Gavin's Song: A Last Rider's Trilogy (Road to Salvation Book 1)

by Jamie Begley

  “No!” Gianna vigorously shook her head. “Nooo!”

  Ginny threateningly closed her eyes to thin slits.

  “Okay, I might have,” she conceded, then stared at her pretend watch. “Look at the time. I’m going to be late. I wouldn’t worry about it. Probably one of Chris’s lame friends trying to be cute.”

  Chris’s shoulders went back. “Why does it have to be one of my friends that did it?”

  “Because my friends aren’t lame.”

  Ginny laughed as her roommate escaped being drawn into an argument with Chris about his friends.

  Chris’s face grew serious after Gianna left. “I’m sorry if one of my friends wrote the note. Don’t tell her I said so, but they are lame and several of us were pretty wasted last night.”

  “It’s fine. It was just a joke. I hope none of your friends drove home last night?”

  Chris and most of his friends lived about forty-five minutes away.

  “They stayed at a hotel. I’m meeting them for lunch. You want to join us?”

  “No, thanks. I have plans this afternoon,” Ginny said, getting up from her stool. “You mind asking them if any of them left the note?”

  “Sure thing. I’ll text you on my way home.”

  “I’d appreciate it.” Ginny went to a kitchen drawer to open it and take out a box. She set it on the counter in front of Chris, who looked at it in surprise. “Happy birthday!”

  “You shouldn’t have!” Grinning like a kid, he opened it, then took out a gift card, a beach towel, and sun lotion. “You gave me a gift card to Tidal Wave City?”

  “I need to tell you something as a friend.”

  Chris held his presents as if he had never seen any of them before.

  “Dude, you need to get some sun.”

  Ginny had just sat down with Lily after working with Kaden in his home studio when Chris’s text came.

  “Is something wrong?” Lily asked, snuggling next to Shade as he sat down beside her on the couch.

  “No.” Ginny didn’t want to mention the note to Lily or Shade. “I thought Rachel, Cash, and Greer were supposed to be here tonight?”

  “They’re under the weather tonight; that’s why we decided to stay longer, so that we can travel back together.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Ginny had noticed that Greer looked ill soon after they had prayed for Cole.

  Ginny asked Lily if she had any pictures of Beth’s children. All the children of The Last Riders would come to the club occasionally for breakfast or lunch with their parents.

  Asking her youngest son to hand her the cell phone, Clint climbed onto her lap to watch his mother as she showed the pictures to Ginny.

  “These are from the haunted house that Stud and Sex Piston turned their house into and invited all of us. The Last Riders and Destructors all pitched in to make it a party that none of the kids would ever forget. They even made Stud’s man cave in the basement into a graveyard.”

  As Lily talked, she swiped the screen with her thumb, showing the pictures of the haunted house they had created.

  “How many of the children had nightmares?” Ginny wouldn’t have gone down to that basement with the lights on, much less with the dim lighting that was captured in the pictures.

  “Here’s the one I wanted to show you with Chance and Noah.”

  Taking the phone, Ginny laughed. “They were Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?”

  “Let me see?” Clint popped his head up from Lily’s shoulder.

  About to hand him the phone, Ginny took another glance and chills went up her arms.

  In the picture, there was a mirror hanging on a partial wall at the staircase. Ginny thought she could make out a shadowy reflection in the mirror. You couldn’t get a clear image of his features; they seemed distorted, as if the mirror had been cracked. From the dark lighting in the picture, you couldn’t even make out his hair color.

  Frissons of fear and excitement had her raising the phone from Clint’s clutching hand to show Lily the picture. “Who’s the man in the mirror?”

  Lily looked at her phone then frowned. “I don’t see anyone.” Placing it in Shade’s view, she asked him.

  Shade looked at the phone intently then at her. “I don’t see anyone either.”

  “May I see it again?”

  Lily lifted the phone over Clint’s head to give it back.

  Glancing at the mirror again, she had to close and open her eyes several times before she admitted to herself that she must have been mistaken. The mirror was empty.

  “It must have been a trick of the light.” Making light of what she was almost positive of seeing, she gave the phone to Clint. “The boys are too cute. May I have a copy?”

  “I’ll text it to you.” Lily reached to take the phone from Clint, but the boy resisted.

  “You can wait until later. Don’t upset him. He looks like he’s ready for bed.”

  “He missed his nap today.”

  “I better be going and let you put the boys to sleep. I hope I get to see you again before you leave.” Ginny smoothed Clint’s hair down. His face was pressed against his mama’s shoulder. “He’s beautiful, Lily. Both of your boys are,” she said as Shade stood and took John’s hand.

  Giving Lily a hug without disturbing Clint, Ginny wished them all goodnight.

  It was only when she was in her car on her way home that her mind went back to the text from Chris. The same sense of dread filled her as when she had read it. He texted that none of his friends admitted to leaving the note. That left two options. Either one of Gianna’s friends had done it, or … she was in serious trouble.

  Chapter Forty-One

  She was in deep, deep, trouble.

  “Do you have any idea who it could it be?”

  Ginny sat on the couch in her living room, with Shade standing across the room from her. She was still trying to process what he had told her about what happened to Zoey last night at the nursing home where she worked at caring for an elderly patient. Zoey had fallen asleep, and when she had awoken, a man had tried to kill her and succeeded in killing the patient. Now she had been awoken from a deep sleep to find Shade knocking on her door and trying to wrap her brain around the fact that Zoey had almost been killed because of her.

  “No,” she half-lied. She really didn’t think Allerton was responsible for attacking Zoey or the patient. She still thought he believed she was dead. Besides that, if he did know she was alive, he would have been able to get to her without involving Zoey. Gianna would have been the more obvious target in that case.

  “He tried to kill Zoey because she sang with me at the bar?”

  “Yes.”

  “I found a note in my bedroom after Gianna had a party for her boyfriend. I thought it was a joke, yet none of their friends admitted writing it.”

  “Do you still have it?”

  “I’ll get it.” Ginny rose from the couch, brushing her hair from her face with a trembling hand. “Do you mind if I take time to get dressed?”

  “Go ahead.”

  She felt like she was in the middle of a nightmare. Ginny didn’t question why Shade had been the one sent to talk to her. She had known since she found out that Pastor Dean was Lucky that she was under the protection of The Last Riders. Her working for the club and Viper feeling responsible for her house burning down had only reinforced the connection. With Shade still being in Queen City, Stump probably gave Shade the job of telling her that she had a stalker. Trudy and her friends had schooled her with how motorcycle clubs protected their own, well before she had gone to work for The Last Riders. They would take it as a personal affront that someone would harm someone they considered under their protection.

  Throwing on a pair of jeans and a loose blouse, she then went to the nightstand and took the note out. Going back in the living room, Shade was in the kitchen, making coffee for them. Feeling as if her legs were going to give out, she sat down on one of the stools, sliding the note toward Shade.

  Set
ting a cup down in front of her, he lifted his own to his mouth as he read the note.

  “Do you mind if I keep it?”

  “Go ahead.”

  “Has anyone called you Nightingale before?”

  “No, never.”

  “The police want you to come in. Zoey is working with a sketch artist. They want to see if you recognize the person in the sketch. They’ll also take a report about you receiving the note.”

  The nightmare was worsening.

  “I need to make a phone call first.” She desperately needed to talk to Hammer. Would the police dig into her background if she reported the incident? Zoey had been hurt, nearly killed, and another woman had been killed. She couldn’t put her own safety first. She just wanted to warn Hammer to protect himself and Trudy.

  “Who do you need to call?”

  “Willa.” Ginny had to think fast with Shade’s blue eyes drilling holes into her, watching her reaction. “I just want to tell her about the note and what’s going on before she finds out from anyone else.”

  “I see.”

  Feeling nervous, Ginny saw him set his cup down before he placed both of his palms on the counter. “There’s one thing I found interesting about you.”

  She really didn’t want to know what it was, but she could tell from his expression that he expected her to ask.

  “What?”

  “Nothing scares you.”

  “Obviously, you don’t remember the night my house burnt down.”

  “I do, actually. You were heartbroken but not frightened. That’s not all I’ve noticed. You’re not intimidated easily. You worked at the clubhouse as if you were dealing with the boys next door, not hard-core bikers. You didn’t back down from Viper when he tried to convince you to stay at the club. When you left to move to Queen City, you didn’t do it because of the club. I don’t know why you did it, but it wasn’t because you were afraid. Even with Kaden Cross, who Lily gets tongue-tied around, you treat him just like anyone else.”

  “What are you getting out at?”

  “What I’m getting at is: Why aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know. I guess it’s just in my personality. I was raised with the Coleman brothers.”

  “That could be it,” he agreed.

  Shade might be agreeing with her, but Ginny didn’t believe it.

  “Whatever the reason, all the club wants you to know is that The Last Riders have your back. You only came into contact with who’s stalking you because you moved to Queen City after you lost your house because of us. Viper wants you to come back and stay at the club until we find out who it is.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Why not? You don’t have a job, you don’t have a home, and you have more people who care about you in Treepoint than you do here. What’s to keep you here? The man who wrote this note isn’t going to stop. He’s attacked Zoey twice and not only killed Zoey’s patient but the security guard.”

  The blood drained out her face. “Zoey’s been attacked twice? And you didn’t tell me the security guard was dead.”

  “Zoey’s fall down the steps wasn’t an accident, nor was the fire alarm being pulled to draw her out of her office. Whoever it is wants you to take center stage without Zoey’s help. She pulls him out the fantasy that you’re only singing to him. Stump texted me when you were getting dressed that the guard died. Come back to Treepoint with us.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why?”

  “Whoever it is, he is willing to try to kill Zoey and two other people. What do you think he would do if I go to stay in a place he can’t get to me?”

  Shade didn’t answer her question. He didn’t have to. They both knew the answer to the question.

  “There aren’t any children who live in the club, but it wouldn’t take much to find out about the houses surrounding the club. All of you, your wives, the children would be in danger because of me. I’d rather open my front door and let him take me before I’d let him hurt someone else. After I leave the police station, I’ll pack a few things and disappear. I can’t stay here.”

  “There could be another option,” Shade suggested.

  “I’m open to anything.”

  “Kaden is having a concert tonight. You could perform with him. It could draw him out. The Last Riders are here, and those who aren’t are flying in in a couple of hours. We would be in the audience and keep both of you and Kaden covered. Not only that, but Kaden has a security team already in place.”

  It just became worse.

  “Kaden has huge crowds that attend his concerts. I can’t.”

  If she performed in front of that many people, it would increase the chances of her being recognized from when she was a child. She wouldn’t be performing in front of eighty or ninety people; she would be performing in front of thousands.

  “Penni said you suffer from stage fright.”

  “Yes.” Ginny moved away from the counter, unable to bear him studying her any longer. Wiping the palm of her hands on her jeans, she went to stare out her window. Was he watching her now? “It’s one of the few things I am frightened off,” she said, turning around to face him.

  “Bad enough of a fear to keep us from trying to catch the person responsible for trying to kill Zoey?”

  Ginny turned to look out the window again. She really didn’t have a choice. She told Shade that she would rather open her front door than let anyone else get hurt. However, if she sang with Kaden, she would be flinging her door open for Allerton.

  Ginny raised a hand to the glass window. She was so tired of looking out, keeping a part of herself separated from everyone, hiding Evangeline in that damn box.

  What if no one recognized her? She could live a normal life. The Last Riders and Kaden’s security team would think they were protecting her from the stalker, but they would be unknowingly protecting her from a more formidable adversary.

  “One of The Last Riders or one of the security guards could be hurt.”

  The thought of anyone being hurt because of her was unacceptable. Hammer would tell her not to do it, and then outline all the reasons but ultimately, he would tell her the decision was hers.

  Shade came to the window to stand by her. “Kaden’s security team is aware of the risk.” Shade leaned on the wall beside the window. “There isn’t a day that a Last Rider gets on his bike not knowing it could be the last. We’re good to go with whatever shit goes down,” he said cryptically. “The big question is: Are you?”

  With her still hand on the window, Ginny slid her fingers inwardly until her hand was clenched in a fist. “Yes, let’s do it.”

  Ginny came out to stand behind the curtain next to Zoey to watch Kaden perform on stage. She tried to blot out the thousands of people in the audience in front of him.

  “It’s not too late, Ginny. You don’t have to do this.”

  “Yes, I do. I’m not going to run. I’m not afraid.” She resolved herself to the idea of singing with Kaden. It was too late to back out. She couldn’t, even if she wanted to.

  “Why did you agree to take lessons with Kaden?”

  “Because of something you said.”

  “Because of something I said?”

  “You asked me, if you didn’t like my cooking, would I keep doing it.”

  “You said yes.”

  Ginny nodded. “That’s why. I love singing just as much as cooking. The only way to overcome singing in public is to get better at it.” She had given up singing because it resulted in Manny’s death. Afraid of someone recognizing her, she saw no reason to override the guilt she had lived with when he was murdered. Yet, it had been so long ago that the chances of her being recognized were miniscule. What counted and hurt her the most was Manny’s death, and her not singing wasn’t going to bring him back, just like wishing that she hadn’t given Leah her turn wasn’t going to bring her back.

  Hammer was right; she was a grown woman, and the thing about being an adult was you had to accept the frailty of human life
, and the pain of losing someone you love went hand in hand. She hadn’t put the gun in Allerton’s hand, and she hadn’t been the one driving the motorcycle.

  “Like cooking lessons.” Zoey nodded.

  “Willa taught me how to love cooking. I hoped Kaden could teach me the same thing about music.”

  “Did he?”

  “We’re about to find out,” Ginny said starkly, her face pinched in fear. “I signed a contract that I’ll open twelve shows for him. When I’m done, I’ll have enough to go home and buy a house. I’ll be able to pay cash for it, and it’ll be mine. I wish you could come with me. Even with the lessons Kaden gave me and him singing the duet with me, it would be easier with you there.”

  By the time her new contract with Kaden’s band finished, her stalker would have hopefully moved on, if he wasn’t caught before then. Plus, it gave Allerton the chance to take her out if someone recognized her. She would be exposing herself, but at least Hammer, Trudy, and all her friends would be safe. It would also give her the time to decide what her next move would be. Hammer had said the ball was in her court, and it was time to figure how she wanted to play.

  Zoey hugged her close. “You don’t need me to sing with you to give you courage. I know what it’s like to want your own home. I found mine, but it wasn’t a house; it was a person. You’ll find yours, too.”

  The song that Kaden was singing ended, sending applause roaring through the audience.

  “I guess this is it, then. There is no going back.” Ginny stepped closer to the edge of the curtain as Kaden lifted a hand in the air to quiet the audience. Her heart felt as if it were beating out of her chest.

  Ginny turned to look over her shoulder, when Zoey softly called her name at the same time that Kaden started introducing her to sing the duet with him.

  “Ginny, you have always been a star. You just let clouds keep you from shining brightly. I found my way home from a map; you never needed one. You know exactly where you want to be. Make it happen!”

  Ginny nodded. Zoey was right. She knew she wanted to be in Treepoint with Trudy, and if she wanted it to happen, this was a step she was going to have to take.