“We know that,” Tack replied. “But she’s tight with her man, thinks she can pull him out of it after shit goes down. And part of this decision includes us knowin’ the guy. He’s in with the Bounties and like a lot of ’em, he’s solid. They’re makin’ bad allegiances because their president is greedy. Not all of them are down with what’s goin’ on, including her man. So we think she’s not wrong and he can be turned.”
“We use her, she’s still swinging out there,” Shy pointed out.
“Which is why Snap is on her,” Tack fired back.
Shy shut his mouth but a muscle jumped in his jaw.
“Won’t let anything happen to her, Shy,” Pete said quietly. “We know she’s Rosalie. She’s not Chaos, never really was, but she’s a good gal. We wouldn’t let her swing.”
“I want on her,” Shy announced, and the men got more alert.
“No fuckin’ way,” Tack growled.
“Do not mistake me,” Shy whispered. “When it comes to my woman, the family we’re makin’ she’s got inside her, do not ever mistake me, Tack.”
Tack held Shy’s gaze steady for a beat before he said, “Tabby knows.”
“That would be you mistakin’ me,” Shy returned. “I wouldn’t do dick with or for Rosalie without my wife bein’ in the know. She’s uncomfortable with it, I leave it to Snap, Roscoe, and Speck. She’s good, I’m in.”
Tack nodded.
When the vibe in the room mellowed, High waded in.
“That’s sorted, what’s she gonna get for us?” he asked.
Tack looked to him. “Whatever she gets is shit we don’t currently have.”
“I hear that, brother, but she’s covered or not, the fact remains we’re puttin’ a good woman out there and we should do it knowin’ she’s takin’ a risk that’s worth it,” High noted.
“Her man works security for Valenzuela’s dope transport,” Tack replied. “She can get to his cell, see his texts. She hears him on calls. She’s already given detail on a shipment and their possible route. We’re gonna cover that, see if what she says is gonna go down, goes down. It does, Lawson and Lucas go in on the next one, take it down but do it to turn a Bounty to the cause, informant instead of jail time, this hopefully bein’ Rosalie’s biker. Rosalie is off the hook without anyone knowin’ she was on it and we got someone on the actual inside who can really help bring Valenzuela down.”
High turned to Shy. “It’s a solid plan, brother.”
“It is, we don’t give a shit about the woman who’s got her neck out,” Shy replied. “It isn’t we do. And I thought Chaos was not into doin’ this kind of shit.”
“She’s not an old lady, Shy, and never was,” Tack remarked.
Shy looked to him. “That matters? She’s a woman.”
“She’s a woman but that don’t mean she don’t have courage or brains,” Tack returned. “She wants her man out of that business, brother, and she’s willin’ to take the risk to get the reward. That’s her call. Not yours. And she made it.”
“You’re good with that, we’ll talk again, she’s found in an alley with her throat cut,” Shy shot back, and before Tack could say anything, he looked around and stated, “This should have been brought to the table.”
“Brothers out takin’ old ladies’ backs, on our kids, we don’t have time to sit a table,” Tack told him. “Obviously Roscoe, Snap, and Speck are in with this plan. The rest of you are standin’ right here.”
“Rush isn’t here,” Shy noted.
“Rush has already voted and I think you get what his vote was,” Tack replied.
They all got it. No way in fuck would Rush put Rosalie out there.
Then again, if it was up to him, Rush would retreat off their turf and do nothing but protect Ride, the shop, the garage, the Compound, the parking lot, and the forecourt, leaving the rest to the cops.
This was not a weak decision. A woman Rush cared about was kidnapped and stabbed and he’d watched his father suffer through it right along with the woman who would become his stepmother. All because of shit Chaos waded into.
So it was an informed decision.
Just, to High’s way of thinking, the wrong one.
“So I got Rush but if this were to come to a vote, I’d be outvoted,” Shy said.
“Seems that way, brother,” Boz replied.
“Rosalie isn’t gonna get her throat cut,” Hound put in.
“You sure about that?” Shy asked.
“Sure I’m sure,” Hound returned. “She trusts Chaos. We’re your brothers. Not sure why you don’t.”
That was what got to him. Shy again shut his mouth. Then he shot Tack an unhappy look, turned, and stalked out.
“That went exactly how I expected it,” Hop muttered.
“What it did was it went,” Tack stated. “Now it’s done.” He looked Hound and Boz’s way. “I want you with Snap, Roscoe, and Speck when that shipment goes. It’s on the route Rosalie gave us, tail it, mark the route, stay unnoticed. The next one she gets, Slim and Mitch’ll be with you and so will I.”
Hound nodded and declared, “I need beer.”
He then ambled to a tap, grabbed a random plastic cup that was sitting on the bar that could be clean—it also could be dirty—and he pulled himself a cold one.