The Thin Line (Between Guilt & Blame)

Deadly Consequences

With word to only Gemma, Sadie left the compound in the burgeoning darkness. She drove her convertible down Charming country roads until she pulled up to an old airstream. Cutting the engine, she let out a low sigh, "Oh geez..." 

The little property Unser had "retired" to brought a sad pang of guilt and sorrow that wrenched Sadie's insides. But that was a different problem. Different day. Making a mental note to tell Gemma about it, she pushed out of her car but before she could reach the door, it opened. Unser pushed on screen so he could see her in the dim light, "Sadie? Jesus... Can't say I get many visitors after dark... hold on." 

Sadie could hear him click the safety back on his gun before he exited his trailer completely, "Everything alright?" 

"Uh, yeah, well no. But yeah, mostly," she stumbled. It made him smile although the wary didn't leave his features. 

"Okay....alright... then what can I do for you?" he asked. 

"Can we talk?" Sadie asked, unsure how else to start. 

He nodded and motioned to the two metal chairs that made up the "front yard" of his trailer. They took a seat and Unser turned on the mosquito light, a soft buzz filled the air between them, "Trust me," he told her with a small smile, "They mean business." 

Sadie smirked. She'd already managed to light up a joint and take a long hit before she offered it to Unser who accepted it with a grateful nod, raising it to her in a sort of cheers before he took a hit. She refused to take it back, instead opting for a cigarette so the old man could finish the pot.

 "So what do you want to talk about?" Unser asked, "Can't say I'm up on any hot gossip. Even the satellite is shit out here." 

"I need you to tell me about my mom," Sadie explained. 

Unser looked her over. For a moment, he feigned confusion. But as the surprise wore away, the false look of uncertainty faded away and he spoke, "What do you know?" 

"Dawn told me that my mom and Tig had something going...but then she completely shut down on me. I know there's more than what they told me: isn't there?" she looked at the older man with desperate eyes. Besides her mother's death, her father hadn't lasted much longer in her life. She had started as a thorn in Unser's side: a young girl with both of her middle fingers up to society but after enough run-ins, she grew on the cop and vice versa. 

"Yeah, maybe. But you gotta know there ain't no way to prove it. I only got what I know through the grapevine, okay?" Unser started and Sadie nodded along. She stayed quiet, Unser had center stage, "Your mom she -- she didn't die of an overdose, well, not exactly. Charming was having a huge crank problem, it was more common than I'd like to admit. I responded early that morning. You were a mess. Been alone in the house with her body for hours. From what we know, you tried to wake her up and you couldn't," Unser's voice wavered, "But because she didn't show up for her shift, one of her co-workers came out to drag her ass to work...when you answered the door in your pajamas, she knew something was wrong." 

Sadie used the cigarette to steady herself. She had very little memory of that day. She was only about three or so. All she remembered was a feeling of panic when that woman arrived on their doorstep, and then the sound of loud sirens. But it made sense: why she was so fucked up. Maybe she just repressed finding her mother dead. Jesus. 

"Her actual cause of death was asphyxiation. Choked on her own vomit, got caught lying on her back." 

It hurt Sadie to hear it. She had never really known the woman, and she didn't harbor much love for her -- but a tragedy was a tragedy, especially when you were related to it by blood, "If her death was accidental, then why was Dawn so concerned Tig and I wouldn't be good?" 

Unser let out a heavy sigh, "Your mom wasn't at home getting into illicit substances all on her own that night... story goes, she and Tig made a night of it. He wasn't into crank, even then, but you know that crazy bastard likes a good party. But back then, the Sons still had a hard policy on heroin. They didn't want it dealt in Charming and they sure as hell didn't need to get caught using or lettin' people use around 'em. John and Clay, it was something they agreed on."

Sadie felt her stomach twist and turn, wrapping itself into knots even though she still failed to see what was coming. 

"Turns out, your mom started having a fit some time in the middle of the night. Tig, whatever the hell he was on, freaked. Ran out. Lied about being there at all. We had witnesses who put him with her that night but the whole club became his alibi and they shut it all down. We weren't after him for murder or nothin', it was a pretty clear accidental death, but..." 

"...but?" Sadie asked with a lump in her throat. The mosquito lantern offered a soft zap as it killed one of the braver bloodsuckers. 

"But he sure as heck didn't save her neither. Watched her choke for a while before he took off. All he had to do," Unser said incredulously, holding out his hands like an example, "was turn her over." 

Sadie didn't realize her eyes had teared up until she felt a few droplets strike her bare thighs. Tig had left her mother to choke to death but worse? He left a toddler alone to find her mother's dead body. "They never..." she started, speaking of the club. No one ever told her. When she and Jax started becoming a thing when they were teenagers, they never once admitted to history with her family. She'd been accepted into the club life as family and they'd never looked back.  

"Look, Sadie, I'm sorry. Never thought to tell you. By the time you and I were on speaking terms besides your Miranda rights... never thought you didn't know any of it." he said.

Sadie reached over and patted the man's leg, "Not your fault. Thank-you," she finished, trying to keep her voice steady. At least someone was willing to tell her the truth. 

"You uh-- want a beer? Think I got a couple stashed away in there somewhere..."

Sadie managed the best smile she could, trying to stave off any real tears, "No...I uh, I should be going anyway. Kinda this whole thing, shouldn't be away from the clubhouse too long." Sadie stood and Unser followed. She wrapped him into a hug, "Come by the garage once and a while. We give out goodie bags," she teased.  She pulled another joint from her pocket and passed it to him.

"Thanks," he chuckled, "Maybe I will."

"Okay, good." Sadie swallowed hard and made her way back into her car. She pulled out, back to the desolate roads, and the wind unabashedly whipped against her tears, stinging her weary eyes. 

Unser watched her go until the dull red tail lights of the old Mustang faded away into darkness.