Rising (6 page)

She didn’t have to think about her answer. “Riley. I don’t know his last name. As I said he’s a guy who helped me with my car when I first arrived in Mobile; nothing more, nothing less.”

“Thanks again, Ms. Regis.” Detective Daniels nodded and the men left.

She shut the door and leaned against it. Her heart thumped hard in her chest, and a thin layer of sweat coated her top lip. What the hell was Trenton doing reporting her missing? She straightened and moved into the living room.

Her buddy had always been an attention seeker. His stories were always a little over the top and he always had a bit of a temper, but he’d never touched her before. Trenton’s behavior was getting worse, and she didn’t know how to help him.

Savannah dropped onto the couch and drew her feet up beneath her as she thought back. He never lacked dates, and it seemed like when he wasn’t studying, he was always with a different girl. At that time, she was actually a little jealous that he didn’t see her in that light. His girlfriends were constantly smiling and joking, but they didn’t last long. She chalked up his short relationships to his grueling class schedule. Maybe after the honeymoon phase was over, he didn’t pay them much attention.

Savannah dropped her head back on the seat. She was missing something. Her stomach grumbled and she pressed her palm against her belly. Eat first. She rose and ambled to the kitchen. That niggling feeling that there was more to her old college friend wouldn’t abate.

****

The phone buzzed before the chimes started. Riley lifted his head from the pillow and cracked a lid to gaze at the cell. He snatched it up and glanced at the number before sliding his finger across the screen. “Yeah.”

“Motherfuckers tried to corner Whit at the grocery store.” Bobby Jack’s tone held a sharp edge. “She said it was two sons of bitches, and they had shaved heads. Fuckers told her she would be the first casualty in a race war…”

“What the fuck are you talking about? Calm down, I told y—” Riley sat up in bed.
Skinheads went after Whit? Shit.
Looked like Isaac was firing off a couple rounds of his own.

“Fuck that! They called out the dogs and I am just the bastard to put a rabid motherfucker down.” Bobby Jack’s tone took on a deadly calm. “Are you riding with me?”

“Where we going?” Riley set his feet on the floor and rose, marching to the closet. This shit was wrong on all sorts of levels. Someone was fucking with the factions. Not someone—Isaac, that dirty SOB. Riley exhaled. Going off half-cocked wouldn’t solve anyone’s problems. He needed to think.

“Hunting. Whit had my son with her.” Bobby Jack’s breath filled the earpiece. “Assholes want to come for my family then bastards can come through me.”

“Before we go searching from pillar to post, stop. Let’s look at this objectively.” His cousin might say hunting, but he knew exactly where Bobby Jack wanted to start looking. Going after his uncle on the old man’s turf was a mistake Isaac probably wanted Bobby Jack to make. It was a classic skinhead tactic. Keep pushing until you get a reaction, and his kin already had a short temper. “Going after your daddy is exactly what he wants you to do.”

“If you ain’t coming, just say so.” Bobby Jack voice faded in and out as if he was moving.

“Dumb ass, shut up!” He was tired of trying to corral the younger man. “Listen. You want to get to Isaac, then we need to catch him off guard.” Riley snatched clothing off hangers and tossed aside the items he didn’t need. “Do you know where he moved the meth lab?”

“No,” Bobby Jack grumbled. “But if we ride around long enough, we’ll find it.”

“Stop trying to waste my gas.” Riley rammed his legs into his jeans. “I’m on my way.” He pulled a T-shirt over his head as he moved through the house. A crowbar was leaning on the doorjamb. He grabbed his keys and wallet off the table, stuffing them in his pocket before snatching up the rusty metal bar.

He threw the crowbar in the passenger seat and climbed up into the cab. Starting his truck, he rammed the gear into drive. Tires spun on the damp grass before catching and the vehicle lurched forward. He tapped the Bluetooth in his steering wheel and quickly dialed the number to Setter as he drove down the packed clay silt that made up his driveway.

“It’s late.” Setter’s sleepy voice filled the speaker. “And I just left your ass at the bar.”

“Where is Isaac’s lab hidden?” Tires squealed as Riley turned sharply onto the highway.

“Why?”

“You have two seconds to tell me, or I swear after I find it, I am coming to stick my boot up your ass,” Riley growled.

“You really need to find you a nice Aryan girl and get laid.” Sheets rustled in the background. “Nobody is saying. At least they ain’t telling me. I heard Clay and Andy were cutting up at the bowling alley tonight with Jessi. They are probably hanging out at the park getting high, since the alley closed…three hours ago.”

“What they celebrating?” Riley glanced around, and blew through a red light.

“Hell if I know and shit if I care.” Blank air filled the space.

Riley tapped end. Were the dogs after Whit, or were they trying to get to Little Isaac? He slammed his foot on the breaks at another light. A patrol car drove past slowly. Riley glanced at the officer and nodded. So anxious his leg shook, the damn traffic light was taking forever. If he didn’t get to Bobby Jack, he could see his kin going off alone. His cousin was no pushover, but if it was a trap, he might not walk away from the fight.

The green light flashed and Riley pressed his foot on the gas. Bobby Jack was pacing outside the apartment building when he pulled up. Whit leaned against the stairs railing with her arms crossed.

Riley jumped out of his truck. “Where is the kid?”

“Ms. Mays got him and her pistol. She says ain’t no damn shaved-head, sorry-ass motherfucker taking that baby away from her.” Whit looked over at him. “He is safe, but Bobby Jack ain’t listening to me. I say we call the police. We filed a restraining order against Isaac and everybody else. Our lawyer was granted an emergency hearing next week. All we have to do is stay away from the assholes.”

“Fucking police ain’t gonna do shit.” Bobby Jack stalked to Riley’s vehicle. “This is between me and my relations, and it’s only going to stop when one of us is dead.” He climbed up into the passenger seat and looked at Riley. “Are you coming or do I need to drive?” The window on his side rolled down. “Whitney, get in the apartment. Better yet, go stay with Ms. Mays until I get back.”

“Bobb—” She walked toward him.

“What did I say, baby. I’ll handle this and I’ll come back to get you.” His cousin smiled slowly. “Wear that cute little red nightgown.” He eased back and slapped the door with his hand. “Come on, Riley, I got new boots to break in.”

Riley glanced at Whit. “I’ll keep him safe.”

Another promise; why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?

He stepped up into his seat and slammed the door. “Word is Andy, Clay, and Jessi might be at the old park.”

“What about Isaac?” Riley asked. Bobby Jack twisted in his seat and stared at him. “Got no clue where to find your daddy.”

“No problem,” Bobby Jack shrugged. “Well send him a message through the twin pussies.”

“You need to get ahold of yourself.” Riley knew anger. After he left Isaac’s house, rage consumed him. He’d done everything he could to protect Bobby Jack, but it wasn’t enough. He couldn’t take on one old man.

It pained him to have to watch his cousin…no, his
brother
…from afar. When Bobby Jack finally reached out to him, he’d been on the rig and the first thing he did when he got his brother’s message was call him back.
I’m trying to keep my promise, Aunt Elizabeth
.

“What I need to do is kick someone’s ass.” Bobby Jack pressed his lips together in a firm line.

“One day, little brother…” He let the words slip out.

“I’m not your brother. I’m no longer Aryan, but we are kin and I appreciate you having my back.”

“Nothing will come between blood.” Riley turned down the dark road that led to an old park.

The shelters were peeling and the playground equipment was rusted through and fading. Half the lighting had been busted out, sinking most of the area in gloomy darkness. It was the perfect place to party. Patrol cars no longer bothered to monitor the area.

He parked his truck in the farthest spot of the back lot. They would walk in.

Riley reached in and gripped the crowbar. “That two-by-four is still in the back seat.”

“Nice.” Bobby Jack turned and rooted around, pulling a bloody piece of wood from behind his seat. “Every now and then I go by that Dollar Store, but I don’t see Whit’s ex-manager.”

“That’s probably smart on his part.” Riley jumped out of the truck cab.

Bobby Jack met him in front of the grill. They stalked down the path, carefully circling the area. Close to the river, a few bums had sought shelter at the park instead of sleeping beneath the bridge. Somebody was hooting and hollering; the yelling grew louder as they got closer. They approached a squat building open on three sides. A small bonfire had been started in a large metal can.

Riley crouched, watching the scene. Andy and Jessi were dancing, laughing. She wore a bridal veil. A few men gathered around a picnic table. Death metal blasted from an iPod. They were passing around a pipe. With every flare of the lighter, he could make out the shadowed outline of their faces. That made a total of seven people. He peered over at Bobby Jack. “You see Clay?”

“No, but the asshole could be taking a piss.” Bobby Jack met his gaze. “I count seven, but there could be double that lurking or passed out.”

“True. I didn’t see any guns.” Riley refocused on the group before him.

“They’re so high they couldn’t get the safety off. You ready?” Bobby Jack stood.

“Always.” Riley rose up next to him. “I hate to crash your party!” he called out as they broke away from the foliage.

“Bobby Jack,” Jessi breathed his name before screaming. “Give me back my baby boy!”

Andy snatched her behind him. “Clay, we got company!”

“A man can’t take a piss without a little peace.” Clay came stomping out from behind the building. Another man followed him.

“Looks like you was doing more than relieving yourself, Clay.” Riley hacked up phlegm and spit. “Still like them young, I see.”

Bobby Jack burst out in laughter. “You know, Riley, I never thought about it but thinking back, Clay loved to be alone with new recruits.” His cousin looked Clay up and down. “Is that how you broke them boys in?”

“I ain’t no fucking faggot,” Clay yelled. The muscles in his neck were stark in the shifting firelight.

“The truth hurts, I know.” Riley shook his head. “Or is that a secret you don’t want your dogs to know about?”

“Who you calling a dog? I understand you a damn monkey humper.” A big guy at the table stood up. The men around him rose, too.

At a quick glance, Riley saw bald heads, swastikas, and images of Hitler tatted on multiple places on their bodies. Neo-Nazis—Riley knew the fringe groups well. Once upon a time, he’d been one of their most strident members.

“He’s the wrong cousin. That would be me.” Bobby Jack pointed at himself. “A word of advice. You should try it. Once you go black…”

“Shut up!” Andy bowed up. “You had Jessi and you tossed her aside for a nigger bitch.”

“No, I walked away from a meth head that would spread her legs for any motherfucker with a pipe and a few crystals.” Bobby Jack shrugged. “You might want to keep your woman in check. Jessi will fuck every man here, given the chance.”

“Careful how you talk about my wife,” Andy bellowed.

“Ooh damn, I’m glad you dodged that bullet, Bobby Jack.” Riley wiped the sweat from his brown and flicked it.

Skinheads moved from around the table, flanking them. He peered over at his cousin. Bobby Jack twisted his head and the bones in his neck cracked. Clay took the center position. Andy slunk back behind the guys, dragging Jessi with him. A few of the men brandished boards, hammers, knives.

“Lay down with dogs and you catch fleas. I wonder what you catch lying down with colored—crabs, maybe? Tell me something, have you tried scrubbing the brown off? Why chase the tail of black cows when you could have clean white pussy?” Clay sighed. “Too bad, Uncle Isaac said you’d show up eventually, but I didn’t think you would have the balls to crash the celebration of Andy and Jessi’s marriage.” He shook his head. “Since you’re here, meet our visiting brothers from Tennessee. Riley is the guy I was telling y’all about. He’s scared to meet with Uncle Isaac, so we had to import your help.”

“Spell
import,
Clay, you dumb fuck; you were a waste of sperm.” Riley rolled his shoulders. Annoyance skittered along his nerves at being called scared. “You know, Bobby Jack, I really think the stupidity comes from your daddy’s side of the family. God, but I’m glad it was your mother that was my actual blood relative.”

“Yeah, I’m a little relieved her genes were stronger myself.” Bobby Jack cocked a brow. “Six to two ain’t fair. Can’t count Andy, he always hides.”

“I’m glad you understand the ass-whooping you are about to receive,” Clay said with a laugh, exposing rotting teeth.