Recluse Protection

Chapter 25

By the time we got back it's three Friday morning; I'm glad I don't have to put up with Hunter until later this evening. That didn't matter though; after my shower, I prayed I'd fall asleep quickly. To shut off my exhaustion riddled brain. Instead, I stare at the ceiling; thousands of questions tumble through my head, each of them weighing down the pit of my stomach more. Gears note of 'Cube' means nothing to me; maybe there's something I haven't seen in the videos or in the paperwork. I know there's a big red flag that I'm missing; my gut screams there is more to his message.

Answers would be great now; my head throbs angrily as thoughts continue to race, ricochet off my cranium. This sucks, every time I feel like I have an answer on the tip of my tongue, something changes, new information comes out. Shatters my previous notation of all this madness. Just when I think things will fall into place, I'm left doing a one-eighty, scattered by the newest bomb. Like now, I'm left drawing a black at Gears message; with a sigh, I push myself up from my reclined position.

If I stay in bed any longer, I'll be driven mad, I ignore my exhaustion and stand; motion, I need motion. My fingers grasp the pull string on the bedside lamp and tug it on; the burnt yellow light casts a glow over the small room. The cold hardwood floors send shock waves through my feet as I stand and pace. Even if I wanted to, I don't think meditation could do me any good. The light casts a shadowed glow on the room; I watch my shadow follow me, entranced by the methodical movement.

Bear and Gears knew what was going down; I know I'm at the center, whatever this is. What do I know? Both of them are dead; Bear was making runs for either Devoted Buzzard's or Devil's Dozen, possibly both. Could Gears have been dragged into it? The thought makes me stop; how was Gears acting the last time I saw him? It was a few weeks before his death; the last time I saw him he was quiet; I chalked it up to the anniversary of his sister's death. Could it have been more? My mind works to count back the weeks; did his visit correlate with a run? It was five almost six weeks ago, it's likely that he made a run.

A soft knock on the door has me stilling, I stare at the door in anticipation; who the hell is it? The knob turns slowly and I remove my pistol from under my pillow, my thumb clicks the safety off just as a hand wraps around the door. I want to growl, snarl as a matter of fact. The delicate fingers push the door open and I'm greeted by Susan's face as she slips into the room. This isn't the person I need to be dealing with. "I saw your light was on." I arch a brow at her, keeping my silence; she looks down at my hand and sees the pistol. "I'm not here for a fight."

"Then you shouldn't be knocking at doors this early in the morning. I thought you wanted to meet tonight." Last time I checked, four almost five in the morning doesn't fit the bill. I slip my pistol back into its resting place as she shuts the door and heads for the chair in the corner. I stare at her for a moment before I get back to pacing; the longer I stand, my skin crawls.

"I couldn't sleep, saw your light was on; where did you go with my son?" She makes me shake my head at her; back to fishing for information. That irks me; I don't want to say she killed her husband, but I don't know the woman or what she's capable of.

"We were on a joy ride, what's it to you?" On the opposite end of the room I stare at her; she crosses her legs and taps on the arms of the chair.

"He said it was club business; what do you know that we don't?" She tests patience; Bear was a saint to put up with her for decades.

"Susan, I'm not saying shit. I have to keep my six covered; no offense, but I don't trust you." She tilts her head to the side, her lip quirks up slightly as if she's amused by my words.

"At least we have that in common. You knew Bear, Cobra, and some members here; how?" I lean against the wall and cross my arms over my chest; how much do I share with her?