Hope (The Virtues #1) Read online

  I knew she spent most of her time out on the porch with her Nora Roberts books, so I figured she might have seen something. “Any of his friends that have come by today?”

  “I don’t know if you’d call them friends, honey, but there were some people down your street, mmhm. Drove something new.” In trailer park speak, that usually meant someone from outside the park and outside the circle of friends—especially Nick’s friends. The dealer had already sent people by to scope the place out, or maybe to decide that twenty-four hours was just too long to wait.

  “Thanks, Mrs. Halburn. We’re going to go try and tidy the place up, a bit.” I started to head back down the rickety stairs of her porch.

  “You’ll need more than a bucket and mop in that place. I’d recommend lighter fluid.” She laughed and gave me a wave.

  “It was great to see you again.” I turned back to Trask, and he stood up from his bike. I laughed. “She didn’t recognize you.”

  “You barely did. Ask if we can leave the bike here.” He gave my side a squeeze. I nodded.

  “Mrs. Halburn, do you mind if—”

  She cut me off before I could finish. “I ain’t deaf. You can leave that bike of yours anywhere you want, Trask Rivers.” She laughed again.

  Blood rushed to my face. I mouthed oh my God to him. I couldn't believe that the old lady was so randy. I guess it worked in our favor, but I thought I might die of shame before I took another step. Trask waved and thanked her.

  The two of us walked past her. Trask gave her a smile, but squeezed my shoulder to let me know he wasn’t trading me for an old fat lady. I shook my head, my cheeks still hot.

  Down the cul-de-sac, Trask ran through the plan once again. I knew he was doing it to ease my mind. I appreciated what he was doing, even if my heart was slamming against my ribcage, trying to escape and find peace somewhere outside of Bakersfield, California.

  “I’m going to be inside the house. If they don’t know Nick personally, I’m going to try and impersonate him. If they do know who he is, I'm going to try and lie to them. If neither of those work, I'm going to intimidate them, and if all else fails, I'm going to try and beat the shit out of them. Sound good?”

  I could hear the military in his voice. Plans A through D were right there, laid out plain as day.

  “It sounds terrible,” I said coldly. I needed him to know how I felt about putting him in danger. I was well aware that I needed him to do it, I just didn't want it.

  He turned to me, grabbing my shoulders and leaning in. “I know it’s bad, but without the support of the gang, we have to play it cool. Even if I can buy Nick more time, I’d rather do that than fight these guys. I don’t know what you think of the SEALs, but the number one thing they taught me was to hide. Number one thing.”

  I had to trust that he knew what he was doing. He protected an entire motorcycle club, after all. “Okay.”

  He smiled at me. “And you will be?”

  I jerked my thumb behind me. “I’ll be on the other side of the trailer with Casper. I’ll have my phone out, and I’ll be ready to call the club, but only,” I mocked his parental tone, “if absolutely needed, because Bear doesn’t know about this.”

  Trask nodded. “And he’d be beyond pissed if he found out, so let’s say a quick prayer.”

  I was shocked when Trask bent his head forward. He’d never been religious, although his aunt and uncle were. Maybe some of it had rubbed off on him, or maybe he’d picked it up in the military.

  I lowered my head out of respect for him.

  “Oh Heavenly Father, please don’t let this get fucked. Amen.” He looked up at me, smiling the cocky smile that I was starting to get used to. I guess we’d see soon enough if it was real or not.

  “Jesus, that's maybe the most blasphemous prayer I’ve ever heard.”

  Trask winked at me. “The other bikers have ones that are far worse.”

  “I don’t pretend to understand the club at all.” I shook my head as we walked the rest of the way to the trailer.

  “Not much to understand. It’s a place for those without a place. The rejects, the unwanted. We are brothers because we have no one else. And also we like riding Harleys, drinking beer, and seeming real badass. It certainly worked for you, didn’t it?”

  I threw my head back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Mmhm.” He smiled at me and allowed me to walk up the stairs.

  Pulling the door open, I saw something I should have expected, but didn’t see coming.

  The place was absolutely trashed. It hadn’t exactly been clean the day before, but it was an absolute wreck. I stood there until Trask asked me what was wrong. I stepped to the side so he could look in. It was littered with trash, dirty dishes, anything that had once been on the shelves or counters. Some cabinet doors were broken and on the floor. Others were hanging at sad angles. The fridge was open and what little had been inside had been dumped out.

  “What the hell?”

  I couldn't even turn to him to reply. “Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.”

  I was about to pull out my phone and call Nick when one last surprise meandered into the doorway. Casper looked up at us with his cloudy eyes, his tail barely swinging back and forth.

  Trask smiled and stepped into the vacant trailer. “Well, we know we’re in the right place, at least.”

  Confused, I stepped into the trailer. Cabinets were destroyed, the counters were in shambles, and I even smelled piss in the air. The living area at the far end had been pretty much empty, and now it was covered in trash and the curtains that had hung over the bay window at the front end of the trailer were ruined.

  “You think those visitors earlier today did this? Or does Nick just prefer things sort of artsy?”

  I sneered. “So funny. You're joking, but I found the place in bad shape yesterday. This is way worse, though.”

  Trask walked down the hallway and peered into the bathroom. “Jesus.” It was all he had to say. I knew it was wrecked, too. He kept going down the hallway. I heard him step on glass and I wondered if it was a window or picture that had been broken.

  Casper whined, and I saw a small blood spot on the floor behind the golden retriever. When he stepped towards me, I noticed he favored one of his front legs. I quickly got down on my knees and lifted up his left paw. The friendly old pup licked at my face and sat down, allowing me to examine his pads.

  I saw a small piece of glass stabbing into him, a hint of red staining his fur. Keeping my hands steady, I did my first unassisted surgery, removing the small shard from Casper’s paw.

  “Trask, if you can find a Band-Aid in the bathroom, at all, I’d appreciate it.” I kept my eyes focused on Casper’s paw, looking for any more glass that he had stepped on.

  “What a good boy.” I cooed at the dog. He whined and licked his chops. His wiry mustache was going white, making him look even more like his namesake.

  I looked down the hallway and heard Trask rooting through the bathroom. Casper waited patiently for me to finish his operation, bending forward to give me another dry lick. When Trask emerged from the bathroom, he had a small metal tin in his hand. He tossed it underhand and I caught it against my chest, still holding Casper’s paw.

  I flipped the top open and grabbed a SpongeBob Band-Aid. With a gentle touch, I stuck it over Casper’s pad. It wrapped around and stuck to itself, and I hoped that would be enough to hold it in place.

  I let go of his paw, and he placed it back on the floor with great care. “Good boy.”

  He wagged his tail slowly, knocking into an empty bag of potato chips. I could only imagine him backed in a corner, terrified as the dealer’s men trashed the place even more.

  I looked around for his collar, but the place was such a mess that I couldn’t see anything but garbage. Trask was back in the bedroom, where I had found my brother strung out the day before.

  “I think they spray painted something on the wall back here,” he called to me.
“It’s a face with crossed out eyes. Very original.”

  I wanted out of the place as soon as possible, so I gave up on the collar. Casper wasn’t in any hurry to run off, anyway.

  “Come on, boy. Let’s get you some fresh air.” I opened the door again. At first I was going to hold onto his collar, but it was clear Casper wasn’t moving quickly. Down the stairs he went, taking each one with care and favoring his paw. When I walked around the trailer, he followed right by my side.

  Trask came to the door. “You know. I don’t think behind the trailer is going to work. If they have a few people surrounding the place, it’s no good. Why don’t you and the hound head to Mrs. Halburn’s? You can keep watch through a window.”

  “Are you crazy? What if you need help?”

  “The only help you can give is with a cell phone, and you can do that from one street over.” The military grunt was coming out in his voice again. I was being given a command. I knew better than to argue, especially with time winding down.

  “Fine, but you promise me that you’ll be safe.” I knew it was lip service. So did he, but I needed to hear something, anything.

  Trask wasn’t a sentimentalist. “I’m not going to lie to you. Your brother is safe. I'm not.”

  A lump formed in my throat, and I nodded and turned away before he could see my face. I sniffled and started to walk to Mrs. Halburn’s, Casper limping along with me.

  I looked back a few times, but Trask had gone back inside already. Fear gripped me. I knew he was ripped and military trained, but a feeling came over me that I might never see him again.

  When I walked around the corner, Mrs. Halburn was waiting for me on her porch. She smiled at me.

  “Casper!” She began her long process of standing again as the golden retriever limped ahead of me. The two met and he sat down in front of her. Mrs. Halburn bent over as far as she could to pet the old guy. His tail made its way back and forth as he licked her hand.

  “Mrs. Halburn, would you mind if we sat with you for a bit?” I tried to cover up the emotion in my voice, but she always knew.

  “Of course, dear. You want to tell me what’s wrong?” There was a knowing look in Mrs. Halburn’s eyes, and I nodded. She opened the door, and Casper and I followed her inside.

  ***

  I sat on the same couch as I had when I was growing up. It was probably vintage back then, but now it was yellowing, and most of the flowers embroidered into the upholstery were wearing through.

  The old lady handed me a cup of coffee and sat down beside me. Casper was laying next to my feet, licking at the Band-Aid on his paw.

  I smiled and took a sip of the strong brew. “Thank you.” I reached down to find the magic spot behind the dog’s ears to distract him from his injury.

  She nodded. “I know you’ve got something on your mind. Why don’t you let it out? You always talked to me growing up.”

  I couldn’t even remember how many times I’d cried on Mrs. Halburn’s lap about being made fun of at school, or a fight my parents were having. She was the grandmother I never had, and she always knew how to make everything okay.

  “I think this might be a bit heavy for you, but my brother owes some people a ton of money.” I hung my head, but felt her reassuring hand on my back.

  “Only God judges, dear. You tell me everything.” I looked up into her smiling face. Looking past her, I had a clear view of our trailer, and I let out a sigh. Might as well.

  I didn't really know where to start. “Nick called me and sounded really scared, so I came down from school yesterday to check on him...”

  I went on from there, telling her that Trask and the club was our only hope, and now he was going to try to get Nick’s debt wiped clean. Mrs. Halburn listened, smiling at the right times, and gasping and saying “oh my goodness” when it was needed.

  I felt such relief to get it all off my shoulders. After I told the story, Casper was on his side, snoozing, and Mrs. Halburn was almost in tears.

  I set the coffee mug down. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” She waved her hand at me, brushing it off. “It’s just you two. You’re meant to be.”

  I hadn’t really mentioned my past with Trask in the story, so I was a taken aback. “Huh?”

  Mrs. Halburn closed her eyes, “Listen, dear. I’ve seen a lot of people come and go, and I ain’t never seen eyes like he has for you. He’s protective, proud, and scared all wrapped up in one. That tells me one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “For a doctor, you’re pretty stupid, Hope Cantwell. Why do you think Trask is sitting in that trailer waiting for some ruffians to come? That ain’t his problem. He made it his problem for you.”

  That hit me harder than the wind on the motorcycle. After ten years, Trask had volunteered to put himself in harm’s way for me. I was blown away by that, and Mrs. Halburn could tell.

  “Didn’t think about that, did you, dear?” Mrs. Halburn had that knowing look in her eyes. I had never really seen her as an equal; she had always been older and wiser. We were both adults now, but she was still far wiser than I was.

  I stared past her to the trailer. “No, I guess I didn’t.”

  Just as I spoke I saw the SUV turn down the cul-de-sac.

  Before I even realized it, I was up and at the window, watching a second car pull up right behind. They were both black, with tinted windows to match. Two men got out of the SUV, and one got out of the car. My heart was in my throat as I clenched the cell phone tight in my pocket.

  I was staring through the window of a trailer some fifty feet away. My blood was rushing hard through my veins as I tried not to think only the worst thoughts. It was difficult. I could only see the three men and think of my one man.

  I breathed a small sigh of relief when one of the men leaned on the hood of the car and stayed outside. The other two, though, went up the stairs to the trailer door. They knocked, and Trask answered.

  My eyes were probably about to burst out of my sockets as I watched Trask stand in the doorway. I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but he had a casual look to his posture. He leaned against the doorframe as the two men stood outside.

  He turned to the side, ushering both of them in. They turned back to the third man leaning on the car, then stepped inside. When the door closed, I thought I would scream out loud.

  “Do you trust him?” I barely heard my old babysitter’s voice.

  It took everything I had to turn from the window. “Hmm?”

  She grabbed at my shirt and pulled me from the window. “Do you trust him, dear?”

  “Of course I do.” My face was painted with worry. “It’s those three men that pulled up that I don’t trust.”

  Mrs. Halburn didn’t even look toward the window. “The two black cars? They were the ones by earlier today. Trashed the trailer, didn’t they?”

  “Yeah, they did. How did you know?”

  The old lady smiled, sipping at her coffee like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. “Honey, news travels fast in this park, especially when outsiders are involved. At first people thought it was a repo, but I knew better. Sonny Charles took a peek in one of the windows after they left and let me know what happened.”