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Recollection crossed Bull’s face, and he nodded.
“He lost all his teeth and sight in one eye,” I said.
“I remember.”
“Yet he never pointed the finger at my father.”
“Your father could be an intimidating man.”
Yes, he was. But he never intimidated my mother enough for her to leave. They patched things up not long after and came to some kind of weird mutual agreement that strengthened their relationship rather than tore it apart. She never divorced him. She didn’t need to. He made her a widow a few years later.
“I never understood why she didn’t leave him. But I was kid. I didn’t understand how complicated their relationship was. I guess I still don’t. But I do know they loved each other in their own fucked-up way.” I shook my head. “They loved each other despite knowing what the other was capable of. I don’t doubt my father would’ve killed her. And I don’t doubt my mother would have killed him for trying.”
I looked toward the horizon. It was late afternoon, and the sun was slowly making its way lower in the sky.
“Mayor Quinn murdered his wife,” I said calmly. “And then he hid it with a series of distractions, including using the Kings of Mayhem to find the supposed murderer.”
“What do you mean?”
“A murder victim’s spouse is usually the first suspect. Quinn wasn’t eliminated by Bucky or the Kings. He told us he didn’t do it. And then he did everything he could to portray himself as the grieving husband.”
“Then why tell us she was having an affair?”
“Because he knew it would come out and throw suspicion on him. Remember, the best defense is offense, so he addressed the evidence before it became a motive.” I could see Bull doing the math. “He pointed us to Satan’s Tribe because he knew they were in town. But they’re not involved in Vander Quinn’s murder. They’re here for Cassidy. I know it. You need to wrap this up without me. I need to get Cassidy out of town.”
“You can’t be sure about this—”
“I am sure about this,” I cut him off. “Those men were hired by Barrett Silvermane. So I’m stepping down as SAA, and I’m taking Cassidy as far away from here as possible. He knows she is involved with the Kings.”
I walked back to my bike and climbed on.
“Ruger should be your SAA.” I ignited the engine, and the Harley came to life with a rumble. “Also, Laurent wasn’t Vander’s drug dealer. He was her lover. And I’m pretty sure they sold the car for money so they could leave town, not because she owed him money. Keep digging. Laurent’s body will wash up soon. If you keep looking at Mayor Quinn, you’ll find out I’m right.”
And with that I rode off. I had to get back to Destiny.
To Cassidy.
Because she was right.
Barrett was after her.
So far he’d just been toying with us. Using Satan’s Tribe as his eyes and ears in Destiny and feeding Cassidy’s fear of him. Tormenting her from afar by using her own fear against her was all a part of his sick torture.
He was a sick motherfucker.
And I was going to kill him.
CASSIDY
“We can go anywhere we want, Cassi. Anywhere at all. It will be just like old times.” Missy talked at a hundred miles an hour, but not even her relentless chatter could distract me from the violent panic taking hold of me.
Barrett was here. Probably watching. Waiting.
As soon as I entered the cabin, I felt heartsick. I was already missing Chance, and I hadn’t even left yet. That was when I realized, for the first time in my life, another emotion overpowered my fear of Barrett—the fear of losing Chance. I couldn’t get him out of my mind. Couldn’t help but feel him in every room I walked through. This little cabin held so many wonderful memories of us together, even for such a short time.
I glanced down at the rug on the floor, the one where we’d made love for hours during the storm while the rain beat down on the roof and rattled the windows—and then to the kitchen counter, where he’d made me come with such ferocity I’d broken a nail against the granite.
Walking into the kitchen, I looked out the window to the two deck chairs sitting side-by-side, overlooking the water, and thought about the nights we’d spent under the stars, getting to know one another. Both of us slowly letting down our walls as we grew more comfortable, more trusting of each other.
A wave of heartache crashed through me. How could it be the end?
How could it be that I would never see him again?
Swallowing hard, I stared out past the sparkling river to the fishing cottage and felt tears well in my eyes. I recalled my first few days here and how we would sit on the deck, how every part of me was already fully aware of his intensity. Of his prowess. How I had lusted after him without even realizing what I was lusting after. That he was so much more than what I could ever have imagined. I began to physically ache and thought about how he would react when he found out I was gone. How deeply hurt he would be, especially after what he’d shared with me last night.
