by Vera Quinn
“I thought I was the only one getting those feelings. It’s like a bad feeling that something or someone is coming for us. Why didn’t you say anything to me? I have had the same feelings for the last two weeks. I thought I was overreacting to being in hiding but since you have the same feelings, then someone must be watching us. Pop always said there are no coincidences in life and if we both feel it, then something is going on.” Faith starts looking around.
“I didn’t say anything for the same reason you didn’t, I didn’t want everyone to think I was overreacting, but today the feeling has hit me twice and it was so strong. Do you mind if we just get the phone, get my prescriptions filled and then eat while I get the phone activated? The sooner we are out of this crowded place, the better, and can we stick together?” I don’t know what it is, but I don’t want Faith out of my sight in this crowded mall.
“My feelings exactly. Let’s get this done and then back home.” Faith grabs my arm before I turn around and go in the electronics store. “It’s not what you have to pay back, it’s on us both. You did what you had to, so you could get me out and away from our parents and I will help you pay back every penny and the thought of coming to the mall is for both of us, not me alone. I just thought occasionally, we just need to live instead of worry. I don’t think you are harpy. I think you love me and want me to be safe and you want us to always have a plan. I love you too, Charity, and I thank the heavens above every day for you being my sister.”
“Wow,” I grab Faith and hug her to me and then let her go and step back, “we are both lucky and you are going to make me cry. Let’s do this.” I dab at the edges of my eyes. We turn and walk in the store and we go straight to where we know the phone is that we are looking for and Faith reaches for the card with the minutes on it and I get the phone. The phone is cheap, and the minute card only has thirty minutes on it, but they will suit my purpose. “You need anything while we’re here?” I ask.
“Nope, I’m good.” Faith answers. We both head to the checkout counter and I pay the woman the amount she asks for. We walk back out of the store and go further into the mall. I see the pharmacy.
“The pharmacy is right there. I will drop my prescriptions off and then we can go eat.” My stomach is growling.
“When we come back to pick your meds up, then I am going to get some tampons and some conditioner for my hair. I was going to need to make a trip to the store anyway.” We have let our worries go from our conversation earlier and things are back to normal between us, but I know Faith is paying attention to our surroundings just like I am. It doesn’t take us very long in the pharmacy. We walk over to the place we are going to eat, and Faith goes and orders for us. We always get the same thing here. Faith eats tuna fish salad on whole wheat and I eat a chicken salad on a croissant. I get us a table and tear the phone out of its packaging. It’s simple to get it activated and add the minutes. I wonder if I should wait until Faith comes to the table. I lay the phone on the table in front of me. I get my personal phone out of my purse and bring the number up for the sheriff’s department where Kaden works. I pick up the disposable phone and decide I need to get this over with, so I will quit worrying about it or change my mind. I flip open the phone and put the number in for Kaden. It rings a couple of times and then a woman’s voice comes on the phone.
Woman: “Wood County Sheriff’s Department how can I direct your call?”
Me: “I need to talk with Sheriff Samms, please. It’s important.”
Women: “If this is an immediate emergency, please, hang up and call 911, if not hold the line and I will connect you.”
I wait, and it seems like forever and I think about hanging up, but I can’t do that.
Kaden: “Sheriff Samms speaking. Who am I speaking to, please?”
Me: “This is Charity, Kaden. Don’t say anything, just listen. I don’t expect anything from Brody, but I am pregnant with his child. I thought he had a right to know so I’m giving you the information.”
Kaden: “Don’t hang up. Just give me a few minutes, please. We want to help you. We just need to know how to get to you. There are things happening you don’t know anything about. You are in danger. Let us help you. Doesn’t Brody have the right to protect his child?”
Me: “Kaden, all Brody and I had was one night and I know he isn’t interested in being a father. I just needed to let him know that it’s happening. I owe him that. The Demented Revengers MC wanted to keep me in their clubhouse. I was already held against my will by the Hell Keeperz MC and I won’t be held against my will again where I have no say in what happens to me. I have my sister with me and I need to protect us all. I won’t be in touch again. I know I have said that before, but this time is the last time.”
Kaden: “We know you have your sister, but you need to listen to me.”
I disconnect the phone call. I can’t listen to Kaden anymore. I have done what I needed to do. Brody will know now. I am brought out of my thoughts by Faith coming to the table.
“I got us both a small water to drink. I hope that’s alright with you.” Faith is looking at me strangely and then to the phone on the table. “Did you make that call?”
“Yeah, I did. He warned me that we are in danger. I hung up on him. He was trying to convince me to come back to Winnsboro.” Faith hands me a bottle of water to go with my sandwich and I open it and take a drink. I smell the chicken salad sandwich and I feel ravenous. I pick the sandwich up and take a bite. I notice that Faith hasn’t said anything. I look over at her.
“Are you sure that we shouldn’t go for the extra protection? Your pregnant and I was trained like you, but our family never pushed me to learn like you. With all the asthma attacks I was having I couldn’t put in as many hours as you. Why do you think that Ma and Pop pushed you so hard when they didn’t Hope or me? I still haven’t been able to get our family straightened out in my head. You are so smart, but they pushed you more on physical training. You congratulated me on graduating at seventeen, but you finished with your high school work at sixteen and you had been doing college courses since then. Hope, she barely finished her classes at all, but they pushed her to marry just like they did me but you, they didn’t. Did any of it make sense to you? Why the different treatment of the three of us?” Faith sounds as confused as I was at first. Over the last few months I think I have straightened part of it out in my own head.
“Hope is the perfect follower. She has always been the one of us that never questioned the way we were raised. She accepted everything with a smile and she was the perfect daughter. When Hope married Sam, Pop received a big payout like a dowry in reverse from Sam himself. I think they called it a bride price or bride wealth. Pop received a load of money and a bigger part of the money that the elders divide. Sam gave the money and his dad gave the rest. He would have gotten close to the same from Nic’s family for you.” I was not happy when I heard of this and was determined Pop would never broker a deal when it came to my future, but I guess he fooled me.
“That is the most barbaric thing I have heard of. Is that even legal?” The look on Faith’s face is one of astonishment.
“It’s not legal to trade something for your daughter either but that didn’t stop Pop. I think Pop thought I was too stubborn to accept any of the rules or any man he chose for me. He knew the only thing that kept me in the community is waiting for you to turn eighteen, so we could both leave together.” It’s a sad thing to think, but I have decided this is what Pop was thinking, there is no other answer. “After you told me about Ma slipping you aspirin, I think that’s the way they controlled you and me. They knew I would never leave you and they thought you were dependent on them because of your illness. I don’t see how our parents could have endangered your life so many times. I have just found out I am pregnant, but I will kill someone over hurting my child.” It’s just the way I feel about it.
“We both would. You are not alone. That’s my niece or nephew and I will protect that little one with my life, just t
he way you protect me. We are in this together, never forget that.” Faith tries to get the bad thoughts out of my head.
“Let’s finish our lunch so we can get back and see if you have any work to do and then I think I need a nap.” That bed is sounding mighty nice. Faith is shaking her head yes.
“Sounds like a great afternoon. Sooner or later we’re going to have people knocking on our door checking on you.” I know Faith is right. I wouldn’t be surprised if Susan wasn’t at home waiting on us. We finish our lunch and I am tempted to get me a cookie for dessert but if I get completely full I won’t be helping Faith in the office, I will be heading straight home and getting that nap. We put our trash in the can along with the phone I used to call Kaden without the battery and make our way back to the pharmacy. I go back to get my prescriptions and Faith goes to get the items she needs. I am still in line waiting when Faith comes to stand in line with me. I dig in my purse and dig to get the battery for the phone I threw away. I hand it to Faith and take her items out of her hand. I point to a trash can and Faith goes over and throws it away. I am the next in line and move to the counter and put the items up there and ask for my prescriptions. The cashier gets my prescriptions and rings them up with Faith’s items and I pay the woman and she bags it all up for me. Faith walks over to me and we walk out of the pharmacy and make our way back to the front door of the mall. Faith is looking over at a little girl who is throwing quite the temper tantrum with her mom, but I see the van as it pulls up in front of us. I know this is wrong. This is a no-parking zone but the side door on the van slides open and I see Nic and Glenn his older brother. It shocks me to see Glenn, I think it is him. I haven’t seen him since he walked away from our community when he was eighteen. I couldn’t have been over six years old. He must be in his mid-thirties now, to my best guess. The thing that holds my attention is Glenn is wearing a Hell Keeperz MC cut. Oh shit, I was frozen momentarily, but when the back of the van opens about the same time the passenger side door swings open, I am brought back to my senses. I see that Faith has already taken her fighting stance. That’s my sister. I drop the bag and reach for my gun in my purse. Glenn is the first one I shoot, and he goes down. Faith has the one that came out of the back on her and Nic goes straight towards Faith, but I trip him and that is when I feel the punch to my face. I shoot Nic in the leg and then turn to the guy that punched me. I see that he is also wearing a Hell Keeperz MC cut. Then I hear the sweetest sound, sirens. The cops are on the way.
“Get the Pres back in the van, five-o is coming. We need to get the hell out of here.” I run over and jump on the back of the guy still fighting Faith. Faith’s eye is swelling where she has been hit and her mouth is bleeding. I hit the man in the head with my gun. I don’t know why I didn’t just shoot him, but I do see where Faith has stabbed the man. I look at the man and realize I know him. This is Cin and he is Nic’s best friend. My mind isn’t working but I am thrown over Cin’s shoulder and I hit the ground hard. He tries to sling Faith over his shoulder and that is when I shoot him right in the middle of his chest. He drops instantly. I hear the van doors shut and the van speeds away. Faith crawls over to me.
“Are you alright?” Faith asks me, and I think I am in shock. My first thought is to stay and wait for the cops. Why is it taking so long for them to get here? Faith’s brain is working faster. She gets the bags I dropped and my purse. She gets me on my feet and out to the jeep. She puts me in the passenger seat and my little sister drives us out of that parking lot. “Charity, you are scaring the hell out of me. You are in shock or something, GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER!” Faith is yelling at me. I don’t know how fast Faith is driving but it seems fast. “CHARITY!” There is a desperation in Faith’s voice and I know I need to snap out of it.
“Okay, Faith. Where are we going, and are you good to drive with that eye?” I ask Faith.
“I was hoping you could tell me where we’re going, and I can see out of my other eye and a little out of this one. I think it is safer for me to drive right now than you. I’m driving towards the shop. If they found us at the mall, it means they have been following us. I don’t think the apartment building is safe.” We are under attack. I can do this. I find my purse and get my cell phone out of it and I text Susan and tell her I need the bag that I left at her house and to meet me at the garage and to be sure to bring backup. I also let her know what has happened. I get a fast reply and I am happy for that. I text Bubba next and give him the same update and tell him we may have someone watching the place. Bubba texted back and tells me to drive for thirty minutes and then to come to the shop so he can get some friends to back him up and close the shop. Tito and Brain are already there, but he wants more backup, just in case Nic has eyes on the shop. I didn’t tell him that the Hell Keeperz MC was involved, just Nic. We drive around and when it is close enough to thirty minutes, we pull into the drive of the shop and the parking lot is full of motorcycles. I know that Tito and Brain are from two different clubs. Brain is from the BlackPath MC that have a clubhouse close to here and Tito is from the Feral Steel MC in Oklahoma. I don’t know how they got so many people here in such a brief time, but no matter how many reservations I have about motorcycle clubs, I know not to judge all clubs by the Hell Keeperz MC. Faith parks the jeep as close to the front door as possible and before I can get my door open Bubba is opening the door for me and he has me in a hug. This almost shocks me as bad as the van full of men earlier. Bubba is not a touchy kind of man. I know he has a soft heart when it comes to Faith, Susan, and myself, but the most he has ever showed in the emotion department is a pat on the back or a hand shake. Paul is at Faith’s door with the same reaction.
“Damn, you two scared the hell out of us. Why didn’t you tell us how much trouble you’re in? Dad didn’t tell us that you have the Hell Keeperz MC on your ass. We would have taken better care of you and put security on you. I have connections.” I guess I am still a little in shock.
“We explained when we got here what was going on the best we could. We didn’t want to put your families in any more danger than we had to. How did you find out that the Hell Keeperz members were there today? I didn’t tell you that. What’s going on?” I ask Bubba.
“I can answer that question, but I think it would be better if we get you two inside. Charity Connors, you are one hard person to find, but I knew it was only a matter of time.” I look at the man talking. I see the name Chief on the man’s cut and the President patch with it. He must be the president of Brain’s club. Then it dawns on me the name he called me. I look for Faith and she has come around the jeep and is standing by me. I look at her swollen eye. We need to get ice on it.
“I agree. Faith needs ice on her eye.” I don’t know why this gruff man makes me feel safe now, but he does. I grab Faith’s hands and Tito goes to the other side and takes her other hand. I look at their hands and then to Tito. I see a softness there when he looks at Faith. “Paul would you please get my purse from the jeep and lock it?” I look to Faith. “You do have the keys?”
“In my pocket. I think I need something to drink though, my head feels woozy.” I look closer at Faith and her breathing isn’t erratic, and I don’t hear any wheezing. I look back at Paul. “Can you grab Faith’s backpack in case she needs her inhaler, please?”
“Sure thing.” Paul answers. We follow the gruff man back into the shop and the place is full of bikers. The man goes straight to the office and goes behind the desk and sits in Bubba’s chair. I find that rude, but I don’t say anything. Faith and I sit on the couch against the wall. Bubba comes in with ice wrapped in a clean shop towel. He hands it to Faith and she applies it to her eye.
“I think we may need to get Charity checked out. She took some hard falls and she’s pregnant. She climbed on the back of that goon like a monkey. She shot Nic in the leg and his best friend Cin in the chest. There was another shot.” Faith looks at me. “Who else did you shoot Charity?” I don’t answer.
“I think your sister asked you a question
, but I want the details after you left the mall and don’t leave anything out Charity, I am not a patient man.” I glare at Chief. I know he is the president of a motorcycle club and he is supposed to be given respect but right now I have about had my fill of bossy assholes for one day. Paul comes in and hands me my purse and puts Faith’s down beside her. I just want to get this done. I am sore in places I didn’t even know I had.
“We came out of the mall and there was a little girl that distracted us. She was having a temper fit with her mom and by the time the woman had quieted her down the van was in front of us. I dropped my bags when the door slid open. The front door was not open yet, but the back one was, and Faith was already in her fighting stance and was ready. I grabbed my gun out of my purse and the first one I could make out was Glenn, he’s Nic’s older brother, but what shocked me was he was wearing a cut of the Hell Keeperz MC and his patch said President. I was aiming for his heart, but he moved, and he was gut shot. He was bleeding out bad. Nic came out of the front door and he and I fought. He landed a haymaker into my face. I shot him in the leg, but I must have got his knee cap because he went down hard and wasn’t getting back up. I always knew he was a damn wuss. Faith was swapping punches with Cin, Nic’s best friend. She stabbed him in the leg, but he threw her down hard and tried to sling her over his shoulder and I jumped on his back and was punching and holding on the best I could. He slammed me into the concrete walkway. I was stunned a minute, but when he started to sling Faith over his shoulder again I got him mid-mass in the chest. If he doesn’t bleed to death from the leg wound, then the shot to the chest should have taken him out. I don’t know if I heard sirens before that or after, but the other man in the van said for them to load up because they had to get Glenn out of there. After that I zoned out and Faith got us out of there. It was a plain white work van. No logo on the side or anything. That’s all I can remember.” I gave it all to them nonstop. They can figure it out. Chief takes his phone out and text someone but doesn’t give us a hint who. As long as it isn’t the Hell Keeperz MC or someone from our community then I don’t give a damn. Chief finally looks up and looks at Paul.