle’s on his way up here. He’s going to key me in.”

“Break the fucking door down!” My voice thundered out of me. “Jesus Christ, Josh!”

“Yeah. Okay. I just wanted to know if you wanted me to wait with you. I mean ... with what Scarlett said ... I don’t want to walk into a damn trap, man.”

“I’ll be there in two minutes,” I said. “You find out if she’s in that fucking room. And you keep Lyle in one place. I want to know everything he saw. Anybody have eyes on those assholes?”

“No, man,” Josh said. “I already called Sly. Half the club has mounted up. If they’re still in town, we’ll find them.”

I clicked off. Black spots wavered in front of my eyes. If they touched her ... if Kitt … No. I couldn’t let my mind go there. I called her again, no answer. Then I got on my Harley and rode like a bat out of hell.