by Jamie Begley
“Where is he!”
“Your son? He’s with his mother, of course.”
“You just can’t make them disappear. I have rights as his father!”
“Who says you’re the father? Nicole certainly hasn’t. You told her to keep your name off the birth certificate so she could get a check. If I believe correctly, her exact words to the public assistant worker were that she didn’t know who the father was, that it was a one-night stand, and she had no way of finding out who it was.”
“That’s bullshit. DNA will prove he’s mine!”
“You have to find them first, then you’ll have to find a lawyer. How are you going to afford that? You don’t even have a job. Even if the boy comes out as yours, you’re going to have to reimburse the state for the medical bills and child support. In case you don’t know, that’s fraud.”
“They can’t prove that I knew. I could have just found out.”
“Damn, you need to look over your head.” Shade pointed at the camera angled at Harvey’s cell. “Our conversation is being recorded. You knew that baby was yours, and you deliberately had Nicole lie. Like I said, that’s fraud.”
Harvey tried to reach through the bars for him.
Shade gave him an evil smirk. “You don’t know how much I wish you could reach me. The only reason you’re still breathing is because I have a better use for you instead of being worm food.”
Harvey looked at the camera again.
“Don’t worry that Knox is still listening. This part won’t be a part of the tape that he hands over to the D.A.”
Harvey slumped against the cell door. “What do you want?”
“I want to know who paid you to use Lily to get to me?”
When Harvey started to open his mouth, Shade could tell he was going to lie.
“Before you start lying your ass off, let me stop you. I know for a fact that new trailer you put a down payment on last month didn’t come from you working. Nor did you make it selling pot or drugs on the side. Greer Porter knows who’s selling what and where, so don’t bother going that route. You have two options. Only two. Tell me what I want to know or you’re never going to see that son of yours again. You will be sitting in this cell until hell freezes over.”
“He said he’d kill me if I told.”
“Give me a name.”
“I don’t have one.” Harvey woodenly went to sit on the side of his bed.
“How did he give you the money?”
“It was sitting in the seat of my truck when I came out one morning.”
“How much did he give you?”
“Ten grand. Told me that he’d give me the same amount every month that you don’t go back to Nashville.”
“How did he contact you?”
“He called me.”
“How’d he get your number?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. At first, I thought it was a joke until he gave me the money. I was so broke I really didn’t care. I just wanted the money. Can I go home now? I told you everything.”
Shade stared at him unfeelingly. “You don’t have a home anymore. Didn’t they tell you? Whoever hooked your trailer to the gas line did a shit job. There’s nothing left. I hope you had insurance. If you didn’t, sorry about your luck.”
Harvey’s jumped off the bunk and within three steps his body hit the cell bars so hard they shook.
Shade gave a smile that belied how angry he was.
Unafraid of the hand that was reaching for him, he stood and struck out his hand, grabbing the top of Harvey’s prison jumpsuit then smashing his face into the iron bars.
“You little shit, I would have paid for that trailer in full and gave you ten grand a month if you had come to me. All you had to do was tell me someone wanted you to harass Lily to keep me here and I would have taken care of you.” Shade pushed him back then smashed his face into the bars again like a rag doll. “Doing the right thing never occurred to you, because you’re a piece of shit. I hope you took plenty of pictures of your son, because he’ll be grown before you see him again.” Smashing him into the bars one more time, he flung him backward.
Shade didn’t even wait for Harvey to hit the floor before striding away.
“Wait! You can’t just leave me here!”
“Watch me.”
Shade raised his fist to knock on the door for Knox to let him out when Harvey broke.
“Tell me what to do and I’ll do it!”
Shade paused at the shouted plea.
“I’ll do anything you want.”
Shade moved back to the cell.
“You’re useless to me. Whoever paid you will have seen Greer bring you outside. He’ll know you talked to me.
“When I leave here, I’m going to the diner and will make sure I drop a hint or two that I’m going to pay for a lawyer for you. Let’s hope whoever paid you isn’t a man of his word. If so, you’re fucked.”
“He’ll kill me.”
“Why are you afraid of someone you don’t know? You know me and you weren’t afraid to take me on.”
“That’s different. He promised to protect me. He said he would have my back.”
“You can’t be that stupid.”
“I fucked up! Don’t you think I know it? Just tell me what you want me to do to fix this and I’ll do it!”
“You think you can take back the way you treated my wife? That you threatened to show fake nude pictures of her to a community that Lily loves? I could have turned the other cheek if you had just kept the target on me, but you didn’t. You used Lily as a pawn, well aware of how much she means to me. Those are consequences you’re going to regret for the rest of your shitty life. I’ll make sure of that. Until I decide to bring your misery to an end, you’re going to do exactly what I want for exactly how long I want. Do you get my meaning? If not, it’s fair game who’s going to kill you first: me or whoever the fuck paid you.”
Shade turned and started walking away again.
“Aren’t you going to get me out?”
“No, I’m going to go have lunch at the diner with Greer. You’re going to sit here until I make sure everyone in town knows who’s footing your legal bill.”
“You’ll get me killed for being a snitch!”
Shade heartlessly knocked on the door, wanting out. “That’s the plan.”
CHAPTER 10
Shade crossed the street to the diner. Entering, he flicked his eyes over the busy restaurant, spotting the men he was looking for.
Taking the chair next to Rider, he met Viper’s grim expression with a curt nod.
“Did you tell Harvey that The Last Riders would be taking care of his legal bills?” The president of The Last Riders made no attempt to keep his voice low.
“I did. He was crying with gratitude when I left him.”
“The Last Riders always take care of their own.” Viper motioned for the approaching waitress to refill his and Rider’s cups, his comment placing a target on Harvey’s back. “You want a cup?”
“Yes.”
The waitress left to get him a cup after refilling the two on the table. They remained silent until the waitress returned, then moved on to wait on her other customers.
“Did you ask Greer if there was anyone new in town?” Viper asked the question so only the ones at their table could hear. Shade did the same.
“He said, take your pick. That the town is full of strangers for Dalton and T.A.’s wedding.”
“Whoever it is obviously sees you as the main obstacle of getting to Ginny.”
Both he and Viper glanced at Rider, who was spooning the last of his chocolate sundae into his mouth.
Shrugging, he gave them an arrogant smirk. “I told you that being a clown has its advantages.”
“I wouldn’t be so smug.” Viper shoved his coffee cup away. “When he can’t get rid of Shade, he’ll go for you. I’m actually surprised he didn’t go for you first. Jo is as accessible as Lily.”
Rider continued eating, un
perturbed by Viper’s warning. “No one comes to her house unless it’s one of The Last Riders to visit us, and she only works on our vehicles. No one gets close enough to her to make trouble. Even if they tried, it wouldn’t work with Wizard watching her and the baby when I’m gone.”
Shade clenched his hands over the spoon by his coffee cup. Rider had done a better job of protecting Jo than he had Lily.
The realization felt as if someone had ripped his chest open and removed his heart with one jerk. Harvey had slipped through the crack, one that would never be accessible again.
“I won’t be going back to Nashville. One of the other brothers will have to take my place. I’m done. I’ll do what I can here, but count me out for anything more.”
Shade starkly waited for Viper’s and Rider’s reactions.
All the brothers were good, but the methodical thinking that only another killer could outsmart like he and Rider would leave Ginny vulnerable.
“I want to help Ginny, but Jo and I being apart continuously so I can take Shade’s place is a no-go. We want it over as much as you do, but there is no fucking way I’m going to be gone month after month. Wizard can take Shade’s place. I’ll find another brother to watch Jo when I’m gone.”
“Wizard is good enough to handle anything that fucker throws at him,” Shade agreed.
“Being good isn’t getting the job done. I’m tired of this bullshit. I made Wizard the new president in Ohio for a reason. I need him always there, not every other month. I can’t send Moon back to Ohio; he makes more trouble than he’s worth, and he’s just as bad when I send him to Nashville. Kaden has already said he doesn’t want him back.”
Shade had tried to keep Moon away from Kaden’s back-up singers without success. He was catnip to women, and he didn’t have a problem taking full advantage of every opportunity given.
The men sat, each lost in their own thoughts as to how to best keep Ginny safe while at the same time returning to their normal lives.
“We all know who you should send.” Shade was the first one to voice his thoughts aloud.
Viper shook his head. “He won’t do it. I’ve already asked.”
“Don’t ask. Order him.”
“I agree,” Rider inserted. “Gavin could shake the tree and put Ginny’s stalker off guard.”
“Telling Gavin anything is difficult. He just goes to his room or rides off.”
Shade was tired of tiptoeing around a touchy subject. Nothing was going to change where Gavin’s behavior was concerned until the right person spurred Gavin into giving a damn again. That person was sitting next to him.
“I’m glad you agree. You go tell him.”
Rider dropped his spoon into the parfait glass. “No, you go talk to him.”
Shade stared at him pitilessly. “The only one that could ever get Gavin to do something he didn’t want to do was you. It has to be you.”
“I said no.”
“Then you might as well move to Nashville, because Ginny won’t move back here until she’s sure Willa and the other women are safe. She’s already said she won’t go back to Queens City when Mouth2Mouth’s contract is up in four months. She’s searching for a new place to live without telling anyone her intentions. She’s tired of looking over her shoulder.”
“How do you know?”
“Penni. She thinks that she’ll cut and run as soon as the contract is up, if not before then.”
“Fuck,” Rider growled. “She’ll run right into the stalker’s hands if she does.”
“She’s willing to take that chance to protect the people she loves.”
“You’re not just saying that to get me to talk to Gavin?”
“Get Knox to show you her checking account. For the last two weeks, she’s been taking out large of sums of money that she was saving for a house. She’s hoarding her cash so she can disappear.”
“Fuck me.” Rider threw his napkin on the table. “I’ll take this month again. I’ll come up with a plan—”
“Talk to Gavin.”
“He won’t talk to me anymore than he does to Viper. The only ones he talks to is Colton, Peyton, and Diamond.”
Shade could tell from Rider’s stubborn expression that he wouldn’t try to sway Gavin into helping.
He was tired of beating his head against a stone wall to get Rider to open up about the real problem between him and Gavin.
The club was going to have to solve this problem themselves. Lily was his main priority. He wasn’t going to give someone another chance to use her as a pawn, despite how much he wanted to protect Ginny.
The stalker had accomplished his goal.
Viper picked up the ticket that the waitress left on the table as they rose. Outside, the men were getting on their motorcycles when they saw Greer Porter crossing the street from the jailhouse.
Shade was tempted to start his bike and ride away, especially since Greer’s grumpy attitude always gave him a headache. Already having to talk to him once today, he was determined to stay quiet and let Viper handle the obnoxious asshole.
“Afternoon, Viper.”
“Greer.”
“I remembered something after Shade left. He asked if I noticed anyone new around town. I told him that, with that fancy pants that T.A. married, newcomers have been in and out for the last couple of weeks.”
“So?”
“About a month ago, Knox asked me to drop a part off to Jo for the motorcycle she was working on for him. As I was turning in her driveway, I saw a black Xterra sitting across the street. I thought someone had parked there to go hunting in the woods. They had backed in far enough I almost didn’t see them.”
Rider’s usually carefree countenance underwent a dramatic change. “Who was it?”
“How in the fuck am I supposed to know? I was going to check it out after I dropped the part to Jo, but it was gone when I came back.”
“You should have checked it first!” Rider shouted.
Shade shook his head at Rider, trying to get his attention. It was too late. He had offended Greer by yelling at him, and you didn’t want to offend Greer. It just made him a bigger ass.
Greer gave Rider a fuck you with his finger then started walking across the street.
“Wait, Greer! Ignore him. He’s just worried about Jo and Crux,” Viper called him back.
Greer gave Rider the evil eye as he returned. “He yells at me again, that shotgun in my truck is going to do some damage.”
Rider clenched his handlebars. Shade knew it was killing him to do what he was going to have to do next.
“Sorry,” Rider mumbled.
Greer gave Rider his patented shit-eating grin that more than one brother wanted to stomp off his face.
“Like I said before I was rudely interrupted, it was gone when I came back. I figured they were just out hunting or looking for ginseng. That part of the woods has several places they can dig up the root. It won’t be the first time I’ve seen people coming out of there with their baskets filled.”
“Do you think that’s what they were doing?”
“I thought so, but after I talked to Shade, I remembered something else.”
“What?” Rider snapped when Greer didn’t explain what he remembered right away.
Shade knew it was a bad sign when the mercenary Porter hitched his gun holster farther up his waist. He wasn’t disappointed.
“I haven’t been able to take Holly out to a good steak dinner for a while. King won’t let me back in his restaurant.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Rider ground out.
“You do that. Of course, even if he does, I couldn’t exactly afford one of those fancy dinners anyway.”
Shade had to look away before he burst out laughing at the sight of Rider trying to keep himself from strangling Greer.
“It’ll be my treat.”
“I enjoy a couple of beers with my dinner.”
Steam was practically coming out from Rider’s collar.
“Order whatever
you want. It’ll be my pleasure.”
Shade thought Rider had gone overboard with the pleasure bit, but he stayed out of the negotiations. His wallet had taken the hit too many times when he needed Greer’s help. Rider could fork over his own cold hard cash for the information.
“Naturally, I can’t take my woman out not looking my best. I’m going to need a haircut.”
“Naturally, I’ll take care of that, too. Give Knox the bill, and I’ll reimburse you. Anything else?”
Greer hitched his gun belt up again. “Now that you mention it, Bubba got fired from the bread store. He could use a job. I’d be much obliged. Jessie’s cousin is about to eat us out of house and home because he doesn’t want to tell his pa he was fired.”
Shade was about to say fuck no to that demand when Rider answered before he could.
“Tell him to come to the factory tomorrow, and I’ll make sure we find a job for him.”
Finally satisfied that he had the last concession out of them, he offered the information he held back.
“I remembered the Xterra had a sticker on the bumper. It was one of those that Muller puts on his rental cars. I already called Muller’s; they’ll have a list of names of those that rented cars out that day waiting for you.”
Greer had done most of the work for them.
“Thanks, Greer.” Rider begrudgingly forced the words out.
Greer shrugged. “I would have given the information for free if you hadn’t yelled at me. Next time, mind your manners.”
The three men watched the middle Porter walk away with varying degrees of irritation.
Shade couldn’t hide his laughter any longer.
“I tried to warn you,” he goaded Rider’s anger even more. Rider couldn’t stand being outsmarted.
Rider’s hand was shaking as he started his motorcycle. “I had a horse when I was growing up. It was so mean no one could ride it. It bit anyone that came too close. One day, it took a chunk out of my father’s hand. It took sixteen stitches. He was so mad that he shot it when he came home from the emergency room. I couldn’t understand then why. Now I do. If Greer pulls that crap on me again, he’s going to be crossing over that rainbow bridge the same way that horse did.”