by Eve R. Hart
CHAPTER SEVEN
Bridget
I stomped my way back to Lake’s room. Yes, I knew it was childish and maybe a tad bit pointless, but I still did it. I had to get my frustration out somehow and as much as I felt like punching something, I knew it was best to just tuck that feeling away. It seemed like Lake was already scared enough of me and my fists.
Once I reached his room, my aggravation and frustration blew up as I tried to turn the door handle only to find it locked. My open palm met the hard metal and I let out a very angry warrior growl. I wasn’t proud about it but it did make me feel slightly better.
With a sigh, I turned around and plopped down onto my ass.
At least I had my mostly charged phone on me. I dreaded making the call to Art but I had put it off long enough. I was sure he was worried about me.
Maybe.
Just a little bit.
“Atwater Private Investigators.”
He always answered the phone the same way, no matter if it was his desk phone or his cell. And he never looked at who was calling.
“Hey, Art, it’s me,” I said and I could hear the dread in my tone.
“You made it, kid?”
“Yeah, I made it.” Just barely, but whatever. “One problem though, my car broke down when I got here.”
“Oh,” he grunted.
“Yeah, so I might be stuck here for a while because I don’t even have a way to get around right now and well…”
“Yeah, I got it,” he replied because he understood just how tight things were right now. “Can you get it fixed?”
“Sure,” I said, somehow managing to sound confident in that. “But it will take like a week.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Yep.” And I waited for it because I knew he couldn’t resist saying something.
“Told you to trade that shit-bucket in before it broke down on you.”
“I know, Art. I know.”
“So what are you going to do?” he asked though I sort of felt like he was only half listening for the answer.
“I don’t know,” I said with a sigh.
“You’ll figure it out,” he mumbled before I had the chance to say it myself.
“I always do.” I let out a little laugh.
“Keep me updated, kid.”
“I will.”
Then he was gone. He wasn’t one to linger and the man hated to talk on the phone more than anyone.
My head fell against the rough wall behind me and I didn’t even fight my lids as they fell closed. The air was cool but the sun was warm on my legs.
I had absolutely no idea how I was going to get out of this. No clue how I was going to pay to have my car fixed. Or where I was going to get the money to stay at a motel. Or how I was going to get back home. I almost wished Art would have turned this case down especially since it was so far from home.
A sigh escaped me as I thought about the woman that was looking for her half-sister. I got why he didn’t want to turn the case down. This was one of the good ones and I really wanted to help the woman out.
I heard footsteps approaching from my right but I didn’t open my eyes. They weren’t hurried or threatening sounding, so I didn’t even bother. I slid my feet back and tucked my legs against my body so I wouldn’t be in the way.
“Door locked?” His voice had a ring of amusement in it.
“No, I thought it would be comfortable to take a nap out here. This cold concrete feels really good on my ass.”
His laugh was a welcomed sound. It was the thing I needed right now and I cracked an eye open to witness the sight that went along with it.
Lake’s blue eyes shined down on me with a strange kind of twinkle in them. It was almost like he was giddy or excited about something. And the way he was bouncing on the balls of his feet made me think there was something going on that I wasn’t clued into. Maybe he had some good news about my car. I could only hope that it wasn’t as bad as he originally thought. But part of me knew that was just wishful thinking.
“So…” he said sounding faintly like a shy little kid. “I got something I want to run by you. You want to talk about it out here or step into the room where it’s a little warmer?”
I had to admit that my ass was starting to feel like I was sitting on a block of ice.
“Okay,” I said with a sigh as I stood up. “Inside. And don’t judge me if I jump under the covers right away. I’m not used to the cold.”
He laughed again as he unclipped a set of keys from his belt loop and unlocked the door, then held it open so I could step inside.
True to my word, I kicked off my shoes and literally dove onto the bed and under the covers.
“So I talked to Iron and we want to help you out. You can stay here if you want. And we’ll work on the car thing once I have some prices figured out. I know you have work to do so Iron said you could borrow one of the club SUVs or we have a sixty-two Oldsmobile Starfire that is up for sale. Prez says you can use it as long as you don’t mess it up.”
“That sounds… old and maybe sexy. Is it a sexy car?” I had no clue what it might look like and I also knew I wouldn’t be taking that one. It sounded like a classic and I would feel too nervous driving it around.
“It’s a sexy car, yeah.”
Why did it sound like he always had a hint of amusement in his tone when answering my questions? I mean, I kind of liked it because… well, I had no clue. Maybe I just liked that he seemed at ease around me and he was really nice to talk to.
“I’m not too prideful to accept help, so thank you. Just anything with wheels will do. Well, four wheels. I feel like I need to specify that with you.” I let a small smile tip up the corners of my lips. “One question. Well, one for now. If I sleep here, where are you going to sleep?”
“Don’t you worry about that,” he replied and I could tell I wouldn’t have been happy about the answer if he had told me.
I didn’t want to kick him out of his room, I wasn’t that shitty of a person. Did they really have so many members that all these rooms were full? Did all of them live here too? Wow, that was… a lot.
I went to open my mouth to tell him that I wasn’t comfortable with that but snapped it closed when he shook his head at me. It was like he knew what I was going to say.
“There has to be some kind of compromise here if you really want me to stay.” I figured that was better than outright denying him. I got this strange feeling like he needed me to stay more than wanted me to, but I couldn’t even understand why.
“Half the time I’m not even here during the night. And I rarely sleep so it’s not that big of a deal.”
“Oh,” I said wide-eyed. I got it. I mean, he was attractive in that cute way and I had no doubt that he didn’t have trouble finding another bed to crash in. “I get it. That’s cool. Hey, if I had that option I’d probably take it too.”
I winced as the words left my mouth.
“What?” he asked looking at me like I was talking crazy. “Wait. No. That’s not what I meant… I mean, not that I don’t enjoy… you know what, we should not talk about this.”
We both looked away from each other and an uncomfortable silence swirled in the air around us.
“I’m sorry. This is awkward,” he said and I could feel his eyes on me. “I do stuff for the club at night since I usually don’t sleep. I just don’t want you to think… I’m not that much of an asshole that would boast about… that kind of thing in front of you.”
“I mean,” I said with a shrug, “I don’t see where it matters. Everyone does it, right?” A dry laugh fell from my lips and I wasn’t sure why I felt so uneasy right now. “I certainly do. Like sometimes. You know…”
“Well, yeah,” he said almost too quickly. “I’d imagine so. You’re…”
“What?” I said looking at him with my brow cocked.
“You know.”
“No, I don’t.” Was I fishing for a compliment? Maybe. I was also super curious as to what
he thought of me, for some reason.
“You’re pretty. And funny. And stuff.” He shifted and looked away as he scratched the back of his neck like he was nervous.
“Stuff? Oh, Lake, just what every girl wants to hear.” I laughed and tossed a pillow at him which he batted away with cat-like reflexes.
“Okay, I should go back to work now that everything is all settled. Here is the key to the room.” He started to work it off his key ring. “I just ask that I can take a shower and stuff at some point.”
“Yeah, not a problem,” I rushed to say. “Just let me know and I’ll find an elsewhere to be.”
“Thanks. And let me know when you need to go somewhere, I’ll find something for you to drive.”
He handed me the key then headed for the door.
“Lake,” I said and swallowed the lump clogging my throat. I couldn’t believe how I’d gotten so lucky. I honestly had no clue what I would have done if I had ended up somewhere else. I had a feeling I would have been stranded here for a long time trying to find a side job to make enough money just to get me home. “Thank you. And thank Iron too. It really means a lot to me.”
“It’s not a big deal. And you should tell him yourself. He’s kinda scary looking but he has a soft spot for lost souls.”
With a chin jerk, he was out the door and gone from my sight.
I sat there for a long moment wondering how the fuck I’d stumbled upon such luck. Sure, yeah, maybe it wasn’t the best place to find myself at but then again, they had shown me nothing but kindness. After the whole gun thing anyway. And it wasn’t like all motorcycle clubs were full of asshole men that did outlaw things. I knew there were some out there that actually did a lot of good for the community.
My dad had taught me better than to judge someone right away and I was a little ashamed of the first thoughts that I’d had.
I shook it off knowing full well that I needed to get started on the case. Since my laptop was in my car and I wasn’t feeling the walk all the way back to the garage just yet, I settled for using my phone.
I pulled out my notebook, which I did have on me, and found a pen somewhere in the depths of the bottom of my bag. I started with a list.
The first thing I had to do was find the main police department headquarters. I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes and Dad had always taught me that when I went to a different city, it was always best to not only let them know I was there but try to get on their good side. You never knew when making a friend might come in handy, that was for sure.
After I wrote down the address to the closes precinct, I moved on to the notes in the file. Art didn’t have a lot for me which I knew was sometimes how things went.
“So. Long lost sister. Well, half-sister.” I tended to talk things out loud when I was working on a case. For some reason, it helped me to remember everything better. “Looking for a Roberta Banks.”
From what I knew the woman was in her early thirties but Art couldn’t find a birth certificate for her so her true age was unknown. I had an address but he wasn’t sure if it was a place of employment or a home.
I searched for the address and used Google Maps to see the street view. It only confused me further. Maybe I had been so trigger-happy that I didn’t really stop and get enough information. Then again, I knew Art, and while he wasn’t all that tech savvy, he knew how to get enough to handle a case like this. So, really, I had no reason to question what he gave me. It just meant that I’d have to get down and dirty and do some groundwork. I knew that meant long nights of sitting on my ass watching and waiting. I was no stranger to that activity but that didn’t mean it was my favorite thing to do.
A quick search for her name did nothing.
I kind of felt like I was going in blind here.
I looked at the building again and while I wasn’t sure how long ago this picture was taken, I could tell that it was one of those buildings that not only looked vacant but would remain that way for a very long time.
I got a strange feeling in my gut but I couldn’t explain it. Something felt off but then again, I was probably just stressed to hell and frustrated that I had like jack shit to go on.
I tucked my notes away and put my phone on the charger. Then I decided to take a nap because I knew it was probably going to be a long night.
A knock at the door woke me a little while later. I sat up, the room completely dark now, and tried my best to shake off the disoriented feeling that swirled in my head.
“Hold on,” I called out and tossed the covers off. “Who is it?”
“It’s Lake,” he replied through the closed door and I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Right!” He probably was done with work now and wanted to use the shower. Which meant that I needed to get ready to hightail it out of here. “Hey,” I breathed out as I pulled open the door.
“Uhhhh….” His jaw hung open as the sounds seemed to push themselves out of his throat.
“Oops! Sorry,” I said rushing back to the side of the bed and pulling my pants up my legs with lightning speed, then getting my shirt on with the same quickness. What could I say, it was more comfy to sleep in a bra and panties. “Close your mouth before you catch flies.”
I shot him a smile and I could tell he was frozen in place right there just over the threshold.
His jaw snapped shut and he looked away embarrassed. It was kind of adorable. I knew he’d seen a woman naked before, probably many, so I didn’t know why he would be all red-faced about it.
“I just… shower.”
“You just shower?” I asked dumb-like.
“Shower,” he said unmoving. “I need to do the shower thing and all. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“Yeah, no biggie. It’s part of our deal.”
I watched him for a beat and he refused to look at me.
“You can come in, you know,” I stated humorously.
“Yeah, I know. It’s just such a lovely night and all…”
“Lake,” I said doing my best to catch his attention. “This is your place, please don’t make me feel weird by you acting all weird.”
“This is strange for me,” he said with a half-smile as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. I got it. Like it wasn’t strange for me too? Come on. This was just one weird, fucked-up situation. “I’m not used to having people in my space and I want to respect your privacy. Maybe we should make a schedule or something.”
“Just go take a damn shower,” I said shoving him in the direction of the bathroom.
“Hey,” he said suddenly, turning towards me making me pause and give him my full attention. “There’s dinner down in the kitchen. I was going to head that way after I was done.”
“Cool,” I said smoothly. Was he offering me food? Did he want me to wait for him?
“If you want to wait for me, I’ll walk down with you and we could… maybe eat together.”
I laughed and shook my head. Honestly, I wasn’t normally this awkward and I blamed it on Lake. He seemed to throw me off kilter and I just couldn’t figure out what he wanted or where he was coming from.
“As long as you promise to keep your naked bits in that bathroom, then I have no problem waiting for you. I am kinda hungry.”
He nodded then walked over to the tall dresser against the wall. I flopped down on the bed as he dug out some clothes.
“So, tell me what you need,” he said like ten minutes later as he emerged from the steamy bathroom fully dressed but his hair was still wet.
“I have a place to stakeout tonight, so if I could borrow a car or whatever, that would be great. I’ll fill it up when I’m done, I promise.”
He chuckled and shook his head.
“Not a big deal but nice of you to offer.”
We started walking out of the room and I made sure I had the key before the door closed behind us.
I walked right beside him to the main part of this place not even thinking how strange it didn’t feel walkin
g beside him like we knew each other well.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Lake
What could I say about Bridget?
Well, honestly, she confused the hell out of me.
And for some damn reason, I felt so awkward around her like I couldn’t ever say the right thing and I was constantly putting my foot in my mouth.
But then there were moments like this.
As we sat there in the half-full dining area eating meatloaf that tasted amazing, we talked like we were old friends. There wasn’t a strange stumbling over words and accidental glances at her chest area.
Bridget was unlike anyone I had ever met, that was for sure. She was funny and odd. But odd in a way that not only kept me on my toes but made me laugh too. She was kind of like a breath of fresh air.
As much as I didn’t know what to think about her, I could tell she didn’t know what to do with me too. She came off as confident but there were times I saw her stumble just like me. Which made me feel a little less alone in this awkward dance we had going on.
However, I didn’t think beyond all of that.
I couldn’t really afford to because it wasn’t like she was going to stick around. She had a life, a business, in another state, no less. And me, well, even if I had some kind of feelings or whatnot towards her, I would never leave my club. I knew that and so there was no sense in even entertaining the idea. This was my home and these people were my family. I knew what I was getting into and I did it knowing that I’d be here for life. Not because I was stuck but because there was no other place for me. I truly believed that and I would die believing that.
After we ate, I set her up with one of the SUVs, made sure she had my number programmed in her phone in case she ran into any problems, and then sent her on her way. I asked if Iron wanted me to follow her, but he said not to worry about it. She seemed like the honest type and I didn’t get the feeling like she was a threat to the club. I figured Iron felt the same.
I went back to my room to get a couple hours of silence before I headed to the docks and took the night shift. I should have found out which prospect I was working with, but I was distracted for some reason.
