Mason had known that Daniel possessed records about the suspicious transactions.
He had discussed recovering those records.
And he had encouraged others to make Daniel stop investigating.
Victoria tapped the screen.
"Mason, I want you to listen carefully."
He looked at her.
"Don't."
She pressed play.
At first, the recording contained the sound of a vehicle door closing and the distant hum of traffic. Then Mason's voice emerged.
"Daniel has the records. If those documents reach the authorities, this entire operation will be exposed."
A second man answered.
"Then we need to get the records back."
Mason's recorded voice became sharper.
"Find out where he keeps them. Don't let him take them to anyone else."
The recording continued.
The second man asked, "And if he refuses?"
There was a pause.
Then Mason replied.
"Make sure he understands that he needs to stop asking questions."
Victoria stopped the recording.
Nobody moved.
Mason looked around, searching for someone who would dismiss what they had heard.
Frank stared at the ground.
Travis looked confused and frightened.
One of the older members, a quiet man named Robert, slowly removed his vest and held it in his hands.
Mason noticed.
"What are you doing?"
Robert looked at him.
"I'm trying to understand whether I still know the man I've been riding with for fifteen years."
Mason's expression hardened.
"Put that back on."
Robert did not move.
"Did you know what was happening with the motorcycles?"
Mason hesitated.
"That's not what this is about."
Robert shook his head.
"Then tell us what it is about."
Mason looked toward the other riders.
He had expected anger from Victoria. He had expected Daniel to accuse him. He had even expected the possibility of police involvement.
What he had not expected was the silence of his own crew.
For years, their loyalty had been his greatest protection.
Now it was the thing he was most afraid of losing.
Frank stepped forward.
"I want to hear the rest of the recording."
Victoria nodded and played the remaining section.
The audio captured more of Mason's conversation with the unidentified man. They discussed the missing documents, the possibility that Daniel had copied them, and the need to prevent the information from reaching investigators.
The recording did not establish that Mason had personally caused Daniel's disappearance. That question remained for the investigation.
But it clearly contradicted his claim that he had known nothing about Daniel's concerns.
When the recording ended, Victoria put her phone away.
Mason stared at her.
"You recorded me without telling me."
"I preserved a conversation that was relevant to what Daniel had discovered."
"You think that gives you the right to humiliate me?"
Victoria shook her head.
"No. Your decisions brought us here. The recording simply lets people hear what you said."
Mason raised his voice.
"You're taking one conversation out of context!"
"Then explain the context to the investigators."
"I will."
"Good."
Victoria looked toward the road.
"Because they're already reviewing the records."
Mason's expression changed.
"What do you mean?"
"I provided the evidence to them before coming here. They know about the suspicious transactions, and they know that Daniel disappeared after trying to investigate them."
Mason stared at her.
"You went to the police?"
"Yes."
"You should have come to me first."
Victoria almost laughed.
"I did come to you first. Several times. You ignored my messages and refused to answer my questions."
Mason had no immediate response.
Victoria continued.
"You had every opportunity to explain what happened. You could have told the club that you were concerned about the records. You could have admitted that Daniel's disappearance was unresolved. You could have cooperated with the investigation from the beginning."
She paused.
"Instead, you chose to attack his character."
Mason looked toward Frank.
"Are you going to stand there and let her talk to me like this?"
Frank met his gaze.
"I'm going to stand here and listen to what she says. That's what I should have done months ago."
The answer seemed to hurt Mason more than the slap.
Because the slap had challenged his authority.
Frank's response challenged his belief that the authority still belonged to him.
Chapter 7: The Truth About Loyalty
The investigators arrived shortly afterward.
They did not storm into the gas station or make dramatic accusations. Two officers approached the group, identified themselves, and asked Mason whether he would be willing to answer questions about the evidence.
Mason immediately attempted to regain control.
"This is a private club matter."
One investigator replied calmly.
"We understand that you are associated with the Black Vipers. However, some of the information we've received concerns suspected criminal activity involving stolen property. We need to establish what happened."
Mason glanced at Victoria.
"She has a personal problem with me."
Victoria remained silent.
The investigator nodded.
"That may be relevant to understanding the circumstances, but it doesn't determine whether the evidence is accurate. We'll review the recording, speak with the people involved, and follow the appropriate procedures."
Mason looked around at his crew.
He seemed to expect someone to step forward and defend him.
Nobody did.
Frank finally spoke.
"I'll cooperate with the investigation."
Mason turned toward him.
"Frank."
"I'll tell them what I know."
"You don't know anything."
Frank's expression became firm.
"Then there's nothing for you to worry about."
The words left Mason speechless.
Frank continued.
"I've been riding with you for fifteen years. I've defended you when people said you were too stubborn. I've trusted your decisions because I believed you were trying to protect this club."
He glanced at the phone in Victoria's hand.
"But I can't pretend I didn't hear that recording."
Mason's voice became quieter.
"You would throw away fifteen years over one conversation?"
Frank shook his head.
"No. I'm questioning what you've done over the last several months. There's a difference."
The other riders remained silent.
For many of them, the moment was painful.