Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“ B ut you talked to her, Daddy. Didn’t you recognize her? The woman in the mask is Betty.” Barron clasped Yoanni’s arms. Staring into her eyes, he fought shock and disbelief. Her words, rolling in his mind, mocked him.

Iris is Betty? No fucking way.

“Say that again?”

“The woman you were talking to. She’s Betty.”

He glanced at the doorway. Iris was gone. But if he hurried, he might catch up with her.

“Wait for me here.”

“No. I’m going with you.”

“Don’t argue.”

“She lied to me. I’m not staying.”

Her frowning face showed pure determination. Plus, she had a point.

“You’re right. Maybe we can find her.”

He bolted toward the doorway, Yoanni rushing at his side. But the strappy platforms interfered with her stride. Muttering, she hopped from one foot to the next, took off her shoes, and continued on bare feet. He almost told her to wait, but her combative expression silenced him. If Iris was indeed Betty, Yoanni had every right to be upset and demand answers.

Wasn’t Betty supposed to be home sick with the flu?

This Iris/Betty situation reeked to the high heavens. An uncomfortable sensation rose in him. In his mind, he saw himself opening a door and staring into an impenetrable fog within. He couldn’t see a damned thing past the shadows, yet a crippling fear squeezed his soul. Evil and danger lurked in the darkness, waiting for the right moment to pounce on them.

They exited the age-play room. About fifteen feet ahead, the door of a private room opened to the hallway. The first person to step out, a man with a shock of blond hair, froze Barron in his tracks. Instantly, he pulled Yoanni into his arms and pressed her against the wall as if they were two lovers making out.

“Da—” she began.

He muffled her mouth with his.

“Be still,” he whispered over her lips, watching sideways. Three men dressed in business suits and two submissives wearing leather thongs and nothing else exited the room after the man he recognized as Killer, the Wolf he’d been searching for. From this position, vivid welts and red marks on the subbies’ arms, legs, and backs were clearly visible. A pang of pity struck him. He only hoped the women had agreed to an intense flogging scene beforehand. The group approached the dungeon’s main aisle, and he pulled back from Yoanni.

“Good girl.”

“Who are those people?”

“You saw them?”

“I did. The girls too.”

He raked his fingers through his hair. “Those are really bad people, Nugget. The first guy you saw walk out is Killer, a high-ranking member of the Steel Wolves, an outlaw MC. The three men with him belong to a South American drug cartel. We suspect they’re in business together, and Killer is showing them around town.”

“Does the captain know?”

He nodded. “I rode to Alabama on Weaver’s orders. My job was to connect with the outlaw MC and check them out.”

“I see. Do we follow them?”

He glanced at the dungeon. The place was in full swing as kinksters ambled from one section to another, viewing ongoing scenes. It was easy to follow Killer’s progress. The biker’s blond hair and height stood out, but his shorter friends blended in with the partying crowd.

“I’m sorry, princess. We have to cut our night short. This club is a powder keg ready to blow.”

“Why? Where’re Deacon and Johnny Gun?”

“I’ll text Johnny G. It’s his choice to stay or leave, but Deacon is the problem. He came tonight searching for Killer to set up a meeting. I doubt Killer wants to talk to him. He’s busy entertaining his business associates.”

“Maybe it won’t be so bad.”

He blew out a long breath. “Not a chance. Deacon and Killer belong to rival MCs with a long history of animosity. Deacon is pushy. One wrong word, and the fight is on. Why didn’t Killer stay home?”

“Maybe he never left.”

“There’s the answer.” Barron smiled down at Yoanni. “You’re brilliant. His home base is a four-hour ride from here. Going back and forth makes no sense. So he stayed in Savannah, scoping out the port sitch for the cartel people. And tonight, all four came to Nightshade for a night of kinky fun. Damn. Won’t take long before Deacon finds Killer, and when he does…” He lifted a shoulder. “The shit’s gonna blow. Put your shoes back on, baby. We have to walk across the dungeon. The fl oor is filthy.”

As Yoanni stepped into her heels, Barron typed a quick text to Johnny G.

I’m taking Yoanni home. Killer’s here with three cartel guys. I’ll try to find Deacon before he finds Killer and company.

Understood. Kathy didn’t come tonight. I’m done here. I’ll meet you out front.

A quick, quiet retreat from Nightshade was the smartest move to make. Barron put his phone into his pocket, but a new text dinged. Shifter’s name appeared on the screen.

I have Betty’s identity. I’m at the agency. Leave the club and come straight here. I’m texting Captain Weaver now.

He typed back:

Guess what? We ran into Betty here. She goes by the name of Iris.

Wait till you see what I found.

On my way. I’m taking Yoanni home first.

Don’t. Bring her.

He put the phone away, cursing under his breath. “Change in plans. We have to meet up with Shifter, our IT guy at the agency.”

“You mean now?” She fiddled with the strap of her shoe.

“Yes. New info has come up, and apparently, it’s big.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“No. I asked him to work on Betty’s photo. The answer’s back, and he wants me to see it tonight. ”

“Okay.” She straightened her skirt. “I’m ready, but my things are in the locker.”

“We’ll pick them up on our way out.”

He put an arm around her shoulders, and, holding her close, he moved through the crowd. Once he reached the dungeon’s midpoint, he turned into a side passage. Few people knew this short cut. At the entrance of the changing room, he held up the phone screen with the lock combination.

“It’s okay, I memorized it before,” she said and dashed inside.

Barron shifted from foot to foot while he waited for Yoanni to come out. An eternity went by. He hadn’t made it clear before she went in, but he knew Yoanni understood the urgency. They had no time to waste. He glanced at his watch. Another five minutes? Still, no Yoanni. What could possibly be keeping her?

Two ladies wearing identical neck-to-ankle leather body suits and heavy boots emerged from the dressing room.

“Nightshade is going downhill,” said one. “These days, anyone is allowed in.”

“That poor girl?—”

Barron didn’t wait to hear more. He bolted inside.

“Yoanni! Where are you?” he shouted, alerting any women in the room of his presence.

“Here, Daddy!”

He followed her voice around a wall of lockers. On the next turn, he found her at the end of the room, trying to escape Iris/Betty’s harassment. Yoanni moved to the right, and Betty rushed to block her. Frustration glaring on her face, Yoanni stomped her foot, a sure sign his baby was angry. She faked a move to the left, then darted back to the right, but Betty guessed her ploy and blocked her again. Amid the back and forth, Betty’s urgent pleas reached him.

Holding her belongings to her chest like a shield, Yoanni shook her head, refusing to listen. “No. No! Get out of my way, Betty.”

“But you don’t understand. I had to do it, Yoanni. They left me no choice. Please listen to me. He’ll do the same to you.”

“Who?” Yoanni asked. “Who is making you do this?”

“Move the fuck out of her way,” Barron growled behind Betty. The woman jerked and swung around.

“Bastard! You’re one of them,” she let out a shriek. Curving her fingers into claws, she stabbed at his face. He jumped out of Betty’s reach, then, grasping her wrist, he tossed her away from Yoanni. She stumbled several paces, then slammed her back against the wall. Betty recovered, made a move to leave, but Barron grabbed her arm. “What’s your fucking problem, bitch? Talk.”

“You!” she yelled. “You’re my problem. You and your friends did this.”

“Did what? Who are you, really?” Betty stared at him wildly. “Answer me.” He shook her.

“I don’t know why she’s so upset, but she’s scared.” Yoanni spoke softly behind him.

“She doesn’t look scared to me, baby. I don’t buy it.”

“What the hell’s going on in here?” A dungeon monitor banged on a locker. Barron turned to the DM and relaxed his hold. Betty took advantage of his distraction, twisted free, and bolted out of the locker room.

Holding back a curse, he turned to Yoanni. “You okay?”

Yoanni nodded.

“Come on, baby. She won’t bother you again.” He brought Yoanni to his side and slowly walked out of the locker room. “Did Betty explain anything?”

“What she said made no sense. First, she wanted me to go with her. When I said no, she went wild, saying it wasn’t her fault and she had to do it. But she didn’t explain what or who. Oh, one thing was different. She’d mentioned something about a promise she couldn’t break.”

“Well, she’s gone now. We’re out of here.”

“What about Deacon? We can’t leave him,” she said once they were outside the locker room.

His stomach still churning with worry and fury, he glanced down at his girl. “You’re amazing. You could have been hurt, and now you’re worried about Deacon?”

“I’m unharmed, thanks to you. I feel bad for him. He’s so alone. Shouldn’t we help him?”

“Yes, we should. But you’re going to stay where I put you, and I don’t want to hear a single complaint out of those pretty lips. Got it?”

“Got it.”

Holding her hand, Barron headed straight for the exit. As he reached the metal door, Johnny Gun came out of the crowd.

“Have you located Deacon?” Johnny asked.

“No, man. We just had a situation with Iris. Remember her?”

“She’s here?”

“Well, she’s somewhere around the club. But that’s not all. Iris isn’t her real name.”

“What?”

“I’ll tell you more later. We have to find Deacon before he runs into Killer and the cartel men. Before we do, I’m taking Yoanni to Marie. It’s the safest place for her.”

Yoanni gave him an exaggerated eye roll, which crossed over into sass territory. Johnny Gun caught it and laughed. Pressing his lips into a hard line, Barron narrowed his eyes. Yoanni read trouble on his face and lowered her gaze.

It was too damned bad if she didn’t want to stay with Marie. Things could get hot inside the club, and he wanted her far from any danger. Later, they would have yet another conversation about this topic. She’d agreed to follow Daddy’s rules without a peep. He had zero tolerance for sass and disobedience, especially when her safety was on the line.

“This way, young lady.” He pressed his hand against her back. Johnny Gun opened the door for them, and Barron nudged her inside.

“Leaving so soon?” Marie stood from her seat.

“I need a huge favor, Marie.” Barron brought a silent and meek Yoanni forward. “Something urgent has come up. Johnny G and I have to go back inside to find our friend, but we need to move quickly. May I leave Yoanni with you? Just for a few minutes.”

“Anything for you, handsome.” Marie smiled. “Pull up one of those chairs. Put it next to mine so Yoanni and I can chat while you find your friend.”

“Bless you, Marie.” Barron placed the chair where Marie had indicated.

Sullen and silent, Yoanni moved around the desk. Ignoring her pout, he lifted her chin and kissed her lightly. “Marie’s a good friend, princess. She’ll take care of you until I get back.”

Barron watched Yoanni sit, her stony expression still in place. He understood her reasons for being upset and feeling betrayed. Betty’s lies and harassment had spoiled the night. But he didn’t have the time to coddle, nurture, or spank the frustration out of her. With every passing second, the situation inside grew more dangerous. Soon, the parties would run into each other. Somehow, he and Johnny G had to prevent that from happening.

“Let’s do this.” He slapped his friend on the shoulder and hurried back inside.

“Should we split up?” Johnny G asked.

Barron remembered Deacon’s dismal opinion of Johnny G. “We stay together. It’s gonna take two of us to convince him to leave.”

Johnny G nodded. “Okay, we go down the middle. You search the right. I’ll do the left. ”

Easier said than done , Barron thought, pushing through pockets of groups watching the different scenes.

What a fucked-up evening. He brought Yoanni because Thursdays at Nightshade were supposed to be light. Not tonight. Iris turned out to be lying Betty, Deacon wanted to meet with Killer, but the biker was hanging out with his cartel buddies from Los Emes, the most dangerous bunch of men on the planet.

Fate laughed at him. He never felt as insignificant and incapable of fixing an impending disaster as he did now.

A little miracle would be great.

“There’s Deacon,” Johnny G exclaimed.

Barron breathed again. “Where?”

“Wax and fire play room. He’s talking to a DM.”

“Good job, man,” he said as a familiar slow-moving group formed on his right. “Fuck, Killer is pointing at the play room. Hurry. We have to intercept them.”

Johnny G had left already. Barron followed. As they reached the room, they split up and flanked Deacon on either side.

“Hey, guys,” Deacon said. “Eagle here is full of interesting information. I had no idea fire play was a thing.”

“It’s a thing all right,” Barron said. “It takes practice and knowledge. There’s no time for that. Come on, we’re going home.”

As Barron stepped in front of Deacon to casually herd him out, Johnny G grabbed his arm. “Dude, look.”

Barron glanced over his shoulder and inhaled a sharp breath. No longer in her masked Iris persona, Betty had joined Killer and Los Emes. They knew each other, and well, it seemed, because one of Los Emes held her waist. The way they all carried on, laughing, and having a good time, put Betty on equal footing with the men. Her bearing was tall and assured. Not a hint of subservience or submission emanated from her.

Well, fuck me . He’d bought her game. Betty, if that was her real name, was craftier and smarter than he’d given her credit for. The night he’d met Betty in her Iris persona came back to him. That night, Barron had seen Killer and gone after him. Iris had protected the biker’s escape with her desperate actions.

And you let her go.

Could the situation get any more complicated?

Johnny Gun and Barron closed in on Deacon from both sides. The guy balked. “Hey. Don’t push.”

Barron leaned in. “Listen and don’t turn,” he whispered. “Killer and his associates are coming this way. His associates have no scruples. They belong to a vicious criminal cartel. At the first sign of trouble, they’ll smoke us out and ask questions later.”

“But I came to see Killer,” Deacon protested.

“That window’s closed. Do you want to see Isolde again?” Barron drove the point home. “Walk her down the aisle when she gets married? Play with your grandchildren?”

Deacon blinked. “Of course I do.”

“Then we leave now. Go. Follow Johnny G. He’ll lead you out the side. You’ve been warned. If you stay, I’m not responsible for what happens next, and I also won’t be here to see it.”

“Okay. Okay. Can you tell me what’s going on?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely. But first, we leave.”

Deacon followed Johnny Gun’s lead, and Barron walked close behind. If the guy had a change of heart, Barron didn’t want to leave him enough of a gap to escape through. At the halfway point, the two groups crossed, but Killer, Betty, and Los Emes were far enough away and so involved in their conversation that they didn’t notice Barron, Deacon, and Johnny G pass by.

“Fuck.” Barron wiped his face as they exited into the reception area. “We dodged that bullet.”

“No kidding,” Johnny G muttered.

“Daddy.” Yoanni rushed from her seat. Obviously no longer frustrated or upset with him, she threw her arms around his neck. Standing on her tippytoes, she reached up and kissed him. “I was worried.”

“It was close.” He pecked her lips. “But it worked out.” He spoke to Johnny G. “Are you coming with?”

“To the agency?” Johnny asked.

“Shifter’s uncovered important stuff. At his suggestion, I’m taking Yoanni. The rest of us should check out the findings as well. I don’t know why, but I have a feeling it will affect us all.”

“Does this include me?” Deacon asked.

“Sure,” Barron said. “You’re a Spawn. You have questions? Shifter has answers.”

Barron drove the truck into the building’s loading and unloading rear parking area. Johnny Gun and Deacon parked next to him. He helped Yoanni down from the truck, waved at his friends to come, and strode to the agency’s door. Smiling at Yoanni, he rang twice.

They didn’t have to wait long. Within minutes, Shifter opened the door and peeked his head out.

“Your timing is excellent. We’re all here. Now we can start.” Shifter slipped back inside. The group followed him down the hallway, turned into the computer room, and Yoanni gave a soft squeal. “Captain Weaver.”

James Weaver, mug of coffee in hand, stood from his chair. “Hello, everyone.”

Shifter’s remark about them all being here made sense to Barron now. “Evening, Captain,” he said. “I didn’t think Shifter would call you in.”

“Actually, he sent a text,” Weaver said. “But the bullet points in the text were enough to alert my police brain. I had to see the results of his search firsthand.” He turned his attention to Yoanni, arching an eyebrow as he studied her from top to bottom. “Interesting outfit, Miss Sanz. Aren’t you a bit chilly?”

“Ah, um,” she stammered, glancing at her clothes.

Barron came to her rescue. “I’ll get your stuff from the truck. You can start changing here.” He pushed open the bathroom door just outside the computer room. He turned on the light for her, then hurried outside to pick up her things. Once he dropped the small bundle in her hands, he rejoined the men.

Shifter sat in front of his triple monitor station, his talented fingers flying over the keyboard. “We should wait for Yoanni to change. She has to see this too. It also affects her.”

Yoanni emerged dressed in jeans and a knit top, her kinky clothes folded under her arm.

“Sit here, Nugget.” Barron touched her chair. She walked over without making a sound. Once she settled in her seat, Barron stood behind her with arms folded.

“Here we go.” Shifter opened three folders on his screen, and several smaller files dropped down. He clicked on the first. Barron’s latest photo of Betty appeared. “The reason I couldn’t find much on Betty Morris, as you know her, is simple. That’s not her name.” He clicked on another file. A photo of a woman who resembled Betty with bright red curly hair opened next to Betty’s picture on the screen.

Barron’s stomach twisted with an uncomfortable suspicion. Fate’s laughter rang in his ears.

“Her real name is Analise Bealing. Watch this.”

Shifter superimposed one photo over the other. Slowly, the system processed the images. A results window opened, showing the woman’s evolution in time. Acquired wrinkles, facial fullness or gauntness, hair color, cut, and even the shape of eyebrows. When the analysis was completed, a sign flashed underneath: Subject Found: Analise Bealing.

“There she is, and once the program confirmed Betty’s real identity, I found her records. I know which grammar school she attended.” He clicked on the third file. Line after line of information rolled down.

“The last name Bealing is familiar, and not in a good way,” Captain Weaver said.

“Of course it’s familiar.” Shifter grinned, showing his gold canine. “Here’s more fun info for y’all. Does the name Stew Bealing ring a bell?”

“Fuck. Wait a minute, Stew Bealing is Nails,” Barron exclaimed. “Does that mean…”

“Analise Bealing is Nails’s sister,” Shifter finished.

“Guys, I remember her from the trial.” Johnny G turned to Barron. “You should too, dude.”

Barron swallowed. The scene came to him in a rush. The wild redheaded woman who’d screamed and threatened the judge and everyone else she thought was involved with her brother’s arrest and trial.

“Yeah, I do,” he said. “This chick gave the judge one hell of a difficult time. The judge fined her and sent her to jail for contempt of court. But she came back the next day stronger and more determined than ever to express her views. I sat several rows behind her and could never catch her full face. Her hair covered her features, or she glanced at the floor. She had a way of avoiding direct eye contact and the courtroom camera.” Barron paused, studying the expressions of everyone in the room. His description of the woman’s behavior revealed she was putting together a plan of action. He just hadn’t noticed at the time. Knowing glances flew from person to person.

“This woman is an experienced player.” Captain Weaver dropped his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, staring at the computer screen. “She knows how to move under the radar.”

“She’s experienced, all right,” Barron said. “You should’ve seen her tonight. She was just one of the guys, hanging out and laughing with Killer and the cartel men.”

“Betty went to Nightshade?” the captain asked.

“Not Betty, exactly,” Yoanni said. “She was in her Iris personality.”

Weaver frowned. “Iris personality?”

“Plus, she was best buds with Killer and cozy with one of Los Emes at the club,” Barron insisted “I mean, one guy had his arm around her.”

“And at the trial she vowed to take revenge,” Weaver said.

“That’s right,” Johnny G said.

“I see a line here,” Captain Weaver continued. “The Sons of Chaos and the Oquendo cartel failed in their bid to take over the Port of Savannah. Nails was sent to prison for his involvement. Evidently, Analise has joined forces with the Steel Wolves and Los Emes to finish what her brother couldn’t. This way, she gets back at me and the Spawn. If she could, she’d strike at Cutter and Emily, the two people directly responsible for her brother’s arrest. But going after them out of state isn’t so easy. In Garden City, she has the big prize.”

“Landing the position of junior assistant at the police station was a real coup,” Shifter added. “Right under your nose, with access to files and information.”

“Not quite. I was in her way,” Yoanni grumbled.

“Holy crap, Nugget, you’re right.”

She nodded. “Things are falling into place, one by one. The empty desk, my missing calculator, and the return of the bag. All malicious behavior. I thought she wanted to be friends. What a joke.”

“Don’t forget the hanging doll and the circles,” Barron said.

“Oh, yeah.” Shifter laughed. “I researched the drawings and the religion. At one time, dolls and symbols were used to threaten people, frighten them with dark magic and spells. ”

Captain Weaver scowled at Yoanni. “Dolls, circles? What are they talking about, Miss Sanz?”

Barron clasped her shoulders. “You didn’t tell him?”

“I forgot, okay? I had too much on my mind.” She turned to the captain. “A doll made of tied cloth and stained with blood was hanging in my kitchen. My neighbor found a paper on my door with strange drawings. Betty or Analise did her homework. She learned about my Cuban roots and tried to scare me back to Miami with Santería. But since I don’t believe in any of that stuff, it didn’t work. Forgive me?”

“For now, Miss Sanz.”

“There’s more,” Yoanni said. “Analise confronted me in the locker room at the club. She wanted me to go with her…somewhere.” She rubbed her forehead. “I said no, and she lost it. She yelled that it wasn’t her fault and she had to do it. It’s all very confusing.”

“I’m glad you didn’t go,” Barron said. “Alone with her? She could’ve hurt you.”

“Thoughts, Captain?” Shifter asked.

“I can’t make sense of this. The feds have to know right away. My jurisdiction is limited to Garden City, but the DEA can squeeze their informers. They’re the first to hear rumors about deliveries and would know where to find Killer and Los Emes. Locally, I could use the Spawn’s help.” He glanced from biker to biker, waiting for a response.

“What do you need?” Barron asked right away.

“I want a couple of guys to take turns watching Betty’s home. I have her address on my phone.” He spoke and scrolled through his phone. “I’m sure she turned rabbit, but if she comes back for any reason, we follow her. The stakeout men should be new.”

“Pilot is our latest prospect, and we just patched Chains. They’re perfect for the job,” Barron said.

Weaver stood from his chair, tapping on his phone. “I’m texting Betty’s address to Blade with an explanation and a time to meet tomorrow at our regular place. I want to pick your brain too, Barron. What in the world made you take a photo of Betty? Time is our enemy, if Blade could send out one of those two guys right away, I’d appreciate it. Thanks for keeping me in the loop, Shifter. And now I have to go home to my wife. Good night, gentlemen. Miss Sanz.” He bent his head and walked out.

“Are we finished for now?” Barron asked Shifter.

“I showed you the data,” Shifter replied. “Now you have to digest it.”

“Yeah. I’ll stop by after the meeting with the captain. The workings of Betty’s mind escape me.” He caressed Yoanni’s hair. “Want to go home?”

“Mmm-hmm. Enough for one night.”