“I think I’m done, Aunt April,” Violet said as soon as April typed out that last message. She tucked the phone back into her bag and helped Violet wash her hair, before letting her out of the tub. She dried her off and helped her get into some clean clothes that were kept in a closet adjacent to the bathroom. “Outside time?” Violet asked eagerly, her demeanor and energy back, as if the earlier events hadn’t happened.
“Lead the way, Sweetie.” April hated that Violet was being used and abused by Ned, but she hated even more that she didn’t even realize the full extent of it until today.
Chapter 13
Tanner blew out a frustrated breath, staring blankly at the Arlo J murder file, not seeing anything new. Of all the cases to go cold, this was one he just couldn’t let go by the wayside. He’d interviewed all the members of the Deathly Hollow Motorcycle Club extensively, and had even gone back to the coffee shop. Either someone was lying to him, or he really was investigating a cold case. It didn’t make any sense to him why the same guy who’d gone after Arlo J would make an attempt on Nico’s life, unless it really was an inside job.
“Hey, Stranger,” a familiar voice said, and Tanner looked up to see Skyla standing in front of him.
Tanner stood, happy to see her. “Hey yourself. How are you? Please, sit.” He gestured to the chair next to his desk and she carefully lowered herself into it.
“So, we didn’t really get a chance to talk much the other day at the barbecue. How are you doing?”
Skyla nodded, her gaze drifting from one corner of the large room to the other. “I’m dealing.” Then her eyes focused on Tanner, and he sat back in his chair. “Blake told me what’s been going on.”
“Oh?” Tanner wasn’t sure when Blake had planned on telling her about Arlo J. “What did he say?”
Skyla shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. All you need to know is that I didn’t kill him.”
Tanner cleared his throat. “I never thought you did.”
Skyla relaxed a bit then set her cell phone on his desk. “He called me early that morning asking to meet. I told him no way in hell. He said it was about Madigan’s. That he’d heard rumors, that it could be in danger. That I could -” She drew in a heavy breath, but Tanner didn’t dare interrupt. “I agreed to meet him at the coffee shop. I didn’t tell Blake, of course. That’s why he met with that vendor for me.” Skyla repositioned herself in the chair and looked around to make sure no one was paying them any attention. “I recorded our conversation just in case. I didn’t think he’d hurt me, but I wanted to be able to - for Blake, just in case, you know…”
Tanner nodded.
“I was only there for like ten minutes. But he was very much alive when I left him outside the coffee shop. I forgot to stop the recording, so you can hear me getting back into the car and turning on the radio.”
Tanner was so relieved. Of course, he didn’t think Skyla had killed Arlo J, but having proof was exactly what he needed to really move on from even thinking that she could’ve somehow been involved. “Thank you,” he said. “Did you happen to see anyone -”
“No. After Blake told me everything last night, I laid awake thinking about it, going over every detail I could remember from that morning. Nothing seemed off to me, except maybe Arlo J, himself.”
“How so?” Tanner asked. Did the man know he was in trouble? Had he been trying to butter Skyla up for when he’d need to be healed?
“He wasnice. It was weird. He was apologetic, and he seemed genuinely concerned. He said things inside the club weren’t so good, and he worried about any fallout that might hurt me or Madigan’s.”
“Or maybe he knew something bad was about to happen to him, and he was trying to get back on your good side so you’d heal him again.” Tanner couldn’t help thinking this was exactly why Arlo J had called her that morning given the events that had transpired not even an hour after their meeting.
“Maybe it started that way, but I told him right from the start that I’m not doing that anymore. I told him I couldn’t even if I wanted to.”
“You told him about the baby?” Tanner asked, shocked that she’d reveal something so vulnerable to him.
Skyla shook her head. “No, but you know how I said that he was nice? He got that way after I told him I didn’t do healings anymore. Maybe he assumed or something.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. But anyway, I wore Blake’s sweatshirt that morning because it was chilly outside. That’s probably how one of his hairs got on Arlo J. I was having some nausea and I had a momentary dizzy spell just outside the coffee shop. He put his arm out to steady me. I think that was the most human I’ve ever seen him except for at the hospital after Nico had been shot.”
Tanner didn’t doubt that Arlo J was only out for his own agenda. The man hadn’t changed overnight, and he sure wasn’t acting nice out of the goodness of his heart. Arlo J didn’t have a heart as far as Tanner was concerned. But he wasn’t about to tell Skyla any of that. If she wanted to believe he was a reformed man moments before his death, he’d let her. “Did he give you any details about what danger he thought might come to you or Madigan’s?”
Skyla wrapped her arms around herself. “No. But given that he was killed minutes later, maybe it wasn’t me or Madigan’s that was in danger. It was him.”
“Maybe.” Tanner wasn’t sure of that, but he’d let Blake take point on keeping Skyla and her business safe. With his friends inthe clear, it was time to go back to square one and see who else had it out for Arlo J.
Skyla sent him a copy of the recording, and left shortly after. Needing to stretch his legs, Tanner went to the break room to get a fresh cup of coffee. This was going to be a long day and he’d need the caffeine. As he returned to his desk, Tanner’s thoughts drifted to April, and how well things had gone at the barbeque. He’d been so busy this week, between the case and spending time with April in the mornings, that he hadn’t given last weekend much thought. But seeing Skyla had reminded him of how well April fit in with his friends after that little mishap that honestly was his own fault. He could’ve kicked himself for not at least warning April about the sensitive nature of the night they’d met. But then again, he wouldn’t have known how to bring it up even if he’d wanted to.
That night had reminded him of his own family’s pain from many years ago. Seeing Skyla and Blake go through it now really put into perspective what his own parents had endured when he was too young to really understand. He wished he could’ve been there for them instead of being the oblivious kid who was probably out bike riding with his friends or staying after school to play some sport.
“Knock, knock.” A giant hand with knuckles the size of boulders tapped on the corner of Tanner’s desk making him jerk and bringing his attention back to the present moment. Texas Ranger Hayes Wilder plopped into the chair next to his desk. Tanner still remembered when he’d been shot and how worried Garrett had been for his colleague. Wilder was a large man and had an authentic Texan accent to go with his leather boots, flannel shirt, and perfectly trimmed beard. “How’s it going, Rhodes?”
Tanner leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “What are you doing here, Wilder? How’s the leg?”
Wilder gave him a big grin and shook his right leg as if to prove it was in fighting form. “I’m good, and the leg has never been better.”