CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

AJ was over at Bella’s, the two of them cooking dinner. Bella banged a wooden spoon on the skillet and glanced up when Amy came in the door.

“You’re late. Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Did you hear it yet?”

AJ frowned, noting how frantic Amy’s voice sounded. “Hear what?”

Amy ran past them into the adjoining family room and grabbed up the remote, aiming it at the flat screen. She flicked to the local evening news.

The girls followed her in.

“What is it? Did something happen?” Bella asked.

“AJ happened. It’s all over the news.”

“We go now to Stephanie Hart who’s standing by live with a report on this.”

“Thank you, Bill. We’ve been following a story out of Slidell that has some new developments. The President of a local motorcycle club, arrested several days ago on arson charges, may be released as early as tomorrow, Channel 5 News has learned. The arson took place at the New Horizon Women’s Center earlier this month. According to court and police sources, Derek Deschaine, who was arraigned two days ago will have all charges dropped. This all stems from the discovery of new evidence and a Dr. Allison Jane Carter stepping forward as an alibi. We obtained the following photograph of the two of them, which indicates there seems to be some type of relationship between Dr. Carter, the owner of New Horizons and Deschaine, who is the Evil Dead Motorcycle Club’s President and has been for fifteen years. The photograph we’re about to show you may not be suitable for all audiences. Please use parental discretion.”

“Parental discretion?” AJ stuttered out. “Why are they even showing it?”

“Shock value and ratings,” Bella said. “Pure sensationalism.”

The picture flashed on the screen.

“Oh my God. They blurred me out from the shoulders down. I look like I’m naked. I wasn’t naked. I was covered.”

“AJ it’s not that bad…” Bella insisted.

“Stephanie, do we know anything more about this woman?”

“Yes, Bill. Ms. Carter is the daughter of John Ross Banks, a successful attorney who has billboards all over the state. Ms. Carter has also worked as a respected psychologist whose testimony in regard to victims of assault and abuse has been sought after in many trials.

The nature of their relationship remains unclear and what, if anything, it has to do with the suspicious fire at Dr. Carter’s Center. The waters get muddier every day on this one, Bill. Back to you…”

“Please turn it off,” AJ bit out.

“Well, there goes your career,” Bella said sadly.

The girls gathered her in a group hug.

“You did what you had to do,” Kelsey told her. “Anyone who knows you knows you’re a good person.”

“I need Derek. Why is it taking so long for him to be released?” AJ wiped the tears from her face. She was upset about how she was being characterized in the media, but the part that sounded over and over in her head was that Undertaker might be released tomorrow! As sad as the rest of it made her, she was ecstatic over that part.

Amy put her arm around her and tried to cheer her up. “This will all blow over. You’ll be in the news for five minutes, then they’ll move on.”

AJ nodded. “I have a call to make. I have to find out if it’s true. He might get out tomorrow.”

Amy and Bella exchanged a look, but AJ didn’t have time to argue her case. This was good news; she wished they could be happy for her.

She went into the other room and called Blood’s cell phone.

“Yeah?” His voice sounded tired.

She started in without preamble. “The reports say he might get out of jail tomorrow, Blood. Is it true?”

“We’re waiting for him to be released. It takes time.”

“You’ll let me know when you hear something?”

“I promise I’ll call you the minute he’s out. Hell, woman, he’ll probably grab the phone from me and call you himself.”

She had to smile at that vision in her head. “I hope so. There are things I need to say.”

“More than the bomb you dropped on him the last time?”

“You know? He told you?”

“He’s pretty happy about it. So, yeah, he told me.” She could hear the smile in Blood’s voice.

“I’m glad. I was afraid…”

“I know, babe. But you don’t have to worry. He wants that baby as much as you do. I gotta go. You still at your friend’s house?”

“Bella’s. Yes.”

“Where’s it at? He’ll probably want to come straight to you.”

“375 Oakton. Blue house.”

“All right, darlin’. Talk to ya soon.”

***

Delilah sat nervously on the loveseat as Ronnie sat in the recliner and Donnie lounged on the sofa, both of the brothers half drunk, having worked their way through a case of beer.

The flat screen on the wall had just wrapped up an LSU game. She cringed when the news came on, and the leading story was about that biker and his girlfriend and the fire Ronnie and his brother had set. If it hadn’t been the lead story, Ronnie probably would have switched over to Wheel of Fortune by now to see his secret crush, Vanna White. Then he wouldn’t have found out—at least not for a few more days—that the biker was being released.

But he’d seen it, and he reacted just like she knew he would.

Ronnie threw his beer bottle at the wall and practically vaulted out of the recliner, screaming at the television screen. “Goddamn it. All that work, all that trouble we went to, all the time and effort, and he walks scot-free! I can’t fucking believe this.” He paced around the room. “Maybe I need to burn his fucking clubhouse down this time.”

“I’m tired of burning shit down,” Donnie groused from the couch, lazily drinking his still-full bottle. “You need to come up with a new plan. Maybe he don’t give a shit about this girl. Maybe she’s just an alibi and a fuckin’ lay. Judgin’ by that picture, probably all she is.”

That only poured fuel on the fire of Ronnie’s rage. “Goddamn bitch. Dr. AJ Carter! She’s the reason he’s goin’ free. Meddlin’ fuckin’ bitch!”

Donnie grinned. “Maybe you oughta teach her a lesson.”

“Maybe I oughta teach ‘em both a lesson. Kill her and set him up for it. Two birds with one stone.” Ronnie’s eyes caught a gleam. Delilah couldn’t help but shiver. It meant he was about to go off the deep end.

“This gonna be another one of your convoluted plans like this last one you brilliantly came up with?”

Delilah cringed. No one talked to Ronnie like that. No one dared. No one except Donnie. He was the only one who could get away with a crack like that.

Ronnie’s attention was too consumed formulating his new plan, his focus totally on the doctor. He paced back and forth, oblivious to everything.

Delilah and Donnie watched him until he suddenly stopped in his tracks and pinned Donnie with a look. “You put that tracker on her car like I told you, right?”

“Yep. Piece of cake.”

“Pull it up. Find out where she is. I want to pay the good doctor a call.”

“What, now?”

“Yes, now, you fucking moron!”

Donnie stood up. He may be the younger brother, but he had a foot and forty pounds on Ronnie. “Don’t fuckin’ call me that.”

“Fine. Just fuckin’ do it.”

Donnie took out his phone and pulled up the app. He slid his thumb over the screen and tapped it and waited. The little green dot popped up on the map.

“Corner of Harpin Lane and Oakton.”

Ronnie picked up a .38 cal off the coffee table, checked the chamber for bullets, and shoved it in the waistband at the small of his back. “Let’s go.”

***

AJ, Amy, and Bella sat out on her screened in porch. They’d had a quiet dinner and were now relaxing, trying to keep AJ’s mind on anything but the clock, which she found herself checking ever thirty seconds.

The last traces of light had faded from the sky and darkness wrapped around them like a cloak.

The doorbell rang. Bella frowned. “I wonder who that could be.”

AJ glanced at her. “Were you expecting anyone?”

“Oh, it could be Melissa Campbell’s husband. She was going to send him over with her donation for the PTA bake sale. She makes the most amazing lemon bars. It’s a good thing Tom is out of town. I’d have to hide them.” She chuckled and went in to answer the front door.

“It was sweet for Bella to let me stay here while Tom’s away,” AJ said, sipping her coffee.

Amy waved her hand. “Don’t be silly. She loves the company. She gets lonely in this big house when he’s away on business.”

AJ nodded. “I suppose.”

They heard some odd noises coming from inside the house and exchanged a look.

“What was that?” Amy murmured.

AJ leaned forward to set her coffee mug down and was starting to rise to her feet when suddenly Bella was in the open sliding glass door, a gloved hand clamped over her mouth from behind by a guy holding a gun pointed to her head. She looked terrified.

Amy started to scream, and AJ stumbled backward.

“Shut up or I’ll kill her!” the man threatened. They both shut up. Another man pushed onto the porch and shoved them forward.

“Get inside!”

They did as they were told, shuffling and being herded toward the family room. There was a schump sound as the sliding glass door shut behind them.

“What do you want?” Amy asked in a trembling voice.

The two men were both dressed in black with ski masks over their faces.

“Shut up!” snapped the one not holding Bella. Then his eyes focused in on AJ, and a chill went down her spine.

The shorter one came toward AJ, and she couldn’t help leaning back a few inches, sinking into the couch.

“Well hello, doctor.”

She frowned, her heart beating a mile a minute as she wondered how he knew her. Was this another ex-boyfriend or ex-husband of a client, bent on revenge because she helped his girlfriend or wife get away from him? Her eyes moved between Amy and Bella; both women were going through this terror, perhaps even going to be hurt or killed because of her. More people would pay the price for a rage she had induced in someone. She couldn’t bear it; she couldn’t bear the guilt of it. Not again. Please God, not again.

He got in her face. “You’re gonna do exactly what I tell you, or they die.”

She nodded frantically. “Okay. Okay. Whatever you say. Just please, don’t hurt them.”

“That all depends on you.”

She nodded again.

He stood her up and pulled a zip tie from his pocket, yanking her arms behind her back. The plastic bit into her tender skin as he secured her wrists.

The tall man shoved Bella down on the couch next to Amy, and he did the same to them, securing their ankles as well.

The short man, who had a tight hold of AJ’s arm, drew a roll of duct tape from his pocket and tossed it to his partner. When the man had taped their mouths, he came over and covered hers as well.

He dipped his head and his eyes flashed with humor through the holes in the ski mask. “Nothin’ better than a woman with duct tape over her mouth.”

The man holding her didn’t find humor in that. Instead, he barked, “Take their purses and let’s get out of here.

The tall man swung back to the women, grabbing their purses off the floor. “You sit there quietly or we kill your friend, understand?”

Amy and Bella nodded, terror in their eyes for themselves and for AJ as the short man dragged her toward the door.

AJ tried to keep eye contact with the women who’d done so much for her, tried to communicate with her expression how sorry she was to be the cause of all this, how guilty she felt for all of it. All rolled into one tearful expression were her apology, her love, her guilt.