Number one, you have raised a wanton and disrespectful young lady. You should have been much more concerned with what sort of messages you exposed her to during her formative years. She is headstrong and willing to cavort with men beneath her and is utterly unrepentant. This is a direct result of your lax parenting. You seem to approve of this appalling behavior.’”
“Holy fuck,” I breathe out.
“There’s more,” she says.
I squeeze my eyes shut and press the spot between my eyes where a headache’s forming. “Go on.”
“‘When Shelby and I are finally reunited, you will submit to me and be disciplined in order to better serve your daughter’s needs. This is not negotiable. I am older than you. My knowledge is superior in this area and will only benefit Shelby as well as the children she will bear for me—your grandbabies. As her mother, you should want what is best for her growth. You should desire that she reach her fullest potential, even if you failed yourself.’”
She hesitates and there’s a soft sob on the other end.
“Fuck, Lynn.” I swallow hard, trying to control my fury. “He’s certifiably nuts.”
“Let me finish.” She blows out a breath. “‘Please speak with your daughter as soon as possible, so that these false charges against me can be dropped and that I may be reunited with my little rabbit as soon as possible. Sincerely, Martin Suggs.’”
“Can you send me a photo of the letter and the envelope? And I know you’ve already opened it—”
“Once I realized who it was from, I tried to be careful and not touch it too much.”
“Good. Put it in a plastic bag. Jackson will probably want it. He’ll probably want to talk to you too.”
“That’s fine. This guy…he’s twisted. Just tell me my baby girl is okay.”
“She’s fine, Lynn. I’m literally standing outside the RV. No one’s getting near her.”
“Please, don’t tell her about this. She has a show tonight. And the awards coming up. She doesn’t need this.”
“I can’t make any promises, Lynn.” I don’t want to stress Shelby out either, but I also don’t want to lie to her.
“Have her call me, please? I need to hear her voice.”
“Sure. I’ll have her call as soon as she wakes up.”
We talk for a few more minutes. When we disconnect our call, I move closer to the RV, listening for any sounds Shelby’s awake.
Quiet.
Moving slowly, I creep inside and go straight to the hidden panel over the dinette. I pull out one of the burner phones inside. It seems to have enough juice for a short phone call.
Enough is enough. It’s time to end this. Do what I should’ve done when I found that piece of shit. He’s not going to continue terrorizing Shelby and her mom for years to come.
For this phone call, I enclose myself in the cab of the truck.
Ice answers on the third ring.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Shelby
Still mildly embarrassed about last night, I can’t quite meet Jigsaw’s eyes as I hand him a cup of coffee.
He unleashes one hell of an exaggerated yawn before taking a sip. “Thank you, songbird.” His eyes glitter with amusement as he peers at me over the rim of his mug. “I’m exhausted. I had such a hard time sleeping last night.”
Another big yawn, this time he adds a long, slow stretch, his fingers touching the ceiling and shirt lifting.
“Har, har.” I boost myself up on the counter and sip my own coffee.
His playful smile falters. “I’m sorry you were a bystander in the teasing. Really, I just like fuckin’ with Rooster.” He pats his chest. “It’s like breathing. I’m not really aware I’m doing it.”
I blink and meet his semi-serious stare. I haven’t gotten the impression Jigsaw apologizes often. So I’m touched to a certain extent. But do we really need to discuss this? “I’ve noticed.”
“If it makes you feel better, I didn’t hear anything until—”
I hold up one hand, cutting him off. “Please. Don’t. Can we pretend nothing happened?”
His lips twist in and out of a smirk. “Sure.”
After a few quiet sips, he sets his mug on the counter with a thunk. “You make him happy, you know?” He waves his hand between us. “Besides the obvious, I mean.”
Heat creeps over my cheeks. I’m never going to live last night down am I? Then my embarrassment clears, and his words sink in. “You two are close.”
“I’ve always got my brother’s back.” He tilts his head. “That means I’ve got yours too.”
What he confessed about Suggs comes back to me. In many ways, their loyalty to each other seems to rise above their ties to the club. “How long have you two known each other?”
He scrunches his face and lifts his gaze to the ceiling, as if it’s hard to dig so far back into his memory. “Shit, forever? Feels that way.”