Rain Shadow

  Another bullet whizzed through the air, and I moved closer to Jericho.

  “He’s just firing at the sky . . . for now. He looks pretty close to passing out anyway.”

  “While I know that Gunner’s refusal was to save his own ass, there was a brief moment in time when I actually liked the guy. But Cash—” my voice broke off. I struggled to push it from my mind, or I’d go insane with the thought of it.

  “Cash came back yesterday and disappeared into his cabin. Didn’t want to talk to anyone. Haven’t seen him since. Not sure what the hell is going on with him, but I was as shocked as you.”

  “I’ll never forgive him.” The gunshots had stopped. “Do you think he’s done?”

  “Maybe. Wait, do you mean with firing into the air or being president?”

  “Both, I guess.”

  “He probably stumbled back to his cabin to pass out. But as far as his presidency, there are still a lot of people who admire and fear him. Loyalty doesn’t just pop up over night. It takes years of proving yourself, and Dreygon has done that. But he’s become pretty irrational and crazy lately. That kind of behavior loses the loyalty he worked hard to gain. He might be seeing the end of his reign soon. Just don’t know if Gunner has what it takes to step into his shoes.”

  “Gunner doesn’t have what it takes, and you know it. Grandpa was prepping you for the role. Surely you know that.”

  “No interest. This club is starting to feel like a vice around my chest. I can hardly breathe when I think of it. We’re all fucking prisoners, Evie, even you.”

  “I’m not a prisoner, and I’m not part of the club. I’m just here out of circumstance, and I plan to change that.”

  With the hailstorm of bullets quieted, Jericho sat up and leaned against the bed. I joined him. “After yesterday, when I refused to take you to the dungeon, it seemed as if Dreygon was done with me too. I’m just waiting until he sobers up. Not sure what he’s going to do next. But freedom from this place is starting to sound pretty good.”

  I took hold of his arm. “Thank you for stepping in. I never thought anyone would have to protect me from my grandfather.” My eyes ached again. “Gracie’s gone, and the man I once knew as Grandpa has transformed into something monstrous. And Luke. . . “ I rested my head back and closed my eyes. My head throbbed with the grim truth of it all.

  Chapter 19

  Luke

  I was still stiff from being crouched in a tree all night. Fatigue and hunger gnawed at my muscles. The sun was straight up in the sky, which meant I’d been traveling for a good five hours. The river and I had parted two hours earlier, but I’d continued along the same path. I had no idea if I was traveling in the right direction, but I was pretty sure I wasn’t going in circles because the river never returned. Blood from my broken blisters made the inside of my shoes slippery and wet. But my throat was dry as cotton.

  The foliage was slowly changing from evergreen to more deciduous, which meant I’d traveled to a lower elevation. And with everything else counting against me, I was at least relieved to be traveling down instead of up. My legs were so tired, they swung forward like loose pendulums, and I managed to wrench an ankle in every hole.

  I’d been so focused on staying upright, I hadn’t noticed another abrupt change in landscape. I was out from under the tall trees completely and the shade was gone too. I was heading back into an area that was more desert than forest. Sagebrush popped up again, reminding me of the day that Angel had stumbled upon me. She was so amazing that I’d had to convince myself that she was real and not just the imaginary visions of a dying man. But now she’d become so profoundly real to me, she was all I could think about. She owned me. I’d already come to the conclusion that I would risk anything, even my job, to get her back.

  Hours before, wedged into a hollowed out tree trunk, I’d had the cold to contend with. Now the sun was my enemy. I’d taken a good long drink before the river had left my sight, but I was thoroughly parched now. After traveling along a cool, clear rush of water for miles, I was now in a place that hadn’t seen a drip of moisture for weeks. It gave me hope that the road was not far off. My journey seemed endless, but I would find my way back to civilization. I had to. I had to get back to Angel.

  ***

  A frigid, lonely dawn had turned to mid day heat and back to the cool, quiet of dusk. The landscape kept repeating itself, or at least it looked that way to my tired eyes. Without the river flowing in one distinct direction to guide me, it was far more likely that I was traveling in circles. Dehydration and hunger were taking their toll. At least the pain in my stomach had taken my mind off my feet. Blood now sloshed in my shoes, and my heels and toes were shredded.

  It seemed I’d be spending another night in the wilderness. There were far less shelters in the low growing shrubs. I sat on a rock to rest my feet and scrubbed my face with my hands, realizing too late that I had a major sunburn. It was the first true moment of hopelessness I’d felt since Cash had thrown me into the truck.

  I leaned my hands back on the rock and thought about Angel’s ‘rocks under the stars’, as she’d called them. Thinking about holding her, touching her and breathing in her sweet scent made my current state seem even more miserable. I needed to refocus. This time I would travel during the night. I had to. I had to find water soon and waiting out the night was too long. After all that had happened, it would just be too damn ironic to end up back where I’d begun, dying of thirst in the desert. Then a light appeared in the distance. It wasn’t a short spurt of energy like lightning. It was the wavering stream of a car’s headlights. The highway was in sight.

  I moved in long painful strides in the direction of the lights. The asphalt would cool in the dark, and I counted on it being much easier to walk along than the mountains and the desert.

  Once in sight, I ran toward the two lane stretch of road. My legs could barely support me, but I managed to get there without falling on my face. There were no cars in sight, which was what I’d expected. I was certain that Cash had pointed me in this way because Dreygon rarely rode this way. I would have little chance of running into him. I headed in the direction the car had gone.

  I trudged on for what seemed an eternity. There was a half moon above, and it made the painted line between the lanes glow yellow. The road and surrounding land were so deserted, it felt as if I was the only living thing on the planet. Then two headlights appeared like glowing eyes in the distance. As the car neared, a blinding spotlight came out of the side window and lit up the road like daylight. It was a highway patrol car. It slowed and then pulled over.

  “Hands behind your head,” a voice came over the loudspeaker.

  I lifted my hands and dropped to my knees in exhaustion. Two officers got out and approached me with caution. One pointed a flashlight in my eyes.

  “Let’s see some identification.”

  “I don’t have any.” My throat was so dry, it was hard to speak. “I’m Special Agent Luke Barringer of the Reno Drug Enforcement Administration. Call and ask for Detective Carson. He’ll know me. And if you have any water in that vehicle, I’d really appreciate a sip.”

  One of the officers returned to the car to make a call.

  I pushed to my feet. It took me a few seconds to gain my balance.

  “Let’s get you to the squad car. I have a water bottle inside if you don’t mind some of my backwash,” the officer said.

  I smiled weakly. “I’m so thirsty, you could have scooped the water up from the gutter and I’d still drink it.”

  I’d been walking for hours, but the last few steps to the patrol car were fucking torture. I collapsed into the backseat. The officer handed me his water. Angel’s warning to drink slowly drifted through my tired mind. I closed my burning eyes as the cool liquid coated my throat. I finished the water off just as a familiar voice came through the speaker.

  “This is Carson.”

  My chest tightened at the sound of his voice. There had been so many times in the past few
days that I was sure I would die, hearing Carson sent a tidal wave of emotion through me. I relaxed against the seat and listened as the officer spoke to him.

  “Detective Carson, this is Officer Davis of the Nevada Highway Patrol. We’ve found a young male wandering along the interstate. He has identified himself as Special Agent Luke Barringer.”

  A profound silence followed. “Where is he? Is he all right?”

  The officer handed me the phone. “Hey, Carson,” the words were tight in my throat. “It’s me.”

  “Fucking hell, Luke. You’re alive,” his voice broke. The ache in my eyes produced rare tears. “My god, Luke. Can’t tell you how good is to hear your voice.” Sally, his wife, cried out in the background. “Thought you were— fucking hell, Luke.”

  I laughed weakly. “I know exactly how you feel.” Having to leave Angel behind, the emotional mind fuck of thinking I was going to die and the realization that I was going to return to the DEA office without Dex was too much. “Carson,” I pressed my fingers against my eyes, “they made me kill Dex. They rigged up a gun—” I scooted down into the seat wanting to be swallowed up by it.

  “Don’t talk, Luke. We need to get you back home. Your brothers are at your house. They’ve been here helping in the search. I’ve got Sally calling them right now on the house phone. She’s balling her head off though.” He turned his mouth from the phone to talk to his wife. “Don’t cry or you’ll freak them out. Women,” he sighed as if we’d been holding it together. “I’m going to pick up your brothers and head out to the highway patrol office right now. Do we need a police escort to get you back here safely?”

  “Nah, I think I’m safe for now.”

  “Guess there’s a lot of debriefing waiting when we get you back to town.”

  “Yeah, I guess.”

  The highway patrol officer started the car. He swung it around, and I watched the barren landscape slide past as we headed back to town.

  “Luke,” Gage’s voice came through the speaker. “Luke, shit, Luke,” The brother who I’d only seen cry twice in my life could barely speak. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s a long story, but I’m fucking tired.”

  Seth’s voice came through next. “Get your ass home, Bro,” he said with a half cry and half laugh. “You’ve got some explaining to do. And you’ve got Gage bawling like a damn baby.”

  I smiled. “No fucking way. You know what you have to do, don’t you?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Snap a picture and post it.” Just hearing their voices relieved some of the misery.

  “I’m on it. Seriously, Luke, we thought we’d lost you.”

  “It was fucking close.” My throat seized up. “Wish we were both coming home.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Dex had been like a third brother to all of us.

  “See you both soon.” I handed the phone to the patrolman. Then I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes. The past few weeks limped through my weary head. So much had happened, and in the midst of the chaos I’d fallen crazy in love. I was free of Dreygon Sharpe’s tyranny, but now I was attached to his world more than ever. As soon as I got home, I needed to figure a way to get back to her. None of this was over until Angel was with me.

  Chapter 20

  Luke

  They treated the blisters on my feet and I ate two rubbery vending machine burritos. I sat in the chief’s office while I waited for Carson and my brothers to arrive. When I heard their loud voices in the lobby, I hobbled out to them on tender feet. It had been months since I’d seen either brother. Gage looked even bigger than I remembered, and Seth looked as cool and calm as ever.

  Gage walked over and threw his heavy arms around me. “Little brother, shit it’s good to see you. It’s so fucking good to see you.”

  Seth hugged me next. “I knew you were alive. I am now a full believer that twins can feel each other’s pain. I knew you were still alive.”

  “Were your feet hurting too?” I directed his attention down to my shredded feet.

  “Shit, no, my feet are still pretty. Those look like two pieces of hamburger. And what the hell happened to your ear.”

  The question jarred me. There was no way I was ready to answer it. I shook my head and Seth seemed to understand.

  Carson looked as wrung out as I felt. He’d lost one man and had been sure he’d lost a second until just a few hours ago. The lines around his face had definitely deepened since I’d seen him last. He threw an arm around me next. “Haven’t told everyone yet, but there’s going to be quite a celebration tomorrow.”

  I smiled. “Is that your subtle way of telling me I have to be at work tomorrow?”

  “Not on duty, of course, but I think people are going to want to see you. And if you’re ready to talk . . .”

  “I’ll be ready. Just not completely sure where to start.”

  “Let’s get you to the car, and if you’re up to it, you can tell us where the hell you’ve been for a month.”

  “Shit, has it been that long?” The officer who’d brought me in handed me my shoes. “You can toss these,” I said. “I never want to see them again.” I looked down at my tattered feet. “Don’t know when I’ll be able to wear shoes again. Thanks for all your help, and I owe you a water. And I’ll hold the backwash.”

  He laughed. “Just glad you’re safe.”

  We headed out to the car. The station was in the center of a small strip of stores and businesses. The ride back in the squad car had been a good ten miles. I wouldn’t have made it if they hadn’t found me. Gage climbed into the front seat with Carson, and Seth and I climbed in back.

  “Shit, still can’t believe you’re sitting here next to me,” Seth rubbed his hand roughly through my hair. He always kept a cool exterior, but I knew this had been eating him up inside.

  “When did you guys get into town?” I asked.

  Gage looked over the seat at me. “I’ve been down here since the day after you were reported missing. And Seth came a few days later, proving once again, that I’m the better brother.”

  “Hey, I was out to sea. If I could have swam in, I would have, but it was too far and too damn cold. We were welding the bottom of a stalled tanker out on the Atlantic.”

  “Then I guess I forgive you for taking your time getting here,” I said.

  I looked at Gage. “What about your job and Penelope?”

  “The job will be there when I get back . . .unfortunately. Not that many people lined up to do logging. Penelope, on the other hand, will not be there when I get back because we broke up three months ago.”

  “Oh, sorry, didn’t know.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about. It was never meant to be.” Gage had been with dozens of girls, and it was never meant to be. It had been that way for me until Angel had walked into my life. Now I was convinced that it had to be her, or I would spend the rest of my life alone. There was no one else who could fill a void left behind by someone like Angel. No one else came close.

  “So Luke,” Carson glanced up in his rearview mirror, “I have to ask the obvious question. Where the hell have you been since the failed sting operation?”

  “You’ll probably find this hard to believe, but I’ve been in Dreygon Sharpe’s compound.”

  He processed that for a second. “How the hell?”

  Seth looked over at me. “Who is Dreygon Sharpe?”

  “He’s the president of the Bedlam motorcycle club,” Carson answered for me. “I don’t understand the connection. I thought Bent for Hell was a rival club. You were with Dex. How did you end up there?”

  I looked out the window. The highway had stretched to four lanes and we were heading back to Reno. Dex had been staying with me in my father’s house, and his absence was going to be the worst part about going home. “You know, Carson, I’m not ready to talk about Dex. You’re going to have to give me some time.” The reality of how Dex died burned like an everlasting flame. Occasionally it could be doused
. Angel could douse it. But then it would flame up again as if someone had poured gasoline on it.

  Carson fell silent, but he deserved some explanation.

  “The guys from Bent for Hell left me to die in the desert. And they thought it would be a great practical joke to leave a dead DEA agent outside of Dreygon’s compound. Only the joke was on them because I didn’t die.”

  “You always were as tough as fucking rawhide,” Seth said.

  “No, I would have died, but a girl found me.” I swallowed hard thinking how badly I wanted Angel to be with me right now. “Dreygon Sharpe’s granddaughter, Angel, was out with her horse, and she found me. She took me into the compound and nursed me back to health.”

  “Do you mean to tell me that Sharpe was keeping a DEA agent prisoner in his fortress? That old bastard has even bigger balls than I thought,” Carson said.

  “In his defense, he didn’t know I was an agent. Neither did I, at first.”

  Carson’s brow wrinkled in the mirror.

  “I was in bad shape when Angel found me. After what happened, I’d blocked everything out.” I thought about how hard it had been when it had all come back to me. “Couldn’t even remember my own fucking name for awhile. Dreygon discovered my true identity yesterday, and I’d be dead right now but one of the men closest to him is looking to get out of the club.”

  Gage glanced back at me. He obviously sensed the change in my mood. “So this girl, Angel, is she still there?”

  “Yeah, she’s there.” I gazed out the window and watched as a more familiar world rolled by, a world that existed outside of Dreygon’s compound, a world that Angel belonged in. “And I’m going back for her.”