“I called them,” he shrugged. “Might as well get our moment of glory, right?”
“Randolph!” I said. “That’s so wrong!”
The lights and cameras were already rolling as Randolph gleefully put the cuffs on Alton and shoved him in the back of a cruiser.
“You’re a real asshole, you know that?” I said to him after he closed the door.
“Thanks for the compliment, Parrotti,” he said, winking at me.
“Here,” I said, gently pushing Sunshine his way. “Take the dog. And take her home, don’t take her to the shelter!”
I walked back to my car in disgust, shaking my head and ignoring the barrage of questions being hurled at me from the reporters.
CHAPTER 35
THE FALLEN GOD
When I arrived back at the clubhouse, everyone was crowded around the television.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“They arrested someone,” Cherry said.
“For what?”
“For the murders.”
“What do you mean, they arrested someone? Already?”
“Already?” Slade asked, looking over his shoulder. “Dude, they killed four people.”
“Right,” I said. Slade went back to watching the television and I stood there, dumbfounded.
“Look how hot my old lady is,” Slade said. “I can’t get enough of watching her on television.”
“She is hot,” Cherry said. “You’re a lucky man, Slade.”
“I sure as hell am,” he said. “That Alton fellow, though, his fucking goose is cooked.”
“Why do they think he did it?” I asked, growing more irritated by the moment, as I watched them replay the footage of his arrest. He looked as bewildered as I was.
“Well, they didn’t release it to the public yet, so don’t say anything outside of this room, but Diana told me the rumor is that they found the first dead girl’s ring in his house.”
“Her ring?” I asked, my eyes wide. I’d left that ring on her finger. Fuck, I’d even thought about taking it and selling it, but I remembered what my old man had said about making sure there was no evidence and I left it there.
So that old coot took the ring? What a prick.
And now, there he was, getting arrested for my hard work.
The sense of unfairness was overwhelming.
I wasn’t done.
In fact, I’d only gone halfway. I’d only managed to kill four women so far and I wasn’t ready to stop. Making my old man proud, being like him, finally measuring up to something important — I couldn’t just let that all go.
“We’re here at the Roadhouse Bar and Motel, just down the street from the location the first body was dumped.” Slade’s wife reported, her pretty little mouth all pert and smiling as she talked about the murders. “The FBI reports that there are no other suspects at this time. They’ll be holding a press conference soon to update the public on their findings, but they do believe they’ve apprehended the Tillamook area killer.”
I watched her lips move, watched her pretty blonde hair bobbing around her face, the veins in her neck poking out as she turned her head to interview Joe, the bartender.
“Has the arrest of Mr. Alton made the locals feel any better?” she asked him.
“Sure, we were all worried who would be next,” he replied.
“That’s good to hear,” she said. “Back to you, Mitch.”
My cock hardened as I imagined wrapping my fingers around that fragile neck of hers. The skin looked soft as velvet and I longed to see what she looked like with big, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.
No, I wasn’t done.
In fact, I was far from it.
And I was pretty sure I’d just found my next victim.
I licked my lips, my eyes widening with desire as I watched her smile one last time at the camera, her eyes bright, her smile so fucking pure it almost hurt to look at.
“That’s my girl,” Slade said, switching off the television. The crowd broke up and I lingered for a few minutes.
“It’s late,” I asked, sidling up to Slade as he slugged a beer on the porch. “Is Diana coming here to the clubhouse tonight?”
“No,” Slade said. “She’s staying at the motel with the news crew. Our son’s at his grandmother’s. I’m going to hang here with Riot for a while and head over there in a few hours.”
“Cherry’s right, you know. You’re very lucky,” I said. “She’s beautiful.”
“She sure is,” he laughed, passing me a joint. “I don’t know what she’s doing with an ugly fucker like me.”
“You aren’t so bad,” I said, taking a hit.
He smiled and looked over at me with a smirk.
“You aren’t so bad yourself, brother,” he said. “What are you up to tonight?”
“I’m not sure yet,” I said. “Now that this is all over, I might go spread my wings a little. See if I can stir up a little trouble or something.”
“Ah,” he smiled. “I remember those days. I spread my wings so far I soared to the heavens!”
We burst out laughing together.
“Seems like you got something much better now, though.”
“You bet your ass I do,” he said, taking the joint back. “Have a good time, man. Slap a little ass for me, will ya? And be careful on the flight down. The higher you fly, the harder you fall. The mighty fall hard, you know.”
“Will do, brother,” I said, laughing. “Will do.”
CHAPTER 36
DONNA
“Valerie, I wanted to be the first one to tell you we arrested a suspect,” I said. “Unfortunately, someone leaked it to the press before I could call.”
“It’s okay,” Valerie said, her voice quiet and low on the phone. “I’m just glad you got him. He’s the one that had my sister’s ring?”
“Yes.”
“Okay,” she replied. “Thank you so much, Agent Parrotti.”
“It’s my pleasure,” I said, even though I didn’t feel one ounce of pleasure. I wasn’t convinced Alton killed those women.
“Oh, Agent Parrotti?”
“Yes?”
“I remembered the song,” she said. “The one he was whistling. Maybe it doesn’t matter anymore, but it was stuck in my head and I couldn’t remember where I’d heard it. Then this morning the TV was on in the waiting room of my counselor’s office and I heard it.”
“It’s from a television show?”
“Yes, a really old one, that’s why I didn’t know it. The Andy Griffith Show. It’s the opening theme song.”
“Ah, yes, I know it,” I said. “Thank you, Valerie. It might still be important.”
“Okay, good,” she said. “Thank you again.”
“Take care of yourself,” I said, before hanging up.
Walking over to the closet, I pulled out my suitcase and began packing. Now that this was all over, it was time for me to go home. I was more than ready to sleep in my own bed again, to try to think about something other than this case. Today had been another long day and I’d already paid for my room through the night and the thought of driving home in the dark tonight was not appealing at all. The last thing I needed to do was fall asleep behind the wheel.
I finished packing and headed over to the bar, my thoughts quickly turning to Nate. The parking lot was filled with press vehicles and there were people milling around everywhere. I strolled across the parking lot, well aware of the eyes on me. I’d kept the press at arm’s length, barely answering their questions. They knew I had the answers, but I couldn’t provide them.
We weren’t there yet.
So many details about the case were still classified. It didn’t matter that Alton was in custody. We still had to go before the judge and present our case and I didn’t need loose lips sinking the case before it even got started.
I opened the door and all eyes turned my way. Startled, I paused at the door just as a slow round of applause began, before turning into a raucous roar of c
heers.
“What the hell?” I murmured.
“Drinks are on the house, Agent Parrotti!” Joe said, from behind the bar.
“Why?” I asked.
“You caught the guy! You’re our fuckin’ hero!” A drunk man at the end of the bar called out. I smiled hesitantly, putting up a hand.
“I’m no hero,” I protested.
“As far as we’re concerned, you are,” Joe said. “Now, what can I get you?”
“Whiskey with a beer chaser?” I asked.
“Coming right up!” he barked. I sat at the end of the bar, feeling completely conspicuous as mercifully, one by one, the others turned their eyes away and went back to their drinks and friends. Joe slid my drinks in front of me, just as Nate walked up and sat next to me.
His presence penetrated straight to my bones.
“Looks like you’re the most popular person in town tonight,” he said, flashing me that disarming smile.
“I suppose so,” I said. “Really, it’s unwarranted. I didn’t really do much.”
“Well, you stopped the murders,” he said, ordering a beer from Joe.
“I didn’t,” I said. “I just put someone behind bars, that’s all.”
“Well, you wouldn’t have done it if you didn’t have some good evidence, right?”
I nodded slowly, wishing I could talk to him.
“What’s wrong? You don’t seem so confident.”
I bit my lip, shaking my head.
“That doesn’t look good,” he said, wrinkling his brow.
“I’m just not sure we got the right guy,” I whispered, leaning over to him to make sure nobody else heard me.
“Oh,” he nodded. “Well, I guess you’ll know soon enough, right?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if there’s another body, then you’ll know it’s not Alton, right?”
“Yes,” I said. “Even if there isn’t, I still won’t be sure. There’s a lot of loose ends. Some other evidence that doesn’t match up.”
“Evidence? I thought you didn’t find anything?”
“Well, it’s mostly clues that I can’t really use from the girl that lived. She said the killer whistled the theme song from Andy Griffith.”
“I know that song,” he said, his eyes lighting up.
“Yeah,” I shrugged. “Hard to use that kind of info in an investigation.”
“Makes sense,” he said.
“Did she remember anything else?”
“Not really,” I said. “Not yet. A lot of times, victims don’t remember anything for weeks.”
“Poor girl. Do you think she’s going to be okay?” he asked. “She looked pretty torn up when she showed up at the clubhouse.”
“I hope so,” I said. “I really do.”
“I don’t know how you do it, Donna,” Nate said.
“Sometimes, neither do I,” I replied, with a weary smile.
“Is there anything I can do to make things better for you?” he asked, the heat rolling off of him and washing over me.
There were so many damned things he could do, but what could I say? Could I really just ask for what I wanted so bluntly? Dare I be so bold?
I looked down at the shot of whiskey in front of me and downed it, then asked for another and downed that one, too. Nate looked on in amusement. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, the warmth of the liquor drowning out my fears.
“There is something you can do, actually,” I said.
“Name it,” he demanded, his dark blue eyes peering deeply into mine.
“Wait ten minutes,” I whispered, still fully aware I was being watched by the others. “Room 178.”
He smirked, his eyes dilated and he nodded slowly. I bit my lip and flashed him a bold smile before throwing a tip for Joe on the bar and striding out, ignoring all the questioning eyes that followed me.
CHAPTER 37
THE FALLEN GOD
I sat in my van in the parking lot of the Roadhouse.
Waiting.
Watching.
There was a lot more activity than I anticipated. People streamed in and out of the bar, wandering around the parking lot and back and forth to their rooms. The air was almost festive as they chattered about Alton’s arrest.
Parked under a tree, hidden in the darkness, my eyes trailed Slade’s old lady as she flittered around like a butterfly, animatedly chatting to her peers like she was at a company Christmas party.
Why was everyone so damned happy?
The idiots caught the wrong fucking guy and now Otis Alton was locked up behind bars taking credit for something I’d created. My anger had risen to biblical proportions throughout the day, crescendoing to this moment, this rage, this outright fury that had seized me with obsessive purpose.
There was only one way to show these assholes how wrong they were and that was to kill one of their own.
Each person that Diana walked up to greeted her with a sincere smile. It was obvious she was well-liked and popular. For that reason alone, she’d be great. The fact that Slade and the Gods would be devastated when she died was just icing on the cake.
The press would have a fucking field day.
They had no idea the gift I was about to hand them.
I waited a long while until the parking lot started to clear of people, most of them disappearing into the bar. As it turned out, it appeared lady luck was shining down on me, because as the moon rose high and clear in the sky, the perfect opportunity appeared.
Diana waved goodbye to her friends as they walked into the bar and I watched with glorious glee as she began walking back to her room. She stopped in the parking lot and pulled out her phone, the light from the screen illuminating her lovely face as she began texting.
I jumped out of the van, quiet as a cat, as I strolled towards her. My mouth watered as I neared, ecstatic that we were now the only two people in the parking lot. I scanned the windows of the rooms, the surrounding cars, delighting in the fact that the universe had provided for me so sweetly, so abundantly.
This was meant to be, I thought, as I neared Diana.
This was all playing out the way it was supposed to.
My cock twitched in my jeans, the anticipation running through my veins and giving me a high sweeter than any drug ever could. I was only feet away now, her head still bent toward her phone as her fingers flew over the screen.
I stopped, pausing a quick second to drink in the moment, inhaling the thick scent of her perfume.
My hand reached out, my fingertips inches from her soft hair.
The ground shook with a mighty vibration as a bike rounded the corner and quickly turned into the parking lot. I slunk away quickly, disappearing into the shadows as Slade parked his bike and pulled off his helmet, running over to Diana and pulling her into his arms.
“I’m so glad to see you, baby,” Diana said, her voice filled with unadulterated joy.
I watched with pulsing, white-hot anger ripping through my body as he pulled her towards her room, his face awash in unmistakable lust, as he closed the door behind them.
“Goddammit,” I seethed, still hiding in the shadows, trying to control my rage.
Failure was not an option. Not tonight. No matter what, I was going to show everyone that they were wrong, so very fucking wrong, and that they’d not defeated me, not even close.
But if I didn’t have a victim, I couldn’t do that.
Luckily, I had a bar full of people to choose from. It didn’t have to be Diana, as sweet as that would have been. It could be anybody, really.
I began to head towards the bar just as the door opened. I stopped in my tracks when I saw the FBI lady walking out with a smile as wide as Texas.
Of course, I thought.
Even better…
Taking a step back into the shadows, I watched to see which room she was in. She turned a corner and I peaked around, watching her unlock her door and enter the room.
This was going to be easy.
/> Way too easy.
My heart soared with possibilities as I headed back to my van for supplies.
I guess that’s how it goes, huh? Sometimes, just when you think the universe is taking something away, it gives you an even bigger and better gift.
I looked up at the stars, thanking them for providing for me so richly. I grabbed my tattoo kit, some rope, my mask and my gun and began heading towards her room.
The door to the bar opened and I jumped back when I saw Nate walk out. He and Eli came here almost every night, so I waited in the shadows for him to jump on his bike and go back home.
But he didn’t.
He walked right past his bike and straight to the FBI lady’s room and knocked once. I watched in frustration as she opened the door, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into the room.
“Motherfucker,” I growled.
I had to do something to make this right. But after all that adrenaline pumping through my veins, and no release in sight, I was now drained. The thought of staking out someone else this late was discouraging and frankly, exhausting.
“Fuck this,” I muttered, as I put my van in gear and drove back to my storage space where I’d left my bike.
I headed back to the clubhouse for a good night’s sleep.
Tomorrow would be a good day for killing, just as good as any day.
Later, in the darkness, I struggled to ignore the disappointment-filled eyes of my old man that haunted me for the rest of the night.
CHAPTER 38
DONNA
Nate’s hands ran over my naked skin like he’d already memorized every curve. He touched me like he knew me, like he’d known me forever.
His kiss told me he wouldn’t stop until I begged him to. My fingers tangled in his hair, pulling his head down, his mouth closer, pressing every hard, rippling inch of him against every soft inch of me.
“I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you, Donna,” he growled, tearing his mouth from mine as he gazed down at me with heavy, lusty eyes. I lay on the bed beneath him, our clothes having fallen away the moment the door closed, hastily ripped off in our moment of desperation and discarded in a tangled heap on the carpet.
FALLEN GOD_GODS OF CHAOS MC_BOOK EIGHT Page 12
