Page 6 of Deuce

Together the two of us lugged the body to the far side of the road and rolled it into the weeds.Unless someone looked carefully, it wasn’t visible from the road.It would do until the cleanup crew got here.

I turned and addressed the tall grass in the ditch.“You can come out now.”

“Are they gone?”The woman’s head popped into view from behind a stand of tall grass.

“Yeah.”

She clambered out of the ditch, shivering visibly and I realized how cold she must be.There was no way I could put my cut on her; the symbolism would be too much.Putting my cut on a female was tantamount to declaring her my old lady.Did that once and it turned out badly.Not planning on going for round two.

I sighed and took my cut off before shrugging out of my shirt and handing it to her.“Here.Put this on.”

She took the shirt, frowning.“What are you going to wear?”

“This.”I pulled my cut back on.

“Oh.”That single, little word, barely a whisper, sounded so forlorn I almost wished the remaining asshole in the van would circle back so I could teach him some manners.I made a point of turning my back to give her the illusion of privacy as she donned my shirt.

Over to my right, I could see Rattler’s shoulders shaking with suppressed mirth.He knew how cold it was going to be riding with just my cut to block the wind.

The shirt would help keep the woman warm, but it wasn’t exactly a fleece sweater and would do zilch to cut the wind.We needed to get her somewhere warm.Fast.

I still needed to find out what her name was, and how she ended up in that van.

“There’s a coffee shop not far from here.We can talk there.Okay?”

She nodded slowly, eyeing up my Harley.Right.Not everyone thought a bike was a great way to travel.

“You okay to ride behind me?”

She looked from me to the bike and gulped.“I guess so.”

Not the most enthusiastic answer I’d ever heard, but it would do.I grabbed the extra helmet from the backrest and helped her fasten it on her head.“What’s your name?”

She paused.“Sophia.”

At least I had something I could call her now.I wasn’t about to push for a last name.Given the circumstances, she’d probably lie anyway.“Nice name.”

Satisfied with the fit of the helmet, I slung one leg over the bike and held out my hand to help her on.She climbed aboard behind me and put her hands on my waist, holding on gingerly.

Obviously, she’d never been on a bike before.

I grabbed her hands and dragged her arms around me.“You need to hang on tight or you’ll end up splattered on the ground again.”

That point certainly hit home.She scooted closer, plastering herself against my back and tightening her arms.

I flipped the kickstand up and cranked the engine, glancing over at Rattler.“Heading toCoffee Quest.You coming?”

Rattler nodded.“I’ll cover your back.Just in case.”

I wasn’t the only one with a paranoid streak.

Chapter Two

Sophia

I sure hoped I hadn’t jumped from the frying pan into the fire.I had no idea who the guy was that I was pressed up against, the smell of his leather vest filling my nose as we flew down the highway.I just knew he’d saved me, him and his sidekick.

The cool air, carrying the scent of damp earth and freshly mowed hay, filled my lungs and lifted my spirits.The knot of dread in my stomach unraveled.I’d never been on a motorcycle before, and was surprised at how much I liked it.I’d always pictured motorcycles as a sort of dangerous, borderline illegal method of transportation.Like for people who were too poor or too dumb to buy an actual car.

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