Page 6 of Biker's Enemy

Before I begin cleaning the stairs and look at my brother’s body up close, I text my best friend. She’s in Santa Fe… hours away from here. Hours away from the local police. And she’s involved with some thuggish biker who might know what to do with a body.

The fact that I’m not thinking straight right now isn’t even a thought in my mind.

Quin: Can I still come to Santa Fe?

She takes what feels like forever to respond, but I’m not ready to look at the corpse again, so I just… stare at my phone. I watch the three dots until Juliette sends a response.

Juliette: Of course! When?

It’s Thursday. I can keep the body preserved for another day. Maybe. He hasn’t worked since our parents died, so it’s not like he has a boss or anyone to miss him. Maybe a girlfriend. I still think I can last a day. I don’t want to seem suspicious.

Quin: This weekend.

Juliette: Is something wrong?

She’s my best friend. I might not tell her the details, but I have to tell her the truth. Especially since I might have to bring this problem to her doorstep.

Quin: Yes.

Juliette: Call?

That sends me into a full blown panic. I can’t call her and we can’t talk about this on the phone.

Hell, we shouldn’t even text each other. I leave her on read. I’m just going to show up to Santa Fe and we’ll figure it out. Juliette and I used to joke about supporting each other if we ever needed to hide a body together.

I just didn’t think that body would be… his.

Four

CASH

The second I walk into Hunter’s place, I feel squeamish. Nothing wrong with the place. It’s a nice condo in Santa Fe, it’s just that Juliette’s art makes me deeply uncomfortable. He calls out to me to come straight to the kitchen for the two of us to discuss business. Important business, according to him.

I’m just happy that I don’t have to get involved in another one of Southpaw’s gambling situations. The club needs money and we need clean money, so when Hunter calls me about an investment opportunity due to Wyatt’s perpetual need for more cash, I jump at the opportunity.

I would much rather handle business with Hunter than with Wyatt. The man never met a game he wouldn’t bet on. Part of you has to admire a man who has balls of steel. Another part of you has to wonder what kind of idiot is dumb enough to bet all the money they have on Little League games.

Since Hunter is sober, I bring my own liquor.

“Where is Juliette?” I ask him.

He rolls his eyes. “She’s out with this friend of hers. Quin.”

“She has time for friends with the baby?”

“That’s what I said,” Hunter grunts, sipping on a Dr. Pepper. “She’s a pain in my ass. I need a distraction and there’s a great opportunity coming up.”

“Clean money?”

He nods. “Yes, sir. Clean money.”

“Okay.”

Doesn’t make too much of a difference to me, but it’s much easier to work a job laundering clean money right about now. Our family has been through enough recently without one of us heading off to prison. Cody has enough problems out in Dallas with the IRS up his ass for five years of allegedly underpaid taxes.

“I s’pose I could use a little cash,” I tell Hunter.

He smirks. “None of y’all ever turn down an opportunity to make money.”