by M. Merin
“Please stay and listen for Danny, I’ll be right back,” I call out, flying down the stairs. Getting outside, I see that quite a few of our neighbors have come outside to watch the spectacle of Shade’s arrest. Kneeling before Shade, I help him with his socks and boots then loop his T-shirt around his neck before giving him a kiss.
“Jessa, I swear to you…”
“Don’t talk until the lawyer is there,” I whisper in his ear. “You’ve been with me and Danny or working for Gunner since everything happened.”
I’m under no delusions about Shade’s past – he wouldn’t allow me to be once he first told me the day he brought me home from the hospital – but there is no doubt in my mind that he did not do this.
“Do I still have a job?” I ask Michaels when I step back from Shade.
“If you want it, it’s yours. There’ll be some…protocols to follow while he’s in housed my cells. We’ll discuss them tonight, alright?” Michaels responds and some of my nerves leave me. On top of this, I can’t be out of work.
They drive off and I turn to meet the face of each of our neighbors before heading back inside. Roy is on the porch, watching me closely and I know I’ll lose it if I get a ‘told you so’ from him right now.
“Our lawyer will meet him at the station, Jessa,” Roy lets me know while opening the door for me. “Murders aren’t really his thing, but he’ll do until we can get some else in. Flint’s heading over there, also.”
“I’m going to get dressed and…”
“No, you ain’t, missy,” Roy shakes his head at me. “You worked all night and you have a son here who needs you. I’m sure you’ll get a chance to talk to Shade tonight on your shift, but going over there right now will just distract everyone.”
“I’m still waiting on someone telling me exactly what happened, but Roy sounds right. The Sheriff will be tied up, the lawyer needs to focus on Shade, and Flint’s a wily one. You let them sort through this today. Now, get your butt in bed and I’ll call you during my lunch break,” Ellie chimes in.
Roy is ready for me when I would argue again. “Now, everyone saw you kiss your Ol’ Man and stand by him. He’ll be holding on to that while’s he’s inside. He needs to see you looking like your normal self tonight. Can you do that for him?”
I nod to them both and head upstairs, peeking in on Danny before I head to bed.
“God help me, Ellie. I actually don’t think he killed that man,” Roy’s voice carries upstairs. The last thought that occurs to me before I fall asleep, this is what had Michaels all tied up yesterday and well past midnight.
Shade
I get through processing and they sit my ass in an interrogation room for the next hour. I’m so fucking angry I want to tear every one of these guys apart. After all these years, I can’t fucking believe I got arrested for a murder I didn’t fucking commit.
It’s the first goddamn time things are going right for me and this shit goes down – in front of Jessa and everybody on her block. Thing is, I know enough about the Sheriff to know he’d never pick me up just on a suspicion charge. That asshole has been jonsing to arrest me for me too damn long, even more since I got together with Jessa.
The door opens and one of the lower ranked guys comes in with a bottle of water. “Sheriff and the D.A. will be here soon. You need the john?”
I look up at him, “You Smithy’s brother?” Can’t help but notice how much he looks like one of my Brothers.
“Cousin,” he grunts. “Last chance to piss.”
I nod my head and wait like a good boy while he puts my water down and unchains me from the table. Out in the hallway, I look back to see Ellie leaving the office with the Sheriff’s name on it. She has a tight smile on her face as she looks away from me, but seems otherwise relaxed.
Re-entering the interrogation room, I see Jessup sitting in there. He’s a weekend rider and handles some of the MC’s lighter issues and business dealings. Can’t help but notice he’s sweating bullets right now.
“Mr. Hall…”
“It’s Shade.”
“Um, well, yes. Shade, then. Have you said anything to anyone here?” He tugs at his collar as he starts our interview.
“Other than I didn’t do this, nothing. They can’t actually have anything on me, Jessup.”
“They do actually. The D.A. is only giving us a few minutes before he comes in and gets the camera rolling, but they a partial print at the scene, the remains of Mr. Roth matches a murder you were suspected of in Missouri, and…”
“Hold up, I’ve never been arrested in Missouri?” I ask confused. Although, I sure as shit killed some people there.
“They didn’t have any evidence that you were there or, well, enough to pull you in for questioning. That doesn’t mean that some law enforcement agencies haven’t been keeping a folder of possible crimes you committed,” he looks up at me. “Can I assume you want to plead Not Guilty, in this instance?”
“You can goddamn believe I am Not Guilty of this. Michaels warned me away from Roth after he attacked Jessa and I didn’t go fucking near the guy. Michaels swore he’d get time,” I seethe at him, even though I know he’s just going on what he’s been told. “They have to tell us everything they have on me, right?”
“Yes, and they’ll be in, ah!” Jessup stands to greet a man I’ve never seen, plus Michaels and the deputy I saw before.
After introductions, they lay out their case and I can grudgingly see why they’re all excited. Not one, but two partial prints, and yeah – the guy’s chopped up like I did that guy last year, plus a witness says they saw someone matching my description peeling out from outside the guy’s apartment. I can’t help but smirk at them as they continue.
“Something funny here, Mr. Hall?” Michaels asks.
“This is all funny as fuck. I never touched him but y’all just jerk yourselves off since you’re enjoying this so much. What day was this fucker killed?” I counter, getting a groan out of Jessup.
The D. A. rattles off the date and explains that after Roth missed his hearing about assaulting Jessa the bail bondsman went looking for him, finding Roth in his tub. Like I’d leave a body behind to be found!
“But what date, I mean day, does the autopsy say he was killed on?” Jessup picks up the question for me. After hearing the answer to that, I close my eyes and concentrate on the past week.
“How long would it take to do something like, you figure?” I ask, trying to keep from sounding excited.
“The crime lab estimated that it would take two or three hours. Victim was last seen at the diner around eleven that morning.” At Michaels’ response, there’s no stopping the smile on face.
“I was with your wife that afternoon, Sheriff,” I nearly laugh at the face he makes. I might have made it sound a little worse than the truth. “Danny needed a round of shots and Jessa needed a prescription from Dr. Forsythe. Appointment was at one, but the doc was running late. Before that, we stopped into Molly’s bakery. Turns out, I’m fucking addicted to red velvet cupcakes. You guys ever have them? Man, they’re good. I’m really gonna have to watch my abs.
“After Jessa and I left the hospital, we went back home for a bit. Danny needed his nap, and she likes to sleep when she can. Then we went to Wrench and Amy’s for a barbeque,” I continue on. I mean, of all the luck. The one day I had told Gunner I couldn’t work and I was all over fucking town.
“And while Jessa was napping?” The D. A. asks as Michaels pulls up his phone, pausing long enough to listen to my response before leaving the room.
“I was there. It wasn’t much more than an hour before Danny woke back up and then Ellie,” I nod in the general direction of the front area, “got home from work. We left for Wrench’s about five, and brought eleven red velvet cupcakes with us – ‘cause I ate another one while Jessa was napping.”
I throw a wink over to Jessup, can’t help but notice he’s sitting up straighter now that I did everyone’s job for them.
*
When that time comes, Walker escorts her back.
“They won’t let me back to see you without a guard present,” Jessa says as she walks back to me, leaning forward to kiss me through the bars.
“No touching!” Walker yells out. “Come on, you heard what Michaels said.”
She nods before turning back to me.
“Michaels had some conditions. He kind of hinted that I should take vacation time while you’re here but since I won’t do that, he said no physical contact, that he won’t let me near the file, and he won’t let anyone talk about the case in front of me.” She leans against the wall across from me. “Gunner called me earlier. He said the murder happened the day of Danny’s doctor appointment?”
“Yep, Forsythe was running late and you waited so you could get the prescription for the pill,” I smirk at her. My Rosy knows how bad I want to go bare in her again and she promised I could after she was on the pill a month, but she obviously doesn’t like Walker hearing about that.
“Thank God,” she whispers to herself after give me the stink eye about her getting on the pill. “So, they’ll have to let you go?”
“It won’t happen as fast as we’d like. They say they have my prints at the scene, so they’ll go back and check their timelines,” I let her know what my best guess is. “You never asked me if I killed that guy.”
“You didn’t,” she looks me in the eye and my heart starts beating a hundred miles a minute. “I trust you, Shade. And you aren’t so fucking dense that you’re going to make mincemeat out of some asshole in your backyard.”
“He hurt you,” I whisper, daring her to change her mind as I fist my hands to keep from reaching for her again.
“But you love me and you love our son,” she cocks an eyebrow at me and FUCK. While I adore the girl that gets nervous around me and nibbles on her lip, the woman before me who’s so confident brings me to my knees.
“That’s how it is, pretty momma. My Rosy,” I reach an arm through the bars and draw her into me for a kiss, ignoring Walker’s yell to separate as he moves towards us. “You fucking own me and I won’t fuck us up.”
My mouth lands on hers for a perfect second before he bangs the bars over our heads with his nightstick. Jessa jumps back, but squeezes my hand.
“Sweet dreams,” she grins at me before heading out of the holding area. Walker growls at me, then turns and starts lecturing Jessa.
“Kiss my boy, Rosy,” I yell before they get out of hearing distance.
Chapter 14
Riley
“Hey kiddo, how are your classes coming?” Wrench’s deep voice comes over the Bluetooth in my truck.
“Good? Um, what’s up?” I ask, curious since we’ve never talked on the phone before.
“I need some help, can you meet up?”
A moment later, with vague references, I continue past the highway exit I usually take when I’m coming home from school. Going straight for the clubhouse, I can’t help but smile when I see Gunner outside waiting on me.
My caveman looks guiltily at the cigarette he’s smoking when he sees me pulling in. I know he can’t see me, but I roll my eyes. He barely ever smokes anymore and even if he did, I’d never begrudge him that with all he does to make me happy.
Pulling to park in the area he points out, I grab my extra laptop and jump out of my truck as he grounds out his smoke.
“Sorry, Sweetheart,” he reaches for me. “Thought I’d get a chance to pop a mint befor…”
I jump into his arms and plaster my lips to his, not giving two shits about how he tastes when his arms cradle me like I’m the most precious thing in the world.
“So, can I get that mint now?” I smirk at him, when I draw back.
“I’m worried about this shit with Shade,” he confides, pushing my butt up against the truck as he tears a piece of gum in half for us to split. “Wrench was hoping you wouldn’t mind helping him look into some background shit. Someone’s been after Shade since just before he stopped taking specialty jobs. Jasper thinks they decided to set him up instead.”
“How’s Jessa dealing?” I ask, happy to lean against my truck as Gunner and I discuss this outside.
“It sounds like they’re solid, Sweetheart,” he kisses my nose. “I know you don’t really know her, but it’d be cool if you’d check in with her?”
“Better build us a bigger dinner table,” I nip his lip and get a laugh from him. “Bring me inside. Let’s see if I can help Wrench find anything.”
Gunner secures his hands under my ass and carries me inside as I tell him about my day. In the past sixteen months we’ve been together, I’m so used to him carrying me or holding me tight that I don’t even notice someone catcalling us – until Gunner’s head snaps to his right and his eyes turn cold as they narrow.
“Shhh, Gunner, don’t mind them.” I lean up to kiss his earlobe to get his attention refocused, saving the ass who said something from my man’s retribution. He growls in reply and before I know it, stalks past Wrench’s office and up the back stairs.
“I need you,” he whispers in my ear, before walking into what seems to be an unused room. “You don’t mind if we do it here, do ya, Sweetheart?”
“Put me down and lock the door,” I grin up at him. After he does that, he continues to do everything I ask for. Until I can’t speak anymore.
*
A half hour later, I’m knocking on Wrench’s office door, feeling a little weird about being commando – but my panties were destroyed. Gunner’s commando also, I needed his boxers to clean up the mess he made in me.
“Funny, I heard you got here a while ago?” Wrench gives me shit the minute I walk in.
“I can just take my Mac and…”
“No, come on, now! I need some help. Gunner made me promise I wouldn’t have you doing anything illegal,” he smiles at me. “I just need some in-depth research and figure you know your stuff.”
“Doesn’t Madda usually help you with this?”
“He’s on a run,” Wrench answers quietly before giving me a list of people he needs tracked down. I can see why he called me in, the work he has for me is mind-numbing but necessary. Gunner rescues me hours later. I take the rest of the list and promise Wrench I’ll get back to him the next day with all the results.
“What’s going on, Gunner?” I ask as he’s driving me home in my truck.
“Someone set Shade up last year, that’s why he went down to Mexico for a while. Trying to give us time to figure out who and draw them out. Jasper and Wrench haven’t been able to get a read on it, and now this guy was killed to set Shade up. Probably by the same person,” he sighs loudly.
“I need you to be careful around anyone you don’t know, understand me? Anyone at school seems like they’re buddying up to you, pushing a little too hard – I don’t even know what to tell you to look for, but I want you paranoid right now, Riley.”
I study his face and see how worried he is and squeeze his hand in agreement, knowing I’d put him at risk if he had to worry about me on top of this.
*
A few days later, Jessa and I get together for a late breakfast at the diner. I’m thrilled when she walks through the door with Danny in his car seat. I generally get my baby-fix in with Emma’s brood, or Charlie’s new daughter, Gemma; but I’ll be happy to snuggle this little one also.
“How are you holding up?” I ask Jessa after she gets settled and the waitress, Margie, has stopped fussing over all of us.
“This sucks, you know? There’s some hearing tomorrow and from what I’ve heard, he’s still being considered the main suspect. Now, they’re talking about accomplices,” she shrugs, but I can see it’s stressing her out.
“You get to see him, right?” I ask, looking over to smile at Danny’s little snores.
&
nbsp; “I’ve been taking videos of this little one for him, I play them and we talk about everything except the case,” she smiles for the first time. “I never imagined how great Shade would be with his son. He’s just fascinated by him.”
“He pretty fascinated by you, too,” I smile at her. Margie brings our food out, and we start talking about happenings around town instead of the case.
“Oh, I meant to ask you. You’re friends with Molly, aren’t you?” I catch her with a mouthful of food, so she nods. “What happened to the window at her shop?”
“Royce.” She gets out before laughing. “It sounds like some freak accident but every time she starts telling me, Mols ends up ranting about what an ass he is.”
“Oh, God! Do you know if Charlie was involved?” I groan, looking horrified. Molly is so sweet and works so hard over there.
“Charlie?” Jessa looks confused. “No, Molly has only mentioned Royce being clumsy and an ass.”
Danny starts to fuss as I tell her the short version of all the accidents that Royce had after Charlie started working at Connal’s Garage. We’re both giggling by the time she asks for permission to repeat everything I told her to Molly.
Standing up as we’re getting ready to go, I immediately have to grab the table. My head is spinning and I start to gag, suddenly nauseous.
“Margie!” Jessa calls out. “Watch Danny please?” She wraps an arm around me and helps me to the bathroom. I’m mortified at the scene I made but soon feel better when Jessa uses a wet paper towel to wipe down my face and the back of my neck.
“I’m ok, if you could give me a couple minutes?” Shooting me another concerned look, Jessa leaves me be as I take another moment to compose myself.
Margie and Jessa fuss over me when I show my face again. Leaving the diner, Jessa insists that I text Gunner before she heads out. Gunner typically over reacts and insists that I just drive a few blocks down to join him at the store rather than making the trip across town to get home. I barely get the truck into park before he’s ripping the door open to get to me.
Jessa