The lights dimmed and the music started. The conductor was the first dancer they saw. She was dressed almost the same as in the contest. Long-tailed, red and black jacket, black shorts and black, knee-high boots. Her hair was short and almost white. They couldn’t see her face because her back was to them. Standing on top of a platform, she raised her hands and the tempo of the music changed. The core dancers were on the upper level stage. There were black lights giving the illusion of music notes moving. In front of the conductor was her orchestra. They were all seated with their instruments. Now the music picked up tempo as other dancers filled the stage.
The ballet had changed from Rainy’s original write. But not without her approval. Some of the dances had changed, as well as the music. But it was a much better ballet with her father and Tim’s input. Something else had changed also. Tim was now a partner. Rainy was happy with all of the changes. In fact, her life was good. Yes, she still pined for Decker. Even now in the middle of this ballet, she was thinking about him. But she had made up her mind to push the thought of him away, and only think of the good things now happening in her life. Like Pedro, she’d loved him and would always have a place in her heart for him. But life goes on, and so would she. She was back in college. Her father had insisted she return. Her probation was over and she could have returned to UCLA, but decided on a local college. And she knew her father was happy with her decision.
***
“Who’s the conductor? I like her style. But I like blondes anyway,” stated Griffin.
“Rainy Graystone,” replied Mary and laughed when she saw Griffin’s expression.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, look at the program. It says so right here.” She pointed to Rainy’s name and showed him using the light of her phone.
“Well, well, isn’t our girl something?”
Over an hour had passed and into the last act of the ballet, Griffin grumbled, “How long does this thing last?”
“It’s almost over,” Mary told him.
“We might make our move tonight.”
“I thought you said tomorrow. What’s your hurry? I don’t mind staying in New York another day. I would love to go sightseeing.”
“Not me, it’s him.” Griffin motioned with his head towards the end of the row where her partner sat. “He’s been nipping at my heels. Said he wants this over with. The faster we get this under wraps, the happier he’ll be.”
“He has to wait because we have no idea where she’ll be after this ballet is over. I don’t think we can get backstage without flashing our badges. And sorry, I left mine at the hotel room.”
“Hey, if you people want to talk, why don’t you take it to the lobby?” Snorted a woman behind them.”
Turning around to face her, Griffin retorted, “As loud as this music is lady, we can’t be disturbing you.” The woman sucked her teeth and sat back in her seat.
“Really, Grif?” Sighed Mary.
“Well, she started it. I can’t hear me, so how can she hear me?”
Mary just shook her head in disbelief. Sometimes Griffin could be a big kid. Gruff, but lovable.
At last, after an hour and twenty minutes, the ballet was over. At the end of act five, the curtain came down. A minute later, it came back up with all of the dancers on stage. They took their bows. Donavan came on stage and thanked the audience for coming to see the Imakey Dance Company perform. Then he, along with the dancers, took a final bow.
“Who was that guy?” Asked Raymond.
And even if she knew it was just so he could stay, she felt the fact that he loved the company so much. How could it be a bad thing if he stayed?
Mary looked at the program. “Ha,” she said and grinned. “That’s Daddy.” Then she opened her purse, folded the program and stuck it inside. “I don’t know about the four of you, but I need a drink.”
Phillip, Raymond, and Griffin were all happy with that plan, but not her partner. He kept staring at the stage. Mary sighed and walked over to where he stood. Taking a hold of his arm, she said, “It will all be over with in the morning. We’ll go first thing. As soon as we know she’s there. Now come along. I want to have a drink, then get some dinner. Hey, I’ll even buy.”
“I don’t know how this is going to go down,” he mumbled, looking so lost.
“And we won’t know until it happens. Look, you wanted all of us in on this. We’re here. It’s not as if you’re doing this alone. Come on, big guy, let’s enjoy New York.” She patted his shoulder.
***
The alarm went off way to soon for Rainy’s liking. All she wanted too do was throw the covers back over her head and go back to sleep. Only she couldn’t. Not only did they perform again tonight, but she also had to go and put the down payment on her new apartment. Oh, her father tried to talk her into staying with them longer, but she needed her own space. After all, she would be twenty her next birthday. It was time for her to be on her own.
Rainy was so damn proud of her dancers . They did an awesome job. And she planned on telling them so. Pedro was the star, and he was such a talented dancer. She would tell him so, only she knew it would go right to his head. And he had been on his best behavior. How could she ask for any more from him? Not one nasty word came out of his mouth for over two months now.
She arrived at the studio first, even before her father. Rainy set the two cups of coffee down on her desk. Picking up her father’s cup, she moved it to his desk. It was odd that he wasn’t there yet. He had left home before her. It wasn’t long before Donavan came in with five boxes of donuts. “Dad are you crazy?”
“It’s only one apiece. And we have to celebrate, don’t we?”
“Yeah, wait till I tell Mom.”
“Go ahead, she won’t believe you.” Rainy could only laugh. “ It was donuts or a cake. I figured the donuts are more controlled with only one each.” Rainy rolled her eyes at him. She had seen a side of her father she didn’t know existed. And if someone would have told her, she wouldn’t have ever believed them. The man could be so funny. And he was a lot softer-hearted then she imagined. Now she understood what her mother meant by, “There is only one like him.”
***
The five agents walked down the steps that led to the dance floor. “I don’t see her anywhere,” said Mary’s partner.
“She’s here.”
“You know which one she is?”
“I do.”
“Where?”
“Be patient, you’ll see her in a minute.”
Tim nudged Donavan, who looked up and saw the five people standing on the steps. “How may I help you?” Donavan called out to them. All the dancers turned to see who he was talking to. Rainy was busy looking through a catalog at costumes for a ballet they would be doing in the summer. She was mumbling to herself about what the costumes would cost, not believing the price.
Clearing his throat, one of the men said, “Yes, Sir. We’re here looking for Rainy Graystone.”
“May I ask who you are?”
He pulled out his badge and held it up. “Speical Agent Griffin Hanson.”
Rainy, hearing her name mentioned, got up from her chair and came around the dancers to stand next to her father. He leaned in and asked, “What have you done now?”
She frowned at him. “Nothing!” she mumbled.
Donavan focused back on the five agents. “Why are you looking for her?”
“We need to clear up a few details about her time spent with the motorcycle club called, The Screaming Bandits,” Griffin said.
Rainy knew that gravelly voice. And from where she was standing, she thought they looked familiar and felt she should know them. But she couldn’t place the voice with the face. Slowly she moved forward and walked closer. “Hello, Ms. Graystone,” said Griffin. Rainy came to a halt. His voice reminded her of Handlebars, but he was way too young.
“Do I know you?” she finally asked.
Griffin grinned at her now. “Yes, girly, you know all of us.”
A
s soon as he called her girly, she knew it was him. She stared at the others. Then she recognized Boozer. “Boozer?”
“Yes, Ma’am, I’m Agent Raymond Masters,” he informed her.
Rainy’s eyes then went to the young woman who couldn’t be more than thirty years old. Her long blonde hair was pulled back from her face, but hung low down her back. “Liz?”
“Yes, Ms. Graystone, I’m Special Agent Mary Elizabeth Holister.”
Glancing to her right, Rainy said, “And you’re Tools?”
“Yes, Agent Phillip Tollman.”
Next, she focused on the tall blonde man standing next to Tools. At first, she would have never guessed who he was. And she should have known him. Hell, she’d even had sex with him and loved him more than anybody ever could. Dressed in a suit, his hair cropped short and a lot lighter then she remembered. It was sandy blonde, and he was cleanly shaven. He was even wearing a tie for God’s sake. “Decker?” she said so quietly they almost didn’t hear her.
He looked at her with a sober expression, cleared his throat, and said, “Yes, Special Agent John Decker.”
She wrinkled up her nose. “Your real name is Decker?”
“Yes,” his answer short.
She gave him a look of disbelief and folded her arms over her chest. “And just which group of federal agents are the five of you?” She said, cool and distant as if she never saw any of them before in her life. “We’re ATF, and Mary and John are FBI,” stated Griffin.
“Oh, so to what do I owe this honor?”
Griffin tilted his head and gave her a soft smile. “No, Miss Graystone, it’s our honor. The governor of Georgia has given you a full pardon.” Pulling an envelope out of his inner jacket pocket, he stepped forward and handed it to her.
Rainy took the envelope and opened it. She read it and then refolded it back up and pushed it back into the envelope. Holding it in her left hand, she was tapping it against her right palm. “It’s a little late for this, don’t you think, Speical Agent Hanson? After all, I’ve done my time. I was arrested for a crime I never committed. The only damn thing I’m guilty of was getting on the back of a motorcycle. Maybe that was a mistake, but I never harmed a soul. And yet, I went to jail. When the truth of the matter was, I was a victim. The same as any one of those other women in the back of that truck. I was almost raped four different times and slapped in the face multiple times. And tied to a motorcycle for hours on end, even in the rain. I had a tattoo put on my right shoulder against my will that I hate. And maybe the governor of Georgia can see it in his heart to pay for the removal of that tattoo. Because you see, I’ve moved on with my life. And I can’t even begin to tell the five of you how ill I feel right now just seeing you again. It’s as if all my nightmares came back to life. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She pushed past the five of them and ran up the stairs. Decker turned and reached out to try to grab her arm. Rainy pushed him so hard, he hit the railing.
***
Donavan, Tim, and all the dancers stood motionless. None of them realized what Rainy had lived through. Donavan closed his eyes and remembered how he’d treated her when she first came home. He never bothered to ask how she was, or what she’d lived through. No, he thought she liked being with the bikers, and that the only bad things that had happened to her was the gator attack and being arrested. He had felt she was in love with one of the bikers and just heartbroken because he was in jail. Opening his eyes again, he saw the five agents. The woman was talking to one of the men. It was as if she was trying to comfort him. Donavan had mixed feelings. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to kill them for hurting his child, or thank them for saving her. He went to the desk that sat in the back of the studio and wrote down their names before he forgot them. He needed to know more about what happened to Rainy. If for no other reason than to help her deal with her past. As he turned back around, he watched the five agents climb the stairs. The woman had her arm around the tall blonde’s waist. He would find out how to get in touch with them later. For now, he had the dancers to deal with.
Donavan left the studio at five o’clock and headed for his house after checking in with Jessica before he left. He’d have to hurry to get to the theater on time for the show. Hoping Rainy was there, he was happy when he saw her. But she never showed for curtain call at the end of the show. He looked for her before he left the theater, but she was gone.
The next day, Rainy called him and said she needed the day off. Donavan thought maybe that was for the best. She told him she was at Quinn’s penthouse with Rosa. Even if he was annoyed at her for not telling him where she’d gone off to the night before, he knew she needed some time. It wasn’t that bad. After all, the dancers knew their parts. And they didn’t have another show for a week.
He let the dancers off early because he had a meeting with Speical Agent Griffin Hanson at three o’clock at a restaurant near the dance studio. He needed to talk to someone, so he’d called the Agency and they had Hanson return his call. He felt the more he knew about what happened to Rainy, the better.
As he walked into the restaurant, Griffin stood up as soon as he saw him, reaching out his hand to shake Donavan’s as he approached. Donavan took ahold of his hand and said, “Thanks for meeting me.”
“Sure thing.” They both took their seats when a waitress came by. “Just coffee for me,” said Griffin. Donavan waved her off. “What can I do for you, Mr.Graystone?”
“I just want some answers.”
“Alright, what would you like to know?”
“What went on with my daughter? And Just which one of you is she in love with?”
Griffin grinned. “That would be John. She never told you any of what happened?”
“No, but that’s my own fault. When she returned home, I was upset with her. She was placed in my custody. All I knew was she broke the law. And I never knew exactly what she’d done. My wife had left me, said it was my falt Rainy ran away. I guess I blamed Rainy for Jessie leaving me.”
Griffin chuckled, amused. “I think I know where she got her hard-headedness.”
“Don’t judge, you never met her mother.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter, Mr. Graystone. You have a beautiful daughter. And all of us love her dearly. She was a challenge, that’s for sure. Tell that young woman no and she’s going to do it come hell or high water. I’ve never met anyone quite like her.”
“You can call me Donavan, and you never will.”
“First off, let me tell you that John had the tattoo put on your daughter for her own safety. The other bikers would leave her alone then. But Maddog had other ideas.”
“Who’s he?”
“Let’s just say, the bad guy. He’s the one she accepted the ride with.”
“I see.”
“All we were trying to do, Donavan, was keep Gator Bait safe. That’s what all the bikers called her after Old Smoky got hold of her. It was John who saved her from the gator. It was also John who saved her from the bikers. And as for who she loves, John loves her too. It hurt him that she ended up in that mess to start with. He did what he could to keep her away from harm. And yes we kept her captive because if she got away and Tinman found her, he would have her killed. It happened before to another young woman. And there was also another young woman that John tried to help, and Tinman shot her in front of him just to be mean. Because he knew John was trying to save her and felt he needed to get tougher. What is amazing is the fact that John didn’t kill Tinman right there and then. With Gator Bait, things became complicated. We were all up in arms, scared to death that John would blow his cover. And if that happened, it would have been four years of our lives for nothing. That’s one reason Gator Bait ended up on that truck with the other girls who were being sold.”
“Where are the other agents now?”
“Mary is still here. Said she wants to see New York. I agreed to stay with her. Tollman and Masters left to return to work. I have no idea where John is. But I have a funny feeling you haven’t seen the last
of him. He is in love with your daughter, and I don’t think he’s ready to give up.”
“I’m not too sure she’ll let him back into her heart. It’s not her first rodeo.”
“Donavan, I believe in the power of love, don’t you?”
Donavan smiled as he stood up. “Thanks for talking to me. And for looking after Rainy. I think I understand what’s going on with her a little better now.”
The following day, Rainy came into her father’s house. He was in the kitchen checking to see what they needed before he went grocery shopping. “Dad?”
“I’m in here, Rainy.”
Walking into the kitchen, she stood for a moment watching him. “Where’s Mom?”
“At work. It’s Saturday, remember?”
She smiled. “What are you doing?”
“Guess I get to go grocery shopping. That is, unless you want too?” He said hopefully.
“Sorry, Dad, it’s moving day. I was going to ask if I can borrow your car. Rosa is coming over to help me.”
“I didn’t know Rosa drove.”
“Roy is coming too. You know, Quinn’s driver.”
Donavan looked up at her. “Is everything packed?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, I’ll make a deal with you. Call Rosa and tell her they don’t have to come over. We’ll go rent a truck. I’ll move everything, and you go shopping.”
Rainy already had her phone out texting Rosa. “You really do hate shopping, don’t you?” She chuckled.
“It’s not my favorite thing. I tried to push it off on your mother, but that didn’t work. She said she doesn’t cook, so why should she shop.”
“Boy, does she have you trained,” she said, laughing and started to walk away.
“Rainy?” She stopped and went back. “Why didn’t you tell me how awful your time with the bikers was? You do know you can talk to me, don’t you?”
“Yes, Dad, I know. But I didn’t want you to have to worry about something that was in the past. It’s all over, Dad. Hey, I even got a pardon.”
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