“Theydon’t, trust me.” He realized, with a sick jolt, that Elijah didn’t even know Jimmy was dead yet. Probably none of the kids did. What would they say when they found out? When they found out his body was found on Dog property? Ghost had talked about keeping it from the press, but Carter didn’t think that was possible.
“That’s y’all’s logo, though,” Elijah said. He didn’t sound convinced, and definitely not accusing.
Carter realized that this was a kindness, in a way. Elijah wanted confirmation – no, he wanted denial, and he wanted to believe it – but by coming to Carter, he was giving him a much-needed heads-up.
He took a breath and forced himself to calm. “Yeah, that’s our logo, but we didn’t put it there. What sort of idiot would stamp their club patch onto a baggie of shit? That’s just asking to get arrested.”
Elijah nodded, slowly, his shoulders dropping a fraction. “That’s what I told him. But I don’t know if he believed me.”
“Is this a free sample? Or did he buy this shit? And what is it?”
“He said he bought it. It’s supposed to be some kinda uppers. Final exams are coming up.”
Carter sighed. Things were getting out of control with the high school crowd. It had been a smart move, trying to turn the young people against them, and then, without any further effort, their parents. But it wasn’t something they could brush off any longer. It needed to be shut down, now – but they couldn’t find Fred or Ricky…
An idea struck. “Elijah? How would you feel about giving us a hand?”
~*~
Kris offered her a ride, but Leah wanted to drive her own car. She even packed a small bag with a change of clothes, extra hoodie, toothbrush, and deodorant. Just in case. She had no idea what to expect – evident in the nervous way her hands kept trembling on the wheel as she drove, Kris behind her, and Roman tailing along on his bike behind her – but there was no waymurdermeant anything good. She wanted to call her mom, but decided to wait until she talked to Maggie, and figured out exactly what was going on.
Something serious, she realized, when she slowed to turn in at Dartmoor. All the gates were closed and locked with chains save the main way down between the bike shop and the clubhouse, and two prospects in cuts with guns on their hips stood sentry at either side. She slowed, and rolled down her window, as one – a young, thickly-muscled guy with buzzed dark hair – approached, offering her a quick smile beneath his Ray-Bans.
“Are you Leah?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
He stepped back. “Maggie said to expect you. Go on in.” He waved her forward, and she touched the gas again.
Maggie had said to expect her, and Kris had come to get her – tall, strong, prospect boyfriend in tow – because they hadn’t wanted her traveling on her own.
By the time she’d parked and walked to the clubhouse door, her stomach was churning.
Inside, the scene was one of controlled chaos. Lots of Dogs milling around, talking, hurrying, several speaking into cell phones. The old ladies had camped out at the tables. Ash was crying, and Maggie bounced him lightly on her lap, crooning endearments.
Ava looked up, spotted her, and waved her over.
Remy was sitting beside his mother, but slid off the chair and offered it to Leah with adorable gentlemanliness.
“Thank you, sweetie.” She dropped down beside her best friend, skin rippling with gooseflesh by now that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. “Okay, what’s going on? Something about a murder?”
Ava nodded, her expression serious – but not tense. She was too old hat at this to get worked up about a lone little murder. The idea would have made Leah laugh at another time. “A high school student. He was involved with a couple of dealers, apparently, and they wanted him to try and paint the club in a bad light.”
“High school? Is this about the missing girl? Allie?”
For a second, Ava looked surprised, then she nodded. “Carter told you. Yeah. It’s all amess. This whole thing stinks of some scary shit that went down in Texas back in the winter. Dad just wanted to call everyone together and get us all on the same page. The whole ‘watch your back’ monologue.” She made awhatevergesture.
Leah nodded, and glanced around the room, searching for Carter, and not finding him. She turned back to Ava. “Okay, you wanna tell me whyI’mhere?”
“Hm?” Ava lifted her brows.
“Kris said this was for Dogs and old ladies, and when I told her I wasn’t one, she said your mom said I was Carter’s.”
Ava pressed her lips together, hiding a smile.
Maggie turned toward them, because she had supersonic hearing, apparently. “I said you werewithCarter, honey, I never saidold lady– though that can’t be far off, can it?” She offered a perfect cotillion smile that had Leah laughing despite herself.
“We’ve only, like, hung out! And that was last night. It’s way too early for labels.”
