Truth and Lies: Chapter 16

Waking up in a bed is pretty good. I look over the top cover and see Target sitting at the window, he has a drink, and a bag with something in that smells pretty good.

‘Morning, Target,’ I say as I sit up and rub my eyes. Oh, my legs are aching when I move them to hang over the edge of the bed.

‘Morning, Zara,’ turning to look at me, ‘Get a quick wash up and come eat your breakfast. I got you a breakfast casserole, pretty good too.’

Rushing into the bathroom, I do what I need to, wash up and clean my teeth. Re-entering the bedroom, I walk over and pick up the foil-wrapped meal, then sit on the end of the bed to eat.

‘How do you feel this morning? Do your legs ache?’ Target asks with a slight grin.

‘Yes, but I’ll be okay,’ I tell him with a smile. I’m not going to complain; I’m not a little girl anymore.

‘We can get a cab, and then we’ll have to be on our feet to find somewhere to watch. Once we know it’s safe, we can go and speak to them, but not before,’ Target says, turning once more to look at me, ‘You’ll do exactly what I say, Zara. I can’t keep you safe if you don’t agree to that.’

‘I will, I promise.’

‘Okay, then, I won’t let anyone or anything hurt you. But I need you to do as I say, keep our heads down, don’t be seen until we’re ready.’ Target insists.

He has that sound to his voice that my dad has when he’s being serious and taking no shit, so I know I have to be good.

We finish eating and make sure we’ve picked up all our things before we head outside.

‘Let’s take the key back, and then we can catch a cab.’ Target states, and I follow him to the reception.

I wait outside while he goes in, looking around as he told me to watch for anything out of the ordinary. I’m not sure I’m any good at this, but I’ll try to do as he says.

It’s only a few minutes before Target comes back out, and he points to the main gateway, ‘We can wait there for the cab; the woman on reception called one for us.’

‘Okay. Do you need me to give you money for the room?’ I ask as I have some left from my savings.

‘No, little girl, I got it,’ he says, smiling at me, then places his arm around my shoulders as we walk.

As we’re standing waiting, I’m trying to remember the last time my dad wrapped his arm around my shoulders, hugged me, or even spoke to me, and I’m not sure.

Cara is always drinking or sticking that tube up her nose, she must be sick, but I daren’t ask as she hit me last time I did.

Dad doesn’t come to the house anymore. He stays in the clubhouse. That’s why I have my hiding place. It’s better than being at home with Cara.

The cab arrives, and we both climb in, Target tells the man where we want to go, and I make sure my backpack is on the floor behind my legs before I place my belt on.

Target is sitting in the front with the driver, and they are talking about the scenery, I think, but I’m not listening. Adult stuff is pretty dull when I’ve bothered to listen.

The carryall that Target has is pretty big, so he put that in the trunk. I’m not sure what he has in it. I didn’t bother to ask.

We are dropped off near a small diner, and Target tells me we’re going to pick up some stuff to eat and drink while we do our surveillance. Well, I think that’s what he called it, and I think he means we keep watch.

Target picks up protein bars, chips, a couple of chocolate bars, soda, and water. It has me wondering how long we’re going to be watching these people.

We get most of the things into my backpack, and Target helps me get it on. I’m not complaining even though it is heavy.

Across from the Raging Barons MC clubhouse, Target has us sneaking to a place where we won’t be seen. He cuts up some bushes and makes us a little den. He places a blanket on the ground, and we sit, waiting and watching.

Target takes out a pair of binoculars. He even lets me look when I ask. It’s pretty neat as they look so near when you look through these things.

‘Have you ever seen Lord Of The Rings, Target?’ I ask to which he shakes his head; he hasn’t, ‘Well, I feel like Frodo Baggins on a quest.’ I tell him with a smirk.

‘Tell me about it,’ Target asks.

I spend the next hour telling Target all about the movies, what happens, and how much I liked them. Even the horrid wizard man, how he scared me and I didn’t go to sleep one night after seeing a big eye every time I closed my eyes.

After a while, we have a bag of chips and a drink of water. Then I settle back, waiting while Target is watching through his binoculars again. I don’t think it takes long before I fall asleep.

Now and again, I wake up to the sound of motorbikes, but at Target’s headshake, I settle back down again and carry on napping.

Axel

I know we’re on limited time before Sharp or someone else will catch on to the fact we have Mia here at the compound. If I could get answers from her, it would help me know if I should let her go or keep her here until things are sorted out.

Although we have sightings reported about a man and young girl, we haven’t been able to catch up with them. They keep one step ahead of us.

Sharp has left three messages for me and now wants me to call him back. He has four of his guys hanging around on our turf, and I don’t want them here for months on end. I’m going to have to speak to him or have a sit-down.

Walking into my office, I’m surprised to see Buzz sitting waiting for me. As our enforcer, he is usually out and about, checking out any sign of a problem the club may have.

‘Everythin’ okay, Buzz?’ I ask as I walk around my desk and take a seat.

‘What we doin’ with that woman? Got her locked up like a prisoner Pres. Don’t feel right.’ Buzz states in his deep, gravely voice.

‘I’m tryin’ to find out the truth and keep her safe at the same time. If I let her out the room, she’ll run, and we’ll never clear her name.’ I say, and I know he’s not happy with Mia being locked in a room, but I’m unsure what else to do.

‘Let me try talking to her, see if a new face will help,’ he suggests.

‘Your face is one that kidnapped her, so why would she trust you?’ I ask him, not sure he even thought about that fact.

‘Well, if not me, we could ask Ruger. He has a way with the women. Maybe he could sweet talk her into talkin’,’ Buzz stands, and that tells me he’s said what he wanted to get off his chest.

‘Okay, I’ll speak to Ruger, see if he’ll talk to her.’ I agree, then close the door after Buzz leaves. Picking up my cell, I message Ruger to come to my office and Fizz, one of our prospects, to bring me a shot and a beer.

A few minutes later, a knock on the door opens slightly to Fizz, saying he has my drinks. On my come in, he enters, places them on the desk, and quickly leaves.

As he is leaving, Ruger pops his head inside, ‘Ya want me, Pres?’

‘Yea, take a seat, Ruger,’ when he is settled, I lean forward on my desk, forearms leaning to take my weight, ‘I need you to do me a solid. Talk to Mia, see if you can warm her up and get her willin’ to tell us what happened before and once she was in prison.

‘We need to know everythin’ we can before Sharp and some of the boys turn up. He won’t stay away long, and you can bet he’ll find out Mia is here soon.’

Ruger gives me a serious look, ‘I can do that Pres, don’t know if she’ll open up, but I can try. I’ll take her next meal around eighteen hundred hours and see what I can get from her. I’ll let you know when I’ve been.’

Giving Ruger a nod of agreement, he leaves the office, and I can only hope she’ll open up to him so we have something to throw at Sharp when he eventually arrives.

Throwing the shot back, I take a good drink of the beer, then pick up my cell and call Sharp.

‘Yo, what you got, Axel?’ Sharp barks.

‘We’ve not found the girl yet. We know she’s with a male, an ex-Green Beret, so she’s safe as far as we can tell. If she’s looking for Miriam, then she may have more information than we have,‘ I keep all information as basic as I can, ‘Have you any more news?’

Sharp takes a deep breath, ‘Crack’s spoken to people at a diner. They employed her when she left prison, but she’s moved on, and they didn’t know where.’

‘So we’re still on the collect information route. Find your girl and Miriam.’ I state, giving nothing in my voice at all.

Closing out the call, I shove my cell into my back pocket and walk out to the main room. I need to speak to the two that took meals up to Mia.

I know Candy took one of the meals, so I walk over to her where she is leaning over the bar talking to the prospect, fucking hell, she has no panties on and showing her pussy to everyone who walks past.

‘Candy!’ I snap, ‘Go put some panties on, then come to the office,‘ I don’t want a response. I walk back to the office, shaking my head. What the fuck is the matter with these women, who wants to sit on a seat after their bare pussy has been sitting on it? It makes me want to gag. I’m pleased I haven’t used a club whore for a couple of years.

Waiting in my office, it only takes ten minutes before Candy walks in. Oh, Christ, she tries to look sultry or some shit, but she looks what she is, a skank.

‘What was said when you took the meal to the woman upstairs?’ I ask fairly harshly.

‘Nothing, she never spoke at all. I asked her what she was called after I told her I was Candy, and when she didn’t reply, I asked if she was going to speak or not. Then Hammer told me to leave.’ she tells me, blinking more than necessary.

‘Okay, fuck off and tell Brandy to come in.’ I snarl, and she bustles out quickly, making me smirk at the sight.

I don’t have to wait long before Brandy knocks and opens the door, ‘Come in,’ I say, then cross my arms over my chest. Once she’s in the room, she closes the door, one of her ploys I’ve noticed, ‘Open the fuckin’ door.’ I snarl but don’t move from where I’m standing.

When Brandy has re-opened the door and turns to look at me, I quickly ask, ‘What happened when you took the meal upstairs to the woman?’

‘When I went in, she was in the bathroom, and as she came out, she asked what I was doing, so I told her I brought her meal. Then she got aggressive, and Hammer came in and told me to leave.’ she gives me that nasty smirk she has. I know more happened than she’s telling.

‘Stay away from her when we bring her downstairs. If I see you botherin’ her, you’re out the door. You got me, Brandy?’ I snarl. She nods and rushes out.

I hope I get more information about what went on when Ruger has spoken to her. She’ll have to leave if I don’t get anything from her soon, which will put her in a risky position, especially if her ex finds her because from what I have seen, it’s him that has caused all this.