Saving the Preacher's Daughter (Dogs of Fire: Savannah Chapter #1)

by Piper Davenport

  I was about to walk toward the kitchen when the doorbell rang again. I unlocked the door and found some asshole standing on Willow’s front porch. “Who the fuck are you?”

  “I’m Levi, Parker’s brother. Willow asked me to come and see if I could help.”

  “Right. Come in.”

  “Are you Dash?”

  “Yeah, man. Nice to meet you.”

  He shook my hand. “You too. Don’t know how I can help you, but I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Appreciate it.” I nodded and led him down the hall. “Willow’s talkin’ to a cop right—”

  “Which cop?” he asked, suddenly irritated, and passing me in the hallway.

  “Lisa,” I said as I followed him.

  “Hey, Willow,” he said, reaching the kitchen before me. “You good?”

  I didn’t like his protective tone. Exactly what the hell was going on between him and Willow?

  “Hi, Levi,” Willow said, closing the distance between them and hugging him... a little too long for my liking.

  “You doing okay?” Levi asked, holding her close.

  “Yeah, she’s good,” I said.

  Willow glanced at me in question and then released Levi. “I’m doing okay, Levi. Thanks.”

  I moved between them and squeezed her neck gently. “Need anything?”

  “I’m good, Dash.” She stared up at me, her eyes widening slightly. “Good. Got it?”

  I gave her a slight smile. “Got it, Willow.”

  “Do you, Dash?” she challenged.

  “Yeah. Moppin’ up what you’re spillin’.”

  “Good for you.” She smiled and pulled away from me. “Levi, can I get you anything?”

  “Do you have any coffee?”

  “Yeah, I can make some.”

  “I’ll take some if you’re offering,” Lisa said.

  “I’ll make it, Willow,” I said, and headed into the pantry.

  “I’ll show you where everything is.” Willow followed, boxing me in, standing on her tiptoes and giving me a quick kiss. “Thanks,” she whispered.

  I grinned. “For what?”

  “For protecting me... even though it’s not really needed.” She patted my chest. “I appreciate it.”

  “You trust these people?”

  “Very much so. Lisa’s a straight-shooter. I know you don’t trust the police, but she’s never lied to me, and also doesn’t like several of the people in power over her.”

  “Can’t imagine when she’d have a reason to lie to you.”

  “Me neither,” she conceded. “But I trust her and I will until she gives me a reason not to. Fair?”

  “Yeah, baby, fair.”

  She smiled. “Okay, here’s the coffee, you can figure out the coffee maker, I’m sure.”

  I leaned down and kissed her one more time. “Like that, Willow.”

  She smiled, her face pinkening. “Me too.”

  I let her leave, but took a minute to wipe the goofy grin off my face before grabbing the coffee and busying myself making a pot.

  * * *

  Willow

  I took a couple of quiet breaths as I made my way back to the sofa and sat across from Lisa. I was glad Levi was there, but he was watching me closely and I knew he’d pepper me with questions later. He was almost as protective of me and Jasmine as he was of Parker, so I knew he’d want some answers about Dash and the nature of our relationship.

  What it was, anyway.

  “Can you walk me through what happened?” Lisa asked.

  “I can try.”

  “Do you mind if I record it?”

  “It’s fine,” Levi said. “But if I don’t like the line of questioning, I’m going to stop the interview.”

  “Are you acting as Willow’s attorney, Mr. Powers?” Lisa asked.

  “Does she need one?” he challenged.

  “No.”

  “Then, no, I’m not. I’m acting as her friend who happens to be an attorney.”

  Lisa pulled out her recorder and pressed record. “Walk me through yesterday,” she guided. “Start at the beginning.”

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, glancing to my left when I felt the sofa dip. Dash sat beside me and wrapped an arm around my waist, giving me a bolstering smile. I relayed the story and tried my best not to break down. “I met Dad at the church a little after four. I was going to help him run through this Sunday’s sermon, and then help clean up after bible study. We had three, maybe four groups meeting that afternoon. I’ll get a full schedule from Elean...” I gripped Dash’s hand. “Oh, Eleanor, you poor thing.” I said, unsuccessfully fighting back tears. “I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” Lisa encouraged. “You’re doing great. What else do you remember?”

  “My father was standing at his desk and I was sitting in the big chair on the opposite side of the room. I was taking notes, offering my opinions, that sort of thing, when I heard two loud gunshots.”

  “How did you know they were gunshots?” Lisa asked.

  For some reason, this question made my arm burn and I laid my hand over the bandage. “I’ve lived in Georgia all my life, so I’ve been around hunters’ guns all my life. These were unmistakably gunshots, large caliber, and very close. My father must have known as well, because he immediately motioned for me to get in the closet. He was right behind me, and I thought he was going to get in as well, but he told me to be quiet, and before I could protest, shut the door just as his office door was kicked in.”

  “Did you see who kicked the door down?” Lisa asked.

  “No, I could only hear them at this point. My father asked him what he wanted, but the man just yelled at him to shut up and sit down. My father told him there was no money or valuables on church property, and then he shot him... in the knee.” Tears flooded my eyes again. “I could hear him drop to the floor... and he was in so much pain. I peeked through the slats in the door.”

  Dash squeezed my hand and pulled me close. “It’s okay Willow,” he said, his voice full of concern. “We can do this another time, can’t we?” He looked at Lisa.

  “The more information we can gather now, the better,” she said. “While the memories are fresh.”

  I took a deep breath. “It’s okay, I want to do this now... I need to.”

  “What else did the man say?”

  “My ears were ringing from the gunshot, but I heard him say something to Dad about Terrance... or... Torrance. It was Torrance, but my father said he didn’t want a part in any of it.”

  “What did he mean by that?”

  “I don’t know. I’d never heard the name before. I couldn’t make out everything they were saying, but I could tell my dad was starting to have trouble breathing. I opened the closet door shutters a little more, just enough to see a tall man, dressed in all black, with a ski mask, standing over him with a gun.”

  “You’re doing great. What happened then?”

  “The man told Dad this all would have gone a lot easier for him if he would have just signed. He said property around here was going for an arm and a leg, and then he... laughed and said since he’d already given a leg, why not an arm? Then he...shot him again... in the arm.”

  “You’d better hope your people find this sick son of a bitch before I do,” Dash said.

  “I’m going to pretend like I didn’t hear that,” Lisa said to him in an icy tone.

  “I was so scared, but I could hear Daddy crying out in pain, and just wanted to help him. My hand reached up to the door, just as a second man came in to the room. He asked the first man what the... “F” he was doing and then he shot my dad twice... and Daddy stopped moving. My hand went to my mouth to stop from screaming and that’s when I felt and saw that I had been shot. A bullet must have ricocheted and hit my arm.”

  “How did you end up at the bar?”

  “The two men left right after shooting my father, but I was frozen for a few seconds. I was unable to move or make a sound. I heard several more shots i
n the distance and that’s when I opened the door and went to my father. I must have been going into shock because I don’t remember entirely what happened after that, just snapshots. I remember running to the bar, and I remember Doc looking at my injuries and I remember Dash’s face.”

  “And you don’t have any idea who these men were, or what they wanted from your father?”

  “I don’t know anything.” I bit my lip. “I don’t know who or what Torrance is, why these men would kill two women, a child and a small-town church pastor, or how he’s wrapped up in any of this. Everything was okay Saturday morning. Why would they do this?”

  “That’s exactly what I plan to find out, Willow,” Lisa said, and shut off the recorder. “Okay, I think this is all I need for now.”

  “So, we can get Dash’s friends out of jail now?” I asked.

  “That’s not my call.”

  “Well, I’m coming down to the station to talk to the person whose call it is,” Levi said, standing. “They can’t hold them any longer without booking them, so they’re going to have to shit or get off the pot.”

  “I think that would be a good idea,” Lisa agreed.

  “Do you need me to come as well?” I asked.

  “No,” Levi said. “Dash, if you can give me a list of the guys, I’ll see what I can do.”

  “I’ll get you some paper,” I offered and headed to the kitchen.

  Dash followed and scratched out a few names, handing the list to Levi. Levi slid it into his pocket, set his coffee cup in the sink, and then walked Lisa out. I listened to my voicemail while Dash locked up, then met me in the kitchen again. I was busying myself at the sink, rinsing dishes.

  “Why don’t you leave those?” he asked.

  “Because I can’t deal with mess.”

  He smiled. “OCD. Got it.”

  “The coroner called.”

  “When?”

  “While I was talking to Lisa.” I rinsed a mug... again, then set it in the dishwasher. “They’re releasing my dad on Tuesday.”

  “Fuck, baby. You okay?”

  I shook my head.

  He walked around the island and guided me to his chest.

  I held my arms out. “My hands are wet.”

  “I don’t care,” he said, pulling me close. “You’re gonna tell me what they said while we stand here.”

  I took a deep breath. “They just said he’ll be released on Tuesday and I need to call to let them know where to send him.”

  “I’ll call some of those places, yeah?”

  I nodded.

  “Did your dad say what he wanted done?”

  I nodded again. “He left a living will. After Mama passed, he wanted me to be prepared. But how could I possibly be prepared for this?” I burst into tears and clung to him.

  He slid his hand into my hair and stroked my back. He said nothing, just held me and it was everything to me. I wrapped my arms around his waist and gripped him tight.

  “I’m sorry,” I rasped. “I keep crying all over you.”

  I tried to pull away, but he held firm. “What did I tell you?”

  “I know, but you didn’t really sign up for this.”

  He met my eyes. “I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

  “I’m giving you an out, Dash.”

  “I don’t want an out.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut. “We can’t start a relationship born out of tragedy.”

  “You don’t think?”

  “I can’t have you bailing in the middle, Dash.”

  “Do I look like I’m bailin’?”

  “If—”

  “I’m not goin’ anywhere, Willow.” He raised my head and wiped my tears away. “Look at me, Willow. I want you to see me.”

  I took a deep breath and stared at him.

  “I’m here.” He cupped my face. “For as long as you need and want me. I’m not Brad—”

  “I know you’re not Brad.”

  He tapped my temple gently. “In here, you know I’m not Brad.” He moved his hand to my chest, just above my heart. “But I need you to know here.”

  I nodded, tears streaming down my face. “I want to.”

  He smiled. “That’s a good first step. Second step is to move forward assuming I’ll be there... ’cause I will.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay.” He kissed me gently. “When you’re feeling better, find the will and I’ll help you make the arrangements.”

  I sagged against him. “Thank you.”

  He gave me a gentle squeeze. “You’re welcome.”

  Willow

  Three weeks later...

  Everything was over. At least the release of the pseudo-innocent and the burying of the people we loved the most. My dad had insisted his body be donated to science, so that was what I did. I’d always been philosophical about death... our bodies were simply the vessel for our real person... our soul, but admittedly, it was strange not having a place to go where he physically was.

  Eleanor and Taylor were buried side-by-side, so I found myself visiting their graves several times... and talking to my dad.

  Richard Waters had insisted on a memorial service, and his wife planned the entire event... and what an event it was. It was over the top and gauche, and I knew my dad would have hated it. But I was numb. I didn’t care, so I just let them do whatever the heck they wanted. This wasn’t about me, after all. I was grieving... in private, but others needed to grieve in public, and I understood that.

  Brad had come with his parents and they’d fussed over me in the most skin-crawling way. He’d inserted himself in the family pews and I didn’t miss Dash giving me space. The problem was, I didn’t want space. I wanted him.

  The pain in my arm was replaced by an annoying itch. I was grateful that (at the very least) the itch wasn’t constant, but it was annoying as heck. I had a really fabulous scar (said no girl ever), and I wasn’t particularly happy that I wouldn’t be able to wear spaghetti straps... or anything sleeveless until the scar faded.

  I’d been informed by my father’s lawyer that, not only was the house mortgage-free, he’d left me a life insurance policy worth $900,000. Even my college tuition and books were paid up to date. To say I was surprised was an understatement. We’d never been rich, never had a whole lot of money for extras, but now I could afford to breathe.

  Hatch had waited to return home until after the memorial service (Maisie had even flown in for the day before and day after), which I thought was unbelievably kind of them. It was like Hatch knew I needed the kind man who’d showed me his motorcycle so many years ago. He certainly stepped into a fatherly role as I took the time to remember mine. He stayed close (as did Dash) and ushered me away when he could tell I was about to lose it... and yet, no word from Brad. I wouldn’t have been able to get through any of this without this “degenerate” biker club, and I was beginning to rethink several things I’d been led to believe.

  Dash was still ‘here.’ He’d made sure I wasn’t alone, having gone so far as to form a tight bond with my two best friends. Jasmine and Parker adored him, and even Levi had come to respect him (although, Dash was never okay with him and I being alone). It was almost as though Dash had some kind of scheduling system to ensure someone was always with me when he couldn’t.

  Tonight was the exception. Dash had something to do with the club and Jasmine, Parker, and Levi had previous engagements, which meant I would need to figure out how to be alone for a few hours. Although I’d insisted all was good in an attempt to force Dash to do what he needed to do, I turned every light on in the house and walked the perimeter checking locks at least three times before I headed to bed.

  I’d promised I’d text Dash before I fell asleep, so I did, but now I was awoken by the sound of what I thought might be footsteps.

  I listened for a few seconds and all was silent, so I settled back into the pillows.

  Creak.

  I sat up, grabbed my phone, and for some weird reason, I smoothed my bed. I tend
ed to sleep in one spot all night, so my bed always looked neat, but I wanted it to look as though it wasn’t slept in. I moved as quietly as I could to my closet and closed myself in, texting Dash, and then dialing 9-1-1.

  “9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

  “My name is Willow Miller, I think someone’s in my house,” I whispered.

  “What’s your address?”

  I whispered the address, then squeezed my eyes shut.

  “Stay on the line with me, but you don’t have to speak,” the kind woman said. “I’m sending an officer to your house.”

  It felt like I was in the dark forever. My heart raced and my stomach roiled, not knowing what was going on (if anything). I’d never been so scared in my life and all I wanted was for Dash to find me and make me feel safe again.

  * * *

  Dash

  “Fuck!” I hissed, my heart racing as I read the text from Willow.

  “What’s up?” Badger asked.

  “Someone’s in Willow’s house. I gotta go, man.”

  “Go. I got this.”

  I nodded and headed out the back of the bar, climbing onto my bike and racing to Willow’s. I parked just down the street so the pipes wouldn’t alert the asshole in the house and then I ran.

  I had a key so I let myself in as quietly as I could, not happy that every light in the house was on. Next time I wouldn’t listen to her about being ‘fine’ on her own for a few hours. Fuck!

  I walked through the house, discovering the screen to the back window had been cut and the window forced open, but no other indication that someone had been here... and they were gone now. I slid my gun back into my holster and headed upstairs.

  “Willow?” I called as I approached her bedroom. “Baby, it’s me.”

  “In here,” she rasped.

  I pulled open her closet and swore. She’d made herself as small as she could in the corner, wearing nothing but a cami and pair of panties. I squatted down and held my hand out. “You’re safe, baby.”

  She shot out of the closet so fast, I fell on my ass as I caught her. “Hey, I’ve got you.”

  She wrapped her legs around me and I tried not to react. Her pussy was pressed against me with only a thin layer of cotton between us.

  “I might be overreacting, but I was so scared,” she whispered against my neck, even as she held me tighter.