Runaway ✔

122 • Kozik

Silence had fallen after Clay had thrown a picture on the table. It was going from hand to hand, and on everyone's face appeared a dark grimace. Every time the sheet of paper moved a little closer, Kozik's heart beat faster.

What was on it?

Dana and Juice? Had someone found their bodies? 

Two days had passed since they'd said their goodbyes. In the meantime they should have crossed the border. Had Maddox still found their location? 

Feelings of guilt seeped into his heart. He should have stayed with her. He had sworn Happy to protect his little sister and he had allowed her, no even encouraged her, to leave with Juice. 

When the piece of paper ended up in Bobby's hands, who was sitting next to him, Kozik glanced aside. 

Thank god. It wasn't them. 

He suppressed a relieved sigh, since all the others looked anything but relieved. Not surprising of course; it was a picture of Opie. Blood clotted in his beard and the rest of his face. His eyes were open wide and the empty look they expressed made Kozik swallow. Contrary to his brothers, Kozik had already seen Opie this way. He had been there. He tore his glance away from the violent image and looked at Clay. "The hell is this?"

"Gemma found this in the mail of the garage this morning. It look likes miss Lowman was working on Maddox's orders all this time."

Kozik couldn't help he started to laugh in disbelief. "You gotta be kidding me."

His president clenched both his fists as he glared at Kozik with a threatening frown. "Isn't it obvious? She killed Opie and sent her lover a picture of it! I checked the number above it."

Kozik shook his head, sniffing dismissively, even though he knew damn well it was true. But he also knew why she'd done it. To make sure Kenny and Ellie were safe. 

"But why would she kill Opie?" Kip asked. "They were friends."

"Maybe Maddox promised to leave her alone?" Jax suggested. 

"As if she would fall for that! Come on! You're right, this picture is taken by Opie's killer, but that wasn't Dana! We know Opie surrendered himself because he believed his kids were in danger."

"We know shit," Jax grumbled. "All we have is her word. Dana told us she shot that fucker in his stomach. Do you really think he still had time to send his boss a picture of Opie's body?"

Kozik scratched his neck. He'd lied for Dana before and he knew he wouldn't only lose his patch if they find out, but he would probably lose his life as well. It however was way too late to back out. 

"He probably did it before Dana shot him, giving her the opportunity to grab her gun. I was there, Jax. I saw the trail of blood, the tire tracks... And I saw her. She was broken, man! No way she could have set it all up! No fucking way! This is just Maddox showing off his photoshop skills, and that might have been his intention all along. He's losing control, he's getting desperate and tries to get inside our heads so we will turn our backs on her. Don't tell me you can't see that!"

Kozik took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Luckily the others were nodding, they found his explanation plausible. 

"Isn't this exactly what we were hopin' for? That he would get desperate?" He gave Clay an intense look. "Well, he finally is. This is nothing but a coward's attempt, hoping we'll send her away. And it's ridiculous you really consider the idea she might work for Maddox!" Cursing he shook his head.

Clay stared him in the eye. After a deep sigh, he took a long drag from his cigar. "Fine. You got a point."

Kozik drifted his glance to Jax. The VP was staring at the table top, his face turned into a grimace. Kozik however doubted his anger was destined for Dana; he rather hated himself for being such an easy mind to play with. 

"He tries to get inside our heads," Kozik stressed once again. "Because he doesn't know what else to do." He moved his hand to the ashtray and tapped off the ash of his cigarette. "And if we ignore this, he's going to go big. He will believe she's still here and he will try to take her away with a lot of violence. Apparently his patience is running out. Just like his dirty tricks."