Page 162 of Gunner

“What’s goin’ on?” Cash asked.

The sheriff looked at Blackwater, then focused on King. “We found another body this morning.”

“Jesus Christ.” King rubbed his hands over his face.

“This one’s different. We don’t think she’s connected to the first two girls,” Blackwater clarified.

“Why not?”

“Well, first, she’s blonde. That doesn’t necessarily mean he hasn’t decided to switch things up. Until we know for sure if he’s a serial killer, then we can’t put together a profile for the victims.”

“Second?” Colt asked.

“She was stabbed. This was a clear case of homicide. The other two had succumbed to the elements, preventing us from connecting their deaths,” Declan explained.

Blackwater continued, “This victim had been beaten and then stabbed thirty-two times. It was messy and erratic. Not controlled. She also wasn’t naked.”

Watching the two men stand stiffly in the room. I asked, “What else?”

“She was local. Twenty-eight years old. Not a college student.”

“So why are you here? All our women are accounted for,” King told him.

“Gunner, do you know a Penelope Ridgefield?” Declan asked. Blackwater stood beside him, his face a blank mask.

“Yea. Had an altercation with her last night. Why?”

“That’s the name of our victim.” Blackwater narrowed his eyes at me and asked, “What really happened to Haizley’s face?”

I jumped from my chair and moved to confront the motherfucker who had just accused me of beating my woman. I didn’t give a damn about the insinuation that I murdered Penny, but I would be damned if I let anyone think I’d hurt Haizley.

Blade and Jack both grabbed an arm, while Ghost and Jingles moved in front of us.

“Settle down, Gun.”

“Fuck off with that shit. I have never laid a hand on a woman. I ain’t about to start now.” My breathing was heavy as I pushed against the strength of four of my brothers. “You look at my jacket? I did three months in Little Rock for beating the shit out of a man who attacked a woman. I don’t fucking hurt women!”

“Gunner! Calm the fuck down!” King shouted. “Dec, what the fuck?”

“I need to ask Gunner about the incident in the bar last night. Blackwater was out of line.” Declan glared at his deputy, and Blackwater stepped back with his hands raised.

“Let go of me,” I snarled.

“You gonna behave? If not, I’ll let Declan fucking shoot you. And then I’ll be pissed about the blood on the floor. Amber will be pissed when she has to clean it up. And Haizley will be pissed you made more work for Amber.”

King’s little diatribe did the trick, and my shoulders relaxed. Haizley would be pissed if I purposefully made more work for Amber.

Before anyone could say anything more, my phone buzzed in my pocket, Declan’s rang on his belt, and Nav’s computer pinged all at the same time.

Seeing Archie’s name, I answered first.

“What the fuck happened?”

“Haizley’s been arrested.” He sounded out of breath, like he was running. I looked over at the sheriff, who was on his phone, and our eyes locked.

“Where the fuck are you?”

“Running down the road. We left the house to go to the club and Reed pulled her over. I stopped with her, but he pulled his gun. He said he was arresting her for murder. Then he shot the tire of my fucking bike.”

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