Page 10 of May 11

Chapter Four

MAVERICK RODE UP TO the back of the clubhouse on his motorcycle. Leaning against the wall, Wire took the last drag off his cigarette.

His MC brother backed up his Harley and parked. Dio broke away from the group and jogged to the line of motorcycles, lifting Maverick's daughter off the back of the bike and helping her with her helmet.

"Does your ol' lady know you have the kid on your bike?" Bane laughed. "All hell's gonna break lose if she finds out."

Maverick shrugged. "Skye's allowed to ride from the coffee shop to the clubhouse."

"Going ten miles an hour." Jagger nudged Bane. "Who wants to see if Brooke's standing out on the sidewalk, watching to make sure Maverick made it here safely?"

"Aunt Brooke bought me a helmet." Skye held onto Dio's hand. "It's like Dad's but purple and sparkly."

"Metallic, sweetheart," murmured Dio.

Maverick palmed the top of his daughter's head. "I need to take her over to rec swim, and then I'll be back."

Before he could leave, Wire asked, "Did you see a woman at the coffee shop?"

"A few of them." Maverick stopped. "Why?"

"We have a visitor." He pointed to the Sprinter van. "The woman from last night."

Maverick's brows rose and he coughed. "I'll be back, and you can fill me in."

Once the kid was out of earshot, Wire looked at Jagger and chuckled. "When the hell did Maverick start talking?"

"He has his moments." Jagger held out his hand.

Wire passed a pack of cigarettes to the president of Havlin Motorcycle Club. "I liked it better when he pointed and glared. Scared the hell out of everyone we came across." He chuckled. "Maverick's a big son of a bitch. Hearing him talk only makes him fiercer."

Dio stretched his arms above his head. "Anyone check in with Rush this afternoon?"

"He'll be fine." Jagger blew a stream of smoke up into the air. "He's staying in one of the rooms inside the clubhouse, sleeping off the alcohol we forced him to drink."

"He's damn lucky to be alive," added Wire.

Maverick jogged around the corner of the building, childless now, and stopped at the edge of the group. "Fill me in."

"Nothing new. We still don't know who shot Rush." Jagger folded the butt of the cigarette between his fingers. "We're keeping an eye on the chick that witnessed the shooting."

"Do you think she's involved?" asked Maverick.

"Could be." Wire rubbed the side of his nose. "But I doubt it. As far as I can tell, she's a tourist in the wrong spot at the wrong time. The shooter probably thought the van was empty, sitting at the back of the lot. Most people who take advantage of the free parking leave their rig there and walk to the restaurants and bars in town."

Jagger's voice lowered. "Whoever shot Rush will be looking for her. He won't leave any witnesses behind who can point him out in a line-up and put him behind bars."

"She's leaving town," said Wire.

"Are you sure about that?" Maverick crossed his arms and widened his stance. "There's a new girl working at Whale's Tail."

"Dania won't hire her." He shook his head.

As soon as he said that, he knew he was wrong. Dania would hire Cora. She was a beautiful girl. Tourists would love her.

"She was behind the counter, wearing an apron when I was there."

He scratched his jaw through his beard. "She drives a fucking Mercedes. I'd be surprised if she were much older than eighteen. It's probably her parents' rig, and she's out having fun before college starts at the end of summer."

---