“Gentlemen, if you have a seat, we can begin.”
The new arrivals sat down in the row behind them. From the expressions on Will’s and Jonas’s faces, unlike the others, they knew what was going on.
“Do you know what this is about?” Reaper heard Viper ask Shade.
Shade shook his head. “Dad called me five minutes ago and told me to get here quickly.”
The lead agent held his hand. “I’m sorry about the delay. Now that everyone’s here, I can explain.”
Out of the corner his eye, Reaper saw T.A.’s color had paled and she was shaking. Dalton had placed an arm around T.A.’s shoulders. Sex Piston looked shaken, too.
The lead agent came forward. “I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Special Agent Corey. I want to explain why the FBI is here and—”
“Then fucking explain already,” Sex Piston yelled out.
“Very well. Mr. James, the FBI case on the death of Last Rider member, Memphis Mills, has been dropped. The file has been sealed and closed. The video provided to us of the alleged crime was inadvertently destroyed.” The agent handed him a folder. “Within that folder, you will find a document stating that no charges will be filed or ever will be in connection with Mr. Mills or the witnesses that provided the information.”
“Why has the State decided to be so forgiving? Not that my client is guilty in the first place,” Diamond asked.
“If you allow me to continue, all your questions will be answered.”
Agent Corey moved to Reaper. “Mr. James, this is the approval for the vaccine trail ParmFYOU was seeking consent to begin. The government extends its apologies in the delays from the company and will ensure ParmFYOU gets the highest priority available. We have also begun an investigation into the disappearance of the lab technician and will keep both you and her boss apprised of the situation.
“Furthermore, our agency will no longer offer the man who kidnapped you federal protection. He willfully disappeared, and so the FBI is no longer interested in his location. If, for some reason, he does show up deceased, we are aware of the criminal elements he associated with and will look there if the need arises.”
The agent moved to stand in front of T.A. to open the second folder, taking out two envelopes. “Mrs. Andrews.” The agent handed T.A. one of the envelopes, then came back to Reaper and handed him the second envelope in his hand. “These letters are from Miss Evangeline Bellamy”
Reaper looked up from tearing the envelope open as T.A. began sobbing to ask Viper. “Who’s Evangeline?”
“Mrs. Andrews and Mr. James, Evangeline wanted me to make sure you knew she didn’t make this decision under duress and wants you to respect the decision she has made. And she told me six times to tell you that she is safe and Hammer will be assisting her on her journey home.”
Tearing the envelope open, Reaper began reading the letter as T.A. began wailing in grief.
Dear Gavin,
This is the hardest letter I have ever written. I have a past I haven’t told you about. I’ve wanted to tell you so many times, but I was afraid, not for my own life, but for my sister, for Hammer, and for Will. I have another sister you didn’t know about. T.A. is my biological sister. Freddy adopted me when I was four years old. The Colemans gave me a new life, and I will always be grateful for having them in my life.
Please don’t hate me for not telling you. I love you, and the thought of you hating me would make what I have to do so much harder. I had Hammer make the deal for me when Killyama told me that Slate disappeared. I knew he would come for you. He was smart enough to know you wouldn’t stop looking for him. He had no choice but to kill you first, and I couldn’t let that happen. My brothers leaving that day was a trap for him, and I nearly lost you. I hope his death gives you the peace you deserve.
Viper told me yesterday that Taylor would be at the club today to see you. I kept hoping you would tell me that she was there, but you didn’t. I know you still love her, and I love you enough to want you to be happy. The hardest part today was not leaving my family but watching you walk away to see her.
Even if you decide not to get back with Taylor, I have to settle my past before I can have a future. I learned that lesson from you. I won’t watch my new niece or nephew grow up without me being in their life like I had to do with Trudy.
I wish you well, wild man.
With all my love,
Evangeline
Reaper stormed to his feet. “Knox, give me the keys to your cruiser!” he shouted over Trudy’s terror-filled screams.
“He’ll kill her! Jonas, tell them.” Trudy sobbed, holding onto Dalton.
When Knox gave Reaper the keys, Reaper started running out of the room.
“Mr. James, it won’t do you any good to look for her in Treepoint. Her plane left twenty minutes ago to an undisclosed destination.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
Reaper ran toward the doorway. With his hands held out, he slammed through the second set of doors without stopping. He had seen Knox’s cruiser parked outside as they had come in the courthouse.
Pressing the unlock button as he exited the door, he was in the car and pulling out of the parking spot before Knox, Viper, and Shade came running out. His heart racing as fast as he was driving, Reaper flipped the sirens on, screeching through the traffic on the main drag and driving up the mountain toward the Colemans’.
As he drove past The Last Riders’ clubhouse, he saw the men running down the steps and toward their bikes. Flying past them, he started slowing so he could make the sharp turn into the Colemans’ driveway. Hitting the steering wheel, he had to wait until an oncoming car slowed to a stop before he could dart across the lane.
Driving up the steep hill, he didn’t have to be told that Ginny was gone. Even if the agent hadn’t told him, it was written on all eight of her brothers’ faces as he jerked the car to a stop.
Leaving the door open, Reaper ran directly to Silas. “Tell me you know where she is,” Reaper begged.
Silas nodded. “I know where she’s going.”
“Thank God!” Reaper took deep breaths at Silas’s confirmation, his hands on his thighs as he tried to catch his breath. He hadn’t breathed since he’d heard Ginny had left. “Tell me. I’ll go right now.”
As he straightened up, his breathing stopped again at Silas’s expression.
“What’s wrong? You said you know where she’s going.”
The loud rumble of motorcycles coming up the driveway almost drowned out his question.
“She’s going back to Clindale Island.”
“I’ll get a plane.” Motioning for Viper to hurry toward him, already planning to get Train and a plane in the next hour, not giving a fuck about whatever stumbling block Silas was about to tell him.
“That won’t work.” Silas shook his head. “No one can fly or sail in without the permission of the island’s owner.”
“Then I’ll get his fucking permission. Who is he?”
“The man who wants to kill Ginny.”
Reading Order
1. Razer's Ride (The Last Riders)
2. Viper's Run (The Last Riders)
3. Knox's Stand (The Last Riders)