It was the waiting that was the hardest. The first night of Calder’s disappearance was hard. The second was pure hell. Hope waned away hour by hour until there was only a flickering light remaining by the end of the second night.

Crazy Bitch stared down at her notebook through blurry eyes. She had fallen asleep at the counter for four hours during the day, but had woken up when Train’s phone had rung. It hadn’t been news about Calder. It had been about Lucky. He had survived the night and was in critical but stable condition, and the doctor thought he would make it.

Crazy Bitch thought of a name and added it to her list.

“Whose name did you add?” Sex Piston asked. She had come over that morning after taking the kids to school, telling Stud they would be safe there and could go to her parents’ house when school was released. She had bluntly told her husband that she was staying with Crazy Bitch until Calder was found.

“I added Harmon Myers. I remembered he was standing next to Mrs. Carpenter.” Crazy Bitch used an ink pen to point at the name. She had come up with the idea to make a list of all the people who had attended the groundbreaking. One of them had to have been the person who had taken Calder.

“Did you put Devon on the list? I saw him there,” Fat Louise said.

“I don’t think a seventy-year-old man is capable of carrying Calder to his car.” T.A. gave her an annoyed look.

“I didn’t think he did, but maybe he saw someone go into the shelter with Calder. I saw him standing by the ice chest. He was refilling it.”

“I’ll write it down. Shade said to write down everything we saw and make a note of everyone we knew. I sent most of the list last night. Right now, I’m trying to figure out if we forgot anyone.” She slid down off the stool. “You guys go over it and see if we left anyone out.” Stretching, she tried to work the kinks out of her back. She wanted another of cup of coffee, but she was out and Hammer wasn’t back from the store yet.

“I didn’t put Devon on the list. I didn’t see his car. Put him on the list for me, Fat Louise.”

“He probably drove his mother’s car. It was parked next to mine,” Sex Piston said, writing his name down.

“No, he didn’t. He parked on the side of the shelter. That’s where the ice chest was. He volunteered to bring the water,” Fat Louise explained.

“I volunteered to bring the water. How did Devon end up bringing it?”

“Mrs. Carpenter called me at work and said Devon was at the store and wanted to help, so she gave him that job. She was on the committee, so I didn’t think anything of it.”

“Why does it matter who brought the water?” T.A. sat down on the couch, pulling a cushion by her side to protect herself from Manson scratching her.

“I don’t know, but I want to know why he decided to bring the water. I’ve cut his hair for years. He’s never given me a dime tip, yet suddenly he volunteered to buy bottled water for fifty people?” Crazy Bitch twisted her hair into a knot, going into the kitchen where she kept a hair clip for when she was cooking. She was continuously thinking about Calder’s disappearance.

“Call him. I have his mother’s phone number.” Sex Piston picked up her phone, scrolling through her numbers.

“Give me his name and address. I’ll call Shade and get him to check it out.” Train took out his phone to type down the number.

“Can someone else do it instead, so Shade can come here?”

“Why?”

“I want to talk to him. How far is he?”

“Not far. He’s talking to some members of the task force. I can ask him to come here when he can.”

“Do it.” Crazy Bitch went to the kitchen counter, taking her notebook away from Sex Piston.

“Did you think of another name?” Sex Piston slid her pencil toward her as she stared down at the names.

She listened to Train talking to Shade, waiting until he finished to reply.

“No. What did Shade say?”

“He’s on his way.”

Something about the list was bothering her, but she couldn’t understand what it was.

“Shade is sending Rider to talk to Devon.” Train moved to stand behind Killyama, rubbing her back as she sat at the counter.

“When he’s done there, have him go to talk to his mother. She’s blind as a bat, but she’s a busybody. Maybe she saw something.”

“Okay.”

A sharp knock sounded on the door. When Train opened the door, Hammer came in, carrying grocery bags.

As one of Killyama’s bounty hunter partners, Crazy Bitch had met Hammer several times. She had even thought of doing him a couple of times, but he had backed off after she had tested him with some of her wisecracks.

Calder hadn’t backed down. He had kept coming back for more. He had more courage than most men she knew. No man had ever found her sweet spot, and she wasn’t talking about the one in her pussy. He had found that inner sanctuary within her that had never been found by anyone before.

It had kept her safe as she had grown up and realized her mother wasn’t like other moms. It had kept her safe when she realized her father had a daughter the same age as her. It had kept her safe through numerous foster homes, Joker, so many men she had lost count, and her mother’s death. None had found that sweet spot where she could actually be her, not the bitch she portrayed to everyone else. Just her, a not-so-pretty, lame geek who didn’t have to lose her temper when she was hurt and strike out at whomever had dealt that hurt.

The smell of fresh coffee brewing was in the air when another knock sounded in the room.

Shade came in as Train opened the door.

Crazy Bitch came around the counter, seeing Shade didn’t even look tired as he pushed his sunglasses to his hair.

“I’m glad someone’s getting sleep,” she said angrily, needing someone to strike out at to alleviate the rage of not being able to find Calder.

“I haven’t slept since the night before Calder disappeared.” He didn’t seem to be upset by her attitude. She even wondered if he was capable of emotions, unless Lily was concerned.

“I’m sorry. You look like you just got of bed.”

“I can go days without sleep.” He shrugged.

“Have you found anything else about Calder?”

“No. From the moment he went into the shelter, no one has seen him. It’s like he dropped off the face of the earth.”

Her shoulders slumped in weariness. Discouraged, she wanted—needed—to find something to do to keep her from losing what sanity she had left.

“Can I have some of that coffee?” Shade asked Train as he made himself a cup.

Turning back to her, he stoically stated what had been going on since Calder hadn’t come home. “The drug task force took Bear into custody last night. Stud handed what was left of him over when they found Lucky. The Last Riders had already been worried because he didn’t show up to pick up the baby after work. We assumed the last place he was, was the groundbreaking ceremony, so we went there and found his and Calder’s bikes. That’s about the time you called. Then Stud called and said he found Lucky in the ravine outside the club. If Stud hadn’t convinced Bear to tell him where he was, his luck would have run out. The doctor said he had minutes to live.”

“How did Stud know Bear was involved?” Crazy Bitch shook her head when Train offered her coffee, too disgusted with what Bear had done. She didn’t want to burn anyone if she slung it against a wall.

“Stud gathered all the brothers in the room and told them that Lucky was missing and that someone planted the drugs in your car the night of your arrest. Dozer remembered seeing Bear near her car when he pulled into the parking lot from work. Ginger said that Bear was the only one in the clubhouse when she left to go to the liquor store. The brothers had him confessing that he didn’t know Lucky was there and that he came in the back door when he was talking on the phone with Sam. Lucky must have heard and tried to leave, but Bear heard him leaving—”

“A chime sounds in the bar when the door is opened and closed,” Crazy Bitch said. “It’s not very loud. It’s from when the club used to be a restaurant. It’s old as fuck. Most of the time, we ignore it. He must have come in when Bear was talking and he didn’t hear Lucky come in then heard him leaving after he hung up.”

“Bear caught him in the parking lot. When he heard the brothers parking in the front, he threw him down the ravine. He thought he was dead.”

“Where’s he now?”

“Nowhere you can get to him anytime soon.” Shade set his coffee down on the counter. “He’s sitting on ice, with Sam in the next cell. He was found where Bear said he would be—in a small apartment that Bear had rented so he and Sam could stockpile their products and meet where no one could see they were connected. That’s why Stud, Calder, and the task force couldn’t find him.

“None of the prescriptions that Sam forged were in Bear’s name. They used aliases or used patients’ names of the doctor he worked for. Sam worked part-time for another doctor. He and Bear had been raking in the cash until you made waves. That’s why they decided to frame you and take you out of the picture. The deputy who stopped you was one of their best clients. Instead of issuing summons, he was a delivery service to their buyers.

“And the sheriff, he was in on it, too. The problem is, when you stack the deck, one misplaced card can topple the rest of the cards down around you. You were the wild card. You sent them all crashing down. The sheriff and two deputies have been removed from duty.”

“So where is Calder? Let me see Bear. I’ll convince him to tell me—”

Shade shook his head. “Both Sam and Bear say they don’t know where Calder is. Bear said he only attacked Lucky because he heard him talking to Sam. He said he had no reason to hurt Calder because neither of them knew about his involvement. I believe him.”

“What about Sam?”

“Sam said the only one he wanted to kill was you.”

“He could have done something to Calder to get back at me.”

“He passed a lie detector test.”

She went into her living room to sit down on a chair, burying her face in her hands. “So, the only lead we have is a seventy-year-old man and his ninety-one-year-old mother?”

“That about sums it up.” Shade placed his hands on the back of the couch, where T.A. and Fat Louis were sitting, jerking his hands back when Manson swatted at him. “Have you given any thought to the fact that maybe he wanted to disappear?”

She raised her head. “Did you give any thought where Lucky was concerned, or is Calder the exception?” Crazy Bitch said sarcastically.

“We have to look at all the options.” He coldly brought up Calder’s past. “It wouldn’t be the first—”

She stood up, pointing toward the door. “Get the fuck out. Now.”

He didn’t react to her demand. “I’m not saying I believe it. I asked if you had thought about it.”

“No, I didn’t think about it,” she snapped. “I tend to give the people I love the benefit of the doubt. That’s where The Last Riders and the Destructors differ. We’re loyal to those we love, while The Last Riders don’t know what love is.”

“I’m trying to help.” Shade’s impassiveness was more than she could take.

“Calder has done nothing but help Gavin. He’s earned your help. Don’t act like you’re doing him a fucking favor!” she screamed.

Shade’s eyes shot out shards of blue ice. “Do you know why most drowning victims drown?” he asked conversationally.

She had to hiccup back the hysterics that were rising to the surface. “I don’t—”

“They panic,” he calmly answered before she could. “Take a deep breath, grab a beer, or drink a cup of coffee. Use your heads.” Shade stared around the group gathered in her living room and kitchen.

Taking him up on his suggestion, she went to the fridge, taking out a beer. Opening it, she took a drink as Shade walked to the counter to watch her.

“What’s this?”

Crazy Bitch took another drink, focusing her mind. She flipped to the first page. “I started a notebook of the clues for our treasure hunt.” She flipped another page. “This is everyone we saw during the groundbreaking and where we remembered them standing. That’s why Train called you about Devon and his mother.”

“Rider talked to Devon. He said he didn’t see anything suspicious when he went into the shelter, and he wasn’t paying attention when Calder didn’t come back. Rider’s with Mrs. Carpenter now. He’ll call me back when he’s finished.”

Crazy Bitch flipped another page. “This one, I was going to make a list of people Calder had pissed off and who wanted to hurt him.”

Shade looked at her approvingly. “Good call. Why’s it blank?”

“Because I can’t think of anyone. Calder is pretty laid-back. The only one I can think of who hates him is Candi. She got out of prison last week, and they had an argument.”

“What was the fight about?”

“It’s personal.” She might have revealed to Killyama and Train about Star, but she knew she could trust them to keep it to themselves.

“You want me to find him?” he challenged.

Calder’s privacy wasn’t worth his life. “Star is his kid. Candi was trying to blackmail Stud for money to keep from telling Calder and Star.”

“What was Stud’s reaction?”

“Stud, Sex Piston, and Calder were going to talk to Star the night he disappeared. Calder also told Candi that if she didn’t get out of town, he would spread it around town that she was the informant who got him and several of their buddies arrested.”

“Was she?”

“Calder seemed to think she was.”

“That’s pretty much what Stud said,” Shade added.

“If you knew, then why ask?”

“To make sure nothing was left out. Sometimes one little detail can be a matter of life and death. Stud is trying to find Candi. I pulled a few favors and found out who her parole officer is. He didn’t want to give out her information, but Knox found out and gave the information to Stud. The apartment she gave was her sister’s, and she hasn’t seen her since Candi moved out three months ago.”

“She’s been out that long?” Sex Piston jerked sharply in her chair at the counter.

“Yes. Her sister said she has a boyfriend, and Candi told her she was moving in with him.”

“Who’s the sucker?” T.A. asked, shoving Mason off the couch.

“Her sister didn’t know.”

“Is Stud the only one looking for Candi?”

“No, when we got Bear and Sam’s lie detector results back, I sent them to Stud. We’ve already gone to where she told her parole worker she’s working. She didn’t last a week there. No one can even remember her. They said she mainly spent the time flirting with customers.”

“That sounds like her,” Crazy Bitch remarked contemptuously.

“Stud sent a couple of the brothers to some of the places where Candi and Calder hung out when they were together. We’re hoping one of them might have seen her since she’s come back and know where she’s at now.”

Crazy Bitch had to admit, Stud and The Last Riders weren’t leaving any stone unturned.

“I’m sorry I snapped at—”

“It’s cool. I’ve been in your position. It’s not easy when you don’t know where they are and you can’t protect them.”

“No, it isn’t.”

“Where’d Candi work?” Fat Louise went to her candy drawer, taking out a chocolate bar. Everyone watched as she flushed. “Sorry. Thinking about her made me want one.”

Shade’s lips curled in what Crazy Bitch thought was a smile. “Taco Hut.”

“I know why she quit.” Killyama leaned against Train tiredly.

“I don’t know why you hate it so much.” Fat Louise bit off another bite of her candy bar. “You hate the food so bad, you should tell Mrs. Carpenter.”

“Fuck… fuck…” Crazy Bitch wanted to hug her friend. “Devon goes there a lot. She says that way, they can keep quality control of the food being served. Not only do they own Taco Hut, but they own rental houses.” She was becoming so excited she could barely get the words out. “Shade, call Rider—”

Before she could get the sentence out, Shade’s phone rang.

She frantically went to the knife block, taking the kitchen shears out. Running to the couch, she tried to cut her monitor off.

“Stop. You’ll have the police coming if you don’t. Rider’s got the address. Devon has a new tenant who hasn’t been paying her rent. Mrs. Carpenter wants her thrown out. Devon doesn’t.”

“He’s her sugar daddy.” Crazy Bitch looked wildly at Shade. “Can you get this thing off or not?”

Shade grinned. “What do you think?”

She held her ankle out. “Don’t make me ask twice.”