by Jessie Cooke
“What do you mean, before that night? He’s not looking for her hard now?”
“Not as hard. Elise’s arrangement with Park was a seven-and-a-half-thousand-per-month payment. She was two months behind until about four days after the robbery.”
“Fuck. So that’s why Dax is so convinced Storm had something to do with this. He thinks she used that money to pay her mother’s debt.”
“And with good reason. My guy in Park’s organization tells me that someone made a payment toward Elise Waters’ debt in the amount of fifteen grand.”
“Someone? He didn’t know who?”
“Nope, he had no idea. He only knows this because he was the one sent out to look for Elise, and Park called him off at that point because she was caught up, for the moment.”
“If she is caught up then why is she still hiding?”
“No idea,” Hunter said, “But that’s what I’d like to ask her when we find her. Your girl didn’t say anything about where she went, did she?”
“No. Asking her that question is what got me kicked out of her life.”
“Doesn’t sound good, buddy.”
“No, I guess it doesn’t. But sometimes you just have a feeling about a person. I don’t think she did this.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Any leads on the ex-boyfriend?”
“Nope. We have less on him than we do on the mother. He was staying in a halfway house when he got out of jail. He and Elise Waters were seen together a few times and Storm’s aunt says he came around the house looking for Storm. She claims she never told him how to reach her, but who knows what information Elise gave him? She was desperate for cash and if he offered her any...”
“She might have thrown her daughter under the bus for it.”
“Possible,” Hunter said.
“So, we think Elise is in New York?”
“She took that train to Penn Station and there’s no record of her buying another one...so maybe. There are lots of other ways to travel, though, and she did have at least five hundred dollars that she got from Storm’s bank account. Denny doesn’t have a bank account so if he’s traveling, he’s using cash. He just got out of jail and didn’t have a pot to piss in...so, we have to wonder where he got said cash.”
“Shit.” Ryder knew what he had to do. Storm was only hurting herself and possibly her mother by keeping silent about anything she might know. He had to convince her of that...it was the how that he’d have to figure out.
10
“Storm! Your order is up.” Storm’s feet were throbbing, and the elastic of the booty shorts was cutting into her waist. She hadn’t slept in two days and she felt like she was about to drop...and of course it had been her busiest night at work so far, and her first night on her own without her trainer.
“Be right there,” she told Georgie, one of the bartenders on that night. She finished passing out the drinks at the table she was serving and then she headed over to the bar to pick up the next order. This one was for a table of young women, happily celebrating the engagement of one of them. They were on their third round of drinks and getting happier by the minute. The tray that Storm carried over to them contained multi-colored mixed drinks with fancy umbrellas and flamingos topping the glasses. “Here we go, ladies.” Storm racked her brain to remember who ordered what. She only got one wrong, and the girls were good-natured about it. One of them handed her a twenty and said:
“Here, for putting up with us.” Storm assured her they had been no problem and thanked her for the tip. She mentally counted as she slid it into her pocket, and realized it was the last twenty she needed to finish replacing the savings that she’d loaned her mother. At least that was a positive thing. She was mentally keeping track of those as well—she had to, or she’d be curled up in a ball in the center of her bed, feeling sorry for herself. She missed Ryder and it pissed her off. She shouldn’t miss him. He didn’t trust her. He was sneaking around behind her back trying to prove that she and her mother had something to do with a robbery, and that made her feel like a fool. Her mother was another source of her anxiety. She hadn’t seen her and had only spoken to her once since the night she left. Her mother kept asking her that night on the phone if anyone had come knocking on her door looking for her and when Storm told her they hadn’t, her mother seemed shocked. Instead of saying, “That’s great!” she said, “Why aren’t they looking for me? That big guy told me they were going to take a part of my body for every week I was late. Why haven’t they shown up?” Storm, disturbed not only by what her mother had gotten herself into, but by what she might have gotten Storm herself into, had asked, “How would they know where to find me, Mother? Did you tell them?” With righteous indignation her mother had replied, “Of course not, Storm. What kind of mother do you think I am? I don’t have to tell them anything. They know everything.” Storm spent most of her time after that looking over her shoulder and jumping at the sound of her phone or a knock on the door. She’d almost told Ryder about it, but had changed her mind at the last second. She had loved spending time with Ryder and she didn’t want to taint that by bringing her personal family shit into it. If these guys knocked on her door, she’d handle it. She’d give them money if she had to. She didn’t want her relationship with Ryder to be about him saving her. It was the one good thing in her life...or at least she had thought it was.
As she made her way back up to the bar, she passed one of the high-top tables and saw a familiar face; it was Carolyn. Her old boss’s face broke out in a wide smile when she saw her. “Storm, there you are!”
“Carolyn, hi...what are you doing here?”
The smile fell from her face and her eyes softened as she said, “I just had to see for myself that you were okay. I’ve been worried about you, and I felt so bad about you getting fired.”
“Storm! Order up!” Georgie called out. Storm looked at the clock over the bar and told Carolyn,
“I get my break in fifteen minutes, can we talk then?”
“Of course,” Carolyn said.
“Great, I’ll meet you out on the back patio in fifteen.” Storm got back to work but she realized as she served her drinks that her mood was brighter and her step lighter. She’d just been feeling sorry for herself, thinking that no one really cared and here Carolyn had come all the way across town and braved the busy bar just to make sure she was okay. It made her feel less alone and by the time she got her break and went out back to see Carolyn, she had almost forgotten how tired she was.
“Honey, you look so cute in your little uniform,” Carolyn told her. Storm chuckled and sat with her iced tea and a granola bar. Carolyn had a drink in front of her already.
“Thanks. I preferred the jeans and t-shirts I got to wear at 92 Proof, but beggars can’t be choosers, I guess.”
“Looks to me like you’re working your little fanny off out there, no begging involved.” Carolyn’s face fell again and she said, “I’m so sorry, about you losing your job.”
“It’s not your fault,” Storm told her. “Please don’t feel bad for me, I’m okay.”
“I’m so glad to see it. I thought about calling you so many times, but I really felt like I needed to do this in person. I had to see for myself that you were doing well.”
“How did you know I was working here?”
“Oh, Ryder was in yesterday and he and Hunter were talking and I heard him mention you, so I asked.”
“Ryder was talking about me?” Suddenly that good feeling was replaced by what she’d been feeling when she first discovered Ryder was investigating her.
“Yeah, he had his head together with Hunter...”
“Who is Hunter?”
“He’s a bounty hunter. He works for the Skulls in his spare time, when they need someone found, or whatever. I’m just guessing he’s working on the robbery.”
“And of course my name came up. Carolyn, did they ask you about me, directly?”
Carolyn drew her brows together. “Ryder and
Hunter?”
“Any of them? Did anyone ask you about me?”
“Well, that first day when Dax interviewed all of us, he asked me...you know, how you came to work for us and if I had met any of your folks.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“The truth. I told him you showed up, applied for the job, and I liked your sunny personality and thought you’d be a great fit, so I hired you. You’d only been there for a week, though, so we hadn’t had a lot of time to get to know each other and as you know, I hadn’t met any of your folks.”
“Did he ask you if you thought I had anything to do with the robbery?”
She drew her brows together again and said, “Never directly. When I heard that’s what they were thinking, I was shocked and I told Dax that I didn’t believe it.”
“Well, thank you for that.” Storm’s mind kept going back to Ryder’s being there, talking about her to the bounty hunter. What were they saying? She knew it shouldn’t bother her so badly since there was no possible way they could put this robbery on her...but it did. She didn’t care about the job. She was making at least twice the tips on the one she had now. The fact that Dax Marshall and the Skulls in general were pissed off at her made her a little bit nervous. But she didn’t waste her time dwelling on that. She didn’t believe they were going to do anything to her without proof that she was involved, and she knew they weren’t going to get that. No, the reason it bothered her so badly was Ryder. Even as angry as she was with him, her heart still ached when she thought about him believing that she would steal from his club and lie to him, and then go ahead and sleep with him.
Carolyn reached across the table and put her warm hand on top of Storm’s and said, “Honey, do you need anything? Is there anything I can do for you?”
Storm smiled at her, genuinely grateful for the offer and show of support. “No, thank you, Carolyn. Just knowing someone is in my corner helps. Thank you for coming to see me, and please don’t be a stranger, okay?”
Carolyn’s face changed slightly, and Storm felt her hand tense before she pulled it back. She sighed and said, “There’s another reason I came here to see you tonight, honey. I’m leaving 92 Proof. Tyler and I are finally going to get out of this cold state and go out to California. The warmer climate will help his medical problems, and I can get a job anywhere.”
Storm was surprised. She hadn’t known Carolyn long, or well, but she had heard her talk a lot about how she and Tyler were never able to save a cent thanks to his being on disability and her spending so much of her income on her son’s living expenses while he was in college. “Well, that’s good news for you two. When are you moving?”
“I gave Dax my two weeks’ notice today. Tyler found us a good deal on a little motor home and we’re gonna drive out. We can live in that until we find a house.”
“Well…” Even more surprised that they’d found the money to buy a motor home when only two weeks ago Carolyn had been worried they wouldn’t make rent on the trailer they lived in, Storm put her personal feelings aside and said, “I’m happy for you. I hope it all works out.”
Carolyn squeezed her hand and said, “I’m glad I got to meet you, Storm. You’re a good girl. I hope everything works out for you too.” Storm wasn’t sure, but she thought she saw tears swimming in Carolyn’s eyes. She thought that was strange too, since the two women had barely been co-workers for a week...and were hardly good friends. She was speechless, however, and suddenly glad that it was time for her break to be over.
“Thank you, Carolyn, and thank you for coming to see me. I should get back to work.” Storm stood up and Carolyn did too.
“Can I have a hug before I go?” Carolyn asked her. Storm wasn’t really a hugger, but the older woman seemed to need it. With a smile Storm said:
“Sure.” Carolyn pulled her in for a hug, one that seemed too tight and lasted long enough to make Storm slightly uncomfortable. When she let go of her, Storm was sure she had tears in her eyes. “Carolyn, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said, waving her hand in front of her face. “Just silly and emotional about leaving the only place I’ve ever called home. You take care now, okay?” She didn’t wait for a response from Storm. She picked up her purse and, pushing her way through the crowd, she was gone.
11
Storm stood there for a few seconds, trying to process what had just happened. She finally shook her head and went back inside to get back to work. She all but forgot about Carolyn and the strange visit in the next hour as she continued to run her butt off, serving drinks and bar snacks. She was thanking God that tomorrow was her day off by the time she clocked out, counted her tips, changed into her comfy clothes, and was walking out to her car. The parking lot was packed, and she didn’t even notice the little red car parked next to hers until she slid the key into the lock and heard the sound of a familiar voice behind her.
“Hey, Storm.” She cringed, and a chill ran down her spine. It was Denny. She turned around to find him sitting in the passenger seat of the red car with the window rolled down.
“Denny, what are you doing here?” His face was even thinner than it had been before he got locked up. His normally dark skin looked pale as well and he looked like he hadn’t had a haircut in months, if not years. His dark hair hung to his shoulders in a shaggy heap and his jawline was covered in dark stubble.
“I need your help, Storm.”
She told herself to get in the car and leave, but she was curious: what could he possibly want from her, and how the hell did he know where to find her? “What makes you think I’d want to help you with anything, Denny? The last time I saw you, you were naked, in my bed with two women.”
“Aw, come on, Storm, that was two years ago.”
She laughed. “So that makes it okay?”
“You kicked me out, naked, and when I got arrested later that afternoon I was wearing a pair of women’s yoga pants. I spent two years in jail— haven’t I suffered enough?”
She laughed again. “Whose yoga pants did you steal?”
“I don’t know. The girls took off in their car and left me. I was sneaking down the alley all naked and shit, and I saw these clothes hanging out in this back yard. I snagged a pair of yoga pants off the line and put them on. When I got home, the police were waiting for me. Storm, please, I need your help.”
Storm remembered that night vividly. She had picked up a shift with the catering company she used to work for that night. They were doing an awards dinner for the tribal council and they needed servers. Her old boss had called and offered it to her and, always in need of extra cash, she had taken it. Denny stayed at the house most nights since her father died. He claimed he didn’t like the idea of her being alone at night. Storm had a feeling it was more about the free food and cable TV that she was paying for, but at the time she still thought she loved the asshole. She’d known Denny since she was in kindergarten. He had always been a fixture in her life and somehow, she’d always just assumed they would end up making a life together someday. Although they were different in almost every way, she was still holding out hope at twenty-three years old that he would change; and since she was still grieving the loss of her father, and her mother was almost never home, she had welcomed the company.
That night after her catering gig, Storm had gotten home around three a.m. Her mother was out, as usual...or at least her car wasn’t there. But there was a strange car in the driveway. Storm let herself into the house, pausing to wonder about the pizza box and empty beer cans on the coffee table in the living room. The television was flashing from the corner and her first impulse was to think maybe one of Denny’s loser friends had gotten too drunk to drive home and had stayed over. That theory went out the window when she stepped further into the living room to turn off the television and stepped on a bra. She bent down and picked it up. It was black, lacy, and huge. It had to be a D cup at least...way bigger than hers, or her mother’s. She felt a roll of nausea before dropping it back d
own on the floor and turning toward the TV. The nausea turned to bile in the back of her throat when she saw what was playing. It was on the Playboy Channel and two very naked, large-breasted women were enjoying each other in a hot tub.
Storm felt an actual storm brewing inside of her as she made her way down the hall toward her bedroom. Hers was the first one on the right and she was surprised and somewhat relieved when she switched on the light and found it empty. She hadn’t realized how much she was hoping it wasn’t Denny and some slut that he’d brought into her house. Her next thought was almost as disturbing, however. Maybe it was her mother. But whose bra was that and why was her bedroom door open? With a resigned sigh she made her way toward the end of the hall and the master bedroom. She stopped in the doorway and waited for her eyes to adjust to the dark. Shapes began to form in the big bed against the wall in front of her...too many shapes. It looked like there were at least three people in the bed and her first thought was What the fuck is my mother into? She didn’t have to worry about that long, however, because someone on the right shifted, which caused the person in the middle to shift and, finally, the one on the left. When he shifted, he held up his arm and his watch caught the light behind Storm’s head. It was Denny’s watch; she’d bought it for him herself.
To say all hell broke loose at that point was probably an understatement. Her name was more than fitting when she was pissed off, and that night she’d been more pissed than she ever remembered being. The girls were lucky to get out with the keys to their car and Denny was lucky to get out with his balls still attached. Storm heard he got arrested later that day. It seemed that he and his naked friends had been busy together all day while she was at work. She hadn’t spoken to him again, and the clean break had felt good, for the most part.
“Why on earth would you think I’d want to help you with anything, Denny?”