As I walk, there’s one thing that stays constant on my mind, my case that I lost. I firmly believe money exchanged hands to the right people, I need Bandit to find that money trail for me so I can pursue charges against those involved. My decision made, I resolve to contact him when I get back to the cabin. Signal is scarce out here, so I’ll have to use the landline to contact him.
I spend a couple of hours enjoying nature and watching all the animals scurry about. When I make it back to the house, I wash my hands and make a sandwich. I grab a beer to go along with lunch and grab the portable phone as I settle onto the couch. I turn the television on for background noise but turn it low as I dial Bandit.
“Love Shack, Bandit speaking.”
I can’t help it, I burst into laughter. He and Smokey are hysterical on their own but now that they have Hannah in their lives, they’ve upped their game.
“Bandit, it’s Law,” I tell him. “Listen, can you check into something for me?”
I can hear the change in his tone when he says, “What’s up?”
“I had a case that I lost that involved a little four-year old girl. The charges were suspected child abuse but I’m telling you, brother, as sure as I know I’m six feet four inches tall that it was child abuse. I think money talked, any way you can work your magic and find out for me?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?”
“Uh, yeah, but this is bugging the fuck outta me and I’m worried about her safety.”
“Consider it done. This a good number to reach you at?”
“Either this or my cell. I don’t get a great signal here, but I’ll have it with me every morning when I go into town for breakfast.”
“You’re not becoming one with nature out there, and frying up some fish every morning?”
“No, but I’ve got a recipe for possum stew I’m thinking of trying.” There, that oughta shut his smartass mouth!
“Asshole! Jeez, you don’t really eat that shit, do you?”
I start laughing because when I was younger, my granny did make a helluva good squirrel stew, but damned if I’m telling him that! “When you’re country born and country bred, you eat what you can, man. Not much I haven’t tried, but possum is still on the ‘no way’ list for me.”
“Damn, remind me to carry a toothbrush around when you’re near me. I don’t want to smell your ranky breath.”
“Fucker. I’m pretty much a beef man now, although I enjoy venison from time to time.”
“You really doing okay, man?” I can hear the concern in his voice and sigh. My brothers know me and know it had to be something big for me to take this kind of time off.
“Yeah.”
“It wasn’t just because of Ava, was it,” he states.
“No, we had been sliding toward goodbye for quite some time, I was just too busy to deal with her and the drama as well as this case.”
“We’re here for you, you know that, right?” Smokey asks, having taken the phone from Bandit. Dammit, since Hannah, these two seem to have clued into feelings and shit and I don’t know what to make of this change. We had all vowed that when Smokey and Bandit found their woman we would give them hell. But with all Hannah went through, we couldn’t do it so instead, we cheer them on. They’re happy, I’ll give them that and I’ve never seen a group of people so in tune with one another. She’s treated like a queen and my heart clenches because I want that with someone.
“Yep. But I’m good, promise. Y’all go take care of your woman or something.”
“Already done, brother, but now that you mention it, maybe round three would be a good idea.” Round three? Jesus Christ, I’m not sure whether to groan at the thought of going three rounds with a woman or not.
“You go do that, I’ve got shit to do.”
“Yeah, go check your possum traps and shit. Bandit’ll get back to you when he gets something.” The call disconnects and I go grab a few more beers and the bucket my pops used, filling it with ice and going back out to the porch and the rocking chairs where I spent many pleasurable evenings. Great, now I have a mental image of those three going at it, why do these couples have to overshare their joy? I want to kick my own ass for acting like a girl, and grab some bleach to clean my ears out, and pretend I never heard any of that part of the conversation.
Not knowing what to do with myself since it’s been a long time since I’ve been alone with my thoughts and nothing to do, I go inside and grab my e-reader. One of my favorite authors has released a book and I’ve been dying to get into it. I haven’t had any spare time to relax lately, but I pick it up and get lost in the land of hidden treasures and a team of badass seals that try to break codes and such to find them.
Cassarah
Damn, it’s been a long-ass day! After my shift, where I actually made a good amount of tips, thank God, I drove over to the next town and spent about an hour grabbing everything I was going to need. Then, when I got home, folks started coming over. I’m grateful that I invested in a portable shampoo bowl, that’s for sure. At one point, I had two people with color processing, and a haircut going! What made it all good was that my last client, the one who wanted a press and curl, brought food as well as her husband who needed a haircut. When I got done with his fade, he was so impressed, he posted a selfie of himself and popped it up on social media with a tag to ‘come meet the new chick who can do a brother’s hair’! As I clean up the kitchen, I realize I’ve got about an hour before I need to hit the bed. My feet are aching since I’ve been on them since five this morning and I realize a long bath won’t happen. Once I’m showered and have tomorrow’s uniform laid out, I make sure everything is locked up twice and sit on my bed counting everything I got today. Sweet, I’ve got enough for rent, groceries and utilities, plus another two hundred dollars to tuck away in my lockbox. I don’t do banks right now because of my brother-in-law. I’m trying to stay off the grid for the time being, at least until I can figure out what the hell to do. Putting the lockbox back in the hiding spot I created, I crawl into bed, set my alarm then grab my e-reader. My favorite author just had a new release and I want to read for a little bit before I have to get up in five hours. I finally give up reading when the memories of Law keep me from focusing on the storyline. Sleep finally claims me, and I dream of him all night long.
I wake up drenched in sweat from a night of panty-melting dreams. I dreamt of his mouth and hands doing deliciously dirty things to my body. Needing to take another shower, I get up and make my way into my small, but cutely decorated bathroom. Much of my purchases were from the local dollar store and thrift shop, but it works, and it makes it feel like a home instead of a temporary shelter like it did before I found these things. Once I’m finished washing my sweat-soaked body and washing my hair, I get out and decide that today I’ll wear my hair in a bun and not mess with blow drying it. A quick cup of coffee and I’m out the door to get to the diner and make sure we’re ready for the breakfast crowd. Fourteen-hour day, here I come!
I notice immediately when he walks in. He has a presence about him that oozes from his very pores and I find myself wishing life were different. There’s no way a man like him would be interested in a little nothing like me, but I can always fantasize, right? Making my way over with a coffee pot, I fill his cup and say, “Good morning, Law.”
“Morning, Cassarah. How are you this morning? You look a bit tired.”
“Guess I need to take my make-up back, it lied.”
“Didn’t say you weren’t still beautiful, buttercup,” he replies. “It’s just me, I tend to observe things that no one else would notice is all.”
Buttercup? Is it because of my blonde hair? Who the hell knows? Shrugging, I ask, “Do you know what you want today?”
“What I want isn’t on the menu, unfortunately. I’ll take the pancakes, bacon crisp, and an order of corned beef hash.”
“Do you want toast or biscuits? We’ve got honey for the biscuits.”
“I’ll take the biscui
ts, please.”
“Let me go put this in for you. Assume you want me to keep the cup full?”
“Absolutely.”
While I wait for his order to come up, I tend to my other customers, making small talk and taking orders while I refill cup after cup. I’m not a coffee drinker per se other than my first cup in the morning, but I have to admit, the coffee here is phenomenal. I’ve partaken a time or two when I was forced into working a double shift. He doesn’t openly stare at me, but I know he’s watching and it makes me a bit nervous. I’ve never really dated much. A few movie dates here and there when in high school, but since I left and moved here, I’ve been alone. I kinda prefer it actually because of how drastically my sister’s now-husband changed. I’m leery about trusting a man for that reason alone. And besides, the two somewhat long-term guys I dated weren’t all that good in bed, so there’s that as well. Although they both told me I was a frigid bitch, based on my sexy dreams last night starring Mr. Blue Eyes, I am having a hard time believing those words now.
“Order up!” Tam calls. I go to the window and grab Law’s food and carry it over to him.
“Do you need anything else?” I ask once I’ve gotten the warmed maple syrup and a refill on his coffee.
“Your number?” he responds, a grin on his face.
“Um, we just met. I don’t know you all that well.” There, that’s honest enough, right?
“Okay. I’ll just keep asking until you think you do and hopefully, I’ll either wear you down with my charm or you’ll just say yes.” At his comment, I burst into laughter.
“Mighty sure of yourself, huh?”
“Based on your earlier response, no, not really.”
“I’m sorry, Law. It’s really not you, I’m just so busy as a rule that it’s hard for me to take the time to date.”
“You need to find time, buttercup. I’d really like to get to know you better.”
“How about this? I’ll think about it, okay?”
“Honey, if this good-looking man asked me out, I’d definitely go.” I turned and saw Sandy, my boss, standing there looking at me with that ‘give him a chance’ look.
“Sandy, you know how it is, I’m here seven days a week, sometimes for double shifts when Cameron and Jordy decide to lay out, then I have my hair clients I do at home.”
“I can see I need to give you a raise so you don’t need to work so hard. That’s it, you have this weekend off.”
“What? Wait! But I need…” I stammer out.
“You need to let this nice young man take you out. Mister, there’s a local carnival this weekend. I know for a fact she was trying to figure out how she could go so she could check out the arts and crafts vendors and also see the livestock.”
“The livestock, huh?” he asks, looking at me.
“I like cows, what can I say?”
“So, since you now have your weekend free, would you like to go with me this Saturday? Have some fun?”
I nod my head because somehow, my boss has finagled a date for me. “I...that is...I’d like that very much.”
“Do you have any hair clients Saturday?” he asks.
“I...I don’t know, I don’t usually check my phone until I’m off, but it’s been pinging like crazy.”
“Go check it,” Miss Bossy McBoss states. “I’ll cover your tables until you get back.”
Seeing no other solution, I salute her and say, “I’ll be back in a few.”
I go to the back, grabbing a water, and head into the office we use as a breakroom. Pulling my phone from my pocket I’m stunned to see all the texts from Patsy’s husband, Zeke, asking if I have time to do eight haircuts this week. I quickly check my calendar and then text him back that I’m booked every night but if they can come around eight Saturday morning, I’d be happy to take them on. I didn’t have anyone else because I planned to do my grocery shopping and laundry after work, so I have the time. And since I don’t have anyone today, I’ll just adjust my plans.
I walk back out and over to the counter where Law is finishing his breakfast. “I have eight men’s haircuts on Saturday morning starting around eight, but after that, I’m free if you were serious about going.”
“Never more serious, buttercup.” Damn, that nickname is killing me! My mind goes to him saying it when he’s buried deep inside. Slow your roll, Cassie! He’s asking for a date, not to fuck you!
“Then it’s a date.”
“Um, yeah, I guess so.” Great, Cassie, what a lame-ass response!
“So...about that number?” he asks, a grin on his face. Fuck, I can see the hint of a dimple. Just a hint because he’s got the best-looking beard I’ve ever seen.
“Yeah, I guess you need that, huh?”
“Yep.” I quickly give him my number and then I hear my phone ping. “Now you’ve got mine.”
I nod because what else can I do? “Are you done? Do you want anything else?”
“Nope, got everything I was looking for today. Just the bill, please.”
I quickly ring it up and tell him, “It’ll be eight today.”
He hands me another twenty and says, “Keep the change. See you tomorrow. Oh, do y’all have Wi-Fi here?”
“Yes we do.”
“Then I’ll probably be here for a bit tomorrow. Which table section is yours?”
“I usually have the counter and those five tables. If the other girls don’t show up, then I split whoever doesn’t show with the other waitress.”
“See you in the morning, buttercup.”
“Bye, Law.”
Law
I’m whistling as I get to my bike and my grin spreads when I realize just how flustered she got once her boss got involved. This trip might’ve been a better idea than I thought. Time to go see if the fish are biting. I pull up to the house and go to the shed in the back and grab my fishing gear. I think I’ll go for bass fishing seeing as I don’t have any live bait and am not in the mood to get on my hands and knees and dig for earthworms. I’m getting old and it’s hard to get back up once I’m down. I feel like I wasted too many years attempting to keep things working with Ava, but at the end of the day, she’s the one who pushed me too far, I was just looking for that ever-lasting love, and tried to keep things together.
Shaking off those negative thoughts, I go about getting my gear and grabbing a fold-out chair. I walk down to the pond and get set up. I throw my line in, grab a beer from the cooler I brought down this morning, and begin to relax.
Four hours later, no fish in tow, I make it back to the house and see the light flashing on the phone indicating I’ve missed a call. I pick it up and look at the caller ID and notice it’s from Bandit. I pick up the phone and return his call.
“Yo,” he answers.
“It’s me.”
“Hey, man, I wanted to let you know what I’ve been able to dig up so far.”
“I’m all ears,” I reply.
“So, our great senator isn’t so great, as word has it. He’s a slimeball, taking bribes left and right for votes. I have a money trail, but he’s buried it, just not deep enough where I couldn’t trace it back. He has his hands in different pockets to get his way with others. A lot are local law enforcement agents as well as governors and other senators. He’s as dirty as a pig in its pen. The wife, Cecilia, grew up in foster care as well as a sister, but she’s currently untraceable. I have no leads on her whereabouts, but apparently, according to my sources, she stuck her neck out and he basically chopped it off. I don’t have any details on that, I’m working on it. But the wife, she’s been admitted to the hospital on several different occasions. She’s had a broken collar bone, right wrist and arms both broken in several places, concussions...and I mean more than one, and all those times, she’s been clumsy. Standard case of spousal abuse if I’ve ever heard it. The daughter was only admitted the one time, but I have a suspicion it isn’t the only time she’s suffered at her father’s hands. Both of his victims are tight lipped in the hospital. The doctor
who treated Emma is the one who reported the event. He didn’t believe she fell down a flight of stairs. I’m ready to chop this motherfucker off at the knees, tell me what else you need from me?”
“Right now, I just want to keep digging. Follow the money trails...all of them. Leave nothing behind and nothing uncovered. I plan on taking this asshole down as soon as I have enough information to legally do so, and I want to take everyone down with him who’s covered all the incidents up. Including the wife.”
“I’m your man, talk to ya later,” he says, disconnecting the call. I’m grateful the fucker is on my side, the things he can do with a computer are fucking scary when he has his sights set on you. Oh well, better them than me. I make myself some lunch and sit in front of the television set. This night is going to drag on before I get to set my eyes on my sweet Cassarah.
Chapter Two
Cassarah
He’s come in every day this week, bringing a laptop and setting up in my section. With the tips he’s left, I am no longer worried about taking the weekend off. To tell the truth, I could use a lazy day. It’s been too fucking long since I got more than four or five hours of sleep. I’ve also had more hair clients text me so other than the other day when I hit the grocery store and did my laundry, I’ve been doing hair every night for people who know Zeke. My lockbox is so full I’m damn near giddy. And best of all, Sandy, who has been paying me under the table for my hourly wage, gave me a two-dollar an hour raise! She told me she’s never had someone as young as I am with such solid work ethics.
As I put in his lunch order, I hear someone call out, “Miss?” Turning, I see a man in a suit standing at the counter.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
“Are you Cassarah Clarke?”
Law_Rebel Guardians MC Page 2