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She had talked to two, not just one, voices in her head when she was growing up, and she had constant nightmares where she was hiding from Kate and Owen. She had taken her medication last night, so it would take at least a couple of nights for the nightmares to be buffered enough for her to get a restful night’s sleep.
Rounding a huge oak tree, she was treated with the first sight of Ginny’s home. It was a larger version of Silas’ home.
Walking to the front door, Alanna expected Matthew to knock. Instead, he went inside, leaving her to follow.
Slowly entering the room, she saw Ginny sitting on a leather couch, watching Freddy play on the floor.
Ginny noticed her standing in the doorway. “Come on in. Sorry about this morning.” Ginny raised the cup she was holding. “Morning sickness. I’ve had a cup of tea, so I’m good to go.
“Matthew, do you mind watching Freddy while I show Alanna around?”
Alanna smiled when Matthew dropped down on the floor and began playing with the baby.
“Matthew is Freddy’s favorite uncle. My other brothers get bored when I ask them to watch him. Matthew would keep him if Gavin and I would let him.
Taking in Ginny’s home as they went toward the kitchen off from the living room, Alanna appreciated how you could still look directly into the other room. While the outside might look like Silas’, the inside was modern. The kitchen had two ovens, two dishwashers, and two microwaves, all with high-end appliances that a cook could only dream about.
“Your home is lovely,” Alanna complimented her.
“Thank you. We only finished rebuilding it a couple of months ago.”
“Rebuilt? It looks brand new.”
“We had started this house in another section of the property. This area was meant for Leah. The one meant for me had an explosion, so Silas gave me Leah’s. The area that was damaged, as well as the cow pens, Silas and my brothers are slowly clearing out so they can regrow the trees they have to pull down.”
Alanna took her eyes off the glass refrigerator she had only seen in stores. “What kind of explosion?”
Ginny sighed. “I might as well tell you. All you have to do is ask around town, and they’ll fill you in. My mother bombed my house. Instead of offing me, she was caught in the blast herself. I had left. I didn’t know until I had gone to The Last Riders’ house and they looked at me like I was a ghost.”
Alanna stiffened at the mention of the bikers. “You know The Last Riders?”
“Yes, I do. I used to work for them. I’m friends with them.” Ginny grew curious at her expression. “Have you heard of them?”
Alanna stared at her stonily. “The Last Riders are how I ended up in jail.”
Chapter Eleven
“The Last Riders aren’t the reason why you were in jail.”
Her breath became lodged in her throat at seeing Gavin standing in the doorway off from the living room.
“You’re right. I apologize.” Alanna managed to get enough oxygen to get the words out. “I have no one else to blame, but myself. Being in jail wasn’t an experience I want to relive. I think I’ve developed PTSD from being there. Take it from me; you don’t want to end up there. I would rather go to maximum security prison.”
“It was that bad?” Ginny asked sympathetically.
She wasn’t aware she was shaking until Ginny looped her arm through hers to give her a steadying strength.
“They kept the temperature at minus zero, Deputy Porter would use any excuse to talk to me for hours on end, and he would pick and choose what food I would eat for the day then confiscate some of it whenever he wanted it for himself. Once I get my charges dropped, I’m going to file a suit against the jail for inhumane treatment.”
Never in her life had she ever wanted to melt into the floor as she did with the way Matthew, Gavin, and Ginny were staring at her as she finally finished the rant she had been holding in since her release.
Alanna brought her hand to face. “I have never been so embarrassed in my life. Ignore everything I—”
Laughter bubbled out from Ginny. Alanna looked through splayed fingers to see Gavin, whose expression had been deadpanning the short time she had met him, had amusement curling his lips. Even Matthew’s frosty behavior had thawed enough to show he was holding back his own laughter.
“Uh … I hate to tell you this”—Ginny chocked back her laughter—“but Greer treats everyone the same way, regardless if you’re in jail or not. He’s been kicked out of every restaurant in town. King has threatened two lawsuits, and the owner of the burger place in town locks the door when he sees him crossing the street toward his place.”
Alanna let her hand fall back to her side. “Then I don’t understand. Why doesn’t someone sue him, or at least have him fired from the sheriff’s office?”
