CHAPTER NINE
By late afternoon, everyone was awake and there had been some progress on locating Whiskey. He’d been moving around the city all day and the guys from Redemption House had been following him every step of the way.
Melora was tired of being cooped up in the clubhouse though. The four walls were closing in on her.
Cassie came up to her and asked, “Is there anything I can get you?”
Melora shook her head. “I’m fine.”
Cassie laughed. “No you’re not. You’re as wired as a ticking bomb.”
Melora smiled. “How did you know?”
“I recognize the look in your eyes.” Cassie nodded with a knowing look in her eyes. “When I feel that way, I paint. It relieves the stress and I can calm down.”
“Yeah, well I don’t paint.” Melora shrugged.
“So what do you do?”
Melora shrugged. She wasn’t ready to share her secret yet.
Cassie grabbed her hand and led her to a quiet corner. Sitting down with Melora she asked, “What do you do? We all have our stress releaser. No one here is going to judge you.”
Melora took a deep breath. No one but Izzy knew about her hobby and as much as she wanted to keep her secret, she knew she couldn’t. She had to find some release. “I write.”
“Really?” Cassie smiled. “That’s great. I wish I could do that. Do you have anything published yet?”
Melora nodded. “Yeah I do. I write under a pen name.” She turned to Cassie. “Please don’t tell anyone. I don’t want anyone else to know.”
“I won’t, I promise,” Cassie vowed. “Tell me what you need.”
“Just a space away from everyone else. I have a laptop, I just need some alone space.”
“How about if you go down to our house?” Cassie asked. “It’s not far and still inside the compound.”
“That would be great.” Melora felt the stress flow away from her body at the suggestion.
“Good, then let me tell Deke where we’re going and we’ll get moving.” Cassie got to her feet and walked over to her husband.
Melora hoped she would be able to go by herself. She hated someone hovering over her shoulder. But she would survive this, she always did. She went to the bedroom and retrieved her backpack. Inside was everything she needed. She went back to the bench and waited for Cassie.
Cassie returned and held out her hand. Melora took it and walked behind her as they both left the clubhouse. “I told Deke you were coming to the house to get some rest, away from everyone else. That should buy you a couple of hours anyway.”
Melora nodded. “That would be great.”
“So what do you write?”
Melora fingered the strap of her backpack. “Mostly romance with a little mystery.”
Cassie grinned. “My favorite kind. Are you strictly a PG writer or do you do the real thing?”
Melora blushed. “The real thing I guess.”
Cassie laughed. “Good. I love a book I can believe in. Can’t wait to read you one day.”
Melora felt her cheeks flush with warmth. When they went into the house, she found herself under another gaze.
The woman she guessed was Peaches stood in the kitchen getting a drink of water. She raised her finger to her lips. “I just got the little heathens down for their naps.”
Cassie grinned. “Your son Jesse Junior may be a heathen but my kids are angels.”
“Yeah right, they take after their mother.” Peaches shook her head. “Face it woman, they are all heathens but we love them anyway.”
“That’s true enough.” Cassie agreed. “This is Melora and she’s here to rest. I’m putting her in the library for a while.”
“Best place there is to catch some quiet. I’m Peaches as you might have guessed.” Peaches grinned. “I’ll just get my book and let you have the peace.”
“What are you reading?” Cassie asked.
“The latest book from our favorite author, Delanie Shane.”
“Oh good, I want to read it after you. I love that girl.” Cassie grinned.
Melora felt a flush of pride inside. How small a world is that? She was Delanie Shane and these women loved her writing? It made her feel so good. For the first time in years, she felt a little beam of light. Maybe this was the right place for her to be for a while.
“So how is the story coming along? Did Harry ever get to second base with Olivia?” Cassie asked.
Peaches nodded. “Second base and a whole lot further.” She sighed. “But I wish she would finish the story of Greg and Tammy. I loved that story and hated to see it end.”
“Yeah, she did leave us hanging on that one,” Cassie agreed. “Maybe she’ll do another book about them.”
“I hope so, while I love all her characters those two are my favorite. They get into so much trouble it’s almost funny.” Peaches sighed. “Ok, on to better things while the heathens sleep.”
Melora watched as she made her way to the next room. “So you guys like this author? Maybe I should read her work.”
Cassie laughed. “Honey, we love this girl. She does get into the best kind of trouble sometimes. Her stories are funny and so true to life. I can almost believe I’m one of her characters. I love that in an author.”
Peaches returned and Melora went into the library. Closing the door behind her, she thought about what the two other women had suggested. They felt the Greg and Tammy story needed a little something more huh? Well, she would see what she could do about that. In fact, she had a great idea what would happen next in their saga.
Hurrying over to the desk, she got her minicomputer out and put in her flash drive. There were seven files on the drive but each file had several subfiles in it. She clicked on the Greg and Tammy file. Three different books came up. Clicking on the blurbs file, she reviewed the short blurb for each book. Then she sat back in her chair and thought about a new plot for a moment. Then suddenly, she smiled. The most devious plot just popped into her mind.
She opened her word file and got busy. Her fingers flew over the keys as thought after thought crossed her mind. A couple of hours later, she finally came out of her stupor when she heard a knock on the door. She quickly saved everything she’d written and was simply amazed at her progress. “Come in,” she called out softly.
Cassie’s head popped through the open doorway. “How is it going in here?’
Melora grinned. “It’s going.”
“Good. I just got a call from Deke. They want you back in the clubhouse.”
Melora quickly closed up her computer and slid the flash drive into her pocket. “I’m ready to go back.” She paused and added, “Thank you for this afternoon. I needed this time away badly.”
“I don’t know what’s going on up at the clubhouse but something is about to happen,” Cassie informed her as she came into the room. “Deke’s voice had a tone in it that I didn’t like.”
“Oh, crap.” Melora sighed heavily. “Now what? What else can go wrong?”
“We’d better find out before the shit hits the fan.”
“Okay, let’s go and see what the next disaster is.” Melora packed up her computer and drew the back over her shoulder. Together, they walked back to clubhouse and into a shouting match.
Deke, Gator, Sam, Iceman and Mountain sat on one side while an unidentified man sat on the other side of the table. All six men were yelling at one another.
Melora stood there a moment and shook her head. Lifting her fingers to her mouth, she let lose a sharp ear piercing whistle that stopped all the noise as everyone in the room cringed at the sound. “Just what the bloody hell is going on here?” she asked.
All the men just glared at her.
“Woman…this is a MC, not a fraternity. You don’t disrespect us like that.” Deke growled.
“You all sound more like school boys arguing over something rather stupid than an MC.” She scolded. “And before you say it, I know you’re all big bad asses, so just quit.” She looked at the newest member at the club. “Who is he?”
Sam walked over to her and whispered, “He’s Senator Walker. He got your message and came to meet you in person.” He turned to the group standing at the table. “We were just discussing that very thing.”
The newcomer stiffened as he glared at her. “I’m told you have evidence that someone other than yourself murdered my nephew. What is this evidence? I demand to see it at once.”
Melora snorted. “You can demand all you want but until you ask me nicely, I don’t have to show you squat.”
There were multiple gasps in the room as the silence settled.
“Excuse me?” Senator Walker sneered.
“No I don’t think I will.” Melora shook her head.
“Baby, maybe you should reconsider,” Sam urged. “He’s an important guy.”
“Why?” Melora turned her head to study him. “This asshat puts his pants on one leg at a time just like we do. Why should his lack of manners do anything to me? I know I didn’t kill Baily and I know I can prove it. Why should I bow to him?”
Senator Walker scowled. “Show me the proof.”
Melora shook her head. “You may be a big man in Washington but you aren’t in Washington right now. Ask me without demanding and I will show you what happened that night. All I’m asking for is the respect you seem to demand but don’t show to others.”
Senator Paul Walker took a deep breath. His face was still flush but he exhaled loudly as he seemed to calm down and asked, “Can you prove you didn’t kill Baily?”
“Yes, I can.” Melora walked over to where he was standing and took out her phone. Bringing up the video, she played it for him.
Paul Walker frowned as the video played out. Then he looked around the room. “So Baily is really dead and has been all along?” His face had paled.
Each man there nodded. They’d all seen the video and they knew the truth.
Walker turned back to Melora. “He told me you killed Baily and he even offered to find out where the body was hidden. Now, I know I’ll never recover him. I’ll never be able to bring closure for his mother.”
“You will,” Melora stated quietly.
“How so?” Paul asked.
“Because the hogs never got near Baily’s body that night.”
Paul frowned. “But you heard what he said.”
“Yes I did, but what Whiskey doesn’t know is I moved Baily’s body before the hogs got there. Only I know where he actually is.”
“And where is that?”
Melora shook her head. “I’ll only tell you after Whiskey is dead and I no longer have this murder charge hanging over my head.”
“Is it really true Whiskey wants to run guns and drugs on the East coast and he was going to use a connection to me to do it?” Senator Walker asked.
“Yes, it’s true.”
Walker looked over at Raven and shook his head. “That man is insane if he thinks I’ll let that happen.”
Raven snorted. “He thinks he’s gonna take the club away from me as well.”
He turned to Deke and asked, “What can I do to help you guys stop him?”
“Just stay out of our way. We’ll take care of the man and his friends.”
Senator Walker nodded. Looking at Raven again, he commented, “Let me know when he’s neutralized. I don’t want to know when or how.” He turned back to Melora. “I would like to know where Baily’s body is after this is over. He deserves a proper burial and my sister deserves closure in this matter.”
“I promise I’ll let you know.”
He turned to the room at large and announced, “Gentlemen, I’ll be leaving now. I hope to hear you have this matter in hand and I expect results soon.” He then walked to the door and left.
A few minutes later, they heard a helicopter start up and take off.
Deke turned to Melora. Then he crocked a finger in her direction.
She stepped closer.
“Don’t ever do that again. I will not tolerate disrespect in my clubhouse.”
Melora nodded. “I really didn’t show you any disrespect. At least I don’t think I did. The only disrespect I saw was from the Senator. But I am sorry if you feel I did that.”
“She’s got a valid point,” Gator spoke up. “He didn’t seem to respect us at all.”
Melora held up her hands. “Before this starts another agreement, let’s drop it. I apologize.” She turned to Sam. “That takes care of one of the problems, now we just have to stop Whiskey. Does anyone know where he is at the moment?”
“He and his boys are roaming the city looking for you,” Raven answered. “BTW thanks for putting Mr. Bigshot in his place. I was about ready to floor him myself. With my fist down his throat.” He swung his gaze over at Deke. “Of course, this is your town and I respect that, so I didn’t follow my instincts this time.” He gave Deke a grin.
Deke stared back at him with an emotionless expression.
“People like him give people like you guy’s bad names.” Melora smiled. “I know he won’t remember today but I feel better about it.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’ll forget what you did to him. He’s just happy no one but us saw it.” Iceman snickered.
Melora glanced over at Raven. “Are you and me okay? I don’t want any trouble with your MC over this.”
Raven shook his head. “We’re okay. None of this was ever your fault. I know that now. Whiskey is the traitor and I plan to bring the hammer down on him myself.”
“As much as I deplore violence I can’t wait for him to get his.” Melora shuddered. “He wanted blood, but it’s gonna be his own spilled and not mine.”
“Don’t you worry about that.” Raven seethed. “He won’t live long enough to worry too much about it.”
“That’s good enough for me.” Melora gazed into his eyes as she spoke.
~* * * *~
Mountain walked over to Melora and asked, “Can we talk?”
She nodded. “I think maybe we should. Time is running out and there’s so much you and I need to talk about before it’s too late.”
Taking her elbow, he led her away from the others. Taking a seat in the far corner, he stared at her for a moment then asked, “I want to know if you’ll come back with us when we leave. Come back to Texas with us I mean. I’d like the chance to know you better and we’ve been gone long enough now.”
Melora stared at him for a long moment. “I don’t know. When this is over, I just want to get on with my life.”
Mountain looked away then glanced back at her. “But if you don’t have a job anywhere yet, what would it hurt to come and stay with me for a while?”
Melora shrugged. “I don’t yet know what I want to do. Maybe I’ll stay here, maybe I’ll move on to another place. I just don’t know.”
“Can you at least think about it?” he asked. “We’ve missed out on everything so far, I don’t want to miss out on the rest of your life.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens over the next few days.” Melora shrugged. “Who knows if either of us will live through this.”
Mountain glared. “The only one who’s going to die will be Whiskey.”
Melora laid her hand on his arm and shook her head. “No one can predict the future, not even this one.” She laughed without mirth. “I can only hope to survive the next few days but otherwise, I can’t make plans of any kind right now. I’m sorry.”
“Will you at least think about it?”
Melora nodded. “That I will do.” She got to her feet. “But right now we have to come up with a plan that ensures safety for everyone but Whiskey.” She walked back to the main table and began listening to the others talk.
Mountain watched her for a moment then got up and walked down the hall to the room he had. When he closed the door, he went to his bag and sat down on the bed. From inside the leather saddlebag he pulled out an envelope. Inside were the papers the lawyer had given him four years ago. The letter from Carla and the DNA test that claimed Melora was his daughter. He knew without the test that she was his child, yet even with this knowledge, he couldn’t get through to her.
He wanted nothing more than to know her as a person, yet she wouldn’t allow him to do that. Mountain knew he had to find a way to get through to her. He needed to find a way to understand her, so he could know what was in her heart. He wasn’t going to give up on the only thing in his life that was truly his. His daughter.