Hard Mistake (Notus Motorcycle Club Book 4) Page 5

  "When will you know?"

  Glen leaned against the wall. "Soon as we're done here, I'm going to go look for a bug. I'll need the keys to the building."

  She shoved her hand in her purse, pulling out her keychain. Chuck took them from her.

  "As for checking up on Markham, today's Monday and a holiday. We're going to have to wait until Friday night to go to the casino when we have other people who will provide a cover for us," said Chuck.

  "No. We can't wait that long." Erikka grabbed his arm. "I'm not willing to jeopardize my sister's life by waiting. I'll go over there by myself instead, and—"

  "There's another option." He gritted his teeth.

  When Wayne brought up the choices they had on how to handle the situation, Chuck had originally shot down taking Erikka anywhere near Markham. But, time was against them. It'd already been too long. They were pushing a week with Erikka's sister missing.

  "Yes. Whatever it is, I'll do it." Erikka squeezed his forearm.

  "Does your sister still look like the pictures you gave us?"

  She nodded. "Those were all taken within a week of her missing. She's always sending me selfies to make fun of me because I hate them. Not her pictures. Mine."

  Chuck gathered up her hands and held them between his. Her fingers were cold, despite the weather being in the upper seventies. "I can try to get you into the restaurant at the casino. We can make it look like a date, and if you can hold it together, having you there might draw Markham out, so I can...talk with him."

  "Yes. Anything. I'll go." In her eagerness, she scooted closer until her knees bumped into his thigh.

  "Hang on," he muttered. "You look just different enough, you're not going to fool Markham if he does know your sister. We'll need you to think, act, and dress like her. Put your hair in a style Rachel would wear, and keep your face directed on me."

  Until that second, he hadn't announced he'd be the one taking her. But, he refused to let her walk into a dangerous situation without him there to protect her.

  "I can do that. We have the same style. We're close to the same size, except she's taller than me. I can wear higher heels." Her body no longer trembled in fear but adrenaline.

  He turned to Wayne. "Tell me what I'm missing."

  "No." Erikka pulled her hands out of his and grabbed onto him again. "This will work. I promise. It's the closest possibility I've got to find out where Rachel is. We have to do it."

  "Give me a few, sweetheart." He placed his hand on her thigh to keep her quiet. "Prez?"

  Wayne stroked his beard. "It's irresponsible to think he'll give you answers on a chance meeting and if Markham knows Rachel, he won't confuse Erikka for her sister. Jesus Christ, they aren't twins. The whole situation could end up more dangerous than you can handle. We have no idea how many men on Markham's side will be there."

  "I have a concealed weapon permit and a pistol in my purse," interrupted Erikka. "I know how to use it, so don't count me as useless in the situation."

  He squeezed her leg to quiet her and spoke to Wayne. "The three of you could park outside, off Casino grounds and out of the camera range. I can call if things get hairy and there would be enough time to get you inside."

  "You think we can get in there fast enough if you call?" asked Thad.

  Chuck lifted his chin. "I plan on keeping Erikka in the restaurant, around other customers. No bathroom break, no wandering off. I don't think Markham will take a chance doing anything to harm her where there are a hundred witnesses or more. It'll be more dangerous on the ride home, so I'll take my car instead of my motorcycle."

  "It'd speed up the search if we can make this happen." Glen pulled out his hand from his pocket and popped a few sunflower seeds in his mouth. "Since we can't find anything on Stoddard before his arrest, our options are limited. We might as well go for the other person of interest in the case."

  Wayne inhaled deeply. "The best choice is to call Gomez and go to the authorities."

  "No." Erikka moved to stand, and Chuck pressed her back down. "Please, no. They'll kill Rachel. I took a risk contacting Notus Motorcycle Club, but I was out of options. I might've made a bad mistake, and taken them on their word, but they never said I couldn't hire someone to find her."

  He'd been searching for missing persons over two decades with the club. Chuck swallowed. He'd dealt with serial killers, abduction for ransom to innocent mishaps where Alzheimer patients wandered off from the nursing home. If a crime were committed, it wouldn't matter if the police were contacted or Notus, the abductor looked at everyone as a threat.

  From here on out, the MC had to put on the pressure to keep those going after Stoddard busy. Hopefully, the distraction would be enough to keep Rachel safe. If Stoddard felt cornered, he could harm Erikka's sister.

  Wayne lifted his chin. Glen cracked a sunflower between his teeth and gave the nod. Thad shrugged one shoulder. They were all in.

  Chuck turned to Erikka. "I'll run down to your house and get you an outfit to wear tonight."

  "I'll go with."

  "No." He lowered his voice. "If anyone is watching your house, I don't need them seeing you over there. If there's a chance we can take them by surprise tonight and make them wonder why you're out with me, we'll have an advantage. Besides, I plan on going in your back door via the fence."

  She frowned. "The neighbors behind me—"

  "Will never know I'm skipping through their yard." He handed her his phone. "Make a list of items you need. Take your time. I'm going to step outside and talk to the others."

  He motioned for everyone to follow him. Once outside, he shut the door and rubbed his hands over his scalp. Many different things could go wrong.

  "We don't have any other options. We all know the chances of finding Rachel alive after twenty-four hours drastically lowers with each day that goes by. She was abducted six days ago. Besides Stoddard's current arrest record, the guy has stayed out of trouble. He's cleaner than we are." Chuck heaved a sigh. "If we could find him, we'd skip the bullshit with Markham and his men. But, I have a gut feeling that the only clues we're going to get are if we engage Markham."

  "What I don't understand is Erikka's determination not to go to the police, but she has no problem hiring us." Glen's gaze narrowed. "To Markham. To Stoddard. We might as well be wearing a badge instead of a vest. The results will be the same for Rachel when they realize we're working for Erikka. That's if they haven't already figured it out. We need to get over to the Bail Bonds building and do a sweep before you march your ass into the casino. You'll need to know where you stand before you flaunt your dinner date."

  "I hear you." Chuck flexed his hands. "Let's get things rolling. You and Thad can go across town and sweep the building for bugs. I'll go over to Erikka's house. Wayne can stay here with her while I'm gone. We'll plan for dinner at eight o'clock at the casino."

  "Bro, I think you need reservations. It's fancy there." Thad tugged at his leather vest. "Your clothes ain't going to work."

  "What the hell am I supposed to wear?" said Chuck.

  "At least a shirt and tie, if not a suit." Wayne folded his arms, bringing up a hand to cover his lower face but Chuck caught the grin.

  "Fuck me," he muttered. "We're going to have to come up with a different plan. Unless one of you has the clothes to take her inside the restaurant."

  Everyone shook their head. Chuck gritted his teeth. He couldn't wear his vest. All his clothes were stored in baskets on his floor and consisted of T-shirts, flannels, and jeans.

  Thad removed his phone. "I got this covered. Let's keep the plan."

  "What do you mean?" Chuck tilted his head. "Who are you calling?"

  "Mom." Thad grinned. "You're going to fucking make her day, man."

  "Don't."

  "Already done." Thad turned his phone around. "Give her a couple of hours. She'll have you pretty enough to walk down the God damn aisle of a church."

  "Fuck you." He walked inside the house.

  There were
things to do, and he couldn't put it off any longer. Delaying any step forward only made their chances of rescuing Rachel slimmer.

  Chapter 7

  Mrs. Bowers tugged on the tie around Chuck's neck. He cleared his throat in an attempt to get Thad's mom away from him, and Erikka bit down on her lip to keep from laughing. It'd taken an hour to convince Chuck that the only way he was going to get into the restaurant was if he dressed up. As in a dress shirt and tie, not a new flannel and his leather vest.

  Luckily, while she'd waited for Chuck to get dressed, she'd found a pair of brand new black Levi's in one of the baskets downstairs, because the trousers Mrs. Bowers had bought were too tight on Chuck's thighs. Thighs she'd scoped out during one of the many trips into the bedroom to help him get ready. She'd never seen such thick leg muscles on a man who wasn't a bodybuilder or a hockey player, and those men she'd never seen close up, only on television.

  "Hold still." Mrs. Bowers stepped away, and a smile came over her whole face. "Oh, Charles, you look so handsome."

  Charles? Of course, that was his proper name.

  "I'm not wearing no fucking coat." He slipped his finger between the collar of the shirt and his neck and tugged. "I'm going to sweat enough as it is with the tie choking me."

  "But, you'll want to fit in." Mrs. Bowers laid the tip of her finger on her chin.

  Chuck reached over and grabbed his leather Notus MC vest. Erikka stepped forward and took his vest out of his hands and placed it back on the bed. "A shirt and tie are fine. When I was there with Rachel, most men checked in their coat at the counter. You'll fit right in."

  His gaze dropped to her breasts. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She'd had Chuck pick up a dress she rarely wore, because of the plunging neckline and the clingy material that hugged her thighs only two inches below her ass. It was something Rachel had urged her to buy and a dress that made her self-conscious since she usually wore jeans and a blouse to work. Her dress wearing days were saved for dates, and lately, she hadn't had much time for anything fun.

  He growled low. "Nobody will notice me with you wearing that."

  "Was that a compliment?" She raised her brows, unsure of how to take him. He was like no other man she'd ever met. Soft on words and set in his ways, he came across as not wanting to please others and more intent on doing his own thing.

  "Yeah," he whispered, leaning to the side and gazing down her body to her toes. "It's...a compliment."

  She swallowed the pleasure that came with his admission and the thorough inspection. The whole day thrust her already stressed body into some weird freak show. Exhilaration, fear, excitement, terror, hope, and through it all her body was still able to notice the man in front of her and respond accordingly to pretty words.

  Connecting with his gaze again, she inhaled deeply. "This is going to work, right? We'll find out something that will help find Rachel?"

  "I'll do my damnedest." He placed his hand on her hip. "We need to get going. Make sure you have your pistol in your purse."

  Stepping away from him, she walked out of the bedroom and downstairs. Double checking the contents of her bag, she glanced around at the other Notus members talking quietly in front of the window in the living room. It helped to know they'd be outside of the casino if needed. Looking at them, she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to go up against them.

  "Everything okay?" asked Wayne, breaking away from the others.

  She rubbed her lips together and stopped. The lipstick she'd put on ten minutes ago would be worn off in no time if she wasn't careful. "Yes, I think so. I'm ready."

  "Prepare yourself to be nervous and adjust accordingly." Wayne's gaze softened. "Trust Chuck to take care of you, and stay with him the whole time."

  "Okay," she said, studying the president of Notus.

  She clutched her purse to her stomach. There was something he wasn't saying.

  "Did they find any bugs in the building?" She held her breath. The thought of being overheard, not only when consulting clients but alone, sickened her. What if she'd spoken her worries out loud or talked to her dead father trying to gain wisdom from imagining what he'd tell her to do to save Rachel?

  "No." Wayne dipped his chin and kept eye contact. "The inside was clean, and we called someone we know to install a new security system that won't be able to be taken down as easily. By tomorrow morning, everything will be up and working."

  She blew out her breath. Tomorrow, she'd need to open the office and work. "Thank you. If you can give me a total for how much I owe you up to this point, I can write you a check."

  "Let's not worry about that now." Wayne stepped away, dismissing her.

  Mr. Bower, who sat on the couch, smiled at her. "You look very pretty."

  Having only met him when he'd brought Mrs. Bowers over with the clothes, she could see a lot of Thad in his father. She smiled back. "Thank you."

  If she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend that she was going out on a real date and the biker club members were mutual friends of her and Chuck's. The Bowers were next door neighbors who dropped in unannounced and were welcomed. But, the scenario wasn't real.

  Rachel was missing and abducted by a man named Stoddard.

  A man named Markham, who was rumored to be hooked into the underground gambling ring, was after Stoddard and had no qualms about going through her to get to him.

  Chuck seemed to be her new best friend who was taking her out on a date in the chance of cornering Markham.

  There was danger around every corner, and she was barely holding it together.

  "All right, let's go." Chuck strolled through the living room, looking a little stiff, a lot uncomfortable, and casting challenges around the room daring everyone to say something because he appeared to want to punch someone in the face because he was not happy about wearing a tie.

  It was enough to make her laugh but she couldn't because she'd start crying if she let any emotion out.

  On four-inch heels, she walked with Chuck out of the room, through the kitchen, and down the short hallway to the door leading to the garage. Careful of the step down onto concrete, she stopped beside a black Corvette.

  Chuck certainly liked his toys.

  Since he'd backed into the garage, the passenger door was in front of them. Chuck opened the car. She slid onto the black leather seat and put her seatbelt on before Chuck moved to the other side of the car and got behind the steering wheel. She ran her hand along the leather, liking the way her dress and legs looked against all the blackness surrounding her.

  Despite Chuck's white dress shirt, his tie and everything else was black, too. The only brightness was her red heels. Heels that Chuck had picked out and ignored her request for her black heels.

  The garage door opened and Chuck pulled away from the house, pushing the button on the control to lower the door. On the street, the roar of motorcycles started. She half-turned in the seat. The Notus members remained on the far side of the driveway ready to go.

  "I thought they were coming, too," she said.

  "They will." He shifted the car. "In about ten minutes. It gives us time to park and be inside before they take their position away from the casino."

  He glanced over at her. His gaze dropped to her dress before he looked back at the road. Her heart hammered her chest. If he kept looking at her, she'd never be able to put up a front of eating. She'd be too nervous.

  "What if I make eye contact with the two men that work with Mr. Markham?" She rubbed the outside of her bare thigh. Her goosebumps were making her itchy. "They'll recognize me, and realize I remember them."

  "If you do, bring your attention back to me. Far as anyone knows, we're out on a date." He reached over and placed his hand over hers, trapping her fingers against her thigh.

  The warmth from his touch only made her antsier. Afraid she was going to screw up the whole night, she closed her eyes and took comfort from his broad, rough hand. She hoped he sat beside her at the restaurant and not across the table from he
r. If he was near, she could reach under the table and hold his hand if those men come in and spot her.

  But, she couldn't ask him to get cozy with her. It was a pretend date for the sole purpose of gaining more information on her sister's whereabouts. She had to stay focused.

  Chuck removed his hand. She opened her eyes and spotted the casino ahead of them, two blocks away, in all its flashing lights and the beacon spotlight that always lit up the sky on the south side of town in a wide arc.

  "Okay, so, you know what Mr. Markham looks like, right?" She looked at Chuck, and when he nodded, she said, "If he shows up in the room, should I make myself scarce? I won't go to the bathroom or anything, but maybe wander up to the hostess area."

  "No."

  "I'll just stay at the table while you talk to him." She inhaled deeply, grabbing hold of the quivers tickling her chest.

  Chuck pulled into the first parking lot without the valet. "That won't be necessary."

  "Then, what am I supposed to do?"

  He parked near the sidewalk close to the building. "If Markham sees you, he'll invite us somewhere to talk privately."

  "How do you know that?"

  He turned off the Corvette. "Because once he believes he's seeing Rachel, then sees it's you in that dress, he's going to want you alone. He'll take us somewhere, probably one of his rooms at the casino, and come up with a bullshit reason to get me away from you so he can have you to himself."

  Her throat closed and she leaned away from Chuck and pressed herself against the door. "No, I didn't agree to this. I don't want to be alone with him."

  "You won't be. I'm not going to leave your side." Chuck's mouth softened. "But, if he takes us to his room, I will get answers about Rachel."

  She swallowed the terror filling her.

  He studied her. "Can you do this?"

  She nodded.

  "Let's go inside." He left the car and was at her door letting her out before she could gather her courage.

  He held her hand, guiding her slowly to the front of the building. They'd parked two lots away, and the long walk gave her time to pull herself together. Thankfully, Chuck remained holding her hand and set the pace for a slow stroll.