Biker Blues: Morgan (Biker Blues Book 3)

  Part 3

  It would be a mistake to take him back.

  Morgan had broken her heart once. She didn’t dare let him hurt her again. But with the death of a man who could be his brother, Jazz finds herself embroiled in a series of murders and the only tie between them is a tattoo – one of her designs.

  Morgan has made a lot of mistakes, but he made a monumental one when he walked out on Jazz. He thought he’d done it for the right reasons. Instead, he’d believed the tales he’d been told and lost his one chance at happiness. Now things have changed and even though it sounds impossible, he wants her back.

  But as the bodies pile up, and the lies unravel, the truth has never been further away.

  Books in This Series:

  Biker Blues: Morgan, Part 1

  Biker Blues: Morgan, Part 2

  Biker Blues: Morgan, Part 3

  Biker Blues: Morgan

  Part 3

  Dale Mayer

  &

  Tasha Lyons

  BIKER BLUES: MORGAN, PART 3

  Dale Mayer

  Valley Publishing

  Copyright © 2015

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1-928122-65-4

  Kindle Edition

  License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Praise for Dale Mayer

  I love to read Dale Mayer’s books… keeps me guessing…. I am getting good though trying to figure out who did it…. I am on my fourth book….

  …Review left on Vampire in Deceit, book 4 of Family Blood Ties

  Dale Mayer’s work is always outstanding and Haunted by Death is no exception.

  …Review from Haunted by Death, book 2 of the By Death Series

  This is a GREAT series that you don’t want to miss out on!

  …Review from Broken Protocols Series

  This is my favorite author I enjoy all her books and I can’t wait for more… her books are easy to get into and I love the storyline

  …Review from Dangerous Designs, book 1 of the Design Series

  Dale Mayer is a gifted writer who now has me hooked as a new fan. She characters are complex and she shares her knowledge of energy work clearly and simply. Makes for fascinating reading…

  …Review from Rare Find, book 6 of Psychic Visions Series

  Don’t underestimated Dale Mayer. Combination of JD Robb and Heather Graham. Paranormal suspense………

  …Review left on Maddy’s Floor, book 3 of the Psychic Visions Series

  Wow! I read a lot, and I can honestly say that there a few books that I have read that I will remember for years. This is one of those books. Thank you Dale for giving me the gift of this magnificent story. It was both heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time.

  …Review left on Skin, book 1 of Broken and yet…Healing Series

  Touched by Death is an outstanding novel by Dale Mayer. Unlike her usual novels that contain paranormal activity, this novel is sheer malevolent actions from ordinary humans.

  …Review left on Touched by Death, book 1 of By Death Series

  Dale’s books are spellbinding in more ways than one. She has a unique way with words. Her characters are fun and funny and loving. I love the way the story flows. Her characters all have personality. She takes you from suspense to love, then fear love and eternal love.

  …Review left on Second Chances, book 1 of Second Chances… at Love Series

  Table of Contents

  About the Book

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Praise for Dale Mayer

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Author’s Note

  Excerpt from Skin

  About the Author

  Also by Dale Mayer

  Prologue

  In Part 2, we left off with this chapter.

  The streets were silent as they ripped toward the store. Jazz had debated telling Roxy about the key issue but figured they’d better check it out and make sure of the facts first. It would be horrible to tell everyone then find out the keys didn’t actually open what they thought they opened.

  When Morgan finally pulled up to the front of the shop, her mood had darkened to border on panic. She could see the lights in the back room on. A system they’d used for years. Now she had to rethink that.

  But any thinking now was taxing her brain to the breaking point. She was tired, emotionally drained, and damn sore. Her shoulder was killing her. She wanted a hot bath where she could soak the injured muscles. A hot tub would be a blessing. She should mention it to Morgan. They hadn’t spoken of what they were doing as a couple after this mess, but she couldn’t imagine them not living together. And that meant she had to decide what to do with her house. It was too small for both of them. So rent it or sell it. She had no idea. The key had opened the back door to her kitchen. The same doorway where she’d been shot. Her backyard was private, so he could have used the key at any number of times to get in and not be seen. And up until now, she’d have thought it was secure.

  Naïve. Then again, who’d have thought that people like Billy were out there?

  Stupid.

  She walked up to the storefront and waited while Morgan pulled out the right key. He handed it to her. She looked at it, then him, then at the door, and pushed it in and turned the handle.

  The door opened with an almost silent click.

  “Shit,” Morgan said beside her.

  But she was already walking in a steady line back to the security panel to turn the alarm off.

  When she returned to the room, Morgan stood in the center waiting. “Does anyone else know the security code?”

  Perl and Roxy, anyone else?

  She paused. “Not likely.”

  “So even if he had the key, it wasn’t a guarantee that he could get in.”

  “However, the alarm would of off if the code wasn’t entered with a few minutes. I do know that he was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Perl, so I’m not sure what it would take to get the code from her.”

  “Chances are good that’s why he’d been sleeping with her in the first place.”

  She studied the flat look on his face. “You are not responsible,” she said. “Billy was his own worst enemy.”

  “He might have been, but having had a major hand in raising him, I feel guilty.” He wa
ved a hand around her shop. “Look at all the shit he was into.”

  “And maybe this was the extent of it,” she cried out. “It could be so much worse.”

  At his glare, she snapped, “He wasn’t a wife beater, a child predator, or any number of other nasty things. He was a sneak and a thief and yes, that’s bad enough, but you are not responsible for what he was or what he was on his way to becoming.”

  He nodded, a weary motion that told her clearly how very fed up he was, too. Well, so was she. She walked through her store, trying to figure out what someone of Billy’s ilk would find interesting. She turned on her computer and realized it was already on. She’d been in and hadn’t shut it down herself. That might be a problem right there. She imagined she’d done it a time or two. Billy would, in theory, only need to have his timing be lucky once, and he could get into so many more of her secrets.

  The monitors turned on and the screens came up.

  She sat back in shock. There was that same damn image from the bathroom mirror. It had been sent to her email. She already knew that, but someone had opened her email here at the store. The most likely of those would be Roxy or Perl. But why?

  She pulled out her phone and called her best friend.

  “Roxy,” she said without any preamble. “Were you into my email at any time today?”

  “No, of course not. I have hundreds of my own to deal with, why would I want there to be more?” Roxy paused then said in a puzzled voice, “Besides, you get your emails on your phone… unless you’re having phone problems?”

  “No.” She winced, knowing this next bit would be rough, but she trusted Roxy like she’d never trusted anyone else. “I’m at the store right now, and my computer was still on and my email still open. I thought I’d shut it down earlier, but it’s entirely possible that I didn’t. Sometimes you have to go into my email to check on a couple of things or pull up an order, so I’m just wondering if you did or if we have a problem.”

  “I don’t think so. The afternoon was crazy busy so I can’t be sure, but I can’t remember any reason to have.”

  There was an odd silence. Sort of a shocked, questioning silence. Thankfully not one pregnant with judgment. Then again, the two had been friends for a long time.

  Hating to but having no other choice, she asked, “Would anyone else?”

  “Meaning Perl?” Roxy’s voice was carefully neutral. “What’s going on, Jazz? You’re starting to freak me out.” With this last bit, her voice rose uncontrollably.

  “And maybe you should be,” Jazz said quietly. At the shriek screaming through her phone, she added. “We found keys in Billy’s possession for Morgan’s house and garage, my house, and for the shop.” She waited a bit for her to digest that information then added, “And I think to your house.”

  Dead silence.

  “Keys to my house? To the business?” Roxy’s gasp was easily heard through the phone line. “That bastard!”

  “Yes, we’re here now to double check that his key would actually open the door. We already checked my house.”

  “Oh no. Why would he do that?” Roxy cried. “I know he was trouble, but that kind of trouble?”

  “We also think, from a letter he left behind, that he took a substantial amount of money from someone.” She hesitated then asked gently, “I’m hoping that wasn’t you?”

  “I don’t have any money for him to take,” Roxy answered, then she gasped. “Do you think that’s why he was killed?”

  “It’s certainly a decent motive.” Jazz walked over to the safe in the back of the storage room. “Have you been inside the safe lately?”

  Roxy groaned. “Yes, a few days ago when I did the banking.” She sighed. “It all looked normal then. But I had to change the code as I couldn’t get in. I totally forgot to tell you.”

  “You couldn’t get in?” Jazz closed her eyes, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. Was this what his key had been used for? She spun around to look at Morgan. “What do you mean you couldn’t get in?”

  “You know that we have it set to lock out if too many attempts are made to get in? Well, it was like that. It was the day you went to the morgue to identify Billy. There was so much going on, I never thought to mention it to you.”

  Roxy walked over to the safe. “What is the new code?”

  “Hang on.” Roxy disappeared for a long moment then came back. In a slow, steady voice, she read out the combination.

  After looking around the empty shop, hating to acknowledge the feeling of being watched, and more than just Morgan standing guard, Jazz quickly entered the combination and pulled the safe door open.

  Just as it did, a hard voice sounded behind them.

  “Now isn’t this just about perfect timing.”

  Chapter 1

  Jazz started to turn around, but Morgan’s rigid arm held her in place.

  “Who the hell are you?” Morgan asked the intruder in a casual tone of voice.

  The locked arm on her back holding her in place told her exactly what Morgan was feeling. Pissed topped the emotions that came to mind. She didn’t recognize the voice of the intruder but understood the dangerous tone.

  “None of your fucking business,” the stranger snarled. “Both of you move over to the doorway and stay where I can see you. Turn around if you’ve got a death wish.”

  Morgan urged her forward to the doorway, keeping his big body between her and the stranger. Of course he would do that.

  “How did you know we’d be here?” Morgan asked.

  “I followed you. From your shitty, fuck-up of a brother’s place. Wasn’t exactly sure what the hell you were doing at the small house, but I figured it was the lady’s place. Then here – now this is what I’m looking for.”

  “Why? What did I ever do to you?” Jazz asked in outrage.

  “You? Nothing. I’m looking for my damn money. Billy stole it and hid it somewhere. He was dead before I could beat the location out of him.”

  “Did you kill him?” Morgan asked, his voice icy and hard.

  “Hell no. But I would have if I had the chance.” His voice deepened in anger. “And you should be fucking thanking me. He was a pain in the ass. He would have sold you out in a heartbeat.”

  “And yet, he was still my brother.”

  Jazz hated to hear this aggression, but she didn’t know if this guy had a weapon or not.

  “How did you get in?” she demanded.

  “In the front door behind you. It’s not like you locked the door again, did you?” he scoffed. “People like you live in a fantasy world and deserve to get robbed.” He rummaged around behind her, presumably checking out the contents of the safe. But the banking had been done already, so there wouldn’t be much of anything inside. If he left them alone after this, then she’d consider all losses well spent. God, she couldn’t believe she was in this situation. Hadn’t she been through enough already?

  “What money are you after?” Morgan asked curiously.

  “I told you, the damn money your brother stole from me,” came the snarling voice from behind them. “And it isn’t here. So where the fuck is it?”

  “I don’t know,” Jazz cried out. “We never saw it. We never found any at his home either.” She paused then had to ask. “Why would you come here and look?”

  “Because he told me it would be here.”

  She gasped. “What? At my store? He shouldn’t have any way to get in here in the first place, and especially not the safe.”

  “Ha, you call this a safe? It’s a joke. Anyone can break into this sucker. Then again, what’s the point? It’s not like you keep anything here.” His voice deepened. “So where the fuck is the money?”

  “She told you we don’t know,” Morgan growled. “I had no idea my brother stole money from you.”

  There was a heavy thud and Morgan groaned in pain, his body buckling yet struggling to remain upright, using her to keep his balance.

  “Bastard,” she cried, trying to help Morgan withou
t turning around. “We don’t have your money.”

  “Then why else are you here at night time?”

  “Because I found out that the same shithead brother had keys to my store and my house, and I was freaked out. I wanted to know why and what he might have done,” she cried.

  There was an odd silence, then he laughed. “Great. He strung you guys along too, didn’t he?” He didn’t wait for an answer and laughed again. “I told you he was a major fuck-up. He even fucked his own brother over. God, I wish he were here so I could bash his brains in again.”

  “Again?” she asked cautiously. “Do you know who killed him?”

  “Nope.” His voice turned dark, ugly. “He was already dead when I walked in.”

  “Damn,” Morgan muttered. “I wish I knew who’d killed him.”

  “Why, you gonna get your revenge for him or gonna buy the guy a damned drink?”

  Morgan was taking deep gulping breaths of air as he struggled against the pain. She hoped there was nothing seriously wrong. How could they get away?

  “I’ll probably buy him a half dozen drinks,” she snapped. “After what Billy did to us, the best place for him is the morgue.”

  The guy laughed. “Yeah, figured. But no, I don’t know who killed him. When you find out, say thanks for me.”

  She nodded as if in understanding, but in reality she had no clue. If he was so pissed right now about missing the money, how come he was happy that Billy was dead? Especially when Billy being alive could tell him more. There was no understanding any of this. She debated asking him when Morgan, his tone more or less normal, said, “He’s gone.”

  “What?” She spun around and sure enough, the back room was empty. She heard the tinkle of bells from the front door. “He really just walked out?”

  “Sounds like it.” Morgan, no longer looking like he was injured, raced to the front of the store and peered through the front window. She joined him, but hid behind the wall where she could peer out.