Strays

The Crow Flies Straight

Chapter Nineteen

TM

Jaycee

" This isn't a good idea, Jaycee. If Tully finds out... "

Donny's voice follows me like a leash I keep slipping out of. He is right. I know he is. But my nerves have been clawing at me ever since I left the prison. Something is moving under the surface. Something big. I can feel it in my ribs like a pulse that isn't mine.

And sitting still has never been my style.

" I'm a big girl. You can't force me to listen. If he finds out the heat comes down on me, not you. Just come in. I won't be long. "

I step out of the Escalade before he can lecture me again. The morning air in Charming tastes like dust and stale beer, familiar in a way that makes my stomach turn.

Inside, the clubhouse feels wrong. Too quiet. Too empty. The walls usually hum with voices, with laughter, with trouble brewing in corners. Today it feels like a body with no heartbeat. Only two bikes outside. Chibs and Rat's. That tells me everything I need to know.

Donny drops onto a stool at the bar. I head toward the garage, but before I get far, Chibs comes in from the opposite side. His face looks hollow, like he aged ten years overnight.

" What the hell is going on, Fil? "

He doesn't even try to pretend things are normal. He catches my arm and steers me toward the chapel. His hand is gentle but his energy is frantic. The walls of that room always feel like they swallow secrets, and today they feel even heavier.

" Ye have the right to know. "

My pulse jumps. " I knew something was up. Just tell me. "

He puts both hands on my shoulders like he is bracing me for impact. His breath trembles when he lets it out.

" With the witch hunt for Tara's murderer, Jax has been inconsolable. Ye already know that. "

" Yeah. " My stomach tightens. " And? "

He hesitates. I can see the war behind his eyes. Then he asks, " Remember Gib? One of the young guys we hired for the guns and the H? "

" I remember. "

His throat bobs as he swallows. " We needed someone to take the blame for the hit on the Chinese. Bobby and Rat did him and his friend. Made it look clean. Made it look like they were the trigger men. "

The room tilts. " Okay. What does that have to do with anything? "

He rubs his face hard. " Gib was Jury's secret son. No one kent but him. We made it look like the Chinese had reason to retaliate. Then when they came after us, Jax started believing Jury told them. That was when we learned Gib's identity. It looked like Jury had motive. "

My heart starts pounding hard enough I feel it in my throat. " Chibs. What happened? "

His eyes shine before he wipes them fast. The guilt rolls off him in waves.

" Jury met us in the desert with his VP. He denied being a rat. He admitted he kent we killed his son, but said he'd never betray the MC he patched into. Jury raised his gun. Jax raised his. It ended with Jax putting a bullet in his head. Without knowing. Without proof. And he was innocent. "

The words hit me like gravel dragged across skin.
Uncle Jury. Dead.
Gone.
And no one thought to tell me.

My voice breaks as it crawls out. " You mean to tell me Jury has been dead for weeks and not one of you thought to call me? "