The Jason King Series: Books 1-3 Page 6

  King would not be returning that night. There was no need. The four of them would be in another state by then.

  He called for the girl and she tentatively emerged from the room. Her eyes boggled at the sight of the destroyed clubhouse. He ushered her through the mess and out onto the front deck. On his way out, he threw open the top left kitchen cupboard and seized an enormous wad of hundred-dollar bills from the top shelf. He went outside and placed a reassuring hand on the young girl’s shoulder.

  ‘See those two,’ he said, motioning at Jed and Skinny. Both men were flattened out on the dusty ground, cradling their wounds and staring with pale faces at the crumbling garage, still ablaze.

  The girl nodded.

  ‘They don’t look so tough now, do they?’ he said.

  She shook her head. ‘Thank you so much for helping me.’

  ‘Not a problem.’

  They set off towards the car.

  ‘What’s your name, by the way?’ he asked.

  ‘Amanda.’

  ‘I’m Jason. Ready to go back home to your parents, Amanda?’

  ‘Yeah. I just want to see Dad.’

  ‘What were you doing out here anyway?’

  Her slight shoulders slumped. ‘They grabbed me in town. Look, I’ll tell you all about it in the car … just … please … get me out of here.’

  King opened the door for her and she slipped into the passenger seat, weeping. He crossed to the other side, started the engine and pulled out onto the main road. He took a final look back at the clubhouse. Two severely injured bikers trembling in the dirt, a third still out cold inside. The beefy guy would be nursing his injuries for the next six months.

  As he drove away, the garage’s supports reached their breaking point and the entire structure fell inwards, sending flames sky-high.

  ‘Hell of a morning,’ King muttered under his breath.

  He took the rundown sedan round a corner and the clubhouse disappeared from sight.

  CHAPTER 10

  Amanda remained silent for the next fifteen minutes.

  King didn’t bother her. She had been through a lot. He couldn’t imagine how violating the experience must have been. To think if those men had gone any further…

  ‘Are you okay?’ he asked again as the sedan cruised into the heart of Jameson. There was less activity than when he had first woken up. He guessed most residents were farming. Only a couple of pedestrians could be seen on the footpaths.

  ‘I guess so,’ she said. ‘I’m just thinking about what could have happened.’

  ‘They won’t be doing anything like that again.’

  ‘To me?’

  ‘To anyone. Trust me.’

  ‘I’ve never seen you around.’

  ‘I’m from out of town. Where do you live?’

  ‘Ten minutes out of Jameson. I’ll direct you. Just keep driving.’

  The shops and main roads slowly disappeared, replaced once again by the uneven surface of potholed country tarmac.

  ‘So, Amanda, what were you doing there?’ King said.

  ‘I’ve been hanging around town a lot lately,’ she said. ‘Dad’s looking for work so he’s not around to keep an eye on me. I just roam the streets some days. Probably not the best idea.’

  ‘I’d say it’s not.’

  ‘This morning I was walking back from Gemma’s house. Those guys pulled up on their bikes. They were really rude. It’s pretty clear I’m young and they were still jeering and catcalling me.’

  ‘How old are you, exactly?’

  ‘Thirteen.’

  King shook his head in frustration. Barely a teenager. ‘Did they kidnap you?’

  ‘Not exactly … well, I don’t know. They just told me to get on the back of the bike and that they would take me home. They were forceful. I was scared. I thought they’d hurt me if I didn’t do what they said.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘I understand.’

  ‘But they didn’t take me home — they took me to their clubhouse. They said they wanted to show me around. I didn’t know what to do. I had no idea where I was, so I couldn’t run away. Then they locked the door and the big guy said he wanted to have some fun and…’

  She trailed off. King reached across the centre console and rested a hand on her shoulder.

  ‘It’s okay,’ he said. ‘I’ll get you home.’

  ‘How can you be so sure that they won’t do that to someone else?’

  ‘I saw it in their eyes. I broke them.’

  ‘Who the hell are you?’ Amanda said. ‘Where did you come from, and why did you help me, and how did you do what you just did?’

  ‘I’d be confused too,’ King said. ‘Look, I can’t really go into details, but I used to be a very dangerous man—’

  ‘Pretty sure you still are.’

  ‘Okay, I still am. My job used to involve using those skills, and now I don’t have a job. So I help people out when I see things I don’t like.’

  ‘And you can’t say what exactly you used to do?’

  He shook his head. ‘That’s not something we should get into.’

  Amanda shrugged. ‘Well, you sure helped me. Thank you, Jason. Left here.’

  For the last ten minutes they had coasted along winding roads, boxed in by undergrowth and towering tree trunks on either side. Now, Amanda pointed at a small dirt track that ran off the main road and cut through the trees. King spun the wheel. Billy’s sedan made the transition from uneven asphalt to gravel. Its suspension struggled to handle the off-road track. He saw Amanda tense up and shrink back into her seat. He wasn’t sure if she was recalling memories of the morning, or simply had not been expecting the jolts and bumps of the new road. Whatever it was, King would have a stern talk with her father. To be left to her own devices at such a young age was bound to lead to trouble sooner or later.

  It only took half a minute for the path to branch out into a wide clearing, dead in the middle of the forest. The woods surrounded them on all sides. A thin, well-kept layer of grass covered the clearing floor. In the centre of the space lay a sprawling one-storey house. It looked similar to a lodge. Long and large and homely.

  ‘This your place?’ he said.

  Amanda nodded.

  ‘It’s nice.’

  ‘Dad’s home,’ she noted, pointing to a thin trail of smoke rising from the chimney. She sounded surprised, King noticed.

  ‘I’m not sure how he’ll feel about this,’ he muttered under his breath.

  ‘Huh?’

  As if on cue, the front door burst open and a man came bounding out into the clearing floor. He was thickset and squat, with curly black hair and a full beard. He wore a cheap plaid shirt and jeans. His feet were bare.

  ‘Who the fuck are you?!’ he yelled.

  King turned to Amanda. ‘See?’

  He swung the driver’s door open and stepped out into the clearing. Amanda’s dad recoiled slightly as he saw King’s size. But it didn’t stem his anger.

  ‘What are you doing with my daughter? Amanda, honey, come here…’

  King twitched slightly. Something about what the man had said struck a nerve with him.

  ‘What are you doing without your daughter?’ he said.

  The man froze, perplexed. ‘What?’

  ‘You should be on your knees thanking me.’

  ‘The hell are you talking about?’

  ‘Do you know where your daughter was this morning?’

  ‘With you, I presume. And you have ten seconds to explain this.’

  King raised an eyebrow. ‘Actually, I have all the time in the world to explain this. But don’t worry, it’ll only take me ten seconds. I saved Amanda from being raped.’

  The man had not been expecting that. Instantly, the aggressive demeanour faded. ‘W-what?’

  King turned to Amanda. ‘Why don’t you head inside? I’ve got to tell your dad a few things.’

  She nodded knowingly. She stepped up onto the porch and marched through the open front door w
ithout saying a word.

  Her dad sank onto the front steps, sporting a blank ten-thousand-yard stare. ‘What are you saying?’

  ‘What’s your name?’ King said.

  ‘Richard.’

  ‘Richard, do you know the four bikers that hang around town? One of them’s called Jed.’

  ‘I’ve seen them around. You’re not telling me—’

  ‘Looks like they offered your daughter a lift home. She was walking back from Jameson this morning. They ended up ignoring her directions and she ended up trapped in their clubhouse. I was passing by, knocked on their door, and by then they had all her clothes off.’

  Richard’s face had turned to a pale sheet. Shock does that to a person. His mouth stayed shut for a long fifteen seconds.

  ‘I’ll kill them,’ he finally blurted out.

  ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’

  ‘I don’t care. I’ll go there with a crowbar and I’ll … I’ll fucking beat them to within an inch of their lives.’

  ‘No need for that.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘I dealt with them.’

  Richard looked up. ‘Huh?’

  ‘Recognise that car?’ King said, pointing to the battered sedan.

  ‘Isn’t that the post office guy’s ride?’ Richard said after studying the vehicle for a moment.

  ‘It is.’

  ‘What are you doing with it? Is he okay?’

  ‘He’s perfectly fine. In fact, I’d say he’s never better.’

  ‘He put you up to it?’

  ‘He let me know what was going on around town. Are you aware?’

  ‘Of course,’ Richard said. ‘But this is a tiny town. There’s nothing they could do to stop it.’

  ‘I stopped it. I got a bit angry when I saw them with your daughter and I trashed the whole place. Badly injured them all too. I don’t think you’ll ever see them around again.’

  ‘W-who are you?’

  King sighed. ‘Seems like everyone’s asking me that question lately.’

  CHAPTER 11

  King gripped the small mug of steaming black coffee that Richard had given him and hunched further over the dining table, which was a thick slab of polished wood. It reminded him of the bar from the night before. Back when this whole thing started, just over twelve hours ago. He certainly hadn’t been expecting such madness in a small country town off the beaten track.

  Beside him, a large open fire crackled. Richard sat on the other side of the table, sipping at a coffee identical to King’s.

  ‘I can’t thank you enough,’ Richard said. ‘Is there any way you can explain who you are? Because without you, I don’t know where my daughter would be.’

  ‘I really can’t say much,’ King said. ‘But you’re welcome.’

  ‘You can bet your life I won’t let anything like that ever happen again.’

  ‘Let’s hope not.’

  ‘It’s so hard to keep an eye on her at all times. I didn’t realise what a mistake I was making until now.’

  ‘Amanda said you’re looking for work?’

  Richard nodded. ‘I was laid off a month ago. So many of us were. There’s a place twenty minutes out of town that’s been there forever. Owned by a couple of locals.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘Came under new management. Overseas buyers kicked all the old workers out.’

  ‘Seems a bit harsh.’

  He shrugged again. ‘It’s how things are these days. No job safety.’

  ‘How’s the employment search going?’

  ‘Terribly. Have you seen where we are? Jameson’s not rife with opportunities.’

  ‘Well,’ King said, ‘this should get you through until you work out what to do.’

  He reached into his jacket pocket and withdrew half of the bills taken from the clubhouse kitchen. It looked to be well over ten thousand dollars. Richard’s eyes widened at the sight.

  ‘This is too much,’ he muttered.

  ‘Take it. Just promise you’ll keep an eye on Amanda as best you can.’

  ‘Of course I will.’

  King slid the money across the table.

  ‘I really don’t understand what’s going on…’

  ‘I’m not asking you to understand,’ King said. ‘I’m just telling you that you won’t get any more problems from those bikers. And giving you some of what I found there. Use it to stay afloat until you get employed. And take care of your daughter.’

  ‘I promise.’

  King rose from the table and took one last look around the place. It was a house that had been meticulously furnished as a labour of love. The art on the walls, the rugs on the floor, the large open fireplace, the beat-up armchairs, the smell of the forest all around. Nothing expensive, just a collection of bits and pieces saved up over the years to create the thing that King never had; a home.

  ‘This is a really nice place,’ he said to Richard.

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I mean it. You’re a lucky man.’

  ‘You got a place?’

  King shook his head. ‘I’ve never really lived anywhere. Always been on the move.’

  ‘You moved around America? You’ve still got the accent.’

  ‘Every single person feels the need to bring that up over here.’

  Richard laughed. ‘Foreigners. They always spark interest.’

  ‘Yeah, I moved around America. But also all over the world.’

  A pause. ‘Were you in the Army?’

  ‘Kind of.’

  Richard sighed emphatically. ‘Well, Jason, you’re a hard man to crack. That’s for sure. But I’ll always be in your debt, mate.’

  He offered a hand.

  ‘To be honest, I’ll probably never see you again,’ King said, grasping it and shaking. ‘But I appreciate the thought.’

  Richard pulled an unprofessional-looking business card out of his pocket and handed it over. It had nothing but his name and mobile phone number handwritten on the front.

  ‘Just in case you find someone looking for workers on your travels,’ he said. ‘Tell them to give me a call.’

  King nodded his understanding and tucked the card into his jeans. ‘I’ll be sure to keep my eyes open.’

  Amanda emerged from one of the doorways, her brow furrowed. ‘You’re going already?’

  ‘I don’t tend to hang around too long in one place,’ King said.

  ‘I think you should settle down,’ Richard said. ‘Something about this house has grabbed you, I can tell. Go find a home somewhere. You don’t need to move your whole life.’

  ‘I know. But for now, it’s what I’d prefer.’

  Amanda stayed leaning against the doorframe. ‘Good luck with whatever it is you’re going to do.’

  ‘Thank you,’ he said.

  King moved to the front door. Opened it.

  ‘Take care of yourselves,’ he said, nodding to Richard and Amanda.

  They nodded back.

  King strode back to Billy’s sedan. He swung the door open and climbed in. Started the car with a quick twist in the ignition and pulled the wheel in a tight arc, heading back the way he had come.

  The trip to Jameson passed in silence. All the action of the last hour had put his mind to rest. Ashamedly, that life was all he had ever known. When there was conflict, he was at peace. He hated to admit it, but it was the truth. The day-to-day happenings of ordinary life had almost become too monotonous to handle, even though he slept somewhere different every night. He knew if he was to move on from that life he should avoid situations like what had happened at the clubhouse. It did nothing but bring back old memories.

  He parked the sedan in front of the post office after sixteen minutes of driving.

  It’s useless to time everything so meticulously, he thought as he slammed the door shut. Another old habit he would do good to forget.

  By now it was high noon. In the city, this meant stores would be at their busiest, bustling with white-collar work
ers on their lunch break. Here, everyone was now farming. The morning rush had all but subsided. King spotted two people on the main road as he made his way into the post office. Jameson was a ghost town.

  ‘Jesus Christ!’ a voice proclaimed as the door jangled upon his arrival.

  He saw Billy standing behind the counter at the other end of the store. There wasn’t a single customer in sight. Even from this distance King could make out the beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. He was beaming.

  ‘You’re certainly happy to see me,’ King said.

  Billy visibly relaxed. ‘I thought you were some nutter, King. I thought you’d go in there all high and mighty and get shot in the head, and then they’d find my car and come back here and kill me.’

  ‘Far from it, my friend.’

  ‘Come out back. NICOLE!’

  ‘What?!’ came a shouted reply from the back.

  ‘Need you up front again.’

  Billy led King past the same disgruntled young employee that had eyeballed him the first time.

  ‘You’re back,’ she noted in a sardonic tone as they passed.

  ‘Congratulations,’ King said. ‘You have eyes.’

  She shot him an icy glare. Then they walked through into the back room and Billy slammed the door shut with the intensity of a man desperate for answers.

  ‘Tell me everything,’ he said.

  CHAPTER 12

  By the time King had finished explaining the events that had transpired, he wasn’t sure Billy’s jaw could fall any lower. The man sat deathly still in his chair, almost shellshocked. At the same time King noticed a faint glimmer of emotion in his eyes. He knew the look. Pure, utter relief. Like an enormous burden had finally been lifted off his shoulders.

  ‘You seem stunned,’ King said.

  It took a few seconds for Billy to gather his thoughts. ‘When you showed up here I thought this was all too good to be true. Like I said before, I thought you were a crackpot who thought he’d stir up trouble in a small town.’

  ‘I’d say I did stir up trouble.’