Ruin’s Embattlement (Tenillo Guardians AIMC #19)

Ruin Chapter 18

With everything that happened with Isaiah Thursday night and then allowing Wreck and Cuffs to do their thing as cops, the club could not have an emergency church session until Saturday evening. No one wanted to wait until Monday.

Desi had been spending as much time as possible at the hospital. When she couldn’t be there, at least one other person was. She hadn’t calmed down her desire for justice regarding his dad. I was right there with her. I hoped the club would feel the same. I tried to be patient as Sin called the meeting to order. He didn’t mince words.

“We all know why we’re here. It’s for Isaiah. First, I want Cuffs and Wrecker to update us on what they know. Then, Phantom will present what he’s found. Next, Ruin will have his thoughts to present, I have no doubt. Finally, we’ll hear anyone else who wants to speak, and then we’ll hash this out. Any objections?” He scanned the faces around the table. Everyone shook their heads.

“Good. Wrecker, do you want to go first?”

“Sure thing. We all know it was Isaiah’s father who beat him. The wife has been questioned. She denies telling her husband to run and claims she has no idea where he might be. As much as we wanted to throw her ass in jail for obstruction, there’s no proof she told him to go or that she knows where he is. It’s her word against Isaiah’s, although we know he’s telling the truth.”

“Did she say why she stood there and didn’t call someone to help her son?” Talon asked.

“She claims that there was no need. According to her, her husband didn’t beat their son. Isaiah showed up beaten to a pulp, and the noises the neighbor heard were her husband’s anger that someone did that to their son. Supposedly, he left to go find whoever did it, although she says Isaiah told them he didn’t know who it was.”

“If he didn’t know, how did his dad know who to go after?” I asked.

“Mrs. Vargas said they had a good idea. She stated that her son hangs out with some girl who’s part of a motorcycle gang. They tried to get Isaiah to stop being friends with her, but he wouldn’t. She thinks it’s because the girl is using sex to control him. She told me we should be arresting them,” Wrecker said with a roll of his eyes.

“She had no idea you’re a part of the club, obviously,” Saint stated.

“Nope. I guess Isaiah didn’t say much about us, but who could blame him? Anyway, she shed her crocodile tears and bemoaned the fact she was afraid that the dangerous motorcycle gang would come back and finish off her poor son. That they probably killed her husband. She was really playing to an audience, or so she thought,” Wrecker added.

“Bitch,” I muttered.

“She is. As for my update, we have a BOLO, be on the lookout, for Mr. Vargas. His car was found abandoned outside of town. We have no idea where he went, but he had help. There were other tire tracks in the dirt leading away from his car. He’s hiding, and until he sticks out his head or uses his phone or credit card, we have to sit back and wait. I know we don’t want to hear that, but it’s true,” Cuffs grimly added.

I clenched my fists underneath the table. If I had Mr. Vargas here, I’d beat him. As for Mrs. V, it would be tempting to put the fear of God in her.

“Can’t say I’m surprised. Isaiah has been sharing more about his parents over the past couple of days. They’re real pieces of work,” Wrecker stated.

Grumbles came from around the table. Sin gestured, and the noise died down. “I know we’re upset. Let’s hear what Phantom has for us.”

“I wish I could say I found the bastard, but I haven’t had any luck yet. However, he can’t remain in hiding forever. He’ll get antsy and poke his head out. When he does, we’ll catch him. I have had luck digging into the family. We had no clue. I went back, and there’s not anything definitely dark or dangerous regarding the wife, but that’s not the case with her husband.”

“What about him?” Executioner asked.

“It seems he has a checkered past. In his younger days, he got into a lot of fights. Nothing that got him into too much hot water since he was adept at getting out of trouble. After he married, those incidents all but disappeared. Most would say he was a reformed man, but they’d be wrong. If you look at the medical history, you’ll find that Isaiah primarily had a lot of ‘accidents’ as a kid. He’d end up in the ER or hospital with broken bones, cuts, and bruises. There was always a plausible excuse. His parents would tell staff what a daredevil he was,” Phantom supplied.

“Why didn’t anyone check into it? Sounds like child abuse,” Daredevil snarled.

“There was one time CPS was called in, and the investigation was closed as unsubstantiated. It seems that the house was nice, and the kids were fed, well dressed, and didn’t act out. Plus, the other kids didn’t have any incidents hinting at abuse. They felt the parents were telling the truth, and it was Isaiah being reckless.”

“Jesus Christ! Are people stupid? Abusers don’t always target everyone or only live in shitty houses,” Vicious snapped as his fist hit the table.

“I guess they don’t know that. Once he became a teenager, the trips to the doctor and hospital stopped. I guess they assumed he outgrew it.”

“More likely, he knew it was worthless to go. No one would help him. Did he ever tell anyone he was being hurt?” Cuffs asked.

“If he did, no one did anything. The hospital notes say he was asked a few times and denied it. The funny thing is, his mom was always in the room,” Phantom explained.

“Do you think she was abusive, too?”

“Don’t know, but if she didn’t step in to stop it, it’s likely she was complacent at least, and he knew saying something would do him no good and possibly get him hurt worse,” Dad added.

The more I heard, the greater my fury grew. I vaguely heard Sin ask Phantom if he had more, but he didn’t. Then it was my turn.

“Ruin, it’s your turn. First, I want to know if he’s had any visitors. Has the mom or anyone else outside of us tried to visit?” Sin asked.

“His mom hasn’t. If she had, she’d been thrown out on her ass. If Desi were there, his mom would be in the ICU. My woman wants blood—just a warning. As for anyone else, his two brothers have. Desi let them have time alone with him after she made sure they weren’t acting squirrelly. They were worried and visibly upset at his condition. She stayed in the hallway with Konrad. He was the one there the first time they came. The next time, it was me. Honestly, I don’t see them having issues like their dad. He told them what happened and why. His brothers appeared not to care if he’s gay or not.”

“Isn’t there a sister?” Ashes asked.

“There is, and she hasn’t come, but not because she doesn’t want to. She’s still a minor. The mom said if she went or the other brothers took her, she’d have whoever was involved arrested for kidnapping. That’s what she told her daughter, but if asked, she’ll deny it. His brothers said their sister was crying and begging to see him, but no-go. I have to say, I’m worried about her alone in that house with her mom. What if she does something to her? Or the dad sneaks back?” I voiced a couple of my primary worries after Isaiah himself.

“Brother, if I could, we’d remove her, but we don’t have a leg to stand on. Unless the other brothers can get her to stay with them, we’re stuck. Does she have any of the club members’ phone numbers? If not, it would be a good idea to give her some. That way, if something goes down, she can call us directly for help,” Wrecker suggested.

“I’ll ask Desi. I know she has Desi’s, but I have no idea about others. Listen, I know none of us want to let abusers walk, even if Isaiah is an adult. Their hateful nature is a deep one if what we suspect about the abuse is true—no wonder he didn’t want them to know. My question is, how is this to be handled? Are we sitting back, and when we find Vargas Sr., let the police handle it, or will the club? Desi asked, and she’s scared of the same thing I am. The dad won’t get more than a slap. It’s his word against Isaiah’s, and the mom is backing her husband. We don’t see that changing. If he does get time, it won’t be much.”

“He’s right. My daughter is out for blood. She told me if the club doesn’t teach him a lesson that he won’t forget, the women will,” Dad added. I had no idea she’d told him the same thing she did me.

“Said the same to me.”

The guys groaned. They knew it wasn’t an empty threat.

“Adara already asked me if we were taking care of it as a club. I told her we hadn’t talked it over. I know that look she gave me. My old lady will go all vigilante on him if we don’t. You know how she hates people being hurt,” Wrecker told us. Boomer and Torpedo were nodding. Their women weren’t the sit-back kind either.

“Well fuck, that kind of decides it, doesn’t it? Although, to be honest, I was for Team Infidel myself. What about the rest of you? Where were you leaning toward?” Sin asked.

A quick poll around the table revealed they were all for the club idea, even Cuffs and Wrecker. Those two tried to let the law handle things when possible, but they weren’t blind to the possibilities. They both agreed the likelihood of him not being punished at all or lightly was the most plausible outcome.

“Okay, then let’s take an official vote. All in favor of working to find Vargas and then teaching him a long overdue lesson before warning him of what will happen if he not only touches Isaiah again but if a single hair is touched on any of his children’s heads, say aye,” Sin called out. The room echoed with the ayes. Just to make sure no one was unheard, he asked for nays. There were none.

“I guess we’re in a holding pattern, then. Let’s go tell our bloodthirsty women what we decided, so they don’t go on the hunt,” Saint said with a smirk. As we got up and walked out after Sin dismissed us, I wondered how long we’d have to wait.