CHAPTER FIVE


There were three bouncers that manned the door, but the head honcho was
large, muscular, and bald. He had dark beady eyes that never stopped moving and
never seemed to leave a person.


'Creepshow.' Rafe figured.


His nametag read 'Ben', but Rafe enjoyed her own name for the guy.


He stared at her long and hard before he handed back the fake license and
lifted the rope for her entry.


Rafe slid the piece of plastic into her back pocket and lithely stepped
around the big dude and past the other two black-shirted bouncers. The front
hallway was red, black, and the dancefloor lighting bounced off the walls. A
front bar was fully stocked and waiting for the patrons to eagerly step
forward.


Rafe eyed the front bartender. He had a fresh young face on him with wavy
blonde locks. His own nametag read 'Casey', but when interest sparked in his
blue depths, Rafe coolly smiled and moved past into the main dancing area.


Once inside, she saw why the club had maintained as a Panther hangout. The
main room was divided into four small conclaves that joined around a wide circle
where the dancers grinded with each other. The four conclaves were dark and two
wide booths blocked off any curious bystander from seeing too much. They were
private, dark, and sealed off to the rest of the club.


Rafe stepped through the dancers carefully and peered into each of the areas.
Two of the four housed similar Panther leather jackets that she'd seen in Red
Valley at Carla's Cats.


The other two looked like groups of civilians. They laughed, drank, and
flirted with each other. They didn't look like Panthers and from her trained
eyes, they didn't look like drug-seekers.


Rooney was right. It seemed that the Seven8 was the place to go to get
laid.


Rafe nearly rolled her eyes in disgust.


If her sister had been there, then she needed to ask around for any
memory-laden regulars.


With a sigh, Rafe turned back and sought out Casey.


As she stepped back into the entryway, Rafe lingered in the doorway as Casey
filled drink orders for a pair of giggling girls. They wore tight miniskirts and
barely-there halter tops. Glitter glistened off both of their chests and their
hoop earrings framed heavily made-up faces.


They were pretty. And they were forgettable.


Rafe switched her gaze to Casey and took him in again.


He was late twenties. He looked innocent, but Rafe knew that the most
innocent looking had some of the darkest streaks in them. Either way, his arm
was beefy but not too beefy. He had a healthy layer of muscle on him, but she
didn't see any sign of a Panther tattoo on him.


"Like what you see?"


Rafe switched her eyes to his face and saw his blue eyes were laughing with a
right amount of cockiness.


He handed some change to the two girls and turned to lean against the
counter. Casey faced her squarely. He smirked and asked, "So…do you?"


"Are you a Panther?" Rafe asked bluntly.


Shock lighted his face, but it was gone within a moment. Something akin to
bitterness replaced it, but he said amiably, "No. Is that a problem?"
"I'm
looking for someone." Rafe shifted closer.


Casey's eyes dipped down and took in her figure.


Rafe restrained herself. She forced an easy grin and made sure her voice was
friendly, "Do you know a girl named Sarah Sullivan?"


The interest was wiped clean.


Casey's eyes snapped back to hers and he unconsciously moved back a step,
"Sullivan? You wouldn't find a Sullivan in this place. Not unless they had a
death wish or something."


"Why's that?" Rafe moved even closer. This time, it wasn't forced…or an
act.


"Why…" Casey seemed startled by the question. "You must not be from around
here if you don't know what that name means at the Seven8."


"Why don't you tell me?"


Some people entered the club and Casey's attention was distracted as he
tended to them. After they'd gotten their drinks and one of the girls was
pointed to the bathroom, Rafe waited until they disappeared before she
suggested, "Tell me what the name Sullivan means around here."


"It's not really what it means." Casey moved closer so they could talk
without shouting against the music.


Rafe glanced down and saw that his trendy sneakers stood a few inches from
her own feet. He was close, but not too close.


Casey continued, oblivious to Rafe's perusal, "I mean—Mason Sullivan does not
have any friends in this place. I guess—he hasn't been liked around these parts
for a long time now, before I started working here and I've been here a long
time."


"Why's that?" Rafe suppressed a chill at that name again. Mason Sullivan—for
some reason, it churned her stomach.


"Casey!" A girl's voice shouted over the music.


Rafe looked up and saw a petite girl who looked to have some Latin ethnicity
in her. Her hair was nearly black and dropped down to a rounded bottom that Rafe
knew a lot of guys loved. Her eyes were dark brown and she didn't give Rafe a
second consideration. Her eyes skimmed right over Rafe and locked on Casey. She
asked as she leaned against the counter, "Is Cole around?"


Casey frowned and reached out to trace a glass as he answered, "Uh…he's
uh…he's busy, Sophie."


Intelligence and anger sparkled from Sophie's eyes. She snapped, "Is he with
Kip? Are they in some meeting or something?"


"Come on, Sophie. You're not even supposed to be around here. Cole's got a
restraining order on you. I'm supposed to call the cops if you show up."


'Well…' Rafe's mood was suddenly lightened. She assessed the girl
again with interest this time. Any girl who had an RO slapped on her was someone
worth remembering in Rafe's book.


Casey reached for the phone.


Sophie slapped a manicured hand with fake nails over it. She leaned closer
and hissed, "Tell me where Cole is or I'll bust your nuts right now."


Rafe couldn't contain a chuckle.


Irritation and befuddlement looked at her and Rafe apologized to both,
"Sorry. I just—I find her refreshing. I don't find a lot of girls
refreshing."


Sophie shrugged her off and warned tightly, "Casey, you tell me where he is
or I'll spill the beans how I jacked you off last week at Cole's party."


Rafe hid another grin.


Casey looked horrified as he spared Rafe a glance and then leaned forward to
whisper, "Don't you start. And besides, they don't care. No one cares, Sophie.
You have this twisted idea in your head that Cole Kilborn is in love with you.
He doesn't give a shit about you."


"Tell me or I'm going to Kip."


Casey smiled triumphant--


'Uh oh.' Rafe's grin vanished as she saw the look in his eyes.


"Kip is the one who made Cole do the restraining order. Kip doesn't give a
shit about you. They just think it's funny that they're using the police against
you this time."


Sophie's eyes took on a keenness that had Rafe straightening, ready for
anything. When the manicured hand reached inside her back pocket, Rafe saw a
tease of silver to know the girl was going for a knife. Rafe's hand flashed
forward and clamped a cemented hold on the girl's wrist before she pulled the
knife free.


As Sophie rounded with a snarl on her face, Rafe jerked her arm out and
twisted it in front of her. Rafe used Sophie's arm to keep her other arm captive
as she ushered her out the door and past the three bouncers who seemed startled
at the sight of them.


As they rounded into an alley way, Sophie shrieked "What the—you bitch! Let
me go!"


She tried to kick at Rafe, but Rafe swept her leg around Sophie's own two
legs and pushed her body against the wall.


Rafe patted down the girl and only found the one knife on her. She took it
out and held it before she let go.


Sophie rounded and tried to claw Rafe, but Rafe ducked and swept her back
against the wall.


"Stop." Rafe warned calmly.


"You bitch! Let me go!" Sophie yelled hoarsely. She panted heavily.


"Stop before you piss me off." Rafe remarked, "For some reason, I like you
and trust me, I don't like girls—in any fashion."


"Yeah, well—I don't like you. Get off me, you whore."


Rafe considered the insult. She'd been called worse and in some circles, Rafe
knew that she was considered a whore.


She let it pass, but she offered instead, "If you chill out, I can help
you."


Sophie stopped struggling and barked, "I'm listening. How the fuck could you
help me?"


"By getting you to this Cole character."


"And what? What'd I have to do for you?"


"Information. I need information." And for some reason, Rafe doubted that
she'd get the truth out of Casey, who seemed to only let slip the company motto
when it was in his best interest.


Sophie grinned, for the first time, and relaxed, "Is that why you were
letting Casey Muddles get a good view of your rack."


Rafe let her go and shrugged, "If it works, I'll use it."


Sophie turned around and eyed the girl up and down. As far as Sophie was
concerned, the girl was clueless but she moved how Cole's Trusted moved. She was
quick and better than her.


Sophie massaged her wrist as she made her decision. If the stranger wanted
intel, fine—as long as she got Cole in the end—Sophie wasn't going to hold it
against the slut.


"Fine. What do you want to know?" Sophie asked.


"You know these people?"


"Who?"


"Panthers. Anyone who parties here?"


"Yeah. I'm here almost every night, well—except until I got that RO, but
still—I'm here or around." Sophie said, vaguely.


"You know of a girl named Sarah Sullivan?" Rafe watched her intently. It was
always in the first reaction.


And she saw it.


Sophie's eyes widened slightly, but it was almost too quick to see it. It was
gone in a flash, but Rafe saw it.


She expected to hear a lie, but Rafe was surprised when Sophie said easily,
"Sure. Everyone knows Sarah Sullivan, but not a lot of people actually know her
as a Sullivan. She mostly goes by the name of Carrows, but ask around and you'll
find out that a lot of the guys know Sarah Carrows and a lot of the girls hate
her guts."


"And you?"


Sophie shrugged, "She never went after Cole so I don't give a shit."


"When'd you see her last?"


Sophie narrowed her eyes and asked, accusing, "You interrogate a lot like a
cop. You a cop?"


Rafe snorted, "If I was a cop—forget it. Even if I was a cop, I still
wouldn't care. I'm looking for Sarah Sullivan or Carrows. When'd you see her
last?"


Sophie judged her for a moment, and then let it slide. She shrugged, "Maybe a
day or two ago. She was getting hot and heavy with one of the new pups."


"Pups?"


"Sorry. They like to be called 'cubs.' His name's Ray."


"Last name?"


"Ray…I think it's Perry or something. He's got cousins over in Rawley and Red
Valley. That's all I know about the guy. That, and he's a loser. There's no way
he'll make it all the way to being a true Panther. The guy's a weakling."


Rafe nodded and stepped back.


Sophie moved away from the wall and asked, "So how are you going to help
me?"


"Tell me about this Cole Kilborn guy." Rafe requested.


Sophie had grinned before, but she smiled now. She'd been cute before, but
now she looked beautiful.


"Cole is…he's a Kilborn. They're, like, royalty around here."


Rafe narrowed her eyes. She'd heard something similar from Hedge, but he'd
just mentioned that the guy came from good stock…or something similar.


"What do you mean—he's royalty?"


"The Kilborns. They founded this town. Cole's the youngest, but his daddy was
a general in an army. All his brothers—one's a fire fighter. He works in New
York. He was there for 9/11. Another brother is a neurosurgeon. And then there's
the last one. He's a journalist. I think he's over in Iran or something or maybe
Africa. One of those."


Huh.


Rafe could've sneered. A doctor. A writer. And a fire fighter. Plus a general
as a daddy. And this guy was a gang member.


"Cole's…he's going to make history. Believe me. That guy's going to make
history."


"He sounds like a true…hero." And that word—hero—Rafe cringed even as she
said it.


It didn't matter. Sophie hadn't heard the infliction, but Rafe swept her eyes
closed. She'd only met one hero in all her life.


He turned out to be like the rest.


"So how are you going to help me see Cole?" Sophie crossed her arms and
leaned back on her hip. She regarded Rafe with a 'prove me wrong because I don't
believe a word you say' smirk.


"Depends on the collateral." Rafe threw over her shoulder as she turned and
rounded the corner.


"Collateral? What do you mean by that? What are you—hey!" Sophie called from
behind.


Rafe stopped, perused the waiting line again, and knew she'd gotten most of
what she needed.


"Hey." Sophie spoke from behind her shoulder, "What do you mean—collateral? I
just want to see Cole. I don't want to, like, hurt anyone. You're not talking
about hurting anyone, right? Tell me…"


Rafe rounded, "What do you care? The guy's got a restraining order on you.
Something tells me that he won't come willingly."


"Yeah, but…that's just a misunderstanding."


"So says all the psychos and criminals that I've come across." Rafe sneered
and darted across the street. She headed towards her car's direction. Sophie
trotted behind, "Seriously—what are you going to do?"


Rafe sighed as she unlocked the car and stood in the opened door. She gave
Sophie the once over and asked, "What would make a guy take an RO against
someone like you? You're cute. You're feisty. What is it? You're psycho?"


Taken aback, Sophie sniffed, "Fuck you, bitch. I…it's not on of your
business."


"It is if I'm going to deliver my part of the deal."


Rafe spoke blandly, as if she were discussing her choice of coffee. Sophie
studied her intently. She was…she looked like every girl Casey hit on so Sophie
skipped over her. She figured…smoky eyes, plump lips, and a rocking body. That's
how Casey liked them, but now…the girl was a pariah.


"I should've let Casey go a round with you. You would've spit him up and
stomped on him." Sophie grinned. She raised a hand through her wavy chestnut
hair and sighed in acceptance, "You're…you're smart. I don't like that,
but…fine—if you're actually going to hold up your end of the deal…awhile back,
Cole and I had a fling. Things went sour and…I told him that I was pregnant. I
sued for money help with whatever thing that the courts can do. I never thought
that Cole would fight it, but he did. There was a trial. I cried on the stand.
Cole sat there the entire time and I won."


"And then…?" Rafe knew the 'but' was coming.


"I faked it. I faked everything. And Cole was—he wasn't even furious, he was
just…it's like he pitied me or something. I was…" Sophie took a deep breath for
restraint. She forcibly cleared her throat and pressed, "…I was the one furious.
I never expected that reaction and I hurt myself. I called the cops. And I got
Cole Kilborn arrested. Kip and the Panthers got involved and things just got out
of hand after that. Plus, his daddy showed up and posted his bail. I don't have
a lot of friends in Pedlam so I don't have a lot to lose right now."


It wasn't a common tale, but Rafe sort of—sort of—felt for the girl.


She still had to ask, "So when you see this guy again—what are you going to
say to him? What's the point?"


"I just…" Sophie exhaled dramatically and waved her hands in the air, "I
don't know. I want to apologize. I want to explain. I want to…"


"So you want him alive when you see him?" Rafe mused and turned her back. She
climbed in the car and shut the door.


Sophie squeaked, "What?"


Rafe cranked her window down and smirked, "Don't worry. I won't kill the
guy."


"Um…" Sophie was at a loss for words.


"Give me your number. I'll call when I've got him for you." Rafe extended her
phone to Sophie's shocked fingers.


After she'd programmed in the number, Sophie asked, "So what now?"


"I need to sleep and then I eat." Rafe felt her phone buzzing and glanced
down. When she saw Coolay's number, the grin was wiped clean and she felt the
tiredness creep in. She hadn't slept in three days. She glanced up and asked,
"Where do they eat?"


"Who?"


"The Panthers. Your boy. Where's their eating hole?"


"Oh, uh…it's the Musket Hole. It's out on 38th, out of town two miles. They
go there for breakfast at seven. That's four hours away." She sounded
doubtful.


Rafe grinned tightly. She'd slept shorter hour spans and gone longer than
three days on that. She could do it again, but she did need to eat.


"I'll get your boy." Rafe reassured Sophie and reversed the car. As she left
Sophie in her trail, Rafe grinned tightly to herself.


'I'm just going to talk to him first—by myself.'