Page 8 of Pike’s Redemption

“No problem. Anything for family.” I shrugged. “My sister needed to get away too. It worked out.” I pulled my shake closer and sipped, enjoying the malty goodness. Damn, if I lived here, I’d be at the Duck every day just for the shakes.

Helena laughed, a bright sound that matched her colorful appearance. "Well, welcome to Haverboro. It's not much, but it's home. I like it. I was raised here. My dad was the president of the Iron Brotherhood before Maddox.” I quirked an eyebrow at her. Really? That was intereresting. I wondered what that was like. Just as I was about to quiz her about growing up in a motorcycle club, Daisy returned with a photocopy of the receipt. She handed it to me with a triumphant grin.

"Here you go. This should help, right?"

"Absolutely. Thank you so much, Daisy. You have no idea how important this is." I carefully tucked the copy into my accordion file in my bag. This piece of evidence was crucial for Pike's case.

Daisy shook her head. "Pike, a murderer? No way. Sure, he’s rough around the edges, but he's got a good heart.”

"That's what I'm hoping to prove," I said, taking another sip of my milkshake. "The police are just looking for an easy target."

Helena nodded, her earrings swinging. "The Morinrock PD isn't exactly known for their thorough investigations. They'll pin it on anyone to close the case. They don’t have the best reputation over there,” she said sagely. “My dad always said they were a few gallons short of a full tank.”

Laughing, I admitted, “That's what worries me. "But with your help, we are on our way to building a solid alibi for Pike." I had heard that Morinrock PD was a bit of a mess, but this confirmed that they were doing shoddy work. Pike’s alibi would have been easy for them to verify, but they hadn’t even done that in order to eliminate him as the killer. That told me everything I needed to know about their department. Imbeciles.

Daisy placed her hand on mine, her expression serious. "We'll do whatever we can to help. Pike's a good guy, and he doesn't deserve this."

"Thank you, Daisy," I said, squeezing her hand. “If you remember anything else, no matter how small, please let me know."

"You got it," Daisy said with a nod. "And if you need a statement, just come by."

“I’ll see you in a bit,” Helena said. “I’ve got tables to see. The crowd gets rowdy.” She gave me a wink.

I finished my onion rings and shake, grateful for the unexpected support from these two women. Daisy's confirmation and the receipts were solid steps in the right direction. I wasn’t about to let Pike down, so I went to the alarm company next to get a copy of that work order.

As I returned to my car, I couldn't help but smile. Maybe Morinrock wasn't such a bad place after all. With allies like Daisy and Helena, I felt more confident than ever. This was looking like a slam dunk.

CHAPTER

FOUR

PIKE

I pulled up on my bike to Dimitri and Hollis’ house, feeling out of sorts. Both of the fuckers had given me a ton of shit about coming to this shindig until I caved. Now, I wasn’t sure why I was even here. Dimitri claimed it would be a good distraction from everything going on. I hesitated for a moment before ringing the doorbell, wondering if the bottle of whiskey was inappropriate. Too late now. I wasn’t used to being a guest at people’s houses. Typically, that wasn’t my role in people’s lives.

The door swung open, and there was Hollis, her face lighting up with a careful smile. She was new to our little circle, but Dimitri had rescued her from a trafficking situation, and there was still some residual fear around other men that he’d been worried about. I could see him hovering in the kitchen, and I was positive that he had spotted me on the security feed before my bike stopped at the curb. We agreed on many things but were all on the same page about how we treated our females.

"Pike! Come in, come in. We’re just getting started. I’m so glad you came.”

“Thanks, Hollis,” I said, stepping inside, making sure not to crowd her. The house was filled with the delicious aroma of home-cooked food, and I could hear laughter and chatter from the dining room.

I followed Hollis through the hallway and into the dining room, where I was met with a chorus of greetings. Maddox and Helena were already there, along with Olive, Hollis’ little girl, who was busily arranging her stuffed animals around a chair. The little orange kitten that Dimitri had bought her was curled beside her, undisturbed by all the noise. Dimitri carried the fucking thing around so much that I was surprised the cat even hung around Olive at all anymore.

And then there was Natasha.

She stood near the table, her eyes widening in surprise as she saw me. She recovered quickly, but I caught the slight flush in her cheeks. It made me smirk, knowing I affected her at least a little.

“Pike,” she said, her voice steady, but her eyes betrayed her annoyance. “I didn’t realize you’d be here.”

“Dimitri invited me,” I said, walking over to stand beside her. “Hope that’s alright,” I smirked at her, suddenly happy that I had come.

“Of course,” she replied, a smirk at the corners of her mouth. “The more, the merrier.” I wasn’t sure what it was about this woman that interested me so much, but she was the flame, and I was the moth.

“Pike! Good to see you, man!” Dimitri’s voice boomed as he entered the room, clapping me on the back. “Grab a seat, dinner’s almost ready.” Shoving the whiskey into his hand, I kept my eyes on Natasha, noting that she’d changed her hair — did something with the front of it.

“Ronnie!” Dimitri suddenly shouted up the staircase. “Dinner.”

A waifish blonde I’d never seen came down the staircase moments later. She was extraordinarily pale for Arizona, with alabaster skin, the kind that would burn in a second in here. Her steps were quick and light as she headed straight for us. “Hi, I’m Ronnie.” She stuck her hand out to me formally. Folding it into mine, I took care of it as I shook it, noting the tension in every line of Natasha’s body. Ronnie’s hand felt just as delicate as it looked.

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