by Chiah Wilder
Holly rolled her eyes. “I’ve only seen it a ton of times. It’s beautiful. I bet it cost plenty. How many carats are in that damn thing?”
“The solitaire is three carats and the rest are about two. I never saw a black diamond before. I love it. I love my ring. I love Banger. I love life, and I especially love this ‘punch’ you made.” Belle giggled and took a big swig of the syrupy-sweet drink.
With the windows down, the radio blasting eighties tunes, the two women zipped down the highway. “How’s Banger in bed?” Holly asked as she turned the radio down.
Belle’s face lit up. “Awesome!”
Holly looked over, her expression hard. “Really? Too bad you’re not into sharing. I wouldn’t mind trying him out. Darren is strictly a ‘missionary with the lights off’ kind of guy. Banger doesn’t strike me like that.”
“Not at all. He’s just so fucking good. He’s the best.” Belle blushed and covered her mouth. “I don’t think he’d want me talking about our lovemaking. He’s a very private person.”
“All one percenters are private. You know, all that ‘club business’ bullshit.”
They sped on and Belle laughed, taking another swig of alcohol punch as Holly cranked up the radio and they sang along to Mötley Crüe’s “Girls, Girls, Girls.”
* * *
Banger finished turning the last screw in the bookcase that Belle had given him to assemble for Ethan’s room when his phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and was surprised to see Cara’s name on the screen.
“What’s up, Cara?”
“I have some disturbing news I want to share with you. I’ve been trying to get a hold of Belle all morning, but I can’t get through.”
“She went to Silverplume to do some shopping. Reception is the shits in some areas on the drive up there. What’s going on?”
“I had my private investigator digging around in the death of her husband. I know the cops are chomping at the bit to arrest her, so I wanted to see what I could find before anything like that happens. I looked at everyone who’s connected with her, her husband, and the two of them as a couple.”
“Okay….”
“I found out that her best friend, Holly, was a suspect in a murder case back in her hometown of Overton, Texas, and in Colorado Springs, she was a suspect in an attempted murder charge.”
His body stiffened and a heavy feeling punched through his stomach. “What the fuck?”
“It gets worse. Dean Wesley, my private eye, went to Colorado Springs and met up with the victim. She positively identified the picture of Holly, only Holly was going by the name Leeann back then. The woman said she was down on her luck, and Leeann took her in and helped her get back on her feet, and she was so grateful to her. Then Leeann had her sign some paperwork so, in case she got sick, Leeann could help her out. The victim was so appreciative of all that she’d done, she signed without reading the paperwork.”
“What the fuck did she sign?”
“A life insurance policy making Leeann the beneficiary. She and Leeann went out for a ride one day, and the victim said Leeann gave her something to drink that was drugged. Then she pulled onto a small road, and there was another car parked by the train tracks. A guy, who she recognized as Leeann’s brother, was leaning against it.”
“Fuck. I bet it was that sonofabitch Deadly Demon.”
“She said he always wore a leather vest with a patch, and he was in a motorcycle club, but she wasn’t sure the name of it. I bet you’re right, Banger.”
“What the fuck did they do to her? Did the fucker rape her?”
“No, he didn’t. He pulled her out of the car and slammed her head hard with something. She was semi-conscious. They positioned her behind the wheel of the car and placed it on the train tracks. She pretended to be totally knocked out, so they left. She was so groggy she couldn’t muster the strength to move. She heard the train whistle, and she claimed a guardian angel helped her, because as the train approached she was able to move the car a bit. The car was still hit, but not full-on. She spent a year in rehab and will always walk with a limp.”
Banger shook with rage.
“And get this. Holly—or Leeann, or whoever the fuck she is—worked in a hospital both in Colorado Springs and in Lakeview. She would totally have had access to sux. I’d bet anything she killed Belle’s husband, but I’m not yet sure why. I’ll have to dig a bit deeper. When you see Belle, tell her to stay far away from Holly; she’s dangerous and crazy. Also, tell her to call me right away.”
“Fuck, Cara, Belle’s with the bitch. She arranged the trip today. Fuck, my woman’s in danger.”
“Do you know if Belle signed any papers for Holly?”
“I don’t know. Emily went to live with her for a bit, maybe Belle signed something then. I don’t know, but my gut tells me I gotta act fast. Fuck!”
“Do you have any way to track her? The trip to Silverplume is full of side roads. God, I’m so scared for her. I have to call Hawk, he’ll get the guys together to help you. Oh, God, Banger. I can’t—”
“I insisted that we install a tracking app on our phones. I can track her, I just hope it’s not too fuckin’ late. Tell Hawk to get the guys ASAP, bring his SUV, and come to my place. Move it!”
Banger slammed his fist on the bookshelf, cracking it in half. If anything happens to Belle, I’ll fuckin’ lose it. Within ten minutes, Hawk, Axe, Throttle, Bruiser, Rock, Chas, Puck, and Johnnie were ready to go. Banger said they’d take his and Hawk’s SUVs since the Harleys would be heard a mile away. He told Puck and Johnnie to bring the pickup truck and meet them at the spot, and they sped out of Pinewood Springs. Banger gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. As they drove, Hawk filled the brothers in on what was happening, and Banger cursed under his breath, swearing he’d track Holly and Scorpion down and make them suffer a slow and painful death if they hurt his woman.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Belle held her head as the landscape spun around her; she was woozy as hell, and she felt way drunker than she ought to have been, considering she hadn’t even drunk half a glass worth of the punch Holly made. “Damn,” she slurred. “Did you use moonshine? The drink was too strong. I feel sick.” She looked at Holly, who kept fading further and further away. She lifted her hand to put the thermos down and ended up dropping it to the floorboard; her hand muscles were weak and uncoordinated. I feel so sluggish and tired. It’s like I’ve been drugged or something. She moved her head, and it flopped to the side. With bleary eyes, she noticed that they’d left the highway and were driving on a dirt road. “Where’re we going?” she managed to get out of her dry mouth.
Holly laughed and stomped on the brakes, throwing Belle forward, her knees slamming into the glove compartment. Belle looked ahead and saw they were parked at the bank of the Colorado River.
“Did you drug me?” she asked her friend incredulously.
“You really are a fucking stupid bitch!” She shoved Belle back against the seat.
Her friend’s words came slowly at her, as Belle tried to understand why Holly was yelling at her. Why are we at the river when we’re supposed to go shopping? In her foggy mind, she couldn’t think clearly. Near the car, she noticed a Harley—it was Scorpion’s. Panic grabbed hold of her, and she tried to open the car door, but her damn muscles weren’t working right; she couldn’t move her limbs normally. “Why’s Scorpion here?” she asked raggedly.
Ignoring her, Holly slipped out of the car. Scorpion came over to the passenger’s side and threw open the door, dragging Belle out. Trying to push him away, her lack of muscle control made her no match for him. He slammed her against the hood of the car, kissing her roughly on the lips as his hands rubbed over her breasts, squeezing them tightly. “I want what you’re giving that sonofabitch Insurgent. You owe me, cunt.”
“Scorpion! That isn’t why you’re here,” Holly yelled at him.
“Shut the fuck up. I’m gonna have some fun before I get rid of her.” He pushed
his face against Belle’s. “You up for that? No?” He guffawed. “That’s okay, you just relax. I’ll do all the work.” He grabbed the hem of her shirt.
“Holly? What’s going on? Why aren’t you stopping this?” Her tongue was thick, and everything was spinning faster. She was afraid she was going to pass out.
Holly came over, punched her brother in the arm, and shoved him away from Belle. “I told you, you’re not here for that. When you do your job, you can go back to town and fuck whatever slut you want.”
“Holly?” Belle said weakly as she collapsed on the ground.
Pulling her up by the hair, Holly propped her against the car. Crouching down, she brought her face inches from Belle’s. “You want to know what’s going on? You’re going to die. Your ass is worth a million dollars, and I’m ready to collect.”
Belle shook her head, as if that would help clear the fogginess slowly taking over her entire brain. “Money…?”
“Yeah. Remember that life insurance policy you signed when you brought your brat daughter over to stay with me?”
Belle closed her eyes, forcing her brain to bring out a memory from one of the clear corners of her mind. She vaguely remembered Holly telling her that if something happened to Belle, Emily and Ethan wouldn’t be provided for. Holly suggested that she take out a life insurance policy, making her the beneficiary since Ethan and Emily were minors. Belle agreed, thinking it was a good idea, that her friend was so kind for agreeing to take her kids in if anything happened to her. She remembered thinking that she trusted Holly with her life. How fucking ironic.
“I can see from the look in your eyes that you do remember. It was too easy. Did you really think I’d want to take care of your fucked-up daughter and puny son? Fuck. You’re so stupid. I banked on your stupidity when I fucked Harold behind your back for three years.”
Money…? Harold…? What the fuck is she talking about?
“I became friends with you for a reason. I knew your hubby was rich, and the way you acted with him told me that I could be fucking him in no time. You gave him a home, kids, good meals, but you didn’t fuck him like a slut. All men want that. He knew you weren’t interested in him sexually. He’d tell me, and I’d pretend I gave a shit.”
“Come on, either let me fuck her or kill her, but your fuckin’ talking is getting on my nerves.” Scorpion threw his cigarette butt in the dirt and stubbed it out.
“You shut up. I had to put up with this whiny cunt for years, acting like I was her friend just to get to Harold so we could make some real money. I want her to know I was sucking and fucking her husband, and he loved it.” She bent down and hissed in Belle’s ear, “He fucking loved having sex with me. He bought me expensive presents, took me on his business trips, and stole the money from the business. All for me. Me. Then that cunt, his secretary, grabbed hold of his cock and tried to take away all the hard work I’d done. He even told me it was over between us. Can you imagine that? He wanted to give her the money I’d worked so hard for. Then you found out, and I was so glad because I thought you’d have a fucking backbone and would throw him out. But being the weak woman you are, you forgave him, and he left Megan and me, decided that he really loved you, and he was going to make everything all right and return the money. What a stupid asshole!”
The world was quickly fading. Holly was still chattering about Harold and the secretary and the money. The money! Holly stole the money. “You killed Harold?”
“Damn right, I did. He fucking screwed me over. No one dumps me. Ever. When I told him I wanted one last hurrah, that he owed it to me for all the good times I gave him, he relented. I knew he hadn’t returned the money yet. He was going to do it after the weekend. I knew where he kept it, so I gave him a push—or should I say a prick—into the next world.” She laughed loudly and cruelly. “Now you can join him, bitch.” She jumped up and motioned to Scorpion. “Your turn.”
“About fuckin’ time. Damn, you got a mouth.”
“My kids and Banger know I’m out with you,” Belle croaked.
“Yeah, well, people disappear all the time, sweetheart. After I weigh your body down, you won’t ever be found. They’ll think the slut did something to you, or you ran off instead of being convicted for your husband’s murder.”
Scorpion dragged her to her feet, and she fell in to him.
“I promise to play the bereaved best friend to the hilt. Banger’s going to be so sad that you ran away, but don’t worry, I’ll console him real good.” Holly laughed. “Let’s finish this bitch off.”
“Not until I get what I want.” Scorpion lifted Belle’s top, pressing his mouth over her breasts before he pulled down her jeans. She felt sick, and knew the only hope she had was to pretend she was unconscious. She hung her head laxly and closed her eyes.
“You fucking perv. She passed out. Find another slut to fuck. We gotta get this over with. I’m not going to risk getting caught because you want to fuck her.” Holly pushed her brother out of the way then pulled up Belle’s pants. “Help me get her to the river. She’s out cold. You can drown her then we’ll weigh the body down. Get a move on.”
Scorpion hoisted Belle over his shoulder and slammed her face down on the bank of the river. Belle tasted copper from her bleeding lips. Even though she wasn’t unconscious yet, moving her body was extremely difficult. At that moment, she knew she was going to die. No one knew she was there. Banger had a tracking app on her phone, but why would he ever think anything was amiss? She’d told him she was going out with her best friend for a day of shopping, after all.
She wondered if Harold felt as sad and panicked as she did while he was dying. Tears burned behind her eyes. Sadness for a life she could have had with Banger, and not being able to watch her children grow into adults, coursed through her body. After all she had been through, her life would end in the middle of nowhere, in the deep, cold waters of the Colorado River. What a sad and terrible way to die.
The water flooded her nose and mouth and she flailed like a beached fish, striving to breathe. Again her head was dunked in, just before she gasped for more air. Through the rush of water, she heard Scorpion’s muffled voice.
“You didn’t give her enough of that shit. She’s still conscious. Fuck, can’t you do anything right?”
“Just hold her head down, she’ll go. You like a fight, so why are you griping?” Holly snapped.
Her lungs were filling with water, and black spots floated in front of her eyes. Here I go….
Muted yells and screams echoed in the background as she gave herself up to her watery grave. Then she was spitting and coughing as someone leaned over her, pressing her chest and bringing his mouth to hers, breathing life into her water-laden lungs. The brackish liquid spewed from her as she coughed, and through the slits of her barely opened eyes, she saw shadows and black boots. Then several hands picked her up and placed her in the back of a vehicle, and she gave in to the darkness that engulfed her.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Get her to the hospital, now!” Banger turned back to a bloodied and bruised Scorpion and stabbed the final blow into his heart. Scorpion’s small black eyes widened then went flat as the life seeped out of him. “Get rid of this piece of shit,” Banger ordered. “When you’re done, bring his bike back to the clubhouse. No reason to destroy a Harley.”
Puck and Johnnie, the two prospects, dutifully wrapped Scorpion’s body in a large tarp, threw it in the flatbed of the pickup, and sped away to dispose of it where it would never be found.
Holly stared wild-eyed at the group of bikers. “You gonna kill me too?”
Banger gritted his teeth and fought down the urge to gut her. “Nah. It’s not that I’m soft, because I’d love to give you an Insurgents’ death—slow and painful—but I gotta clear my old lady’s name. Your ass is gonna be stuck in a cell, bitch. In your case, living is gonna be worse than dying.” He turned to Chas and Rock. “Tie this cunt up and throw her in the back. We’ll drop her off at the fuckin’ badges�
�� door.”
After they tied her hands and feet, they tossed her in the back of the SUV. Holly cussed up a storm.
“Will someone gag the bitch?” Banger demanded. “I’m not listening to that shit all the way back to Pinewood.”
When they got to the police station, Detective Sanders was waiting for them. Cara had called ahead and told him what was happening, along with sharing her information about Holly. Banger let Hawk deal with the detective; he had to go to the hospital and see his Belle.
When he entered her room in the emergency department, Belle was propped against a bevy of pillows holding a large glass, her teeth crunching on something. He rushed over and kissed and hugged her.
She pulled away. “I look a mess.”
He kissed her bruised face, whispering, “You’re the most beautiful mess I’ve ever seen. Whatcha got in the cup?”
“Chipped ice. The doctor says water flushes will push the drugs out of my system. I’m still woozy, but not like I was earlier today. Damn, I can’t believe any of this.”
“I know. Fuck, I knew there was something I didn’t like about the cunt, but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. I didn’t like how she kept flirting with me, you being her friend and all. I knew something wasn’t right.”
“She killed Harold.” Her voice hitched. “And they had an affair for a long time. How did Harold do that to me, and with my friend? I thought Megan was the only affair he had, and I chalked it up to midlife-crisis shit. I don’t understand any of this. I can’t wrap my head around it, because everything I knew and believed for the last five years has turned out to be nothing but a big, fucking lie.”
He bent down and drew her close to his body. “Harold was a fuckin’ idiot to have looked at any other woman when he had you in his life. And Holly is a grifter. She conned and scammed for money, and if murder was the way to get it, that’s what she did. She was never your friend.”
