Page 37 of The Innocent

Imogene rolled her suitcase to the closet and sat on her bed. She hadn’t done much physically, but she was mentally exhausted. Unpacking could wait. Once she got sheets on the bed, she’d take a nap. Now, where did I pack them?

She scanned the boxes, trying to remember where she’d put them. It had been a long time since she’d slept in her own bed. It shouldn’t have been this exciting.

She wandered out to the main living space. It was one giant room with only a breakfast bar separating the two. It wasn’t much, and Judy hadn’t exaggerated, it wasn’t fancy.

But it’s mine.

****

“You know we’re gonna get shit for this, right?”

Yeah.

Jekyll shut down his bike and got off, stalking through the parking lot of the motel. He scanned the area, taking it all in. Why was she living here? It was a shithole.

“Jek?” Cue said.

“Yeah, I fucking heard you. But don’t remember inviting you along, brother.”

Cue snorted. “Yeah, well you know the rules. Riding alone during a run would’ve gotten the whole club all over your ass. Making a pit stop on the way back from a run will only have Ace and Cross ripping you a new asshole.”

This wasn’t anything new, and Jekyll knew the rules. They always traveled in pairs while on a run. It was for safety. It was also a hard rule that they didn’t make any detour stops on the way back to Killcreek. If they stayed the course and didn’t show up when expected, they could be tracked. For as much as Jekyll wasn’t into rules and orders, he always followed the club’s. Today he made an exception.

It had been almost a week since he’d seen Imogene for the first time in six months. In fucking Lawry. Cypher couldn’t give him too much information over the phone, but he was able to give him some and provide her last known address in the city. He hadn’t planned on making the stop, but once he’d gotten the information and knowing it was on the way back to Killcreek, he’d made the decision.

Jekyll stopped a few feet from the motel. It should’ve been condemned years ago. The roof was showing signs of caving, some of the windows were cracked, and the paint was chipping over the entire building.

He didn’t have all the current intel, but Cypher had pulled information months ago. She had decent savings in her account. She owned her own place and didn’t have any outrageous debt beyond a small balance on a credit card. On paper, Imogene could afford better than this place. So, why the fuck is she living here?

“We got a plan here, Jek?”

Jekyll scanned the single-story building. Most of the old motels had been torn down and rebuilt. But this was a depressed area of the city. No one was willing to invest in this section of town. The thought only aggravated him more. It was dangerous for anyone, but a naïve woman who wasn’t accustomed to the city’s underbelly?

He stalked forward, shifting his gaze in search of room 106. The idea of her living here had his blood boiling. This was no place for her. What the hell was she thinking? He walked up and stopped at the door, looking through the window. The curtain covered most of it, and without any lights he couldn’t see much but the edge of the bed.

“At least tell me why we’re here?”

Jekyll would’ve preferred coming on his own. But if he was strapped with any brother, he was glad it was Cue. He knew to keep his mouth shut about Jekyll’s personal business.

“Imogene.”

There was a long stretch of silence, but he could feel Cue’s eyes on him. Jekyll angled his head for a better view inside the room, but he saw nothing.

“Is this where she’s staying?”

He drew in a breath and gave a curt nod. “Last known address.”

“Shit,” Cue muttered.

Jekyll had the same sentiment.

“She’s not here no more.”

Jekyll slowly turned. An older woman was standing in the doorway of the room next door. She lifted her cigarette to her mouth, bracing her arm on the doorframe.

She took in a drag. “The little redhead? She’s gone.”

“Where?” Cue asked.