Her car inched by the scene where several other cars and a lone motorcycle stood surrounded by police cars. Through the chaos she spotted an officer walking someone to his car. Her heart dropped hard into her stomach when she saw that it was Skull.
“No,” she cried out silently, because fortunately she had temporarily lost the ability to speak.
Clarissa wasn’t sure if she had imagined, but she felt as if he had looked right at her and that his deep brown eyes had met with hers briefly. Clarissa drove until she could no longer see the police lights flashing in the rear view mirror before pulling into the parking lot of a grocery store to turn around. She considered heading to the jail, but she thought better of it. Clarissa was going to the source and they were going to give her answers whether they wanted to or not.
She pulled into the parking lot of the AlleyCat Pub and parked Green Grandma behind a few of the bigger bikes, in hopes they belonged to Hugo and Lobster, and they would be forced to stay until they gave her the answers she was looking for.
Clarissa left her purse in the car and locked the doors before heading inside. She paused at the door of the bar and took a deep breath. After raising her head high and squaring her shoulders she opened the door.
“Hey,” Lobster called out cheerfully.
“Your boyfriend’s not here tonight,” Hugo said.
“I know that,” Clarissa said, “I just saw him get arrested.”
The middle-aged blond woman sitting next to Hugo gasped and covered her mouth, but the guys just shook their heads.
“We told him not to go,” Lobster said, while Hugo was busy consoling the blond next to him.
“Go where?” Clarissa asked crossing her arms. The men didn’t seem to be surprised about it and that pissed her off.
“None of your business, sweetheart,” Lobster said.
“I deserve to know the truth,” Clarissa stomped her foot, “What is going on with him? What have you guys got him involved with?”
“Us?” Hugo laughed, “We didn’t get that kid involved in anything.”
“Bullshit!” Clarissa yelled, “I saw his tattoo!”
“Maybe, but that Starless isn’t at fault for what happened tonight. We told him not to go,” Hugo said.
“Who the hell is Starless?” Clarissa asked, blinking in confusion.
“We are,” Lobster said.
“That’s the name of your gang?” Clarissa asked, “That’s a stupid name for a biker gang!”
“Honey, it’s not a gang,” the middle-aged blond interrupted, “Starless is...”
“I know what Starless is!” Clarissa yelled, “And I’ll make sure to mention it to the police when I talk to them, because I’m going to figure out a way to help Skull, even if you fat cows are just going to sit on your butts and shake your heads about the situation! Maybe it’s normal for you guys to lose friends because they get arrested, but it isn’t for me! I’m not going to let this happen!”
“Depending on what happened we might not be able to help him,” Hugo said.
“So you’re not even going to try?” Clarissa shouted.
“I didn’t say that,” Hugo retorted, “We’ve been trying to help him for the last four years!”
“Help him by getting him involved with your little gang?” Clarissa yelled, “You should have just left him alone!”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about, missy,” Hugo said, “You don’t know a damn thing about that boy you’re seeing. If we hadn’t been there he might have...”
“Just shut up!” Clarissa yelled, her stomach quickly becoming filled with rage, “Just shut the hell up! I’m so sick and tired of being told what I do and do not know! How the hell am I supposed to know anything when none of you want to give me the damn answers? I’m outta here! I’m going downtown to see what I can do for Skull.”
“A lot of use you’d be!” Hugo laughed, “I bet you don’t even know his real name!”
“Shove off!” Clarissa said and ran to the door. Hot angry tears were falling down her cheeks and she didn’t want to cry in front of the ass hats sitting around the bar. She swung the door open and sprinted to her car.
“Sweetheart!” she heard the blond call after her, “Sweetheart, please wait.”