Free Merrick: Harlequins MC by Olivia Stephens Page A

Antonio?”
     
    “Could it be the Corpse Killers or the Brown Eyed Devils?” Tim asked then took a sip of his beer. “They’re the two closet clubs big enough to pull something like this off.”
     
    Merrick shook his head. “I hope not. If it’s the Killers, we’re fucked.”
     
    The men nodded in understanding. The Corpse Killers were out of Corpus Christi, and they were their facilitator for the guns. For a fee, they helped…expedite…the merchandise through customs. The Devils were out of Brownsville and they had contact with them, as well. Nobody liked the idea that one of the clubs they had relationships with would cut their nuts off like this.
     
    “Maybe we could start with them and see where it goes. Couldn’t hurt to ask, right?” Jason suggested.
     
    “So long they don’t think we are accusing them of anything. We need the Killers and I don’t want to piss them off.”
     
    “I know you don’t want to think this, but what if the Killers are trying to cut us out and go directly to Abana?” Kyle asked.
     
    “You think they have their own supply of guns?” Jason asked, turning the idea over in his mind.
     
    “Don’t know. But if Abana were to grease us, they could take over our supply chain.”
     
    “Shit,” Randy breathed. “It would be just like those bastards, too.”
     
    “They haven’t fucked us yet.” Merrick pointed out.
     
    “Yeah, but you’ve heard the stories just like I have. They have a reputation of not giving a shit about anyone but themselves.”
     
    “Before we condemn them, let’s make sure we have facts, not speculation,” Merrick said. “Like I said they haven’t fucked us yet. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt.”
     
    “Especially since we still need them?” Jason asked with a grin.
     
    “Especially. I’ll call Mendel and Layley and see if they’ve heard anything. I might also talk to Layley to see if the Devils have a way to bring the merchandise through customs. It probably wouldn’t hurt to have a backup plan just in case it’s Mendel who’s trying to fuck us.”
     
    “That’s probably a good idea. Right now we have all our eggs in one basket,” Kyle said.
     
    “True,” Merrick agreed. “But we also have less potential leaks because only a few know what we do.”
     
    Kyle shrugged with a grin, conceding the point.
     
    “That’s where I’ll start. Anything else?”
     
    “Anything on the movie?” Kelly asked.
     
    Merrick shook his head. “Nothing. “I’m sure they were fine last night since they were inside. Today, down on the river, is a different matter, but it took them a week to give up the last time. I’m not surprised I didn’t hear from them. I’ll give them a couple of days, and if I still don’t hear from them, we’ll turn the heat up on them.”
     
    “I can’t believe they fired us over that Poppy bitch. I’d like to get her out behind the shop for ten minutes,” Pete growled.
     
    “Is that as long as you can last?” Tim asked with a grin.
     
    “Longer than you, at least according to Haven.”
     
    Tim snickered then gave him the finger as the rest of the Harlequins chuckled.
     

Chapter Nine
    “Capra,” Merrick said, sticking a finger in his other ear to block out the noise of pneumatic hammers and power saws.
     
    He was on a construction site trying to get the contractor’s head out of his own ass. The guy was new to the business and didn’t have a clue on how to schedule. Now the contractor was breathing down his neck to finish because his electrical and plumbing guys were supposed to start and the house wasn’t even dried in yet, even though his crew was actually a half-day ahead of the schedule he’d given him.
     
    “Merrick, this is Taylor Goode, with Brand B Pictures.”
     
    “What do you want, Taylor? I’m a little busy at the moment.”
     
    “I want to talk to you about providing location security again.”
     
    Merrick smiled. “I’m in the middle of something at