“Hey Angel.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked, stopping what she was doing, taking a good look at me. That was one thing about my Ari. I never could hide anything from her. She just knew.
“Gonna head out for a bit. You okay here?”
“Yes,” she said, walking over to me.
“Keep Rebekah close, okay?”
“Okay,” she nodded. I could see the concern in her eyes. I didn’t know what to tell her. Until I knew what was going on, it was best if I left her in the dark. Not that I really ever told her any club business. Turning to leave, she asked. “Balthazar? Is everything okay?”
Looking back at her, I smiled. “Just keep Becca close.”
I left the kitchen, spotting several brothers milling around and doing absolutely nothing. Before, every brother would be off doing whatever task that was needed for the day. Many of them had day jobs that were left by the wayside. Now, they all did nothing but drink, play cards or watch movies.
“Ghost?” I heard Phantom call my name as she walked up behind me, stopping me in my tracks. Facing her, I gave her my attention. “Can we talk?”
“Got somewhere I need to be. Can it wait?”
“It’s about Reaper.”
Nodding, I followed her back to her office, where she closed the door and locked it. I was about to ask what was going on when she held up her finger and shook her head. Staying silent, I watched as she typed into her computer and instantly, her office went dark. Seconds later, a red light illuminated the small room.
“Sorry. I just needed to secure the office before we have this conversation.”
“Okay,” I whispered, wondering why there was a need for all the cloak and dagger shit. Then again, it was Phantom I was talking with. I should have known she would be paranoid about everything, especially with her past coming for her. Phantom was the club’s tech specialist. She was good at what she did. There wasn’t anything or anyone she couldn’t find. She was truly a Golden asset.
“I want to show you something. I am only showing you this because I hope you can keep it a secret. Don’t prove me wrong, Ghost.”
“What is it?”
Phantom turned back to her computer and quickly typed something into it. Seconds later, the computer screen changed and Kitty’s face appeared. It was a video file. Saying nothing as she pushed play, I listened as Kitty said, “Hi Phantom. I knew you would figure it out. I bet you’re wondering why I left you a message. Well, it’s rather simple and I’m sure you will figure it out in time. Let me start by saying it has been my pleasure getting to know you. You truly are a remarkable woman. By now, you’ve realized the Golden Skulls are not exactly what you thought. If you dig deeper, you will realize what I am talking about. All the information is there Lena. Every sordid detail. All you have to do is look with better eyes. If you don’t figure it out in time, do not trust Reaper. Leave the club now. Take Gadget and disappear.”
Phantom hit the stop button, prohibiting me from hearing the rest of the message. But it didn’t matter. What I heard was enough. “What the hell is she talking about?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been wracking my brain for months now. I can’t figure it out.”
“Have you shown this to Reaper?”
Phantom cocked her head and looked at me as if I was stupid. “Sorry. My apologies. Of course, you haven’t. Any clue what she’s talking about?”
“None. That’s why I’m showing you. You know this club better than anyone. Do you have any idea what she could be talking about?”
“No,” I said, taking a seat. “I mean, I was gone for a while. I don’t know what happened with the club when I was missing for those five years. Maybe she is talking about the time I was absent?”
“Maybe, I just don’t know,” she muttered, taking a seat. “It’s like I’m looking for a needle in a haystack. I can’t stop thinking about it. What’s even more confusing is she said I have all the information already. What information? I went through everything with a fine-tooth comb and found nothing out of the ordinary. I’m missing something. I need fresh eyes.”
“Okay,” I said, rubbing my hands down my face.
Fuck.
I already had enough on my plate. Maybe this was the nudge I was looking for. Maybe my worries and Kitty’s message were aligned. That brat knew way too much shit about the club. She wasn’t called the Vault for nothing. If Kitty warned Phantom about Reaper, she had a good reason for it and I wanted to know what that reason was. Maybe it would help put an end to all this deception. “What files have you looked at?”
“All of them. The Original Seven, the Collector, the club files, everything from the inception of the Golden Skulls. Nothing is out of place.”
“Well, you missed something because even you have to admit the club is different. I know it, you know it, everyone does. Kitty’s message was clear. She said you have all the information. Look, Phantom, something is going on and it seems the only person who knows what’s wrong is Reaper and he isn’t saying shit.” I clearly stated, then grinned as an idea began to form. “Do you have all the files on your laptop?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Grab it and follow me.” I said, getting to my feet.
“Where are we going?”
“Hunting.”