Beth not so much. Winter loved Beth; she was a truly kind person who didn’t want to intentionally hurt anyone. Winter swallowed a lump in her throat when she saw Razer’s gaze fixed on Beth. It was obvious he loved her; he knew she wasn’t happy with the solution but didn’t have another solution.
“Okay, if that makes everyone more comfortable,” Beth conceded. The whole room nodded their heads.
Chapter 11
Winter borrowed Evie’s car to drive herself to the doctor on Monday. Satisfied with her progress, he agreed to sign her work release. Winter wanted to celebrate, but she was by herself, all the members were hard at work at the factory. A big order was due to go out on Thursday and many had to work overtime. She frowned, realizing suddenly that her world had narrowed down to The Last Riders. She had never had an overabundance of friends, but there were a few she could have called at a moment’s notice for lunch.
Winter decided to go to the diner for lunch by herself. The diner wasn’t very busy with only a few customers occupying the tables. Pastor Dean was sitting at one by himself.
“Mind if I join you?” Winter asked
He rose and pulled out a chair at the table. “Not at all.”
Pastor Dean sat back down as the waitress came to take her order. Winter appreciated his gentlemanly manners. He was an extremely good-looking man, who was also an excellent Pastor. Winter had sought his guidance several times after her mother’s death.
“You seem to be recovering well.”
“Other than the cane and that I move slow as a turtle, I am,” Winter agreed happily.
“Now that you’re better, I am hoping to see you in church again. The children in your class miss you.”
“I miss them.” Her class of preschoolers was small, but she was eager to see them again. “I’ll be back this Sunday.”
“I’ll count on it.” They discussed how several of the older church parishioners were doing until their food arrived. They were drinking coffee when Mrs. Langley came in from her beauty shop appointment to meet her friend.
Mrs. Langley was Winter’s aunt. Samantha was her granddaughter, who was as cruel as Mrs. Langley was kind. She sat down at their table to wait for her friend’s arrival.
After both assured each other that they were doing well. Mrs. Langley brought up the uncomfortable situation herself.
“Winter, I heard at the beauty shop what happened with Samantha. I am deeply ashamed at her actions.”
“Aunt Shay, you’re not responsible for her actions, you have nothing to be embarrassed about,” Winter reassured her there were no hard feelings.
“First Vincent, then Samantha. My daughter would be heartbroken if she were still alive.” Mrs. Langley’s daughter had died three years ago. Samantha, who had always stayed in trouble, had become even wilder without her mother’s guidance. A sudden thought struck Winter, she didn’t want to hurt the woman, but the truth needed to be brought out.
“Aunt Shay, has anyone told you that Samantha had a baby three years ago? It was right around the time of Samantha’s mother’s death.” Mrs. Langley’s expression became cautious. Winter knew then she was right, everyone had been so cautious of protecting the woman’s feelings, they were ignoring the only source of information they had. Even Pastor Dean was giving the older woman a concerned look.
“She told Loker James that it was his brother’s child. He is devastated, he loved his brother and the thought of his murdered brother’s child out there with no family caring for it is hard for him to accept,” Winter explained gently.
Mrs. Langley stared at Pastor Dean several minutes before answering in a quiet voice. “She told him it was Gavin’s?”
Winter heard Pastor Dean break into the conversation. “You knew Gavin?” Surprised at the familiarity of the name coming from Pastor Dean, it was only Mrs. Langley’s answer that made her forget to question him.
“He stayed at my home while they were building the factory. Vincent invested in the business and as my home was so large, he asked if Gavin could stay there. Of course I accepted. I didn’t know Vincent was planning on killing him.” Her frail hand shook as she sat her tea glass back on the table. “It probably made it easier to make him disappear.” A tear ran down her withered cheek. Pastor Dean handed her a handkerchief.
“You couldn’t have known, please don’t blame yourself.”
It took several minutes before the older woman could get herself back under control.
“I couldn’t help him, but at least I can help Loker. I knew Sam was pregnant. She came to me when she first found out because she wanted to have an abortion. She was too far along and she stayed with me until she had the baby. When she went into labor, she called Vincent and he came to the house to pick her up. Afterwards, when I asked about the baby they told me Samantha had given it up for adoption. I would have cared for the child, but they told me no. I have no idea where my great grandchild is and they won’t tell me.” Anguish filled the old woman’s eyes.
“Do you know if the baby was Gavin’s?” Winter pushed gently, knowing her aunt had to understand Viper’s predicament.
“It wasn’t. She never told me who the father of the child was, but I know for a fact it wasn’t Gavin’s.
“How?”
“Because I was the one who drove her to the doctor’s appointments when she was pregnant. She became pregnant after Gavin disappeared.”
Winter sat back disappointed. “Samantha gave Loker the baby’s date of birth. He was still in town when she conceived.” Pastor Dean looked as disappointed as Winter.
Mrs. Langley shook her head, saddened by her granddaughter’s treachery. “The baby was premature. Doctors said that it was because Samantha was so young and she didn’t take care of herself.”
“Will you give me the name of the doctor you took her to?” Winter asked.
“Yes.” Opening her purse, she took out a pad of paper and pen writing down the doctor’s name and address.
“The doctor is in Jamestown.” The town next to Treepoint was thirty miles away. Which was a distance that would enable Vincent to keep his daughter’s pregnancy a secret.
“Yes. Vincent was afraid of the gossip in town, so he had me take her there, that was where she had the baby.”
Winter stood up from the table and hugged her aunt tightly. “Thank you, Aunt Shay. Loker has been upset that his brother was accused of getting a underage girl pregnant, then having that child missing was hard on him.”
“I am glad I could help.” Winter could see a tiny bit of the burden on the woman lightening. Her aunt’s friend entered the restaurant; with a hug and promises to see her soon she left to join her.
“No one thought to ask her. Samantha never went to visit her grandmother,” Pastor Dean remarked.
“That’s how I can tell you’re not from a small town,” Winter answered. A closed expression came over his handsome face.
“What do you mean?”
“If you were from a small town, especially Treepoint, you would know however many problems you have with your family that you always turn to them when you’re in trouble.”
“Good to know.” Pastor Dean gave her a wry smile.
“Beth wouldn’t think to ask because that woman is incapable of hurting anyone’s feelings. She would have avoided upsetting Aunt Shay.”
“Yes, she would,” Pastor Dean agreed.
“You should know, you dated her for a while,” Winter probed.
“Beth is very kind hearted.” His expression became closed.
“Yes, she is.” She reached out and gripped his hand, his turned and held hers. The waitress brought their ticket, when she would have paid, Pastor Dean wouldn’t let her.
“My treat.”
They walked out together. Pastor Dean followed beside her as she walked to her car and held the car door open for her. She was about to get in when he spoke.
“Winter, it was a nice thing you did today, Loker wouldn’t have stopped until he found that child, he
wouldn’t have been able to.”
“I know, Viper is stubborn.”
Pastor Dean’s head tilted to the side in question. “You call him Viper?”
Winter paused, finally admitting to herself what she had known all along. “Loker was imaginary. A disguise he surrounded himself with, he’s Viper to me now.” She confessed something to him that she hadn’t been able to do to herself. “I never had Loker, he was a mirage.”
Pastor Dean shook his head in disagreement. It seemed as if he was about to say something but changed his mind. “See you this Sunday.”
Winter watched him walk away before getting into the car and driving back to the clubhouse. She was getting out of her car before she realized something and stopped in her tracks, turning back to the car she bumped into Shade.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t watching were I was going,” she apologized.
“It’s alright. I was coming out of the factory when I saw that you were upset about something.” Winter took a step back, being close to Shade made her nervous. He was wearing loose jeans that clung to his hips, black biker boots, and a black t-shirt. His arms and neck that were visible gave a menacing air to the man, and combined with the vibes he put off, anyone would be afraid of him. When they were surrounded by the other members it slightly muted the effect, but alone it was overwhelming.
Winter was upset. “I just realized that I have been trying to get back to my home since I returned to Treepoint, then the first time I actually have the opportunity, I don’t even go by to check on my house.”
Shade laughed, taking her arm as they walked to the flight of steps to the house.