What’s worse is the phone call I’ve received from Drummer. He wants,needsme back at the club. I’m torn in two. My duty to my brothers, and my commitment to these people I’ve only just met.
I’m not in a much better state than Drew. Being here reminds me of Mariana, of her arms around me when I rode back with her on my bike, how I felt an immediate connection to her.I should have explored it. Come back and seen her again.Fuck knows, if I had, she might not have been in that place at that time. I’m swearing at myself now for not following up on that strange draw between us while I had the chance.I’d thought the best thing I could do was stay away.I thought she’d have forgotten all about me. But she asked Drew to call me. Shemust trust me enough to get her out of the bind she’s in.Can I do enough?I’m far out of my comfort zone here.
“Come on.” Standing, I jerk my chin toward Drew. He’s already tall for his age and could pass for someone older.
He looks at me sullenly. “Where are you going? The lawyer might call…”
“She’s got my cell,” I remind him.How do you deal with a fifteen-year-old who’s lost his whole family?My initial reaction is to treat him like a prospect, expecting my instructions to be obeyed. Then, grasping that approach would probably not work with a teenager, I untie my long hair, then smooth it back into a ponytail again with my hands. “I don’t know about you, Drew, but I can’t sit around here doing nothing. I need something to do. Something to help your sister.”
His eyes sharpen with interest. “Like what?”
“We know there are no traffic cameras in the area, but there could be CCTV. I want to go down to that junction and see whether there are any businesses around. They might have security cameras which could have caught something, or hell, someone might have seen it for themselves.” Something tells me the cops didn’t do much investigating to find out the truth.
His whole face has brightened, then it falls. “I can’t come along. Ma’s car was totalled.”
“I’ve got my bike.” My head tilts in challenge.
He’s on his feet, a tentative grin curling his mouth. “Ma might not like it.”
“Mariana’s got enough on her plate to worry about. She wouldn’t want you to be left alone and brooding, and she knows I’m a safe rider. She’ll understand.” I’m crossing my fingers behind my back, while acknowledging Mariana might never get the chance to play mom with Drew again. He’ll have to start making his own decisions. That thought’s followed by the question of what the fuck do I do with him? There’s no way I canwalk out of his life, leaving him to fend for himself.Call social services? Put him in the system? Roll the dice and hope he gets placed in a decent foster home?As soon as the idea comes into my mind I dismiss it.Can’t do that now, at least not while we’re still hoping his sister walks free.
Knowing he’s going to come with me, I open the door and step outside, nodding approvingly when he turns and locks it. Going to my Harley, I open the saddle bag and remove the little-used helmet that I carry with me in case I need to go to another state without warning. Unlike Arizona, Cali and Nevada both have helmet laws. Even in this state someone under the age of eighteen has to wear one. I hand it to him, and as I did with his sister, help him with the unfamiliar buckle.
“Lean with me, not against me. Don’t fight the bike, okay?”
“I got this.” He’s back to sullen now.
“I’m sure you have,” I mumble, as I get the bike off the stand. “There’s grab handles, or just hold onto me, okay? Whatever makes you feel safe.”
He climbs on behind me. He might be tall, but he’s slender, hardly any different to taking his sister on the back. Starting the engine, I throw a look over my shoulder, his hands already holding on tight to the handles either side, his knuckles white. I’m hoping he’s going to enjoy the ride, something to take his mind off Mariana if only for a few minutes.
I drive to the area where she had her accident, pulling up and parking at the curb, while looking around to see who might have seen something. There are a couple of closed businesses, and a furniture store. Two office blocks.
“Off,” I tell Drew.
Like an ungainly calf he dismounts. Getting off with a more practised swing, I put his helmet back in my saddle bag.
“Where do we start?”
“We’ll work down one side, then the other.” But first I take out my phone and snap a few shots. One of the closed businesses has a security camera, and it’s possible it’s recording to keep the place secured.
After an hour, I feel like beating my head against a wall, and I think Drew feels much the same way. The newspaper report of Mariana being an illegal hasn’t helped. I get the feeling a couple of people know more than they are telling, but aren’t of a mind to assist us. Others, though, came running at the sound of the crash, but hadn’t seen what had happened immediately prior. Unless Mariana has details of any witnesses, this morning’s been a complete bust.I need my full system to set up searches, try to access the security cameras.I can do some stuff on my laptop, but not everything. But I can’t abandon Drew and go back to the club. Not until I know what’s happening with his sister.
Not even then, perhaps.
How the fuck have I found myself in the role of reluctant parent?
We’re walking back to my bike, both of us disenchanted, when the phone rings. It’s the lawyer.
“Tse Williamson.”
“Mr Williamson. It’s Carissa Beacham here. I’ve seen your fiancée.”
“How’s she holding up?” I’d claimed the relationship I had no right to, but thought it would make the lawyer think I was legit, and had reason to hand over my cash to her.
“Bewildered, worried. Look, Mr Williamson. I’m a lawyer, we represent the person we’re supposed to in the best possible way that we can, it’s not for us to consider whether they’re guilty or innocent. But in Ms De Souza’s case, my gut feeling is that she’s telling the truth.”
“That’s good, isn’t it? If she can convince you…”
