05 Lonely is the Night, стр. 29
“Normally, I like to work with my clients ahead of time.”
“We can Skype, Ryan. It’s all I can give you, for the good of the case.”
There was a pause and then Ryan agreed. “I have to tell you, Grier—there have been threats made.”
“From Mark and his cohort?” she asked.
“Yes. They told me in no uncertain terms that if you testify, you’re dead.”
Reid tightened his grip on her hand. Even though it wasn’t anything they didn’t expect, hearing it out loud like that was still hard. The fact that they were giving the threat directly to the DA meant they didn’t care about their jail time, and that they had the power and influence to pull off what they said. In this case, the threat was as good as a promise.
“I’m assuming that the threat is good, even if I don’t testify,” Grier told him.
“I don’t think you’re safe either way, no,” Ryan told her honestly. “You don’t have to do this, Grier. You know that.
“I know. But nothing—no one—can stop me from testifying.”
“You know the marshals aren’t happy that you’re not coming in here.”
“I know. But that’s my decision. I’ll be in touch. Dylan knows how to reach me.” She paused. “Watch your back, Ryan.”
“I’ll be all right—I’m a tough old son of a bitch.”
She kept her fingers interlaced with Reid’s and her thoughts to herself for a good long while. The fan created shadows across Reid’s face and the light breeze played with her new short hair, reminding her just how different everything was.
Chapter Fifteen
Reid had watched Gunner doing the last half of Keegan’s cover up late the night before. The former OA had been stoic, but man, it had to hurt.
Looked good, though. Reid considered getting one, but there was a part of him that was always wary about being recognized by a tattoo, the same way Special Forces soldiers always worried about being recognized for who they were. Even ex-military had a huge bounty on their heads in many countries where they worked black ops. Reid preferred to go in as anonymous as possible, even though he was a wanted man in many places, both from military sanctioned jobs and black ops ones.
“They’ve been blowing up my phone,” Keegan told Reid now as he handed Reid his cell phone. “You’ll get rid of this for me?”
“Not a problem.”
“I really hope the OA doesn’t give you guys any shit.”
“Dylan made a big production of calling them to find you—said you never showed up for your shift. I think, at this point, they’re more worried you’ve been targeted by the Killers.” The Killers were a rival MC, and always at war for one reason or another with the OA.
“I’m glad you and Grier got together again. Circumstances suck, but hey . . .” Keegan shrugged.
Reid glanced over to where Grier was talking with Gunner by the kitchen. Circumstances be damned, she was coming home with him.
* * *
It was done. Grier couldn’t believe there had ever been anything else on Keegan’s back. Gunner had lasered some areas, deliberately washing them out so the ink in the patinas rang true.
Gunner had given the man a new lease on life. With his hair a darker shade of blond and contacts and different clothes that included more of a grunge look than the leather, Keegan disappeared effortlessly into his new role.
And she had it so much easier. Keegan was forced to run away and she was lucky enough to be able to run toward something. Someone.
And that someone loved her. “It looks amazing,” she said as Keegan and Gunner bent their heads over a table across the room, going over travel documents and the like.
“He’s good,” Reid said. “Mostly self-taught.”
“Did he do his own?”
“Some. But these guys make it a point to travel and get ink from other artists. Some kind of tattoo artist code.”
“Hey, Grier, check this out and make sure nothing stands out as suspicious,” Gunner called to her. He’d pulled together all new IDs and bank accounts, gotten him a social security number and created a past for Keegan that the former OA member had memorized.
She imagined him going over and over the new details of his made up past, doing so until they’d begun to seem as though it really was his life.
The other packet should be labeled, How to save a life. She looked through what would be entered into police evidence, including a bloody jacket with bullet holes and an article about the shooting that would run in the local paper.
“And the Internet spreads shit faster than the speed of light.”
“What if they want to see the body?”
“They’ll see pictures of the body. But since no one claimed him, he was cremated,” Gunner finished. “It’s the best we can do—can’t risk anything else.”
The tattoo cover up would save him more than anything else here. “When are you doing this?”
“I’m leaving tonight,” Keegan said. “And I’d tell you that if you need me, call . . .”
But he couldn’t. Ever. And if for some reason he ever ran across any of them, he’d have to walk the other way, pretend he’d never known them.
“It’s worth it for me, Grier,” he told her. “Don’t be sad for me. I’m not. I’m ready for this.”
All she could do was hug him. He hugged her back and when she pulled back, he said, “Reid’s a great guy. I’m happy for you.”
“Me too.”
“It’s time, Keegan.” Gunner held a bag and a suitcase. “Your ride’s out front.”
“Just tell me it’s not a minivan,” Keegan said.
“I couldn’t do that to you. Okay, I wanted to, but Reid wouldn’t let me.”
Grier looked up to see Dylan, Kell and Teddie in the shop, waiting to say their good-byes to Keegan as he readied to disappear.
Teddie. Keegan. And now her. There were so many people out there hiding themselves, so many with secrets no one would ever know.
“He’ll be all right,” Reid told her. “And so will you.”
She realized that she