The day Shane went missing was still fresh in Macy's mind even over a year later. Gathering up the cash she hid it in the coat closet and went to sit at the table with the note. She traced the numbers with her finger over and over, still unable to fully believe what she was seeing.
"Oh sweetie," she said to the baby. "This is Daddy. I know it. He's out there."
Shane just babbled, completely oblivious to the weight of what his mother was saying.
Macy grabbed her phone but looked at the screen with uncertainty. Who could she call? Who did she trust enough?
"Grandpop? Grandmom? Uncle Jax?" Macy looked at Shane and nodded. "Grandpop. Definitely Grandpop."
Clay was there quickly, within the hour quick, and after a round of hugs he was questioning Macy.
"When?" Clay asked, counting the stacks of cash as he stood in the closet doorway.
"This morning," she explained, leaving out Opie's presence for obvious reasons. "It was in a puffy envelope on the step."
"Was it actually mailed?"
Macy shook her head. "No. Someone dropped it off."
Clay turned and sat at the table, inspecting the money wrap with Shane's badge number on it when the truth fluttered into his brain.
"Keep it. Use it. It's fine but if there's any issues, I'll take care of it."
Macy's face twisted up. "I don't care about using it, Dad! I care about who left it and where Shane is."
"Sweetheart," he groaned. "I don't think we'll know that. You're too far off the main road for traffic cameras, you don't have any security like that out front, and unless you want to involve the police you're not getting prints off that package."
"What about Unser?" She asked urgently. "Could he check it for prints?"
"Macy," Clay grumbled, "Wherever Shane is, dead or alive, this cash isn't from him."
"I don't agree," she said staunchly. "Why would they put his badge number on it? Why would they drop it off in such a shady way? They didn't even try to make it look like the post office delivered it. There's a message here," she snapped.
Clay grunted, thudding his fists down on the table in frustration. "I'll look into to but I don't want you getting involved. Do you understand? This could be nothing or someone could be coaxing you out."
"That's what I'm hoping it is," she admitted. "Either it's Shane or whoever was involved with his disappearance."
"You are gonna be the goddamn death of me," he groaned.
"Yeah, either me or Mom," she agreed with a shrug.
Clay shook his head. "Promise me you don't look into this shit. Leave it to me, Macy."
"Promise me you'll actually look into then," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.
Clay nodded, "I already know where to start."
Once he left, Macy sat and began to cry again. The urge to call Opie was strong, she didn't know why, but she figured a friendly voice would be comforting.
She text him, still crying at the table, having no idea Shane was off behind the house stealthily watching her.
—
"We gotta talk."
Jax heard the angry words before he even realized Clay had entered his home. Tara and Gemma looked at him with concern and surprise on their faces but they didn't say a word. They knew better.
"What?" Jax said indignantly.
"Living room," Clay ordered Jax. "Now."
The women watched as Jax and Clay stomped out. Gemma knew, or assumed she knew, what Clay was so upset about but Tara was in the dark.
"Opie?" Tara guessed.
Gemma shook her head. "I have no idea, I just wish he'd make up his goddamn mind."
"I thought you didn't want Opie with Macy?"
"I don't but it's better than this shit," Gemma complained.
While Gemma purposely talked about Opie to keep Tara from thinking it could have anything to do with Shane, Clay was in Jax's face.
"Macy got hundreds of thousands of dollars thrown on her front step," Clay growled. "Guess what this is." He added, flicking the money band at Jax.
"7865," Jax read. "I don't know."
"Walsh's badge number," Clay snarled. "What did you do?"
"Me?" Jax asked incredulously. "I didn't do shit. He bailed on Mace like a goddamn coward. I think your taking this shit out in the wrong guy."
Clay shook his head and put a few feet between himself and Jax. "I knew Shane, he was easy to read. He loved her. He wouldn't leave, not like that. Dropping his whole goddamn life to break up with Macy? He's too proud of what he built, of his badge and his life, he wouldn't throw it away."
"Maybe he made friends with the wrong outlaws," Jax suggested. "Caught a bullet, got dumped off the docks, end of his little fairytale."
"Is that what you did?" Clay asked threateningly. "You killed Shane? You'd do that to your sister?"
Jax smirked and slowly shook his head, "This ain't about Shane. This is about Macy."
"It's always been about Macy," Clay growled.
"Mom always said she raised her out of respect for JT but I think she did it for you. You love her like she's actually your kid," Jax said, ignoring the real issue.
"She is my kid," Clay said staunchly. "Just as much as Abel is Tara's," he reminded Jax. "Now where's Shane?"
"I don't know," Jax said coolly.
"Whatever you did is coming back around and if it hurts my club, my daughter, or my grandson, I'm gonna hurt you."
Clay stormed out and Jax returned to the kitchen to find Tara and Gemma looking at him expectantly.
"What was that?" Tara asked.
"It's a long story," Jax complained.
"I have time," she said.
Gemma looked at Jax and nodded. "Tell her before this gets out of hand."
Roughly 12 Months Before*
Shane approached Jax casually not expecting their meet to be anything of great importance.
"Hey, what's up?"
"I know what you're doing," Jax said quietly. "Looking into the club, digging around what went down when you got shot."
"Gotta know who I can trust, don't I?"
Jax nodded. "You do but you stuck that big ass ducking nose of yours in some shit that no one trusts."
Shane's face twisted in confusion, but not fear, not yet. "What are you talking about?"
"The Russians," Jax snapped. "You were looking into that shit that happened to me, the stabbing in Stockton."
"No," he shook his head. "Just read the report, didn't look into shit more than that."
"Two of Putlova's guys got shot, one died, right after your reading into that history, you gotta see how that shit looks. You're a cop, married into this family, that looks like payback, Shane."
"It wasn't me," he snapped.
"I know that, you think the Russians know that?"
"Then we'll fucking tell them," Shane said urgently.
Jax shook his head. "It's too late for that. They're on my sister, someone's sitting on the house now. I got two texts from an unknown number with pictures of Macy and the baby."
"What?" Shane was already pulling his keys out and jumping back in his car before Jax could stop him. "I gotta go."
"They want you dead," Jax feigned sadness. "I can't do that. Clay can't. You gotta go. We can set you up with people we trust but if you're here you and Macy and the baby are at risk."
"I can protect my family," Shane grunted.
"Not from these guys," Jax said ominously. "It's the only way everyone keeps breathing. I'll send you pictures, let you know how they're doing, I'll keep them safe."
When Shane saw the photos Gemma had taken and sent as Jax instructed he swore he felt his heart stop.
"Jax, I don't want to leave," he said mournfully.
"I know, but you and I both know you have to," he said. "Meet me at the cabin tonight, I'll have cash and your contact. You can't tell Mace."
"It'll crush her," Shane said quickly. "I have to tell her. After that shit with Opie she still gets antsy when I'm late or she can't get in touch with me."
"No, she won't let you go," Jax said trying to convince Shane, "You know that. Hurt her to save her, you have to."
Shane's eyes filled with tears but he nodded. "Cabin at seven?"
"Cabin at seven," Jax nodded.
"Alright. I'll be there," he sniffled, fighting the urge to cry.
"I'm sorry, man."
Shane nodded sadly, "Yeah, thanks, Jax. I owe you for this."
Jax hugged Shane, "Don't mention it, bro. Really. Don't."