Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 35452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35452 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
She shrugged. “It’s all a matter of public record,” she said. “State of Tennessee. Cherry’s dad is dead. Our mother passed away when I was twelve from cervical cancer. Cherry died from the same. My dad is in the wind. Even the court couldn’t find him.” She met my gaze boldly. Proudly. “I got my GED when I turned sixteen. My sister had to sign for me, and we had to get permission from the school, but I was nobody’s kid. I was an orphan being raised by my sister. I missed a lot of school anyway because I was working, trying to help Cherry keep a roof over our heads. Chase helped while he was around, but he and Cherry fought all the time over his MC ties. She didn’t like it, and he got tired of explaining that not all MCs were bad.
When he left, it was just me and Cherry. I picked up a second job. Then Cherry found out about her cancer. During the preliminary tests, she found out she was pregnant. So she started planning. Got a lawyer to help us. I’m not sure, but I think maybe she did sexual favors for him to help pay his bill. He was always very touchy-feely with her, and I know we didn’t have money to give him. At any rate, the situation was, Cherry was going to die. The kids were going to need someone to take custody of them. I was the only living relative, and I was self-sufficient. The lawyer got the judge to emancipate me so I could take custody of the boys rather than all three of us going into foster care. I had my GED, but my sister, being four years older, had custody of me.”
“OK. Maybe I was a little too quick to jump all over that. I’ll reserve judgment until Data gets me the documents.” I wanted to believe her. Didn’t want to think she could deceive me, but this had to be looked into. Preferably before Chase found out about the situation. I would never keep a good man from his children, but I didn’t want to take the boys away from the only person who’d been a constant in their lives. Sure, she’d made a mistake, but she was still really young. Too young to have raised eight-year-old twins. “You good to go? We’re only thirty minutes or so from the clubhouse.”
“Yeah,” she said, making her way back to the truck.
“One more thing. I’m gonna need your full name.”
She sighed. “So you can dig up some dirt on me.”
“You know we have to. For our own security, not just to do with Chase.”
“Calliope Mills. If you want my driver’s license, it’s in my wallet.”
“I’d appreciate it.” I helped her in, and she handed me her license before I went around to the other side.
Bohannon was one of the two who’d pulled onto the shoulder to wait for us, but he’d circled back and came up beside us now. “Everything good?”
“Yeah. She got overwhelmed. Look. I need you to get Data to run her record. Specifically, the situation around her emancipated minor status eight or nine years ago. She gave me some information, and I want to see if it’s correct.”
“You mean you want to see how much bullshit she’s feeding you.”
“Yeah. Something like that.” I scrubbed a hand behind my neck. “She’s gettin’ under my skin, and I don’t like it.” I handed her license over to Bohannon, who snapped a picture of it with his phone.
Bohannon nodded. “Understood. Just be careful. Don’t piss her off too much until you figure out how much is true. I’ll send this image to Data so he can get to work.”
“There’s something else.” I hesitated. This could get tricky. “Has Chase come back from his ExFil mission yet?”
“Don’t think so. Due back soon.”
“Good. We may have a situation.”
Bohannon raised an eyebrow. “I take it you’ll fill me in as soon as we get back?”
“Yeah. It’ll wait. We’re close to home, and I don’t want to take a chance that that son of a bitch got his wits together and followed us.”
“Good. I’ll get Data on this. Me and Viper will bring you in.”
I bumped forearms with Bohannon before getting into the truck. Then we all took off, headed home.
* * *
Calliope
Carnage pulled the big truck into what he called a clubhouse or compound. It was definitely a compound, looking more like a hotel or something. The boys were excited. At least Bastian was. Theo’s eyes widened, but he didn’t say much. I could tell he wanted to explore.
Most of the bikes were already parked in a row outside a big garage. The men talked and laughed with each other. A few women hung around, leaning against the wall or on one of the men. It wasn’t until we pulled around back that I noticed other children playing.