Breaking Away [Smoky Mountain Motorcycles] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Grae McTavish

  He watched, waited. Suddenly there was a tussle, and Jake could see the outline of two figures locked in a struggle. Time to add a little light, he decided, and flicked on the switch for the overhead. As his eyes adjusted, he took in the view of Reb holding a stranger down across the large island in the center of the kitchen.

  “Friend of yours?” Jake asked, his eyes narrowing.

  “Hell no. Never seen him before, but I figured if he was supposed to be here, he’d have turned the lights on.”

  The man struggled, but Reb held him firmly.

  Jake moved to stand in front of the man. “Let him up. I want a good look at him.”

  Reb nodded and hauled the man up. The stranger certainly didn’t resemble any biker Jake had ever seen. In fact, if he had to guess, he’d have said he was a butler. The man wore a stiff black suit and brightly polished shoes.

  “Who are you and what the hell do you want?”

  The man clamped his mouth shut, but he needn’t have bothered. Willa’s soft voice answered their questions. “His name is Armond, and he’s my father-in-law’s driver.”

  Jake nodded. “All right. I’ve had enough of this shit, asshole. You’re going to tell me what Willa’s family wants from her so bad.”

  The man remained mulishly silent.

  “You should call that freaky Special Forces cousin of yours,” Reb suggested. “I bet he knows all kinds of ways to get him to talk that won’t actually leave a mark.”

  Jake nodded his head. Reb could be a sadistic SOB, that for sure, but he might have a point. He wouldn’t allow Bo to torture the man, but he could be a scary bastard.

  He glanced at the clock. It was just after four in the morning. Bo would be getting up soon. He turned to Willa. “You got anything we can use to tie him up?”

  Willa nodded and pulled a packet of zip ties from of the kitchen drawers. “Will these do?”

  “Perfect.”

  “You have no right to hold me!” the man cried, renewing his struggles.

  “Considering I have you dead to rights on breaking and entering, I’d say you’re not in any position to complain,” Jake countered with a raised eyebrow. The man clamped his mouth shut but turned his eyes pleadingly to Willa.

  She actually laughed at the man. “Don’t look at me, Armond. All I’ve ever asked for was to be left alone. I don’t fit in their world. I never have. I’m happy. It’s just too bad they can’t accept it. And quite frankly, I’m over all the drama.”

  * * * *

  Willa felt a shiver run down her spine as Bo entered her kitchen a few hours later. They had zipped tied their would-be burglar to one of the barstools. Jake had tried to talk her into going back to bed and leaving him and Reb to watch over their prisoner, but she’d refused. She wanted answers. She deserved them.

  “He’s not talking. Figured you might have some ideas on how to change that,” Jake explained to his cousin as Bo silently circled the man.

  On the surface, Bo might look like the boy next door. His blond hair hung slightly over his cold blue eyes. His smile was deceptively charming. But there was an air of danger about him. It was in the way he moved. If Gabe was a panther and Jake was a tiger, Bo was a cobra. Sleek, beautiful, and ready to strike. Jake told her that Bo had been medically discharged from the Navy, though he could never talk about the mission that had nearly killed him. Now he ran a very successful private investigation agency. If they needed answers, she didn’t doubt Bo could get them. She wasn’t completely sure she wanted to be around for it though.

  The prisoner must have sensed the same menace that Willa did because he visibly gulped. A cold sweat appeared on his brow, and she could see his hands shaking despite the bonds.

  Bo chuckled darkly, and Willa realized he’d done it for effect. He was getting into the man’s head. His pace was calm as he circled the man. A friendly smile appeared on his face. “I don’t really need to ask him too many questions. I’ve been digging for the last few days. Jake sniffed something funny and asked me to look into it. I don’t have all the answers yet, but I do know that your late husband left behind a very large and mysterious safety-deposit box. Isn’t that right, Mr. Rice?” Bo asked the question, looking directly at the bound man before them. The smile slowly slid from Bo’s face, replaced by a look of pure menace.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” the man replied, but there was definitely a quake in his voice.

  “What safety-deposit box?” Willa asked, confused. Reggie had never mentioned a safety-deposit box.

  “You didn’t know. No one knew until a few months ago,” Bo explained.

  “But what could possibly be in there?” Willa asked, confused. All of Reggie’s money was tied up in stock,”

  “The stock market hasn’t exactly been stable lately. Maybe he diversified?” This came from Reb, causing everyone to stare in shock. He actually blushed before shrugging. “What? A guy’s not allowed to watch CNN?”

  Everyone chuckled, but then Bo turned his attention back to the tied man. “What do they think is in the box?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the man replied, though he was starting to look a little green.

  “Willa, why don’t you go back up to your room? I think things are about to get messy,” Bo said as he began to calmly open the drawers around him, pulling various kitchen tools from each. He calmly lined them up on the counter as if he were getting ready to cook dinner.

  The razor-sharp potato peeler seemed of particular interest to him.

  Willa shook her head. “No, these people haven’t done anything but harass me for months. I think I deserve to see someone suffer.”

  Jake laughed darkly. “That’s my vicious little girl.” He pulled her into his arms with her back to his front. “Go ahead, if it gets to be too much, I’ll just carry her upstairs.”

  Bo shrugged.

  “You all remember my daughter’s sleeping upstairs, right? So you need to do something to keep him from screaming too loud,” Reb interjected.

  Bo shrugged. “I can gag him. It will muffle the worst of it.” He’d sat the potato peeler aside and was now testing the sharpness of a large brass corkscrew. “Not too sharp, this might hurt a bit…” He let his voice trail off as he turned back to their prisoner.

  The bound man had gone from green to a ghostly shade of gray. “Y-you…you c-can’t do this…” he stammered. His eyes had grown big as they followed the movement of the objects in Bo’s hands.

  “Who’s going to stop me?” Bo challenged.

  “It-it’s against the law…”

  “Really? Do you have any witnesses? I believe I have several witnesses that didn’t see a thing.” He let his gaze travel around the room, and everyone nodded.

  Bo picked up a large meat mallet, swinging it back and forth as if testing it for its weight and balance. “This will do to get us started. Untie his left hand and put it up on the butcher block.”

  “Wait!” the bound man cried.

  “You have something to say?” Bo asked nonchalantly, as if he were asking about the weather.

  “Look, I don’t know what’s in the box. All I know is they are hot for it. But they don’t have the key.”

  Willa shook her head in confusion. “What has that got to do with me? I don’t have the key.”

  “You must. They can’t find it anywhere else.”

  “Reggie never said anything to me about it.”

  “What about gifts? Did he ever give you anything?” Jake asked, and she could see the detective instincts in him coming to life again.

  She paused to think. He’d mostly given her gaudy jewelry that she’d never worn. There was one thing, but it couldn’t be. She paused. “Hang on.”

  She broke away from Jake and hit the stairs at a run. Within minutes she was back with the antique jewelry box he’d given her for her last birthday. She’d always thought the gift out of character for her late husband, but she’d loved the delicate mother-of-pearl inlay in a b
eautiful rose design. “This is the only think I can think of,” she said, sitting it on the counter.

  Jake took it and carefully opened it. Willa knew what was inside—a few sentimental pieces, like her great-grandmother’s ring. Jake took each piece out one at a time, gently laying them aside. He picked the box up, studying it

  “It’s just a jewelry box, nothing out of the ordinary.” Willa shrugged.

  “I don’t know. It looks a little shallow. I think there’s a false bottom. I just don’t know how to open it without tearing it up.”

  “There’s got to be a latch of some kind,” Reb suggested. “There’s always a latch in the old movies.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, but I’ll be damned if I see one.” Jake shrugged.

  Willa took the box from him, turning it over in her hands. “Look at the feet. I always thought they were pretty, but they seemed a little overdone for the rest of the box.” She began poking and pushing each one. “This one’s a little loose.” She carefully turned the foot and felt a satisfying rush as she heard a soft click.

  Turning the box back over, she smiled to see that the inside bottom was slightly raised. Everyone gathered around as she lifted the false bottom, revealing a folded sheet of paper. Lifting it out, she stared at it. The kitchen had gone completely quiet as everyone waited with bated breath.

  Unfolding the paper, Willa gasped as a small silver key dropped onto the counter. She picked it up and studied it. It looked like a thousand other keys, small and slightly worn. Setting it aside, she turned back to the folded piece of paper. She recognized Reggie’s horrid handwriting.

  Willa,

  I guess if you’re reading this, I bit the big one. Probably no big surprise to anyone. I know I’m a fuckup from the word go. And I know I was a crappy husband, but know this—you were the only good thing in my life. All the drugs, all the booze, all the other women, none of them really meant anything. Coming home to your smiling face and your wonderful home-cooked meals was the highlight of my day.

  I know when I’m gone our families are going to try and eat you alive. You never fit into that world. You were always too good for it, too good for me. So I’m giving you the key to get away, literally. Take the key to our bank. They’ll know what to do.

  Know that I did love you as much as it was possible for a selfish bastard like me to love anyone.

  Reggie

  Willa hadn’t realized she was crying until Jake pulled her into his arms.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jake held his breath as he slid the lid back on the safety-deposit box, and then the air left his body in a sudden rush. As light hit the contents, bright rainbows of color splashed across the sterile steel walls.

  Standing next to him, he felt Willa’s body start to shake. “Are those what I think they are?” she questioned, her voice filled with awe.

  “I’m pretty sure that’s over a million dollars in loose diamonds.” His voice was just as shaky.

  “But where in the world did they come from?”

  “My guess, your ex was involved in the illegal diamond trade, maybe out of Africa. Blood diamonds have been fueling the conflicts for years. American businessmen have been smuggling them out to subsidize their business ventures, but really they could have come from anywhere.”

  “I don’t want them. It’s not right. I appreciate the gesture, but Reggie and I weren’t in love. And I certainly don’t want his blood diamonds.”

  “Well, we don’t know for sure they are blood diamonds. I’m just guessing.” He paused and let out a sigh. “There will be an investigation, of course. They could be tied up in the courts for a while, and you may never know for sure where they came from. And frankly, I don’t necessarily want my girl taking anything from another man, but think of the good you could do.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There are people out there in need. I’ve seen a lot of awful things over the years, children who didn’t know where their next meal was coming from, women who were on the run from a man who was supposed to love them forever. There are so many good things you can do with this if we can get them through the court system.”

  She studied him, and he could see the wheels turning in her head. The smile spread across her face. “We could do a lot with this, couldn’t we? And Gabe would know the channels to go through to make it happen.”

  “And you are right, you don’t need them. The inn is doing great, and I was actually going to ask you if you’d ever consider taking on a partner. I mean I’m not much of a cook or businessman, but I’m pretty good at maintenance and have money that needs investing.”

  Willa swallowed visibly. “What?” Her voice cracked, and he wasn’t sure exactly what that meant.

  He’d always been a simple man. All he’d ever wanted to do was be a cop. But his leg would never be 100 percent, so if he stayed on with the DEA, he’d end up riding a desk for the rest of his career. That was his idea of hell. Besides, now, all he wanted to do was spend his life taking care of Willa.

  “I know this is sudden, but you have to feel it. It’s just right, us being together. Soon all the trouble with your family will be gone, and you won’t really need me anymore. Trouble is, I kind of like being around. And you know I love you.”

  “Are we talking something more than a business?” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, a gesture he’d come to recognize as a nervous one. But deep in her eyes, he saw love and hope. He took that as a good sign.

  “You have more diamonds than any women could want, baby, but what I’m talking about involves only one. You know I’m not a fancy guy, and I’m not good with words. But I love you. I want to spend my life with you. I know this is sudden, but marry me, Willa. Build a life with me.” He hadn’t actually meant to propose today, though he’d been thinking about it since almost the first moment he’d met her.

  “Oh, Jake, are you sure?” A tentative smile tugged at her lips, and he knew suddenly that she wanted to say yes.

  He smiled broadly. “More sure than my next breath.”

  “Then yes!” She threw her arms around him. “Yes!”

  * * * *

  They were holding hands as they entered the arbitration chamber. Gabe was already present in one of his thousand-dollar suits. Across from him sat her family. Her father-in-law wore an equally expensive suit, but where Gabe looked handsome and dashing, Jeffery Montgomery reminded her of a used-car salesman. She saw her mother in a new light as well. Jake’s love had helped her break away from the hurts of the past. Instead of the ultrapolished, chic woman she’d always aspired to be like, Willa just saw a desperate woman who was not aging gracefully.

  She squeezed Jake’s big hand and smiled up at him. His idea of dressing up involved a clean pair of jeans, a polo, and his newest motorcycle boots. He would never be comfortable in a place like this, but she was okay with that. He fit with her, and that was all that mattered.

  They took their seats next to Gabe, across from her family. And suddenly it occurred to her that her real family was next to her.

  Everyone turned as the door to the judge’s chamber opened. The judge was dressed informally, without his robes, since this was just an arbitration session.

  “Good morning. I’m Judge Phillips. The purpose of today’s meeting is to avoid court. I trust all parties are willing to make an effort?”

  “We are, Your Honor,” Gabe answered calmly.

  “We are certain you will find us in the right,” the lawyer opposing Gabe replied.

  The judge frowned but didn’t comment. Willa could tell he wasn’t pleased with the blatantly hostile attitude.

  “The question at hand is the estate of one Reginald Montgomery, deceased. Is that correct?” the judge asked.

  “Yes, Your Honor.” This was supplied by the too-slick opposing attorney. In her mind, Willa had named him Mr. Sleaze.

  “Well, I have the will in front of me, and I am not sure I understand the issue. Any issues should have been addre
ssed months ago when the will was in probate. It states quite plainly that, in the event of Mr. Montgomery’s death, his entire estate should go to his wife, one Willamenia Montgomery.” The judge’s gaze landed on Willa. “That is you, correct?”

  Willa nodded meekly. She hated confrontations like this. “Yes, Your Honor.”

  The judge turned his gaze back to the opposition, his eyes landing on her father-in-law. “Then I don’t understand what the issue is.”

  “The will can’t be right,” Jeffery Montgomery sputtered. “My son would not have neglected his family. The will’s a fake.”

  Gabe appeared to have been waiting for this. “Your Honor, you will see that all the paperwork is in order. The will was filed by the law firm of Sutton and Heath, a very respectable law firm right here in Aurora Heights.”

  The judge accepted the proffered paperwork with a nod. “I am familiar with them. Thank you.”

  “Well…well, he wasn’t in his right mind when he filed that,” her father-in-law sputtered.

  His lawyer placed a restraining hand on his client’s arm, shushing him. “Your Honor, it is a well-established fact that Reginald Montgomery was an alcoholic and drug addict. We have signed statements from several rehabilitation centers he was kicked out of.” Mr. Sleaze handed his documents to the judge as well.

  The judge took several seconds to review these before turning his gaze back to the man. “So your contention is that since Mr. Montgomery was under the influence of mind-altering drugs, he wasn’t in his right mind?”

  “It is, Your Honor.”

  “I fail to see how this has any bearing. Even if the will is false, the law in North Carolina is very clear. In the event of a person’s death, without a will, the entire estate goes to his or her spouse, in this case that would be Mrs. Montgomery. She would have no need to fake the will,” the judge stated plainly.

  “But that just can’t be! We need the money!”

  This came from Willa’s mother, catching her by surprise. They needed the money? How was that possible? Her father had left her mother a small fortune, and Jeffery Montgomery was a successful businessman. But then she looked closer. The edge of her mother’s dress was ever-so-slightly frayed. The diamond-encrusted rings she usually wore were gone, as was the diamond tennis bracelet. Turning her gaze to her father-in-law, she noted that his Rolex had been replaced with a cheaper version.