Cowboy Bikers MC Lawmen by Esther E. Schmidt

CHAPTER EIGHT

– ATTICUS –

My eyes are on my woman while I sip on some bottled water and watch her work. We should be working on the case but instead she’s researching what Saul told her about; researching us. And for the life of me I don’t get why the fucker would bring up this shit.

We have nothing to hide and whatever Enid will find is the truth. We didn’t twist shit about this case; we never do. Our MC might use all means necessary and don’t have to hold back where other law enforcement agencies have to play by the rules, we skip over that shit.

But end of the line? We have to file paperwork like everyone else and always stick to our morals and walk the right line of the law. Which basically means we don’t harm the innocent and always catch the bad guys, and in some cases bad women. Whatever, you get the idea.

For a detective to say to a special agent we’re the bad guys? Fuck. I can’t even begin to explain how damn twisted that shit is.

“Who pissed in your water?” Fisher remarks with a chuckle. “Or are you pissed your old lady is working the case and instead should be working on you?”

I glare at my VP and snap, “How about her father’s partner brought up the Nic Evan’s case the second the fucker laid eyes on me?”

Fisher’s eyes go wide. “Are you fucking kidding me? Why would he bring up an open and shut case?”

“To make her doubt us,” I tell him, knowing my gut instinct tells me this is the reason.

My VP doesn’t say anything and leans his forearms on the bar as he slides his gaze to Enid. Silent, dragging minutes go by while I know his thoughts are running loud and wild.

“Well? Mind sharing what you’re thinking?” I question and throw the empty bottle into the recycle bin.

Fisher doesn’t say anything and pushes away from the bar to stalk right into church.

I’m following close behind him and hear him ask, “What does Saul Loomis have against us? Any idea why he would want to show us in a bad light with you so you stop working the serial killer’s case and turn on us?”

The stuff Fisher is saying has crossed my mind too but I’d rather have Enid take in all the information before we go through everything. I mean, if I would voice this shit right away she would be pissed or doubt or…hell, I have no clue how she’ll react.

And in the end? She still catches me by surprise when she turns her laptop our way and says, “Those are the very questions I’d like the answers to as well.”

Fisher grabs the back of a chair and pulls it out to sit next to her. Stalking around Enid, I take a seat on the other side.

“I’ve been trying to see if the times and dates of the murders–”

“You think he’s our man?” Fisher instantly interrupts.

“The thought crossed my mind.” Enid releases a deep sigh. “I’ve known him for a few years, ever since he became my father’s partner. I know it doesn’t make sense but why would he be against you guys taking the case? About me working with you? And most of all, try to guilt trip me by mentioning my father’s disappointment if he could see me now.”

“Maybe he’s pissed we took his case?” Fisher tries and I know he’s saying it to push her reasoning.

She shakes her head. “He would offer to help instead or go to you guys. He and my father have assisted in multiple cases from other detective or agencies. Saul is a team player he wouldn’t–” She falls silent and I’m about to say something but Fisher catches my attention.

He slowly shakes his head, silently asking me to shut up and let her ramble, even if it’s inside her head before she finishes her sentence.

“Team player,” she murmurs. “Then there are possibilities. The stabbing. The crushed throat being overkill.” Her gaze swings to Fisher. “He could be working with or for the serial killer.”

“Bingo,” Fisher grimly states. “I’ve thought about it a few times. It’s damn rare for killers to work together but it would make sense.”

Shit. If this is true, “Then it wouldn’t matter where Saul was the moment the victims were taken,” I grimly state.

“Right. And it’s brilliant actually because if there are two of them working together–”

“They are each other’s alibies,” Fisher finishes for Enid.

Enid falls back into her chair and we all stare at one another.

Fisher is the first one to move, shoving his chair back as he grunts, “I’ll be right back.”

He rushes out of church and I take this moment to ask, “Are you okay?”

She shrugs and says, “I’m fine,” but her eyes tell a different story.

“It’s screwed up that someone your father trusts would say something to make you feel shitty about your own actions. It says more about him than about you or anyone else, okay? And fuck, even if it’s to protect you or to see you see reason or whatever? Still a dick move in my opinion.” I can’t keep the venom out of my voice in the last sentence.

Enid gives me half a smile. “It is. And I never doubted you or anyone else in this MC. My father always spoke very highly of you and to be honest? He mentioned wanting to bring this case to the MC’s attention right before he died.”

“He did?” Fisher asks as he strolls back into church with a stack of papers.

The smile she’s sporting now is one of fondness while her eyes fill with emotion as she remembers her father. “He sure did. You guys are well-known in this town but more so in every law enforcement department. Some might not like the whole ‘free reign’ angle, kinda like bringing down the wild west with you guys being the cowboy bikers but it doesn’t take away the fact you are able to catch those who slip through the justice system. Everyone who upholds justice should be happy about that fact. Except Saul wasn’t. Then he mentioned my father and then he wanted me to look into a case involving you guys, creating doubt. And he flirted with my neighbor while he has a wife and her kid he practically accepted as his own.”

Fisher rolls his eyes. “Sure, a married man flirting frees him up for a serial killer position.”

Enid growls. “It isn’t one or two things, it’s everything linked together which makes me doubt him instead of making me doubt you guys. He’s just acting weird and it makes me notice everything. Besides, Mysti flirts with everyone who has a penis between his legs and knows how to use it.”

“She has the body along with it to draw enough attention and to butter up the package,” Fisher adds to Enid’s statement.

Enid’s eyes narrow. “How do you know Mysti?”

“Not the way you think. But I’m not denying I might have kept an eye on you and with your neighbor practically living underneath her window to catch every damn movement going on in the street, it was hard not to run into her.” Fisher winces. “And believe me when I said I tried to dodge her.”

Enid laughs a full belly laugh and the both of us chuckle along with her. She clears her throat and wipes her eyes as she manages to calm down the laughter.

“Sorry, I know how overwhelming she can be.”

Fisher snorts. “Overwhelming? Tornado is a better word. I’d say she means well but damn: I’d be lying.”

We’re back to laughing when there’s a knock on the door. It’s open but a prospect is standing in the doorway.

“Prez?” The prospect holds up a tiny envelope. “This package was just delivered. I asked the deliveryman to wait up since there isn’t any sender and it’s addressed to your old lady.”

All three of us dash up. The envelope is addressed to Enid and though I want to take lead, I’m very aware she knows exactly how to handle the situation. It shows when she reaches into her bag to pull out a pair of gloves and puts them on before taking it from the prospect, who is holding it in the corner between his thumb and forefinger.

“Light as a feather,” Enid murmurs.

She holds the envelope against the light before gently opening it and shakes it above the table, letting a silky satin bluish gray hair scrunchy tumble out. The sharp intake of breath comes from behind Enid and I glance over her shoulder just in time to watch Fisher stumble back and brace himself on the wall behind him.

“Fuck,” I curse and Enid glances at me before she follows my line of sight.

“Holy shit, it’s from your old lady? He fucking collects trophies and is fucking with us? Yeah, anyone who tells me Saul isn’t involved is a freaking lunatic. He warns me away from you guys through a case involving you and Fisher, and now this gets delivered? Coincidence my ass. But we can’t take him in, right?” She swings her head toward the prospect. “Can you ask the delivery guy who made the drop? Any details might help, I’m sure you know the drill.”

“Take Yuma with you and get it done,” I order.

The prospect slinks away to fulfill Enid’s request but all of us know it’s a waste of time; there won’t be any details to track the sender.

“She…it was…fuck,” Fisher croaks and it’s the very first time I’ve seen him fall apart like the day he heard his old lady was murdered.

It’s as if his heart is ripped from his chest all over again.

Enid grabs the thick binder from the table and quickly lets her fingers go through all the papers and photographs until she probably finds what she needs and drops everything. She stalks over to Fisher and gets into his personal space.

“Fisher look at me.” His eyes stay locked on the silk scrunchy.

“Fisher,” Enid tries again, this time with a loud snap in her voice. “Think. She was wearing the scrunchy, this isn’t the one, remember? He’s fucking with you. I’m pretty sure that scumbag doesn’t have anything personal from your old lady, you hear me? Nothing.”

He finally drags his eyes away to make his gaze collide with Enid’s.

Blinking a few times he croaks, “Right. I thought…it was…fuck.”

She places a hand on his shoulder. “He wanted this exact reaction. Absolute torture and I hate to see you go through this.”

“He remembers details. He might not take souvenirs but–” I start but Fisher cuts me off.

“If there are two killers they might reminisce, relive the kill over and over and it’s easy to keep the details vivid.”

“Especially if it was personal,” Enid says, catching both our attention.

“Personal?” I question. “Mind explaining?”

Enid shakes her head. “I don’t know exactly why or how but just bear with me. Why did Saul approach me? Why did he bring up the case with the trucker accidentally killing one of you guys?” She air quotes the accidental part because we all know the trucker killed Jones on purpose. “What if the trucker was the killer’s partner in crime and he took revenge when you took him out?”

Silence falls after she voiced her theory. We all let it roam in our heads but in some twisted way it does make sense.

“We need to look into the trucker case,” Fisher says. “It might be a lead. Might be the fucking key to bring him down. Maybe it’s nothing but maybe it’s everything. Worth a fucking shot.”

“Worth a fucking shot,” Enid says with the kind of determination that’s radiating from Fisher’s gaze.

Even if it might not lead to anything, for all it’s worth I’m glad she was able to pull Fisher out of his disheveled state.

Fisher glances at his watch. “I’ll put Leland on the computer side of things, run it by Nieko, our crime analyst, and also involve Ranch, our intelligence analyst. I don’t want to leave any stone unturned.”

“Agreed,” I grunt. “And let’s put a few guys to brainstorm about the multiple killers angle. I want to know who he’s friends with, siblings, or if there is any trace about stab wounds being from a different angle, depth or whatever. Though, if I remember correctly, all stab wounds on all the victims were made by the same perpetrator, but double check to make sure.”

“On it, Prez,” Fisher grunts and takes a step closer to Enid. His murmur is low but I catch him telling her, “I knew you’d be a great asset. Not only to the case but for our Prez as well.” He walks out before she can so much as reply.

I step closer and take her face in my hands as I gently brush my lips against hers. “We’ve made a lot of progress today with the load of angles we’re going to look in to. Not to mention, we received a rise out of the killer.”

“Yeah.” Her eyes go thoughtful. “The scrunchy was addressed to me while it was obviously sent to get a rise out of Fisher, the one who killed the trucker. The angle of Saul and him visiting me while making me doubt you guys and yet I’m still with you guys so he failed? It’s as if the links are all too easy to make and in plain view. To be honest? It gives me the creeps and the gut instinct we’re still missing something.”

“Fuck.” I drop my hands and take a step back. “You’re right. We have to stay on our toes.”

“What we need is to keep a clear head. Fisher is on it and I think it’s best to let him gather the information. We can’t go in blind or hotheaded. I think that’s what they or he wants. Maybe he’s deliberately baiting us with a multiple perpetrator angle. We need to catch our breath and let everything sink in. There’s also not much else we can do.”

“Agreed,” I grunt. “They’re on it for now. And don’t take this the wrong way but I can’t have you roaming around without protection anymore.”

Enid snorts but she sobers up pretty damn quick. “Understandable.”

“Come on, let’s get something to eat and take a long shower. I’m pretty sure Fisher isn’t going to get much sleep tonight and will continue with everything until he gets to the bottom of it. And don’t think I don’t want to help the fucker because you know damn well he won’t let me.

“I know,” she says in a soothing voice. “Believe me, the longer I’m around you guys, the more understanding dawns. Everything somehow makes more sense and it’s as if I can see through the bullshit of some people and jump right into the sane part of my brain.”

I nod because that’s the jumpstart we all have at some point in time. “It’s like removing the belt from your pants. It gives you the space you need to breathe. Everyone thinks our MC is all about the outlaw part. The freedom to do fuck knows what to gain justice while all along it’s about setting your mind free and letting it run with the possibilities. And yeah, the no-restrictions has its benefits but it’s the teamwork that gets shit done. Each of us has an expertise but our strength also lies in letting others handle their part while we take a breather and dive back in with fresh eyes.”

“Around the clock teamwork and yet you guys have a system that lets you balance to be on edge and relaxed at the same time,” Enid agrees.

“Except for maybe Fisher,” I mutter.

Enid chuckles. “Except for Fisher. But he has his reasons and everything is still fresh with the killer still out there. The man needs time and with a brotherhood having his back it will all work out, I’m sure.”

Fuck. This woman.

“You really are something,” I muse and take her face in my hands to lean in and brush my lips against hers.

She sinks into our kiss and it makes my heartrate pick up speed. Even with the havoc happening around us, it’s the eye of the storm I’m experiencing right here. This woman grounds me into the kind of serenity I need to pull through all the bullshit in life.

My father always said I would know it deep down when the right woman comes along. Well, it turns out he’s right but I don’t feel it deep down. It’s right at the surface in the middle of my chest. My heart is slamming against my rib cage, wanting to get out and merge with hers. That’s how I know the woman standing before me is the only one I’ll ever need in my life.

It’s for this reason I pull back from the kiss and lace our fingers together. Giving our joined hands a squeeze, I guide her out of church and head for the stables. Somehow taking her to my room and fucking her senseless is too meaningless.

I want to relish in every minute of the day I get to spend with her. This means I’m going to take her horseback riding. Relaxing on the back of my horse while we let the turmoil of today settle so we can face whatever comes our way with a fresh mindset.

We talk through some other angles while enjoying the late night breeze. The way the wind carries her hair as she closes her eyes to face the soft breeze as her face relaxes? I know I made the right choice to take her horseback riding.

We take a moment to watch my brothers guide a herd into another pasture as we lean on the horn of our saddles. There are only a handful of words exchanged and yet it feels like we’ve talked for a lifetime when we finally return to my room after taking care of the horses.

Clearly our relationship doesn’t revolve around sex when we take a shower together and right after tumble into bed together, only to fall into a deep sleep we both seem to need as we cuddle close and tangle our bodies; holding on to one another because right here is granted while tomorrow is an uncertainty.