“Don’t know him.” Shade stared back impassively at his father.
The sheriff nodded grimly. “I have a few witnesses to talk to. I’ll talk to you later.”
Shade watched his father walk toward an older woman who stood in front of the hotel, upset.
He walked back to his bike and started the motor. Pulling out, he rode back to the clubhouse. He would find Viper and tell him Sam was dead. Shade, despite the fact he had fucked the woman several times, felt no sorrow for her death. Her actions outside the diner that day had made her his enemy, and he had planned to pay her back for her part in the attack. Looked like someone had saved him the trouble, though.
* * *
“You’re going to be late,” Viper warned as Shade came down the steps.
Shade paused, going out the front door of the clubhouse. “I have five minutes. Besides, the boss isn’t there yet,” Shade stated, reminding Viper he wasn’t the only one not at the factory.
“I’m on my way. I need to grab a cup of coffee first.” Viper’s eyes narrowed over Shade’s shoulder.
He turned to see who he was staring at and saw the sheriff standing grimly in the doorway.
“Viper, Shade, can I come in?”
The formal tone the sheriff was using raised Shade’s instincts. Something was wrong. Shade opened the door wider, letting him come inside.
“I’m here on official business to question Knox.”
“What for?” Viper asked. “He get drunk and bust up another bar? I’ll write a check—”
“Money isn’t going to solve this problem, Viper. I’m here to question him about Sam’s murder.”
“Sam’s?”
“Yes, unless there’s another murder that’s happened in town that I don’t know about,” the sheriff barked back.
Shade’s mouth snapped shut as Viper took out his cell phone to call Knox.
The sheriff glared at Shade as Viper disconnected the call. “You need to get him a lawyer, and fast.”
“What evidence do you have?” Shade asked warily.
“He was seen leaving the hotel room Sam was found inside. There’s evidence that they’d been intimate.”
Both Shade and Viper became angry at hearing Knox had been with Sam.
“This is bullshit. Knox didn’t touch that bitch!” Viper’s voice rose. The club had banned any members from seeing Sam.
“Calm down, Viper. Let’s hear him out,” Shade reasoned.
Knox came down the steps as they watched his approach.
“What’s up?” Knox asked the Sheriff.
“Samantha Bedford’s body was found this afternoon at the motel,” the sheriff replied while watching his reaction to the news.
Knox stiffened, as if sensing where this was going.
“Knox has had nothing to do with that bitch since she attacked Beth; none of us have. She wasn’t allowed back here at the clubhouse, and after the stunt she pulled with Winter, Beth, and Lily at the diner, we haven’t seen her.”
The sheriff didn’t say anything, just merely continued staring at Knox.
“I saw her yesterday. She stopped her car after I crashed my bike.”
The silence in the room became tangible.
“What happened then?” the sheriff probed.
“We went back to her hotel room and fucked. When Viper called, I left. She was breathing just fine when I walked out that door.” Knox stared back at the sheriff.
“Damn it, Knox,” Viper said angrily.
“You’re not going to say anything I didn’t say to myself.”
Shade wanted to punch the brother for letting his dick get him in this mess.
“There are enough women here that you didn’t need that bitch. What were you thinking?” Viper asked the question on Shade’s mind.
“I wasn’t. She pulled out my dick and went down on me,” Knox said wryly.
“I have to take you in for questioning, Knox. There’s no way around it; the newspaper is involved. A witness saw you leaving her room and told the reporter.”
Knox nodded, stepping forward. “Let’s go.”
Viper took his arm. “Don’t answer any more questions. I’ll get you a lawyer.”
As Knox nodded again and went out the door with the sheriff following him closely, Viper and Shade stared after him grimly.
“Find the best lawyer in Kentucky and hire him.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Shade took out his cell phone.
It took fifteen minutes before he could report back to Viper.
“Marc Harris is on his way to see Knox now. He’s good, the best in Kentucky, and he happens to live in Treepoint.”
“At least that’s some good news. Maybe he can use his connections to get bond for Knox.”
“Possibly,” Shade said doubtfully.
“You don’t seem so sure. I thought you said he was the best?”
“He is,” Shade assured him. “The problem is, he’s an asshole, and Knox is an asshole. The two might not get along.”
“Go to town and warn Knox to play nice,” Viper ordered.
“Will do, but it isn’t going to work. Knox doesn’t know how to play nice.”
Chapter 27
“I won’t be talked to that way by anyone! Did you hear what he told me to do?” Marc was practically screaming at Viper and Winter.
“Mr. Harris, Knox didn’t mean for you to take it so literally. He’s just—” Winter tried to placate the older man.
Shade wanted to tell Winter she was wasting her time. The courthouse was busy that day, and the lawyer had lost his cool enough to not care who could be watching. One person who had stopped to listen had caught his eye. Tilting his head to Viper, he nodded toward Diamond Richards, the lawyer who had managed to get Winter’s teaching license restored, enabling her to become the principal at the alternative school.
“I don’t care. You can find another lawyer, one who can deal with that asshole.”
“But—”
Harris stormed across the lot to his car. All of them except Shade were still staring when he pulled out with a screech of tires. Shade’s eyes were on the lawyer who had been observing them since she had come out of the courthouse.
“Ms. Richards could handle the case until we find the evidence to clear Knox,” Shade stated.
“Ask her to talk to us.”
Viper had spoken to Winter, but Shade could tell from Ms. Richard’s horrified expression that she had already figured out their next move.
Swiveling on her high heels, Diamond took off down the street at a brisk walk, and Shade didn’t waste time going after her. Winter called out to her, which resulted in the woman speeding up, practically running down the sidewalk as she tried to avoid them.
Shade cut across the courthouse parking lot, managing to reach her before she turned the corner. He stepped out in front of her, bringing her to a sudden stop.
“Ms. Richards, we need your help,” Winter began when she had managed to catch up with Viper, Rider, and Train trailing behind.
They hadn’t seen the need to rush; Shade wouldn’t let her leave until they had their say.
“I’m not taking on any new cases.” The lawyer refused before Winter could even ask if she would represent Knox.
The sheriff nodded grimly. “I have a few witnesses to talk to. I’ll talk to you later.”
Shade watched his father walk toward an older woman who stood in front of the hotel, upset.
He walked back to his bike and started the motor. Pulling out, he rode back to the clubhouse. He would find Viper and tell him Sam was dead. Shade, despite the fact he had fucked the woman several times, felt no sorrow for her death. Her actions outside the diner that day had made her his enemy, and he had planned to pay her back for her part in the attack. Looked like someone had saved him the trouble, though.
* * *
“You’re going to be late,” Viper warned as Shade came down the steps.
Shade paused, going out the front door of the clubhouse. “I have five minutes. Besides, the boss isn’t there yet,” Shade stated, reminding Viper he wasn’t the only one not at the factory.
“I’m on my way. I need to grab a cup of coffee first.” Viper’s eyes narrowed over Shade’s shoulder.
He turned to see who he was staring at and saw the sheriff standing grimly in the doorway.
“Viper, Shade, can I come in?”
The formal tone the sheriff was using raised Shade’s instincts. Something was wrong. Shade opened the door wider, letting him come inside.
“I’m here on official business to question Knox.”
“What for?” Viper asked. “He get drunk and bust up another bar? I’ll write a check—”
“Money isn’t going to solve this problem, Viper. I’m here to question him about Sam’s murder.”
“Sam’s?”
“Yes, unless there’s another murder that’s happened in town that I don’t know about,” the sheriff barked back.
Shade’s mouth snapped shut as Viper took out his cell phone to call Knox.
The sheriff glared at Shade as Viper disconnected the call. “You need to get him a lawyer, and fast.”
“What evidence do you have?” Shade asked warily.
“He was seen leaving the hotel room Sam was found inside. There’s evidence that they’d been intimate.”
Both Shade and Viper became angry at hearing Knox had been with Sam.
“This is bullshit. Knox didn’t touch that bitch!” Viper’s voice rose. The club had banned any members from seeing Sam.
“Calm down, Viper. Let’s hear him out,” Shade reasoned.
Knox came down the steps as they watched his approach.
“What’s up?” Knox asked the Sheriff.
“Samantha Bedford’s body was found this afternoon at the motel,” the sheriff replied while watching his reaction to the news.
Knox stiffened, as if sensing where this was going.
“Knox has had nothing to do with that bitch since she attacked Beth; none of us have. She wasn’t allowed back here at the clubhouse, and after the stunt she pulled with Winter, Beth, and Lily at the diner, we haven’t seen her.”
The sheriff didn’t say anything, just merely continued staring at Knox.
“I saw her yesterday. She stopped her car after I crashed my bike.”
The silence in the room became tangible.
“What happened then?” the sheriff probed.
“We went back to her hotel room and fucked. When Viper called, I left. She was breathing just fine when I walked out that door.” Knox stared back at the sheriff.
“Damn it, Knox,” Viper said angrily.
“You’re not going to say anything I didn’t say to myself.”
Shade wanted to punch the brother for letting his dick get him in this mess.
“There are enough women here that you didn’t need that bitch. What were you thinking?” Viper asked the question on Shade’s mind.
“I wasn’t. She pulled out my dick and went down on me,” Knox said wryly.
“I have to take you in for questioning, Knox. There’s no way around it; the newspaper is involved. A witness saw you leaving her room and told the reporter.”
Knox nodded, stepping forward. “Let’s go.”
Viper took his arm. “Don’t answer any more questions. I’ll get you a lawyer.”
As Knox nodded again and went out the door with the sheriff following him closely, Viper and Shade stared after him grimly.
“Find the best lawyer in Kentucky and hire him.”
“I’ll take care of it.” Shade took out his cell phone.
It took fifteen minutes before he could report back to Viper.
“Marc Harris is on his way to see Knox now. He’s good, the best in Kentucky, and he happens to live in Treepoint.”
“At least that’s some good news. Maybe he can use his connections to get bond for Knox.”
“Possibly,” Shade said doubtfully.
“You don’t seem so sure. I thought you said he was the best?”
“He is,” Shade assured him. “The problem is, he’s an asshole, and Knox is an asshole. The two might not get along.”
“Go to town and warn Knox to play nice,” Viper ordered.
“Will do, but it isn’t going to work. Knox doesn’t know how to play nice.”
Chapter 27
“I won’t be talked to that way by anyone! Did you hear what he told me to do?” Marc was practically screaming at Viper and Winter.
“Mr. Harris, Knox didn’t mean for you to take it so literally. He’s just—” Winter tried to placate the older man.
Shade wanted to tell Winter she was wasting her time. The courthouse was busy that day, and the lawyer had lost his cool enough to not care who could be watching. One person who had stopped to listen had caught his eye. Tilting his head to Viper, he nodded toward Diamond Richards, the lawyer who had managed to get Winter’s teaching license restored, enabling her to become the principal at the alternative school.
“I don’t care. You can find another lawyer, one who can deal with that asshole.”
“But—”
Harris stormed across the lot to his car. All of them except Shade were still staring when he pulled out with a screech of tires. Shade’s eyes were on the lawyer who had been observing them since she had come out of the courthouse.
“Ms. Richards could handle the case until we find the evidence to clear Knox,” Shade stated.
“Ask her to talk to us.”
Viper had spoken to Winter, but Shade could tell from Ms. Richard’s horrified expression that she had already figured out their next move.
Swiveling on her high heels, Diamond took off down the street at a brisk walk, and Shade didn’t waste time going after her. Winter called out to her, which resulted in the woman speeding up, practically running down the sidewalk as she tried to avoid them.
Shade cut across the courthouse parking lot, managing to reach her before she turned the corner. He stepped out in front of her, bringing her to a sudden stop.
“Ms. Richards, we need your help,” Winter began when she had managed to catch up with Viper, Rider, and Train trailing behind.
They hadn’t seen the need to rush; Shade wouldn’t let her leave until they had their say.
“I’m not taking on any new cases.” The lawyer refused before Winter could even ask if she would represent Knox.
