Buried Treasure Ch. 21-25

"Nope. They are set on keeping him locked up until the judge forces them to let him go."

"Thanks, Frank. See you in a few." We were paying for our coffees when he came out and started walking back down the street. We turned and picked him up a block later. "So far, so good on our dump job," he said.

"This won't be easy on Three T," I said. "I'll make sure the Ladies stay with her."

"I'll talk to Tripod. I know he had a banner made for her; they can get that hung up with her parents." He looked out the window. "I wish we could tell them."

"The Sons don't know where she is, and that's the safest thing. People stop looking once she's declared dead." Vic was pulling through the clubhouse gates, the Prospects recognizing him from yesterday.

I hated lying to them. "I suppose you're right."

"Vic and I will wait here for Grimes and bring him in through the office side door. Bring Three Tequila back when we're ready, maybe with a friend or two." We parked and went inside; the Ladies were everywhere, making preparations for the service that afternoon at three. Vic kept back while Rori and I found Three Tequila, surrounded by her other Chapter Presidents as the Ladies directed their people like a military campaign. "Hey guys," I said as my face lit up.

"CANVAS!" I smiled as my friends saw me for the first time in months. Howler from the Manchester chapter, Mighty Elk from Renton, and Bunny from Las Vegas joined the Florida area Ladies at the command table. All three had sheltered me during my time in hiding. We caught up while I waited to ruin their day.

"We're waiting for you," Chase sent me.

"Three T, I need you to come with me," I said. "It's important." I saw Tripod and his wife Bowlegs and motioned for them to come too. This news affected the Club.

"What's going on," Bowlegs asked as we entered the office area. She was a bubbly blonde flight attendant who met Tripod on a Friday and married him in Vegas on Sunday. She didn't walk that way before they met.

"News," I said as I opened the door to the conference room.

We walked past Vic and Chase before Three Tequila saw Director Grimes standing there in his suit. His expression gave away the reason for his call. "NO," she said as her legs gave out. Chase grabbed her and guided her to a chair.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Lane. Yesterday we found a boat adrift on a lake near Ocala, Florida. There was a lot of blood in the boat, and DNA testing has confirmed Harleigh Ryder was there. We also found the hospital gown she was wearing that night." He opened a folder and took out a photograph. "We are searching for the bodies, but the other blood was from Jose Correria. Our theory is that Jose died, and the Sons dumped his body and Harleigh's in the lake. I'm sorry."

My heart broke as Three Tequila broke down. She'd lost her sister, her brother in law and now her niece, her husband was in jail, and her Clubhouse had burned to the ground. Bowlegs and I comforted her as she cried out in grief. I gestured for Chase to take Tripod out. "I'll send help in," he said as he left.

"You have the banner for Harleigh?"

"Yeah. FUCK!" He hit the wall in anger, denting the wallboard. "I'll take care of it. I knew they wouldn't let her live, but I had some hope, you know?"

"Yeah." He went off to talk to the men, while I went back to the Ladies and told them what had happened. A bunch of them ran off to comfort Three Tequila.

It was going to be a long day.