Purge (Death Crusaders Motorcycle Club) by Sandy Kline

she wants it done.
    “Hello?” I say.
    “About time you answered
Clarkson.” Officer Regan snaps. “I was about to hang up and go looking for you.”
    “Sorry it was buried in my
purse. What’s up?”
    “I want you to see if you can
find out any information about a former officer who some suspect had ties with
the Death Crusaders.”
    You don’t say? This is going
to complicate things. “Who are you looking for?”
    “A former officer by the name
of Mark Brown. I think you know him I’m not even sure he’s still alive. He just
dropped off the radar.”
    “I think I got stopped by him
a few times. Why do you think he has ties, had ties with the Crusaders?”
    “When Officer Morgan was
killed her phone was recovered with a picture of a picture. The photograph
quality was poor and the lighting bad but it almost looks like he’s wearing a
cut. He’s standing with a couple bikers who we haven’t been able to positively
ID. I’m sending you the picture. Let me know what you think.”
    “Send away.”
    A few seconds later my phone
bleeps. An icon appears. I click on the icon and the picture that Alex took
when we broke into Mark’s house the first time appears. I’m not sure if I
should positively ID him or not. I decide not to. I can always change my mind
later.
    “Yeah it kinda looks like
him…a little I guess. I have no idea who he’s standing by though. It’s really
impossible to see the faces. Have you tried to computer enhance it?”
    “You are looking at the
enhanced version.”
    “Oh…too bad. Is that all you
wanted to do?” I ask.
    “How have you been? Are you
staying out of trouble?”
    I’m not sure how to answer
this. Should I tell her there was another attempt on my life or not? Today I
decide not. I can always tell her later. I’m not sure why I don’t want to tell
her, I just don’t. I don’t fully trust the woman even if she was Alex’s
partner.
    “Yeah nothing’s been
happening.”
    “You still in the motel?”
    “Yes.” I lie.
    “Which one?”
    Oh shit. I forgot the name. I
rack my brain. She lives in Whispering Pines; hopefully she’s not all that
familiar with Gold Hill.
    “I’m staying at the Courtyard
Inn.”
    “Okay. Don’t stay anywhere
too long you know, until we find out who’s after you and how to neutralize
them. How are you staying safe, by the way?”
    “I keep moving. And I spend a
lot of time with Blade and some of the other brothers. They’re well aware that
someone tried to take me out.”
    “Alright, well you check into
Officer Brown and keep at it with Blade. Make him talk. Guys like to talk in
the heat of passion. They tell their secrets.”
    “Do they now, Officer Regan?”
    “Yes they do. And Ms.
Clarkson, you should think about burrowing in somewhere and staying put until I
call you to tell you it’s safe. Whoever is after you is well connected and well
informed? Don’t be surprised if there’s another attempt on your life.”
    “Wait, can’t you put a car on
me or offer witness protection or something?”
    “Not witness protection. We
already took down the criminal organization. There are just a few loose ends
that need tying up. That’s what we need you for and because it involves people
on the inside, not just Officer Brown. Right now there’s a Death Crusader
sitting in jail for the murder of Officer Alexandra Morgan, but he didn’t do
it. We had a new DA as well as a new Police Commissioner that both wanted
someone to pay and to pay fast. The town was crying for justice. The department
was on the edge of falling into total vigilantism. The DA’s response was swift
and final. Several bikers were prosecuted on bogus eye witness accounts and are
rotting in jail where they deserve. I don’t want them exonerated either
Clarkson. They’re guilty of something, just not the murder of your best friend.
I want the guy who killed my partner off the streets and you’re going to help
me. I don’t know who I can trust. I only trust you