"Who's the dude with the Benz?" Kip asks Tig. I look up to see who pulled in.
"Elliot Oswald." Tig tells him. I join them as they lean against a railing, watching Clay and Jax head over to the car.
"As in Oswald Lumber?" Half-Sack responds.
"Yeah, Oswald Lumber, Oswald Beef, Oswald Construction." Tig tells him.
"Seriously Half-Sack, it's a small town, how many Oswald's you think there are here?" I tease the guy a little.
"Hey, so you and Chibs hu?" Tig changes the subject.
"Yeah, I guess so. Sorry Tiggy. That means no more of our secret love affair." I look up at him, squinting in the light.
"What? We could have been doing this all along?" he laughs at me as he gets back to work. Elliot, Jaxson and Clay head into Gemma's office. Filip heads over to where I sit, entering orders in the computer.
"Hey baby, you hear from yer da yet?" he asks. I shake my head at him.
"Nah but I'm sure I will. He may be up at the cabin on a bender for all I know." I murmur to him, not wanting others to overhear.
"I got some club business, I won't be around tomorrow. You ok by yourself?" he asks.
"Sure, I'll just call Tig over." I tell him, a smile creeps across my face. Tig overhears and whoops loudly from his bike.
"Back off Tig, wouldn't want ta have ta bury yer body somewhere." Filip warns him with a hint of sarcasm.
"I'll be fine babe. You be safe?" I tell him, before leaning over to give him a kiss. The guys all ooh and ahh, making me blush.
Clay, Jax and Elliot walk back out of the office, Elliot shakes their hand and leaves. Clay heads over to us.
"Can I talk to my little girl alone here Filip?" I cringe at the tone in his voice. "Give me five minutes and I'll meet you in the clubhouse." Filip looks at me, worried. I wave him away, Clay's not the one I'm worried about.
"What's up Uncle Clay?" I ask, trying to pour an innocent tone in my voice.
"Nope, none of that. I know your game little girl. What's this Gemma tells me that you and Filip are 'together' whatever the hell that's supposed to mean?" he asks.
"Don't be like that Clay. He's a good guy and you know it. If you were really worried about it, you would have beat the shit outta him already." I put my hand on his arm and look up into his stony face.
"Don't mean I gotta like it sweetheart. I'll kill him if he hurts you. You know that right?" he asks.
"Hey, I'm not the one in danger apparently. Either way this ends, you will all be lined up to put him in a body bag." I laugh at him. He kisses me on the forehead and walks away.
The guys are only inside for a short time before Deputy Hale pulls in with two other officers. Juice comes out and leaves with Half-Sack to pick up tires.
"Good Afternoon Officers." Lowell practically stutters. David Hale is an arrogant, self-righteous asshole. I think he gets off on intimidating people and that's why he hates the club so much. I stand up and walk over to Lowell, placing my hand on his arm.
"Hey, run inside and grab the guys. Wait five minutes so I can get them talking and then go in and grab them." He shakes his head and walks over to the bench.
"What can I do for you Davey?" I call out to him. I know how much he hates it when I call him by his first name. We went to school together, I can't help it.
"Deputy, if you don't mind Aubrey. Who's all here?" he asks.
"Whoever's scheduled. Gotta special request or is it ok if I just put your car in the rotation for the next available mechanic?" I ask standing in front of him. He doesn't notice Lowell walk toward the clubhouse.
"No we're here on official police business." He says.
Out of the corner of my eye I catch Clay, Jaxson and Tig crossing the parking lot.
"You girls selling cookies?" Clay calls out.
Hale walks over to meet them halfway. Jaxson's face tells me he's pissed off.
Filip comes over to stand by Lowell and I.
"This doesn't look good." I whisper.
"Aye, but Clay will handle it." He tells me.
We watch as the two men exchange words for a little longer. Then Hale takes off, leaving two officers to talk to the rest of the group. Tig steps over by us. He pulls me aside.
"Can you run in the clubhouse and get something out of that room I sleep in sometimes?" he whispers. I nod and he gives me a description of what to look for. I walk casually into the building, the officers busy questioning Jax and Clay.
It doesn't take me long to find the baggie Tig asked for. I tuck it in my bra and step back out to the main bar. I grab the can of coffee from behind the counter and head back outside. Tig meets me in Gemma's office, hooking up the coffee pot. He's practically giddy. He gives me a quick kiss on the cheek and dances off toward Clay and Jaxson who are watching the officers wait for the other club members. I brew the coffee. Tig dumps in some of the pills and lets them dissolve quickly.
The officers start heading toward the office so I duck out. Filip stands near his workstation and I lean on the counter next to him. Jaxson stands in the doorway while Tig and Clay go inside with them. I see Tig catch one of the officers; helping him so he doesn't fall. Clay sits the other one in the desk chair. The guys are laughing at them.
"You go up to the hospital with mom. If those two wake up, I only want Lowell or one of the other guys here." Jaxson tells me as he leaves with Filip. I give Lowell strict instructions to call them if the cops wake up and I leave quickly.
I beat Gemma to the hospital. I'm walking in when Tara steps in front of me. She stops, staring intently at me. I roll my eyes and try to step around her. She moves in front of me again.
"Something you feel like saying doc?" I ask her
"Wendy's out of detox." She tells me.
"Good for her. Glad to see the junkie whore held on." I don't try to hide the venom in my words.
"Maybe you should talk to Gemma about how she got those drugs." She spits back.
"I'm sure one of her dealers snuck it in or she had it in her clothes when you brought her here." My patience is very close to running out. The doors open and close behind me and Gemma walks in.
"What's going on here?" she asks, noticing the obvious tension between Tara and me.
"Apparently Wendy somehow survived and is given yet another shot to fuck up her life." I tell her through gritted teeth. She places her hand on my arm, giving me a look that says calm down.
"I just thought you'd want to know. Just in case you wanted to bring her flowers or something." Tara stares at Gemma.
Gemma doesn't respond, she turns away, dragging my arm with her. Before I can say anything she pauses again, staring through a window. Earnest Darby is getting off the elevator not five feet from us. I'd seen him around town and dad's always told me to stay away from him. Not that you would need to be told that if you'd grown up here.
She pulls out her phone and makes a call.
"Still looking for Darby?" she asks. I assume she's talking to Clay. She waits for an answer.
"He's at the hospital, heading up to the South wing." She tells him. Another moment passes and she hangs up.
We check on Abel before she drags me outside with her. She wants to talk about Tara or Filip, I can't tell which. We head out the parking lot doors and take a seat at a picnic table a few feet away. I watch the traffic pass as we sit there quiet for a moment.
"Clay talked to me today." I tell her. "It wasn't so scary."
"Yeah, he said he was gonna. He's worried about it but not half as bad as if it had been Tig." She shakes her head at the thought. "Hear from Piney on the matter yet?"
"Nah, I'm sure he's at the cabin, telling his worries to Jim or Jack. Whichever will listen." I answer.
The door opens again and Darby walks out.
"Shit." Gemma whispers, sitting up. "Give us a minute honey."
I stand up to go when she calls him over.
"Hi there Aubrey." He says as I walk past him back into the hospital. I smile at him in response.
I wait for Gemma in the hospital and as she comes through the door, I see Tig, Bobby and Clay walking up to Darby. I decide not to ask any questions as we head back to Able's room.