AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She mentioned that her mom died but didn’t say what happened to her.” I feign indifference hoping Mom will enlighten me.
“Well, if what I’ve heard is true, then her mother was murdered. Something to do with a war between rival motorcycle gangs down Raleigh way. She moved back here to be nearer her grandfather, Walt Edwards.”
“Never knew he had any kids.”
“Yes, well that’s another mystery.”
My phone rings cutting short any further explanation from my mom, who disappears out the back as I pull my phone from my back pocket to see its Ash. Quickly swiping to answer, I realize just how on edge I’ve been all afternoon as relief rushes through me when I hear his voice.
“Hey, are you still at Morning Kick? I’m coming into town now. Do you want me to swing by and pick you up?”
“I’m still here. But where the hell have you been all afternoon?”
“I’ll explain when I see you. Be there in five,” he says, then ends the call.
I step outside just as Ash pulls up. He has a smile on his face when he steps from the car, but the ripped t-shirt collar and messed up hair tell a different story. As do the bruise on his cheek and the spots of blood that mar his white top and have my eyes widening.
Mom comes out as Ash steps into me, kissing my cheek and whispering, “I’m fine. You could have warned me your mom was here though.”
“Really? That’s what you’re leading with. You could have warned me that you were going to turn up looking like you’ve been in a brawl.”
“Ah, Asher, perfect timing,” Mom says, spotting him. I keep my body turned into him to hide the blood. “Stu has done dinner for us. We’d love for you to join us.”
“Er…sure, but I’m going to need to shower and change first. I had a blowout on the way home.”
“Of course. Come by for seven,” she tells him, then looks to me in silent question. Understanding crosses her face. “See you both then.” She walks away with a small wave.
As soon as she’s out of sight, I slap Ash’s chest. “What the hell, Ash. You’ve been gone hours,” I berate, slapping him again.
“I know and I’m sorry but there was something I needed to deal with.” He steers me toward the car, opening the door for me.
“You going to tell me, or just keep giving me little snippets of information?” I ask as soon as he joins me in the car.
“It was Tripp again giving me the location of my Uncle Ray.”
“Why the hell would you want to see your uncle?” I ask, a little confused.
“Before the bodyguard showed up last night, Luke told me that Ray’s been doing some work at the development in Tungsten Bay, so I wanted to know what he knows.” He pauses as he parks in the drive. “Seems he didn’t take too kindly to me poking my nose in and dropping him in the shit with Viper,” he says, pointing to the bruise on his cheek.
He pulls the key from the engine and climbs from the car before I can even pull together some sort of response to that. Ray is, and has always been, a major pain in the ass and a money chasing liability, so the news he somehow got into bed with Titan isn’t that much of a surprise.
Traipsing after him into the house, he continues. “Turns out that this isn’t Ray’s first time with Titan. A fact that earned him a broken nose.” He points to the blood on his t-shirt. “He couldn’t tell me much because whoever the owner is it’s a mystery even to their employees. At least the low-level ones. But something he did let slip was the mention of Deputy Peters. I couldn’t figure out how he knew Peters seeing as he hasn’t stepped foot in Silverbell in years, not that I know of anyway.
“When I asked him, he told me that Peters lived in some town over near Charlotte. You and I both know that’s not true ‘cause the bastard is here dragging my name through the mud.”
I’m pulling my phone from my pocket before he’s finished his sentence. “I bloody knew it. I’ve been to that town not too long ago. Titan did a development there a few years back, and if I’m right, a worker died there.” After scrolling through the file Drake sent me ages ago with details of each development, I finally find the one I’m looking for.
I hand my phone to Ash, who quickly scans the screen.
“Tripp did a search on Peters. The bastard certainly seems to get around a lot,” he says pointing to my phone. “He’s lived in about four of these places, five if you count Silverbell.”
“Yeah, isn’t that a strange coincidence,” I scoff, feeling annoyed I didn’t put it together sooner.
“Certainly explains a few things. What do you want to do about Stu?”
“I don’t think we should say anything yet. He’s already avoided my question about who he met at the lake once, and I don’t want to give him everything we have in case he’s more involved than he claims.”
Ash agrees before disappearing to shower. While he’s gone, I continue to look through the file, unable to shake this feeling about Peters and his connection. Even with this new information, it still feels like we’re missing a bigger piece of the puzzle.
