by Jamie Begley
“She disappeared for about six months, and when she came back, she wouldn’t talk to me and then she began seeing every man in town who had a hard on for her.”
Diamond felt terrible about every name she had called Samantha Bedford. The young girl had lost her mother then found out she was pregnant. She could only imagine the threats her father would have made to the young woman when he realized she was pregnant by a boy whose family was the biggest pot dealers in the county, if not the state.
“Did you know she was pregnant?”
Dustin gave a shake of his head. “I only found out the day she died.”
“That was what the argument was about?” Diamond guessed.
“Yes. I went into the sheriff’s office to see Greer when a phone call came in to the receptionist. I heard her talking to someone from Jamestown. They told her that no further information was available. No one knows what happened to my kid, do they?”
“I don’t think they do, but the sheriff’s office is trying. You know the sheriff better than me, you think he’ll give up?”
“No, but I’m afraid to find out, too. I didn’t know the Sam that opened that motel door. She thought I was Knox coming back for more.” His face showed the pain in his soul that loving the woman had cost him. He was too young to go through this.
In that instant, Diamond hated Vincent Bedford more than she had ever thought it was possible to hate another human being. He was sitting in a jail cell while he was responsible for one man’s death and had precipitated the actions that led to his daughter’s death. If he hadn’t interfered, Dustin and Samantha would probably have married and raised their child together. Vincent Bedford deserved more punishment than he was getting.
“What happened when she saw it was you?”
“She freaked out.”
Diamond was sure she had. Samantha had probably been using men to forget Dustin for a long time. To see him walk in, she could only imagine how humiliated the woman had felt.
“She started screaming at me, throwing stuff. I tried to calm her down and ask about my kid. She told me to get out and started pushing me toward the door. I shoved her back and she fell and hit her head on the side of the table.” Dustin buried his face in his hands. “I called the ambulance and left. I knew that, with my reputation, everyone would think I did it deliberately. I didn’t even really shove her, I just jerked my arm away from her and she lost her balance. I don’t know anymore. I keep going over it in my head and all I keep seeing is her lying there on the floor,” Dustin confessed.
“Dustin, I wish you would have come to me. I would’ve helped.” A sudden thought came to mind. “Are you the one who destroyed my office?”
“No, why would I do that?” he asked, confused.
“That’s what I want to know,” Diamond said. Now she was the one confused. If he hadn’t trashed her office, who had?
“I didn’t touch your office,” Dustin said.
“We did.” Diamond turned towards the door, seeing Greer, Tate and Rachel standing in the doorway.
“I did,” Greer corrected his family, walking into the room and going to the table to pick up the shotgun. “I wanted to distract you from nosing around. I heard that you were asking about Sam’s men.”
Rachel and Tate closed the door. Rachel was pale as she came to stand next to Diamond at the same time that Tate went to stand next to Greer.
“I’m not going to press charges,” Diamond said.
“I’ll pay for the damages,” Rachel burst out.
“That’s not necessary,” Diamond said. “The couch was the only thing I had to throw out and I like my new one.”
“What are we going to do? She’s going to go to the sheriff,” Greer asked his brothers.
“No, I’m not. We’re going to the sheriff together.” Diamond kept her voice firm. “Dustin will always be looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life if he doesn’t. He’s going to face it and get it over with then start over.”
“My brother isn’t going to jail,” Greer said angrily.
“No, he’s not. Samantha died because of her kidneys, not the blow to her head. I can get the charge dropped to involuntary manslaughter. I’ll talk to Caleb and see if we can work out a deal.”
“Listen to her, Greer,” Rachel said, going to her brother, trying to take the gun from him.
“They’re not going to offer him a deal! They’ve been trying to lock one of us away for years, and all because of that slut they are going to get one of us!”
“I told you not to call her that!” Dustin said.
“You were always blind where that bitch was concerned! I told you to stay away from that stuck up pussy, and did you listen to me? Hell no! Now look at the mess we’re in all because you had to have that slut!”
Rachel attempted to take the shotgun away from Greer again before her brothers came to blows. Frightened of their altercation with the weapon, Diamond went forward to get the girl back when the gun went off.
Everyone froze in shock. Diamond took a breath of relief when she realized the shot went through the back of the ugly sofa.
“Thank God,” Rachel said.
The door suddenly crashed open and The Last Riders came into the room. Diamond didn’t have a chance to move before she was turned around and Knox’s hands were going over her body.
“Are you okay?” he asked hoarsely.
Diamond batted his hands away. “I’m fine. Why are you here?”
“Beth called Lily to see what you wanted, knowing your track record about going at things alone, I had a feeling that you would come here,” Knox explained angrily.
“I didn’t need anyone’s help. The gun went off accidently,” Diamond snapped back.
“Guns don’t fucking go off by accident if you’re not holding one,” Knox said, looking at Greer who was staring guiltily at his sister.
“I’m sorry, Rachel,” Greer apologized to his sister.
“I’ve told you that temper of yours is going to get someone killed,” Rachel told her brother.
Diamond felt bad for Rachel; she had not one but three brothers that were a pain in the ass. The Last Riders were itching for a fight and were holding themselves back because Rachel and she were in the room.
“Diamond, take Rachel outside and wait for me,” Knox ordered, staring at Greer with deadly intent.
“We’re not going anywhere.” Diamond refused to leave the men alone.
The Last Riders were spreading throughout the room. Rider and Razer were by Dustin. Cash and Viper were next to Tate, and Greer had Train and Crash standing by him. Rachel was shaking, still standing next to Greer while Shade simply stood by the door.
“I didn’t ask.” Knox lifted her off her feet, turning towards the door.
“Stop it, Knox. You don’t even know what’s going on. I’m Dustin’s lawyer and I came out here to discuss his court case with him.”
“Which one? The one where he sold pot to an undercover cop or for Sam’s death?” Knox mocked her, letting her know they had already figured out why she had come to the Porter’s house.
“Put me down!” Diamond knew there was no arguing with Knox when his mind was made up.
Cash took Rachel’s arm, moving her away from Greer. “Don’t fucking touch her!” Greer yelled, moving forward. Viper had him in a second; held immobile as Rachel struggled against Cash.
“Stop it, listen to me. He didn’t mean for the gun to go off. Rachel tried to take the gun from him. You know he wouldn’t hurt his sister. Knox, calm down and listen to me.” Diamond quit trying to struggle against him, letting her body go pliant. Turning against him until she was plastered against his front, she took his face in her hands, drawing his furious gaze back to hers.
“They had no intention of hurting me,” Diamond told the partial truth. Greer she wasn’t sure about, but she chose to give him the benefit of the doubt to save his life even if he was a jackass.
Knox stared down at Diamond with a look she barely
caught before it was smoothed out and once again his demeanor returned to the impassive one she was so familiar with. Knox released her, stepping away from the closeness of her body.
“Let her go, Cash,” Viper ordered. Cash released a still struggling Rachel who, when he released her, turned around and planted her foot in his balls.
Cash went immediately to his knees.
“Don’t fucking ever touch me again.” She started for the downed man again, but a laughing Shade moved forward, blocking Cash who was bent over in agony.
“I think he got the message Rachel,” Shade told her.
Rachel pulled her shirt down, which had ridden up her flat stomach. Planting her hands on her hips, she earned Diamond’s admiration when she let the men have it with her vicious tongue.
“You’re going to buy me a new door, Knox.” She turned around and pointed her finger at Greer. “You’re going to get your ass out of bed in the morning and buy me a new couch.” Now, turning to Viper, she let him have it, too. “Next time you come to my house, fucking knock first.” She looked around at a smirking Shade to see Cash trying to get to his feet. Shade offered him a hand, but was met with an angry scowl.
“You have a whole club of women to haul around, don’t touch me again or the only thing you’re going to be able to touch them with are your damn fingers.”
Taking a deep breath, she turned to Diamond. “Now, can you help Dustin or not?”
“Yes,” Diamond said softly, seeing the fear for her brother behind the bravado. “I’ll go with him to the sheriff’s office to make a statement. I’ll talk to the Commonwealth’s Attorney to try to work out a deal, but he knows he doesn’t have much of a case. I sent for the coroner’s report from Frankfort; Samantha Bedford was in bad shape. She needed a kidney transplant and wasn’t even aware she had a problem. I talked to her grandmother; it could have possibly been what killed her mother. It was a genetic condition that the family was unaware of.”
“Could my kid have it?” Dustin asked.
“Possibly. Dustin, right now we have to deal with Samantha’s death. I’ll do what I can to see how I can get more help for you to find your child, okay?” Diamond meant it, she would try. Dustin deserved to know what had happened to his child.
“All right. I don’t have a choice, do I?” Dustin said unhappily.
“No. I’m sorry, you don’t. Samantha made several bad decisions, but I do think she cared about you, Dustin, and if she did, she would have seen your child was taken care of. You have to hold on to that hope.”
Dustin nodded his head.
“Let’s get this over with.”
“Wait a minute, who planted the jewelry in my bedroom?” Knox asked
The Porters stopped, looking at each other.
Greer faced Knox. “I paid Tara and Stacy to plant it for me. I gave them a month’s supply of pot for doing it and then to tell me which room was yours. Then I called the state police.”
“Who are Tara and Stacy?” Diamond asked, confused.
“They’re twins that are hanger-ons. They come to the clubhouse every Friday,” Viper explained, not able to look her in the eyes.
Diamond really wanted out of the house before she made a fool of herself. She walked toward the door, keeping her face averted from Knox and The Last Riders.
The Porters started to follow her until Knox took a step forward and punched Greer in the face. Tate managed to catch his brother before he fell to the floor then Tate started to move towards Knox, but Viper’s words stopped him.
“If it wasn’t for Diamond and Rachel, we would have had a different outcome tonight. Don’t press your luck. Get your asses to the car before I change my mind and don’t care if they see us get even.”
The Porters didn’t hesitate, going out to the front yard which was also full of The Last Riders.
Diamond went to her car, ignoring Knox who was watching her.
“I’ll meet you at the sheriff’s office,” she told the Porters. She looked towards Viper who had come out of the house and was standing by Knox. They stared at each other, both knowing that despite her taking up for the Porters, it could have been a dangerous situation if they hadn’t shown up.
Viper silently acknowledged her thanks with nod of his head.
Diamond got in her car, carefully turning it around and once again going down the treacherous driveway until she was on the road leading into town with The Last Riders following. Diamond had hoped she wouldn’t see them again that night. She had wanted to avoid seeing Knox, however Diamond was not going to get another of her prayers answered that evening.
Chapter Eighteen
She was at the sheriff’s office for several hours. David Thurman made an appearance as Diamond sat by Dustin’s side while he retold his story. Afterward, Diamond and Commonwealth’s Attorney went out into the hallway.
“Well?” Diamond asked.
“I’m not going to press charges. No jury is going to convict him after he tells that story. I’ve been trying to get the Porters in jail for the last two years, but that man’s being punished enough. He has no idea where his child is?”
“No. Samantha and her father covered their tracks,” Diamond explained.
“I’ll see what I can do in the morning,” David offered. He started to leave, but paused. “That was good work, Di. You ever want a job in my office, let me know.”
“Thanks, David.” Diamond went back into the room to give Dustin the good news.
It was another hour before Diamond made it back to her apartment. Exhausted, she went to the refrigerator to get a drink when a knock on her door startled her. She went to the door, looking out the peephole to see Knox on the other side.
“Go away, Knox.”
“Let me in, Diamond.”
Diamond’s head fell against the door. She knew what would happen if she let him in. It wouldn’t matter that she hadn’t seen or heard from him for the last two months. Where Knox was concerned, she knew her weakness.
“Diamond.” Knox’s cajoling voice almost had her weakening.
“Knox, if I let you in, we both know what will happen; that’s why you’re here.”
Silence from the other side of the door.
“I want you, Knox, so bad. You know I do.”
“Let me in then.” His voice turned seductive.
“I care about you, Knox, but us in my bed wouldn’t mean anything to you. The saddest part is, I don’t even care that you’ll leave here and be in someone else’s bed. I want you that bad. I’ll open the door if you can tell me you care about me. I have to know that much at least. That’s all I’m asking, Knox, please.”
Without even a pause to show he’d thought about it, Diamond heard the sound of his boots walking away then the loud sound of him riding out of the parking lot. She slid down the door until she sat on the floor, leaning against the door, crying.
She had taken a leap and had asked little in return. She hadn’t asked for commitment, love or even fidelity. The only thing she had wanted was to know that, when they were having sex, he cared about her. He hadn’t been able to give it to her. She didn’t know why her heart was breaking over a man like Knox, yet something inside her told her she was losing a prize worth fighting for.
* * *
Diamond closed the folder, stacking it with the others she had just updated.
“Ms. Richards?” Holly said, sticking her head in the doorway of her office.
“Yes, Holly.”
“There’s someone here to see you; they don’t have an appointment.”
“Who is it?” Diamond was about to leave for the day, but she didn’t have anyone to rush home to, so a few extra minutes at the office wasn’t really going to make a difference.
“Pastor Dean. His church is the one across the street.”
“Show him in, Holly.” Holly disappeared for a minute before her door reopened. Pastor Dean walked in, giving Holly a smile that had her blushing and smiling back.
“Ms. Richa
rds, my name is Pastor Dean. I wanted to introduce myself and see what it would take for you to give my church a visit.”
Diamond smiled at his forthright approach. “I’m afraid you have an uphill battle there, Pastor. I’m not much for going to church.” Diamond rose from her desk to greet the Pastor, extending her hand to shake his. Diamond was surprised how rough and calloused his hand was, expecting a smooth one. This man was used to doing labor.
“I’m sorry to hear that. If not church service, then on Wednesday we have a potluck dinner that everyone in the community is invited to. It would give you an opportunity to become more familiar with the townspeople and build your client base.”
“Pastor Dean, you’re not trying to bribe me with potential clients to get me inside your church, are you?”
“All roads lead to God, Ms. Richards,” he said, not denying his attempt at coercion.
Diamond couldn’t help laugher laughter at that. It didn’t take him long before he’d turned the humor into finagling a clothing donation out of her, and changing her firm no at attending church services to a maybe.
“You’re a very convincing man, Pastor Dean. I’m willing to bet you give an excellent sermon.”
“I try.” He tried to appear humble, though somehow Diamond had a feeling this man had plenty of confidence.
Diamond motioned for him to have a seat on the chair by the window as she walked over to take the other one. Pastor Dean followed her to the seating area, pausing before he sat down to look out the window.
“You have quite a view of my church.”
Diamond nodded. “It can be a pain sometimes when I’m thinking of billing my customers for an extra hour and look outside to see the church; keeps me from padding the bills,” Diamond said wryly.
“I have a good view also. Perhaps we should learn a signal. I could signal you when I have a parishioner that wants to stay forever and you could signal me when you have a client you can’t get rid of,” he joked.
“Don’t temp me; I’ve had several of those.”
“I noticed Knox coming by several weeks ago, but he hasn’t been around for a while, why is that?” Pastor Dean inquired.