Chapter Four Alexandra
As a steady rain fell outside my classroom window, I rose out of my desk. “Okay, guys, it’s time to take your seats,” I instructed, over the buzzing hum in the room.
My heels clicked across the tile as I went to close the door of my classroom. That was the signal that some of my stragglers needed to make sure they got to their desks. I smiled as they bounced in their chairs, excited to see what the day held in store for them.
I once again turned my attention to my group of eager students. “All right. Let’s see who is here today, and then we’ll go to the mat for calendar time.”
As I started taking attendance, my eyes fell on an empty seat.
An ache went through my chest at the sight of.
It was the fourth day Willow Malloy had been absent.
Protocol dictated we call home after the third straight absence, but when I had tried the day before, I had received a message that the number was out of service.
Although I loved each of my little students equally, there was something so special about Willow.
What had started as a tiny flicker at the Meet and Greet had grown after getting to know her.
She was off-the-charts smart, and sometimes when I was talking to her, her responses made me think she was a second or third grader.
She stuck close to my side whenever she was at school.
As hard as I tried, I couldn’t seem to get her to make friends with any of the other children.
Most of the little girls were put off by the fact she rarely talked.
So instead of jabbering along with them, Willow liked to stay with me during recess, and sometimes she would refuse to go to the gym or to art.
I never forced her.
Instead, I just went about doing my usual routine during my off-time while Willow tagged along. Some teachers might have treated her differently and refused to give her any special attention. But my own trauma made me empathize with Willow and her situation.
I was brought out of my thoughts by one of my students wiggling in his seat. “Miss Evans, can we go to the mat now?”
Laughing at his excitement, I nodded. “All right, let’s go work on the calendar.”
That afternoon, after Atticus and I escorted all the second load kids out to the bus lanes, I came back inside and went straight to my computer. Once I logged into the attendance program, I went to Willow’s name. Grabbing an apple-shaped notepad, I jotted down her address.
I didn’t even bother with trying Elizabeth’s contact information. I wanted to go straight to the source. If I couldn’t reach her father by phone, then perhaps I was just going to have to track him down at his house.
I grabbed my messenger bag and purse, and Atticus and I headed to my car. After dropping him off at the house, I typed the address into my GPS on my phone. It was another scorching, late September day in the South. The backs of my legs stung when I slid across the leather seat of my Accord.
After following the directions of the monotone GPS’s voice, I turned a few blocks and found myself in one of the seedier areas of town.
Even though I hadn’t grown up here, Uncle Paul had made sure to always steer me clear of the area.
He’d informed me that when the cotton mills had gone out of business in the late ‘80s, the area had rapidly declined.
Crime rates rose with the unemployment, and it was now inhabited by transient workers and the local motorcycle gang that I had seen from time to time on the road.
When I pulled up to a gun and pawn shop, I glanced down at my phone to double check that this was actually Willow’s address.
Then I grabbed the Post-It note out of my purse to make sure I hadn’t entered it into my phone wrong.
I couldn’t help feeling surprised that I was in the right place.
Peering through the windshield, I could see that a shop had been made out of part of the old cotton mill.
Next to it was the old mill’s office, which appeared to have been converted into some sort of roadhouse or bar.
Unease filled me the moment I shut the car door.
Two men in biker boots and leather leaned against the wall of the pawn shop.
With a forced determination, I pushed myself forward on shaky legs.
As I approached the men, I could feel their heated gaze burning through me, singeing my cotton sundress as they stripped me down with their eyes.
A shudder of repulsion ran through me, making me feel dirty and used.
When I met their hooded gazes, I plastered a smile on my lips.
“Hello,” I said softly. As I reached for the door of the pawnshop, one of the men stepped in front of me.
I couldn’t help jumping back, my hand flying to my mouth to stifle a scream.
He cocked his brows at me as he held open the door like a proper gentleman.
Embarrassment flooded my cheeks at my over-the-top reaction. “Thank you. You’re very kind,” I said, as I hesitantly squeezed past his body into the shop. My heels clacked along the floor as I nervously fidgeted with the strap on my messenger bag.
As I glanced left and right, I didn’t see anyone behind the counter. “Hello?” I called.
A black curtain was shoved aside, and a tall, hulking man stepped out. Regardless of his enormous size, the kind expression on his very handsome face immediately put me at ease. “May I help you?”
Extending my hand, I said, “I’m Alexandra Evans. I’m looking for David Malloy.”
Instead of shaking my hand, the man crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head at me. “What do you need with him?”
Something about the man’s guarded tone made me uneasy. “I, uh, his daughter, Willow, is in my kindergarten class. She’s missed a lot of days of school, and I was worried.”
My response seemed to appease the man because his muscular arms relaxed, and he finally offered me his hand. “I’m Nathaniel Malloy, Willow’s uncle.”
“Oh, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Same to you. Deacon, er, David is actually at the clubhouse. I can take you there.”
The thought of entering the roadhouse alone made my skin crawl, so I was very thankful that Nathaniel was offering to take me. After he came around the counter, he opened the door for me.
“Tiny, keep an eye on the shop, okay?” he ordered to the tallest and biggest of the guys. A nervous giggle escaped my lips at the irony of the man’s name.
As I walked next to Nathaniel, his towering presence somewhat overwhelmed me. He was all man from his large hands and feet down to the musky smell that invaded my nose and messed with my senses.
If I hadn’t been so out of my element, I would have been very attracted to him, even though his faded jeans, tight, black T-shirt, and arms covered in tattoos screamed bad boy.
But even in the few moments I had been with him, I could tell there was much more to him.
The way he carried himself was like a cultured gentleman, not a hardcore biker.
“Willow doesn’t say much, but I know she loves going to school.”
“She’s probably the brightest student in my class. Besides my attachment to her, I didn’t want her falling behind after missing school. Considering her potential, I think she could easily skip to first grade at the halfway point in the year.”
Nathaniel’s blue eyes widened. “Really?”
I smiled. “Yes.”
“Deacon and our mom will be really pleased to hear that.”
“Who is Deacon?”
Nathaniel grinned. “That’s David’s nickname.”
“Oh, I see.”
A large pick-up truck rumbled into the parking lot. When a short, bald man got out of the cab, he waved a brown envelope in his hand. “Hey Rev, can you come here for a sec?”
“I’m busy. Get Tiny.”
The man shook his head. “This packaging needs a Malloy signature on it.”
Nathaniel gave a frustrated grunt. “Fine. I’ll be right there.”
When he turned to me, I gave him a slight smile. “Rev?”
He responded with a warm grin. “Just a nickname.”
“For what?”
“Reverend.”
My brows shot up in surprise. “Oh, are you a minister?”
He cocked his head teasingly at me. “Are you a teacher or a reporter?”
I laughed. “Forgive me, but I’m used to answering questions all day. I can’t help but ask some myself.”
“Well, Miss…I’m sorry what was your last name again?”
“Evans.”
“No, Miss Evans, I’m not a real reverend.”
“Then how did you get the nickname?”
“Yo, Rev!” the man from the truck called impatiently.
With a grimace, Nathaniel/Rev shook his head. “Listen, I have to take care of this. Just go on inside, and I’ll be there in a minute.”
Inwardly, I groaned. I didn’t want to go in the roadhouse alone. I would have much preferred having Rev by my side. But when he started walking away from me, I realized I’d better head inside out of the oppressive heat, despite feeling out of my element.
As I entered the door, I took a deep breath to try and still my out-of-control nerves. Smoke hung heavy in the air, stinging my eyes and causing me to cough. Several men in leather biker cuts lounged on stools at the bar, nursing beers. Across from me, a heated pool game was taking place.
I took a few steps inside and then froze. “Are you lost, darlin’?” a big busted woman in a halter top asked.
“Uh…I’m looking for David Malloy,” I said.
Two men at the pool table whirled around. The shorter of the two, a tough but cute looking blond, cocked his head curiously at me. But then the moment my gaze locked on the other man, I knew he was Willow’s father.
They had the same dark hair, soulful dark eyes, and heart-shaped face. David, however, had dark scruff covering his face. Although he was Rev’s brother, I didn’t see any resemblance between the two. Although he was shorter and slightly less built, David was just as good-looking as Rev.
“Mr. Malloy?” I questioned, as I closed the distance between us.
He tossed the pool stick on the table. Taking a long drag on his cigarette, he then stubbed it out in an ashtray on the table. “What do you want?” he demanded.