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“I’m sorry I took off yesterday. I just needed some time to gain control over my emotions,” I whisper.
“I know.” He squeezes me before shifting so his hand is around my waist with mine around his. “You two okay?” he asks, gesturing between Max and me.
I reach for Max and squeeze his hand. “We’re good.”
“Good, because I have some news for both of you.” Rafe drags a chair, so he’s sitting on my left with Max on my right. Puma takes his seat behind his desk. “Wayne Turner is dead. Someone murdered him in his hotel room last night.”
“He’s dead?” Max asks in disbelief.
“I just came from the scene. It’s my case. At least for now, but we have a problem,” Rafe says. “We have a witness who says he saw a tall blonde woman wearing a leather kutte leaving thescene. So, I have to ask, where were you last night between the hours of ten pm and one am?”
“You’re fucking kidding me!” Puma explodes. “That’s bullshit. You come in here and accuse her of murder?”
“Viper didn’t kill him. How could you accuse her?” Max screams at Rafe.
I say nothing but watch Rafe’s expression. He doesn’t look angry or defensive. He looks worried. “You don’t think I killed him?” I ask Rafe.
“Of course not,” Rafe says, ignoring Puma and Max so he can focus his attention on me. “But someone is trying to set you up. My boss wants me to bring you in. I’m hoping you have an alibi that isn’t your brothers or those three assholes who attacked you. Doubt they’d vouch for you.”
I chuckle. “No, they wouldn’t. Luckily, I don’t have to rely on them. While I was dealing with those three, another man arrived at my campsite.”
“Did you camp in the fucking mall?” Max asks, making me snort.
“No kidding. I left here late, so I wasn’t that far into the Canyon before I stopped to make camp. Turned out, I pitched my tent on some guy’s land. Barry Jones. He arrived in time to help me run off the three fuckers. He offered me a place to spend the night because a storm was coming in. I hadn’t checked the weather before I left. He let me store my bike in his shed and let me sleep in his guest room. He should be able to give me an alibi. I was with him during that time, although I went to bed around midnight. But the shed had a padlock. He had the key. Also, it’s likely he would have heard me trying to leave.”
“Wait,” Rafe says, holding a hand up. “You spent the night in the home of a stranger? What were you thinking?”
“I thought I didn’t want to sleep in a downpour,” I explain. “Look, he’s an older guy, probably in his late fifties or earlysixties. I had a few inches on him. He used to be a biker,” I explain to Puma, who doesn’t look happy with my explanation, either.
Puma frowns. “What club?”
“He didn’t say, just that he was from Yuma. Said the Devil’s Disciples ran them out of town.”
Puma rubs his chin. “I’m with Rafe, wasn’t the best decision. However, you’re here, and he can give you an alibi. That’s more important.”
“Do you know how to reach him?” Rafe asks me.
“We exchanged numbers. I told him he could come by sometime and visit the clubhouse.” Pulling out my phone, I find his contact information and make the call. It rings several times before his voicemail kicks in. I open my mouth to speak, but Rafe shakes his head and points to himself.
“Mr. Jones, my name is Detective Rafe Sterling with the LVMPD. I’ve asked Viper to call you because I need to speak with you. Can you call me or stop by the precinct to speak with me? This is very important. You’d be helping Viper out of a difficult situation.” Rafe ends the call by giving him his number and the address for his precinct.
“We could drive to his cabin,” I offer, but Rafe shakes his head.
“I know I don’t have any say about what you do, but I strongly recommend you stay in the clubhouse and not go out in public.”
I glance between Rafe and Puma. Puma leans back in his chair to study Rafe before asking him why.
“Something about this entire situation concerns me. This witness who described Viper? I haven’t met him. I don’t have his name or any details on him. My boss is the one who said he talked to him. He ordered me to come here and arrest Viper.”
“You think he’s got something against her or the club?” Puma asks, leaning forward to rest his arms on his desk.
“I did what you suggested and looked up everyone involved in the attack on Viper. Figured out how you got revenge when the D.A. decided not to press charges against those assholes. But you missed one. The detective on the case. He’s now a lieutenant and my boss. Lieutenant Steve Traynor.”
I glance at Puma in surprise. Knowing he suggested Rafe look into the five men who attacked me raises several questions. But I keep them to myself. Puma has his reasons for everything he does, and I trust him explicitly. I know what Rafe found. Spark worked overtime to dig up dirt on each of those assholes and then setting them up for a fall. I’ll never forget what they did for me.
“I’d forgotten about Traynor,” I mumble when I recall the slimy detective who questioned me the day after the attack.
“What?” Rafe asks, focusing his attention on me.
