Chapter 9
Lexi
K ayla has a million questions during the drive to her house. I tell her as little as possible because I know that I’ll have to repeat it all for Cindy. It doesn’t take long before we’re sitting in her living room with mugs of coffee and I’m recounting the tale of the biker who thought it would be a good idea to pretend to have similar interests as me.
Cindy is floored, but Kayla doesn’t look very convinced. “I think you’re wrong about Zen. Evan’s told me several times that he’s the Savage Legion’s resident IT specialist. So, that part is true at least.”
I’m skeptical about that being true, especially since Kayla can get her information turned around at times. I suspect he’s like those phone IT helplines where they just tell you to switch it on and off again or look in the manual for an answer, I mean, what IT problems could a group of bikers really have? “Whatever, I don’t expect to ever see him again,” I tell them.
Before they can respond there is a knock at the door.
“It’s late. I don’t know who would be visiting at this hour,” Cindy says with a worried expression on her face. She sets her coffee aside, goes to answer the door and comes back with a grim-looking Evan in tow.
Kayla’s face lights up and she runs to him giving him a big hug. “What made you decide to stop by so late, babe?”
“I’m here on official club business,” Evan replies.
Kayla draws him forward and down onto the sofa beside her.
Before she can say anything, I speak up, “I gave your friend back his crypto and told him that I didn’t want to see him again, so there’s no club business that involves me.”
“Things are really fucked up right now. Zen opened that police file and remembered the story you told him about how the killer tried to get you to trade yourself for your father. He said the images in the file were shockingly brutal. I told him what you told me about the weird delivery driver,” Evan says looking at Kayla. He continues, “We’re afraid if the killer comes back for you and can’t get you, he might settle for other women you associate with.”
Kayla’s shocked voice whispers, “You mean me and my sister might be in danger?”
Evan puts his arm protectively around her, “Yeah. We don’t know for certain the killer is going to circle back around, especially since it’s been almost a year. But I don’t feel comfortable with you and your sister being on your own if there is a killer about.”
Cindy speaks up. “We don’t have anywhere else to go. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”
Evan states confidently, “I’m one hundred percent certain you will both be safe because you’re both coming to stay with me at the clubhouse. You can have my room. I’ll sleep in one of the bunk rooms with the other prospects.”
Kayla gazes up at Evan like he hung the moon. “You want us to come and stay with you?”
Evan nods. “Our club officers, including my dad, are extending a formal Savage Legion invitation. That means you can just pack a bag, and our club will see to everything else. You don’t have to worry about meals, Wi-Fi or anything at all. If you need to leave the clubhouse, me or one of the other prospects will accompany you to ensure your safety.”
Kayla immediately gushes, “That sounds amazing. Are you sure your dad is okay with this? He’s not my biggest fan.”
“My dad is not only okay with it, he insisted I tell you the truth. My dad said that just because we’re young doesn’t mean we can’t understand if things are explained properly. He said people assume that women are gonna be hysterical and scared to find out there might be danger around, but my mom is living proof that’s not true. She’s one of the most level-headed people I know.”
Cindy asks, “What made you think that lying to us was a good idea in the first place?”
“I didn’t. It was Zen who thought it would be better not to worry you with the part about there being possible danger and just pretend like it was an exciting new social experience. Lying to the woman I love didn’t sit right with me, so I called my dad and talked to him about it. He said we don’t lie to each other in our family, which felt right to me.”
I roll my eyes. “It figures that Zen’s gut reaction would be to lie about it. I thought Kayla was banned, like me.”
“Zen revoked his ban, and our club is ready to welcome Kayla and Cindy with open arms.”
It takes Cindy to ask the hard question. “What about Lexi? It seems like she might be the one in real danger but you’re making arrangements to protect the women who are one step removed from the whole situation. That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.”
“Kayla is mine,” Evan responds sincerely. “If I even suspect a hint of danger, my family is gonna circle the wagons and protect her and her sister. Zen has already asked for round-the-clock protection for Lexi.”
I sit up straight in my chair at that.
“There are three club brothers at her place right now, making sure it’s safe. In the morning they’re probably gonna want to update the security system there.”
Anger bubbles up before I can stop it. “How dare Zen send men to my house without even asking me first. I don’t want them there. I’ve been safe on my own for the last ten months. Why would I suddenly need protection now?”
“Look, I can’t speak for Zen, but something in that police file spooked him real bad. If I were you, I’d pipe down and accept my club’s help. You wanted to track down the person who killed your father, and the club has jumped on board with investigating that. Regardless how you feel about Zen, my club is reliable.”
Cindy leans forward and takes my hand in hers. “I think you should take Evan’s advice. You’ve been holed up in that house, afraid to go anywhere except our apartment and that clubhouse. If the Legion does come through with finding your dad’s killer, it will mean justice for him and then you don’t have to keep living in fear, looking over your shoulder every time you leave the house.
I take a deep breath and try to calm down because my best friend is right. If there’s any possibility of finally getting justice for my father, I have to roll the dice and try. I grasp Cindy’s hand tighter and nod. “You’re absolutely right. No sense looking a gift horse in the mouth. I’ll let the Savage Legion give it their best shot and see where this goes.”
Evan speaks up, “I think that’s a really smart decision.” Turning to look at Kayla, he adds, “Now would be a good time for you and your sister to pack a bag and follow me to the clubhouse.”
Kayla impulsively asks, “Can I ride on the back of your bike?”
Evan gives her a bashful, boyish smile and nods. “If you want, and your sister won’t feel left out.”
Cindy smiles gamely. “You should ride on the back of your guy’s bike every chance you get and live a little.”
Since they’re both excited to get to the clubhouse, I make my excuses and head home. During the drive I try to parse through this whole situation. Zen is apparently the Legion’s actual IT specialist. That doesn’t make him top tier by any stretch of the imagination—but at least he’s a real, live IT specialist and he didn’t lie about that.
Memories of my father’s crime scene rise in my mind. I remember getting out of the psychiatric hospital determined to find the person responsible for his death. I filed a public records request for the entire police file, and it was denied due to it being an open and ongoing case. At some point the detective had taken pity on me and had given me a copy of the file. I recall how I felt the first time I saw those crime scene images. I immediately made a dash for the restroom and threw up. Through pure strength of will alone, I forced myself to study the pictures in an effort to understand what happened. I saw the whole thing go down. That didn’t mean I truly understood it.
Why was my dad so paranoid for all those years? Was there something going on that he didn’t feel comfortable talking about? Why did this man break into our home? Was it some random break-in or was it related to something from my dad’s past, something he was afraid would eventually catch up with him? What made the intruder decide to kill my dad? Did he plan to kill him all along or did something trigger him?
There were so many questions and so few answers. Maybe with the Savage Legion involved I would finally get some answers to all of my questions.
With that out of the way, my mind turns to Zen. Despite my annoyance that he accused me of being a thief—I mean, he was halfway right because I did steal his money to make a point—that man is growing on me. I liked him right up until I didn’t. His idea to dangle bait in the KryptoKlan forum hadn’t been his best idea. The assumption that the same person who stole his sister’s crypto would happen to be in that forum at the time he dangled the bait was a long shot. Assuming that just because I grabbed the bait means that I took his sister crypto as well defies logic. Both of these things lead me to believe that Zen isn’t all that smart, which is sad. I liked him and wanted him to be all that he pretended to be when we talked.
***
I pull into my driveway and use the remote to open the garage door. I always enter and close the door quickly because that’s what my father drilled into me for my whole life. I can see a couple of Savage Legion brothers milling about. I really should go out and talk to them, but some small part of me is too afraid to go out there.
Just then my phone buzzes. It’s a text from Zen.
Zen: I know you’re probably pissed about my club brothers guarding your place.
Me: Why didn’t you at least ask?
Zen: Because you were just going to say no and argue with me.
Me: Ten months. It’s been ten months. If he was going to come back for me, don’t you think he would have done it by now?
Zen: Who can know the mind of a killer? All I know is he wanted you. Might take him months to gather up his courage to come back and try to grab or kill you too.
Me: I don’t think that’s going to happen. It seems like you’re wasting a lot of resources sending multiple men here around the clock.
Zen: It’s not a waste if it saves your life and helps us catch your father’s killer.
Me: I would like nothing better than to see that man behind bars.
Zen: Good, because you’re bait. That’s why we invited Kayla and her sister to the clubhouse but sent men to guard you at your house. We can’t trap him if he doesn’t know where to go to find you.
Me: What is with you and bait?
Zen: I noticed you’re not objecting to being my bait.
Me: I want the Savage Legion’s help but I’m really tired of talking to you, Zen.
Zen: We’re having a meeting on your case in the morning at 9 AM. I’ll be there to pick you up at eight thirty.
Me: I can drive myself.
Zen: Fine. My club brothers will escort you.
Me: Fine.
My screen goes blank, and I’m amazed that I got in the last word with the overprotective biker. I can’t figure out exactly what his deal is but I’m going to make a special point of learning everything I can about him.
Exhausted and frustrated, I go to the safe room, turn on my computer, and play music as I work on a new computer built from salvaged parts.
Slowly, I feel myself start to relax. When I get an alert, I walk over to my screen and see a message from one of my online friends. His name is MadHitter. I’m not sure why he got tagged with that name. One of the deals with my online friends is, we don’t ask anything personal beyond knowing what country we live in. I’m guessing he might be an Alice In Wonderland fan with impulse control issues IRL.
MadHitter: Hey, Chaos. How are you tonight?
Me: Frustrated.
MadHitter: Want to talk about it?
Me: No. Just dealing with a friend who thinks he knows what’s best for me.
MadHitter: He? Did Chaos finally get herself a boyfriend?
Me: God no. He’s just a friend. Someone I barely know.
MadHitter: You should give him the boot. He’s probably trying to keep other men away so he can have you all to himself.
I did a double take.
Me: That’s a strange conclusion to leap to, Mad.
MadHitter: Just joking around. Trying to look at you.
Me: What?
MadHitter: Autocorrect. I meant trying to look out for you. Look, I gotta go.
Me: Catch you later.
The text box disappears as quickly as it appeared. Mad didn’t use a regular texting platform so there was never any history of our chats. Not that I wanted to keep them particularly. It was just a weird, quirky Mad thing I guess.
I stretch my arms above my head, feeling my muscles ache. I fall into bed and tumble off to sleep. Just before I conk out entirely, I think I hear someone say, “Trade.”
I jerk my head up but there’s no one in the room and my music is still playing on the computer. Laying my head back down, I know it’s because the intruder wanted me to trade myself for my dad. Weird shit like this has been happening off and on. My therapist warned me ten months ago that things like this would happen, that my mind would play tricks on me.