Page 159 of Scatter the Bones

“Hey, Margot.” Murphy lifts a hand in greeting. His mussed hair and bushy ginger beard make him look more like the friendly neighborhood lumberjack than a biker about to burn a body.

I bump the door open wider with my hip and step aside. “Everything’s already going. So hopefully this will be quick…” My gaze flicks toward the van. “Depending on how many ‘loaves of bread’ you have in there.”

Murphy rumbles with laughter and slaps his leg. “Jigsaw knew you’d get it.”

I lift my shoulders in a bashful shrug.

“That’s good. Thank you.” Rock studies the crematory a second, then returns to Wrath, the two of them speaking in whispers.

“I’ll let you guys…” I step back into the building.

Rock murmurs something I can’t quite catch, and a second later, Jigsaw follows me inside. His steps are quieter this time. A little uneven.

“You all right?” Jigsaw’s voice is soft, but his posture’s rigid.

“I’m fine.” I smile, small and unsure. “Don’t want to get in the way.”Or see something I’ll never unsee.

He glances through the crack in the door. I can’t see past him but low voices going back and forth reach me.

“Busy afternoon, huh?” I ask.

Jigsaw lets out a jagged huff. “You know Griff?”

Terror crackles through my chest. “What? No.”

I sway sideways, trying to get a better look. That’s Griff? No. Can’t be. Griff’s much bigger. He’s a friend of their club. We just went to a party in his honor.They wouldn’t…

“Shit. No, Margot.” Jigsaw wraps his hand around my arm, trying to hold me still. “It’s not Griff. Jesus. He’s a friend of the club. We don’t…no. The guy went after Griff and his girlfriend Molly.”

“Little Molly?” I stop trying to look over his shoulder. “Is she okay?”

“She’s notthatlittle. Caved the guy’s leg in with a crowbar.” His mouth twitches with pride.

“Oh my God. Are they okay?”

“Yeah. Griff used his martial arts skills on this fucking tweaker. Then, Molly whacked him.” He lowers his voice. “Nowwe need him to disappear. We’re just trying to get more info about who sent him.”

“Okay.”

He shifts his weight from one leg to the other and winces. “We wouldn’t call on you…lightly. That’s all I’m trying to say.”

“I know that.” From everything I’ve learned, it’s a big deal for Jigsaw to share that much with me—his ol’ lady. Especially with his brothers only a couple feet away. “Thank you for being honest with me.”

“You’re taking a risk too. It’s only fair.”

I lean up and brush a kiss against his bristly cheek. “You’re worth all the risk.”

His brow furrows, almost like my words hurt.

“I’m glad you’re here,” I say.

“Planning to stay if you think you can give me a ride to Jerry’s garage to grab my bike in the morning.”

“Yeah.” A smile lifts my cheeks. “I can do that.” I widen my eyes. “Are you sure you really want to leave your bike somewhere overnight?” I tease.

His eyebrows knit into a scowl. “Griff knows I’ll kick his ass if anything happens to it.”

“Wait, soyoucan threaten him but…” I tilt my head toward the crematorium.

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