“For what? Being an annoyance?”
“For the murder of Councilman Arthur Bane.”
I grip the arms of the chair and bite the inside of my cheek to stay upright and silent. Ducking my head, I slide down in my seat to stay small. Preacher and Aries have come to stand beside me.
“I’ll be needing to see that paperwork, Detective. You understand?” Preacher smiles jovially.
“And I’ll be second checking it,” Aries replies.
“It’s airtight.” The stocky, dark-haired man shoves the paperwork at them.
“Thank you kindly.” Preacher takes the sheet from him, stretching out the time. “Seems to me this warrant only applies to Mr. McTavish. Not the grounds themselves.” He hands the papers to Aries. “What do you think?”
Aries takes the sheets from Preacher. “It’s a lot of police presence for one man. Detective Caruso. What were you expecting?” Aries smirks.
“We had to be prepared for any situation.”
“Sounds a lot like trying to intimidate. Isn’t that illegal?” Grimm asks.
I admire their calmness and the way they know their rights.
“I’m stating facts.” The detective lifts his head, standing to his full height, which does nothing to make him seem impressive against the three men who dwarf him in height, muscle, and demeanor.
“It’s your lucky day, Detective Caruso. I’ll be leaving with you of my own free will, and my lawyer will meet us at the station.”
“He’s already been contacted,” Aries assures him.
Turning around, Grimm offers his wrists for arrest as he leans into Preacher and whispers in his ear. The brothers are all lined up like soldiers waiting for an order. The tension is sky high. They’re dry kindling, ready to ignite.
“You have the right to remain silent.”
Relief floods through me as the Miranda rights are read. They aren’t coming inside. Guiding him away from the entrance, they’re flanked by the brothers following them out. Aries maintains a position at Grimm’s side every step of the way.
Fighting the wave of people, Preacher makes his way back to me.
“We need to leave. Pack a bag that’ll fit into my saddlebag. We’ll head out in the next five minutes to blend in with the rest of the others.”
“Are we in trouble?”
“I’d be lying to you if I said no.”
Rising, I nod and rush to the room, mind going a mile a minute.
* * *
Preacher
Winding the final turn, I see the cabin looking like a ghost in the distance. The urge to pull a U-turn and escape the past looming ahead hits me like a tidal wave. Buckling down, I grip the handlebars harder and continue forward. Purchased under my ex-wife’s name, my old home is the perfect off-the-radar place to escape, but it’s at a cost. Pain pierces my heart, and the hollow feeling inside of me grows. It’s easy to ignore when I’m among my brothers, busy with club duties. Here I’m forced to face the demons that once led me to drink myself into a stupor nightly until the brothers came together to intervene.
Parking in front of the cabin that rests on a hill overlooking the forest, I kill the engine and stare up at the two-story, slate gray, A-frame cabin with white railings. I feel her shift behind me. Hopping down, she removes her helmet and shakes down her braids. “This is beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s yours?”
I nod. “It was my home once.”
“But not anymore?” She frowns. “Because you live at the clubhouse?”