The slam of the receiver startled Axe, and he looked up into the man’s crinkled face. The PI extended his stubby-fingered hand. “Dean Wesley.” His voice sounded like he’d been smoking for a long time.
“Axe.” He shook back, then wiped his hands on his jeans.
“Sorry for the sweat. Fuckin’ air conditioning never works. All that damn fan is doing is circulating hot air.” Dean wiped his face with a tissue. Reclining in his chair, he smiled. “What can I do for ya?”
“I need some information about someone who’s stalking my woman.”
“Okay. Do you know who it is?”
“I’m sure it’s the fucker who killed her mother years ago.”
Dean whistled. “Was he caught and released?”
“Never caught. It’s a cold case, but he’s in Pinewood scaring the shit outta her. He’s aiming to kill her.”
Axe explained the whole situation to Dean, who took notes on a legal pad. After he was finished, he looked at the PI and asked, “Can you help with this? Cara said you’re gold.”
Dean laughed as he wiped the sweat from his face again. “She’s a nice lady. Pretty, too. I can try to find out who he is, ask some questions. He must’ve had someone do his dirty work at the hotel. I want to find out who let someone in your girlfriend’s room, so I’ll need to get in there. Chances are high the room’s been bugged.”
“I’ve thought the same thing. I’m one step ahead, though. I changed Baylee’s room.”
“Good move. I still want in there. I can stop by today. Is there any chance your girl can stay at your place?”
“She won’t go for it, but if things get too intense, I’ll insist she stay at the clubhouse.”
“No doubt the stalker is using burner phones to contact her. They’re hard to trace ‘cause a person doesn’t need to sign anything to get the phone. A true cash-and-carry transaction. Everyone thinks calls from pre-paid can’t be traced, but they can. Calls made on burners are generally transmitted over existing networks. I can check the records of the towers around the areas when the correspondences were received.” Dean finished his bottled water in one long drink.
“Cara’s on board with getting whatever you need.”
“She’s a great gal. Pretty, too, but I already said that, didn’t I?”
Axe nodded.
“Cara can get the subpoenas I’ll need. I’ll keep you updated, but since this guy probably has someone tailing you—”
“No one’s following me. Believe me, I’d know it.”
“Yeah, you coming from the biker world gives you a real edge here. The guy’s probably got some high-powered binoculars. It’s best we meet away from Pinewood.”
“You can come to the clubhouse. It’s secluded, and we know exactly what’s down.”
“Sounds like a plan. Is your girlfriend gonna pay for the services? I ask for fifty percent down, and the balance after the job’s done.”
“I’m picking it up,” Axe said.
They finalized the price for the investigation, and Axe left the office. Having Dean Wesley on the job eased some of the pressure he’d been feeling the past few days. When he sat in the PI’s stuffy, suffocating office, he realized he couldn’t lose Baylee. He wanted to keep her close to him, but he didn’t know how she felt about him. In less than five weeks, she’d no longer need to be in Pinewood Springs; she’d be able to work virtually from Denver. But Axe didn’t want to think about Baylee leaving.
As he straddled his Harley, ready to switch on the ignition, his phone rang. Unable to see the screen because of the sun’s glare, he answered.
“Yep.”
“Hi, Michael. This is your mother.”
He cursed under his breath. “What do you want?”
“I want to know how you are and—”
“I’m good. I’m in a hurry. I have something I gotta do.”
“We never talk. You can give me a few minutes.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’d love to see you. You rarely come around anymore. I’m getting married—”
“What’ll he be? Number six?”
“I just had bad luck. You’ll like him. He’s so good to me, and he’s rich. His name is—”
“Save it, I don’t wanna know. I gotta go.”
“Wait! You’re coming to the wedding, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“You have to come. You’re my only child, and I want you there.”
“It’s bullshit, and I’m not wasting my time. Gotta go.”
“You have to come. I could die, and then you’d be sorry you didn’t come.”