by Jamie Begley
Keeping her eyes closed, she pretended to be asleep, knowing it was Lisa. She checked on her every night before going to bed to make sure she was in bed. Hearing the door close, she then heard Lisa talking from the other side.
“She’s asleep.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
Ginny made a gagging face at hearing them kissing before they went to their bedroom farther down the short hall.
Rolling onto her stomach to ease her hunger pains, she shoved the pillow under her chin. The nights were the worst. It was when she missed her dad and Leah the most.
She hated the pretty pink bedroom. The one she had shared with Leah was tiny, and they didn’t have their own bathroom, yet it was her home. She missed sitting next to him when they watched a movie and it was her turn. She missed the way he complained when he went to the bathroom and someone else was already in there. She missed the way he laughed when one of the brothers would play jokes on each other. There was nothing she hadn’t loved about him or Leah. She hadn’t made up for losing Trudy, but the time with them had made the waiting for Trudy easier.
She forced the tears back, afraid Lisa would notice stains on the pillowcase in the morning when she watched her make her bed.
Tossing and turning, she fell in a fitful sleep, dreaming about a dark angel that was chasing her. Desperately trying to outrun him, she found herself swooped into his arms. Terrified, she had tried to see his face but couldn’t make out his obscured features. Screaming in terror, she then abruptly stopped, sensing he wasn’t going to hurt her. When she was no longer afraid of him, he gently lowered her back to her bed as the dream faded into a dreamless, deep sleep that had her ignoring the shrill of the alarm clock on her nightstand.
“Turn that damn thing off!”
Abruptly jerked awake at the loud shout, Ginny sluggishly looked toward the doorway as Dalt belligerently crossed the floor to stand beside her bed, impatiently waiting until she turned the clock off.
Lisa was the only one who came into her room. Dalt had never come in there before, and she didn’t like that he was there. As much as she despised Lisa, she would put up with her a million times a day rather than him.
“Get dressed. I’m driving you to school today.”
Normally, Dalt was nice to her, even if he ignored her most of the time. His obvious irritation had her cautiously staying still.
“Okay. I’ll hurry,” she said, trying to placate him.
Satisfied at her quick reply, Dalt gave her a sharp nod.
Waiting for him to leave before quietly tiptoeing to the door, Ginny hastily locked it before getting dressed. Throwing on jeans and a blue shirt as fast as she could, she ran a brush through her lackluster brown hair. She didn’t know if she should make her bed or rush downstairs. Twisting her hands together, she went to her desk to grab her backpack, then hurried downstairs where Dalt was waiting for her by the front door.
Her grumbling stomach was going to have to wait until lunchtime. She was too afraid to set him off again by asking for breakfast.
Settled in the back seat, Ginny felt uncomfortable being alone with him after the way he acted this morning.
She wished the dark angel who had carried her away during the night hadn’t brought her back. If she ever got out of Lisa and Dalt’s house, she promised herself that she would do whatever she wanted and not have to listen to anyone about where she could live. She would buy a big house, find Trudy, and she would definitely not have a coaster anywhere in their home. She wasn’t a little girl anymore; she didn’t believe in happy ever afters. Losing Leah had taught her that.
Leah hadn’t gotten her happy ending, Ginny thought to herself, and she didn’t think she would either.
Chapter Fifteen
Gavin soundlessly opened the church’s back door, then edged inside to make sure no one could see him as he closed the door behind him. He hadn’t told Lucky he was coming, wanting to keep their meeting private.
The last nine months in Treepoint had flown by. He kept his word to Taylor, driving back and forth from Kentucky to Ohio every weekend. The wedding was a month away and she was pressuring him to decide on his groomsmen and his wedding guests; so far, he hadn’t reached out to heal the breach between him, Viper, Rider, and the club.
He would have apologized months ago for his hot-headed reaction that had him giving his jacket back, but the reason he hadn’t was why he sneaking in the back door to talk to Lucky. During Gavin’s time in Treepoint, Memphis had been a frequent visitor. He’d helped out checking deliveries, making sure that the construction crews arrived on time, and staying at the inn—making sure none of the construction materials were stolen.
Gavin had been so busy overseeing the construction, he’d only allocated a twenty-minute morning meeting with Memphis each day to discuss the day’s activities. It was an arrangement that had worked, Gavin feeling that he was able to maintain his distance from The Last Riders, and Memphis being the one to update Viper. The fact he’d castigated himself by leaving the club worked to Memphis’s advantage—not only to line his pockets but to destroy the future of the club and its members.
Making his way across the front of the church, he froze in place when he heard movement from the back. Safeguarding his presence, he walked along the back of the pulpit, his feet silent as he moved to the side door where the choir usually sang.
As he was slipping through the door, he heard someone coming down the aisle. Going into the office, he closed the door behind him, frustrated that Lucky wasn’t there. He hadn’t wanted to use his cell phone, and he certainly didn’t want to be seen in the church, not wanting anyone to make a connection between him and Pastor Dean. He had been able to keep his connection to Pastor Dean a secret, and the last thing he wanted was to be caught and blow his cover. Only the original members of The Last Riders knew that Pastor Dean was actually Lucky, and Gavin wanted to keep it that way.
Deciding to call Lucky, he had just taken his phone out when he suddenly and explicably wanted to open the door. His senses went on alert. Every bone in his body called out to him to expose what was on the other side.
Wanting to know who it was, he reached for the doorknob, started to twist it, when he heard a scream on the other side, followed by sharp voice.
“What is taking you so long?” a female snapped.
Gavin couldn’t make out the next muttered words, but he could plainly hear the other one who didn’t care that she was raising her voice in a church.
“Now! I don’t have all night. I’ll text him when we get in the car. Next time, you can walk home.”
No longer able to ignore the surge of protection that was storming through his body, Gavin jerked the door open, finding the entryway empty. Heading to the main door, he looked out, seeing the back of a woman who he didn’t recognize and a young girl carrying a backpack while rushing to keep up. His gaze focused on the slight figure of the girl getting in the back seat of the car.
Instead of going back to Lucky’s office, he waited expectantly to see the girl’s face, telling himself that he just wanted to make sure she was okay. But deep down, the protectiveness he was experiencing unsettled him.
“Gavin, what are you doing here?”
Startled, he turned around to see Lucky had come up behind him. “Losing my fucking mind,” he was finally able to get out. No one had been able to sneak up behind him since his early days in the service.
“What?” Lucky looked at him strangely, confirming that he had gone crazy.
Ruefully shaking off the strange feeling, he took a last look out to see the car’s taillights as it pulled out of the parking lot.
“Did you need to talk to me about something?”
Gavin was grimly reminded of what he needed to discuss with Lucky. “You have a few minutes?”
“Not many. A parishioner’s family is waiting.”
“This won’t take long.”
Together, they went into Lucky’s office. Gavin di
dn’t talk until he closed the door.
“I don’t want you calling or texting me anymore.”
“Why?” Lucky asked, taking a seat behind his desk.
Gavin had his suspicions that the pipeline Lucky was investigating was going to hit The Last Riders close to home. He had no intention of alerting Lucky until he could prove that two of the men they called brothers were dirty. To do that, he had to limit his interactions with Lucky. If what he was thinking was true, there could be more than one brother involved, and he would have easy access to the communications between him and Lucky. Hell, if it was true, not only would Lucky be in danger, but the other agents on the case would be as well.
“I’ll let you know in a couple of days,” Gavin hedged.
“That’s it? I think we should call Viper and bring more brothers—”
“No!” That was the last thing they needed. If he or Lucky called and asked for more help, Gavin was worried it would be a red flag to Memphis and the other Last Rider he was trying to expose. They would cover their tracks and he would never be able to prove that they were involved in the pipeline and stealing from The Last Riders.
If he hadn’t been meticulous at making copies of every contract, they would have gotten away with it much longer than they were going to. Gavin blamed himself. If he hadn’t been so determined to prove to Viper that he could handle having the factory built, renovating the inn, and helping Lucky all by himself, Memphis and his accomplice’s shady activities would have been caught before their treachery resulted in more than just being outed by the club. When the truth came out, it would be a death sentence to all those involved.
The Last Riders had safeguarded the money they’d invested into building their business. Not only did they make money by manufacturing and selling survival equipment, but several members held patents, giving The Last Riders sole rights. Some of those patents were worth big money, which was why they’d taken out life insurance policies as a way to secure the company if anything happened to any of original members. It had been his fucking idea, and now he was regretting it. If Memphis was dirty enough to reassign the patents into his name, then he was dangerous enough to kill for the policies.
However, it had to take someone with knowledge of computers to forge documents and transfer the patents to his name. Memphis was useless on a computer, so whoever was helping him was a professional—he’d have to be in order to keep him or Viper in the dark. Knox and Crash were the two Last Rider’s with degrees in computer science, and both had the skills and access to the club’s correspondence.
Gavin would have the proof in a couple of days. He requested a copy of the transfer documents showing Memphis’s name on the patent. When he received it, he would have proof and would go to the club to talk to Viper, who he hadn’t talked to since their argument. The club was having a meeting this weekend, and he had every intention of informing his brother of Memphis’s treachery and healing the breach that had kept them apart. Until then, he needed to keep Lucky in the dark. There was too much at stake for either Knox or Crash to be alerted.
“I’ve got everything handled for now. I’m just being precautious. Viper must be rubbing off on me.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.” Trying to erase the worry in Lucky’s gaze, he changed the subject. “Going to Ohio on Friday. You want to tag along for the ride?”
“Don’t tempt me. I’m beginning to forget what my motorcycle looks like.”
Gavin could sympathize. When he left The Last Riders, not only had he given his jacket back but he had given up his motorcycle, the one he’d waited to buy until Viper left the service. He eventually bought a new one, but it didn’t hold the same meaning to him.
“Then come,” he urged. “Tell your parishioners you need a sabbatical or something for the weekend. You can stay at with me and Taylor if you’re afraid the club might be too much temptation for you.”
Lucky might be an undercover DEA agent, but the moment his friend had accepted the assignment and resumed being a pastor again, he had remained celibate. He took his vows seriously. That was why, when he had doubts about his ability to serve, he stepped away to give himself time to make his decision about a future without the church.
Gavin understood Lucky’s dilemma, being torn between his beliefs while wanting the freedom he wouldn’t have as a pastor. Gavin was torn between The Last Riders and Taylor. Neither fit together like he thought they should. As his wedding grew closer, he was doubting they ever would, especially if he healed the rift with Viper, which he planned to do. The Last Riders wouldn’t be the only ones he would have a straightforward talk with. Taylor had to be told that he planned to reinstate his membership, and that if she wanted to break off their engagement he would understand. Truthfully, Gavin didn’t know if it was last-minute doubts creeping into his mind as the wedding grew closer, or the truth of Rider’s words coming back to haunt him. He loved Taylor and wanted to marry her, but he wanted to be upfront that The Last Riders were going to be a part of their life together.
“I’ll see how the parishioner in the hospital is tonight and tomorrow. I’ll ride there with you, but I’ll have to be back by Sunday morning.”
“That’s cool. I’d ride back with you, but Taylor set up an appointment for a cake testing on Sunday. She’ll kick my ass if I don’t go. It makes our fourth go-around at trying to choose. I told her, if she doesn’t pick one this time, she’s going to get stuck making it herself from a box,” he joked, not showing any of his doubts to Lucky. “I’ll stop by sometime tomorrow to see if you want to go.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Shaking hands, Gavin went out the back, staying out of sight until he was far enough away from the church to walk on the sidewalk.
The president of the local bank had arranged for him to stay with his mother-in-law. He jumped at the opportunity once Vincent Bedford had introduced him to Mrs. Langley. It was within walking distance of the church and the sheriff’s office, and about a ten-minute ride to the factory he was overseeing being built.
Letting himself in the large house with his spare key, he walked into the formal living room to see Mrs. Langley watching a scary movie.
“Want some company?”
“I would love some. Would you like something to eat?”
Gavin took a seat on a chair. “No, thank you. I just had dinner at the diner.”
Seeing the woman was engrossed in her movie, he made no attempt to distract her. His mind went back to the church before Lucky had appeared. Whoever the young girl was, he felt sorry for her at being on the receiving end of that woman’s anger. Troubled, he planned to ask Lucky about them tomorrow.
“Are you up for part two?” Mrs. Langley asked, pointing her remote at the television.
“You sure you won’t have nightmares?” he teased.
“I take a sleeping pill every night. It’d take more than a zombie to wake me.”
“Then go for it.”
Gavin wanted to rip the letter he was holding to shreds. Instead, he neatly folded it and put it back in the envelope that had he’d received by certified mail minutes ago. He had all the proof he needed to talk to the club now.
He had already figured out Memphis was the one transferring the patents stock into his name; what he hadn’t known was who was helping him. Gavin hadn’t wanted any doubts about who was truly responsible. He held the evidence now, and Crash couldn’t argue his innocence. The letter he’d received held the forged document of Razer signing one of his inventions over to Memphis.
Putting the letter in his glove box, he closed it so hard it sprang back open. Closing it again, he got out of his rental car, locking it behind him. He just left the factory. If anyone was watching, they would assume he was on his way to the diner.
Crossing the main street, Gavin pretended interest perusing the shop windows until he could slip between two building and go the back way to the church. He could still be seen from a few buildings facing
the church, but most of those offices were empty or closed at five on the dot.
Going through the side door, he found Lucky in his office. He raised a questioning brow before closing the door.
“It’s cool. No one’s here. I have a tutoring session in twenty minutes, though. I’ll just text her to wait outside or in the church until you leave.”
He sat down on the edge of Lucky’s desk to stare down at him. “So, you tagging along or are you going to be lame and stay here for the weekend?”
“As much as I want to go, I can’t. The family of the sick parishioner needs me. The doctor told them he wasn’t going to make it. When I’m finished with the tutoring session, I’m going back to the hospital to spend the rest of the night with them.”
“Damn, I hate to hear that.”
Lucky cocked his head to the side. “That I’m not going or someone is dying?”
“Both. You’re a good man and an even better pastor.”
Lucky accepted the compliment with a wry smile. “I wish that were true. I have a way to go to reach your standard.”
Gavin’s head fell back as he laughed. “Brother, I’m as far as you can get from being a pastor.”
“You think so? You have a strong sense of right and wrong. There’s no middle ground for you. When you love someone, you have the unshakable belief that they share the same sense of right and wrong as you do. You’ll go that extra mile that no one else would go to prove you’re right. Brother, if I had your faith, this collar wouldn’t hang so tightly around my neck.”
“Pastor,” Gavin said sincerely, “that collar hangs just fine on you.”
Sighing, Gavin could see his friend wasn’t convinced. “I better go. If you change your mind, I’ll stop at the gas station in Jamestown tomorrow morning at ten. I’ll give you thirty minutes to show, in case you’re running late. You look like you could use some R&R.”
As Lucky was about to reply, they both looked toward the window, hearing someone singing outside. Gavin felt as if he had just taken a punch to the gut.
