Knox's Stand (5 page)

Chapter Seven

Diamond had showered and changed into more comfortable clothes when a thought occurred to her. Looking at her watch, she knew it was early enough that it shouldn’t be too busy at Rosie’s. Deciding not to call Viper, she put on her tennis shoes, not wanting to take the time to change back into her other clothes.

The drive to the bar on the outskirts of town, halfway up the mountain, was a short one. Diamond was happy to see the empty parking lot. After the day she’d had, she would have broken and called Viper if there had been too many bikes around.

Once inside, it took Diamond’s eyes a few minutes to adjust to the dim lighting. The bar was old and looked it, however it was clean with tables and a dance floor. In the middle of the dance floor was a pole that Diamond was sure had been taken advantage of after a few drinks.

The bartender was watching her from behind the bar, so Diamond pasted a smile on her face as she went to the counter and climbed onto one of the stools.

“Hi.” Diamond tried her most disarming smile.

“Hey.” The bartender didn’t return her smile. “What can I get you?”

“A beer would be great.”

The bartender reached into the cooler and brought out a beer and a frosted mug, placing both in front of her.

“Thanks.” Diamond reached into her pocket, pulling out some cash then placing it on the counter.

She then watched as the bartender went back to cleaning his glasses before she cleared her throat. “I was wondering if you could help me. I was trying to find out some information on a woman.”

“Don’t know nothin’.” He didn’t stop what he was doing.

“You don’t even know who it is.”

“I don’t want to know. Finish your beer and get out. You want information, go to the computer. It knows everything about everyone now.”

“It doesn’t know who’s fucking around, but I bet you do,” Diamond snapped.

The man stopped cleaning his glasses, his lips twitching. “Who’s the woman?”

“Samantha Bedford.” She watched for a reaction.

“She ain’t fucking no one anymore.” He moved to stand in front of her. “Why do you want to know about that slut?”

Diamond thought that was kind of harsh considering she was dead, but she kept that opinion to herself. “I’m representing Knox.”

The bartender’s whole attitude changed. “What do you want to know?” he asked with a friendly smile.

“Did Sam come in here often?”

“A lot when she hung out with The Last Riders. Not so much after she tried to hurt their women. She came in here a couple of times with a couple of Blue Horsemen. After they got arrested, I haven’t seen them since. Heard they skipped bail and disappeared.”

Diamond took a drink of her beer. “Anyone else since then?”

He shook his head.

“How about before she was involved with The Last Riders? She come in here then?”

“A few times, always trying to pick someone up and go home with them, but I can’t remember anyone in particular.” He started wiping the bar top down with a cloth. Something bothered Diamond and she couldn’t place what it was. She thought he might not be telling the truth with the way he avoided her eyes.

“I can be very discreet; no one needs to know how I found anything out,” Diamond said.

“I’ve told you what I know. If I remember anyone in particular, I’ll give you a call.”

Diamond sighed. She had pushed hard enough. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her card, which she placed there before leaving for her apartment.

“My name is Di Richards. If you think of anything, let me know. I’m trying to help Knox. Anything could be of help and you may not realize it.”

“Names Mick. If I remember, I’ll call.”

As she turned to leave, the door to the bar slammed open and The Last Riders filed in. Diamond could tell by the look on Knox’s face he was angry. He was an imposing figure dressed in his dark jeans and black t-shirt with his boots swallowing up the floor as he strode across the room.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Knox asked angrily.

Diamond’s back stiffened. “Drinking a beer. What business is it of yours?”

“Since when do you hang out in biker bars?” Knox inquired.

“Is this a biker bar? I wasn’t aware of that. There weren’t any motorcycles out front. Nor were there any signs saying ‘Assholes only’,” Diamond mocked him.

“She was asking about Sam,” Mick interrupted. Diamond threw a look at the traitorous man for disclosing why she was there.

“What did Viper tell you about letting us know when you were going to be snooping around?”

“
You
might have to bow down and kiss Viper’s ass, but I’m not one of your members that actually give a damn what he wants.”

“He the one that pays you?” Knox asked, already knowing the answer.

Diamond knew she had stepped on a landmine. “Yes.”

“Then you better be worried about what he wants.”

“It doesn’t matter; I’m done here.” Diamond knew when a strategic retreat was in order.

“Since you’re here, you might as well stay and have another beer.” He turned to the bartender. “Mick get her another beer on me.”

Mick turned around, reaching for another beer.

“I don’t want one.” Diamond started to slide off the seat when she found an arm around her waist and her ass planted back on the barstool.

“But I want you to stay. At least then I’ll know where you are.” His body blocked her from getting off the stool.

Reluctantly giving in for the moment, Diamond took a drink of her beer, aware that the dumbass was trying to frighten her. Two could play at that game. She relaxed. Turning her face toward him, she then gave him a venomous smile.

“You think your macho attitude is going to send me running? You’re just pissing me off, Knox. I’m trying to find out who killed the woman you’re going to go to jail for murdering unless I catch a break and find out who did.”

“What did you think you would find out here?” He reached for his own beer, his chest brushing against her shoulder.

“I thought I would find out if there was someone else in town that she was sleeping with that might have a motive. Until I can find the men who were with her that day at the diner and find out if they could be responsible, then your ass is still the best suspect the jury will have.”

“They weren’t responsible for Sam’s death, so if that’s your only lead, you need to start searching somewhere else.” Diamond watched as a group of The Last Riders sat at the tables while others went to the dance floor.

“How can you know that for sure?” Diamond questioned.

“Because they’re not in town. If they were, the sheriff would have them locked up. Find someone else.”

“It’s not that easy,” Diamond snapped.

“If it was going to be easy, Viper wouldn’t have hired you.” His brown eyes stared down into hers, making her aware that she wasn’t wearing her suit. She had on soft blue jeans and a low-scooped, blue top that hugged her breasts, showing the generous swells of her breasts. She felt his eyes brush them each time she leaned forward.

“Let’s dance.” The abrupt change in topic had her speechless as Knox, not waiting for her answer, took her hand and led her to the dance floor. She tried to pull back, but he didn’t loosen his hold.

On the dance floor, he turned her into his body, pulling her hips close.

“Let me go. I don’t want to dance with you. This is unprofessional.”

“Move your ass.” Knox took her hips in his huge hands. She felt like an idiot for arguing with someone who was dancing against her seductively while she stood still, however Diamond was stumped as to how to react.

“One dance won’t kill you,” Knox answered, as if he read her thoughts.

Gradually, Diamond began moving to the music. She couldn’t remember the last time she had actually danced; probably as a freshman in college, but she wasn’t sure.

The music wound through her body, relaxing her and Knox used the opportunity to move her body closer to his, swamping her senses with his masculinity. Her eyes escaped his to watch the other dancers. Bliss was grinding against Rider while Evie was dancing seductively with a man that she hadn’t seen before. Two other women in seductive clothes were dancing together.

As soon as the music ended, Diamond moved away and Knox released her hips before catching her hand and leading her back to the bar. He picked her up and placed her back on her stool.

“I need to be going.” Diamond finished her beer so it wouldn’t appear as if she was running away.

Knox moved closer to her side. “Want another beer? I can give you a ride home.”

Diamond saw where this way headed and put a stop to it. “No, thanks, I’ve had enough.”

When she would have jumped down from the stool, Knox leaned forward, placing his hand on the stool between her thighs. Diamond froze in place. If she moved forward an inch, her mound would be up against his hand.

“I think you should stay and party with us. We can show you a good time.” His finger slid forward and she felt Knox trace the cleft of her pussy underneath her jeans. Shocked at his blatant move, she was unable to stop the shudder which shook her body.

His eyes narrowed on her and his tongue came out to moisten his lips, which caused Diamond’s eyes to fall onto the metal ball on his tongue. Her hands then reached out to clasp his wrist and jerk it away from between her thighs.

“If you don’t move your hand, I’m going to drop your case and keep the half million that Viper owes me without giving a damn that your ass will be sitting in jail for a crime you didn’t commit.”

Knox removed his hand, standing back up straight to lean back against the bar. He picked up his beer and took another drink. “How do you know I didn’t kill Sam?”

Diamond was aware that Rider had come to stand on her other side, motioning to Mick for a drink. When Mick gave him his beer, Rider remained, obviously listening to their conversation.

Diamond planned to get her revenge on his touchy feely moment.

“I drove through the neighborhood you crashed your bike in before I came here today. It’s a shortcut to the road that leads out here then to the clubhouse, so I know why you were on the road.”

“So I was taking a shortcut? What the fuck does that have to do with me killing Sam?”

“I couldn’t understand how you wrecked your bike on such a little road with barely any traffic. I saw by the skid marks you obviously crashed to avoid hitting something.”

Knox shrugged. “So, a car pulled out in front of me.”

“Nope. There was no parking where you wrecked and it’s a one lane road. As I sat, trying to think how such an experienced rider had wrecked, I saw several interesting things.”

Knox stiffened, throwing Rider a dirty look. “Don’t you have something better to do?”

“Not right now. This sounds too good to miss. You never did tell me how you busted up your bike.”

“Fuck off,” Knox said, taking a drink of his beer while glaring at Diamond.

Rider’s grin widened as he took a seat on the stool next to her.

“I saw a beautiful neighborhood filled with older homes that had an abundance of trees. The yards also had several squirrels. I think you swerved to miss a squirrel. You couldn’t kill S
am if you wrecked your bike to prevent killing a squirrel.”

“I didn’t wreck my bike to keep from hitting a fucking squirrel.” His red face showed he was lying.

Diamond burst out laughing. “You’re a marshmallow.”

“You actually wrecked your bike to keep from killing a squirrel?” Rider said in disbelief.

“No, I didn’t,” Knox barked back sharply.

“You fucking did.” Rider burst into laughter.

“Marshmallow.” Diamond nodded her head at Rider.

“I am not a fucking marshmallow!” Knox yelled as he slammed his beer down on the bar.

“You better go; the marshmallow is about to explode,” Rider joked.

Diamond grinned back. “I’m going.” Siding off the stool, this time Knox didn’t stop her leaving as Rider continued antagonizing Knox.

She got in her car, her laughter dying as soon as the door slammed, incasing her in safety.

Her body was in turmoil from Knox’s brief touch. How he had managed to excite her from a brief stroke defied her imagination. He was the typical biker, which she despised, yet her body hadn’t cared, wanting more. Diamond had to be very careful. She had seen the recognition in his eye at her response. Knox wasn’t as stupid as she’d thought. He wasn’t such a marshmallow that he wouldn’t take advantage of her attraction then leave her wanting more.

Chapter Eight

Far too early the next morning, her cell phone woke her from a deep sleep.

“Hello?” Diamond said drowsily into the phone.

“Ms. Richards?” Diamond easily recognized the sheriff’s voice. Her drowsiness disappeared at the tone in his voice.

“Yes, what’s happening?” The sheriff had never called her before; he must have found her number in the contact information on Knox’s paperwork when he had been released from jail.

“The state police received a call, giving information about jewelry that was in Samantha Bedford’s possession when she was murdered. They are about to serve a search warrant on The Last Riders in thirty minutes. If you hurry, you should make it when they get there.”

“Dammit! Thanks, Sheriff.”

Diamond threw back her covers and then grabbed a suit out of her closet, scrambling into her clothes. Brushing her hair and putting it up, she slipped on her heels. Grabbing her briefcase, she hightailed it to her car.

Driving as fast as she could without breaking the speed limit, she managed to pull into The Last Riders parking lot just as the state police were getting out of their cars.

David Thurman, the Commonwealth’s Attorney that would be prosecuting Knox, waited at the bottom of the steps. “What are you doing here, Di?”

She held her hand out for the search warrant. “To make sure you stick to the areas of the search warrant, of course.” Diamond took the copy of the warrant, reading it as fast as she could without missing any details.

“You’re limited just to Knox’s bedroom, nowhere else. Make sure your men know that.”

Thurman threw her an angry look before taking the warrant back from her hand. He was a bigger asshole than Caleb Green. The higher up in rank the attorneys for the state were, the category of how big an asshole increased exponentially.

The large group climbed the steep steps to the porch where the police trooper knocked on the front door. It took several minutes before Viper answered the door with Winter behind him. Thurman handed him the warrant as the police stormed up the steps.

“Second doorway on the left,” Thurman said, following behind them.

“This is bullshit, Thurman. How do you even know which room is his?” Diamond followed up the steps as the police motioned Viper and Winter to wait outside on the porch. Diamond motioned for him not to argue. She was at the top of the steps when she heard the police go through a door. Women’s squeals could be heard from within the room.

“What in the fuck is going on?” That last voice was definitely Knox’s grouchy one. Diamond came to a stop in the doorway. It was everything she could to maintain her professional appearance at the sight that met her eyes.

Knox was getting out of the biggest bed she had ever seen with a sheet barely covering his dick while two women were burrowed under the blanket, screeching for everyone to get out. Rider stood on the other side of the bed, pulling up his jeans, unconcerned that his junk was waving everywhere as he stuffed it inside his pants before zipping them closed.

“I’ll be damned. We stepped into a bona fide orgy.” One of the troopers laughed. Diamond could tell by the angry expression on Knox’s face that he was about to lose it. Hoping to forestall the explosion, Diamond stepped forward so that the occupant could see her in the room, although she didn’t enter.

“Knox, you and your friends need to vacate the room. The troopers have a search warrant. Go downstairs and wait with Viper and Winter. It’s only your room that they will be able to search.” Diamond spoke from the doorway, unable by law to enter further.

Diamond stood against the wall as Knox grabbed his jeans from the floor before pulling them on. She then averted her eyes as he
flung the sheet away. Bliss grabbed the sheet, going to her knees on the bed and wrapping it around herself before climbing off the bed. When her eyes met Diamond’s, she saw only anger, no embarrassment.

Evie took the blanket once the other woman, Bliss, was wrapped in the sheet, wrapping the blanket around herself. Her eyes met Diamond without any embarrassment evident on her face, either. Each of them strolled out of the bedroom without a care while the troopers’ eyes followed them out before they began searching through Knox’s things. Diamond cleared her throat and both men got back to work.

“You couldn’t stop this?” Knox’s harsh voice drew her attention.

“No, someone called in an anonymous tip,” Diamond answered without looking at him. “Go downstairs.” Her cold voice dripped ice. Knox’s eyes narrowed and he hesitated, opening his mouth. “I need to pay attention to what they’re doing and you’re blocking my view.”

Diamond took a step sideways, watching the troopers search through Knox’s things.

“Let’s go.” As Rider took Knox’s arm, he shrugged it off, turning on his heel and leaving. Diamond released her breath. The stench of sex still hung heavy in the air that had surrounded them as they left.

Revolted at herself for letting her body react to his last night brought her attention back to the men tossing Knox’s things casually throughout the room. His bedside table drawer was pulled open and spilled onto his bed. The men laughed at the sex toys and large number of condoms displayed.

“Gentlemen.” Diamond’s voice held professional reproof. The men threw her dirty looks. Thurman walked to the bed, glancing down at the mess.

“You’ve got yourself a hell of a pervert for a client, Di.” His sarcastic voice angered her.

“I wonder what I would find in your drawers if I went through them with no notice.” Thurman turned red, but didn’t say anything else.

“Look at this.” One of the troopers had pulled out Knox’s chest of drawers. There was a bag taped to the back. The trooper opened the bag, pulling out dozens of pictures.

Caleb took the pictures, going through them one by one before throwing them on the bed. “She has her clothes on and is over age; those are useless.”

Diamond could see the pictures from the doorway. There were a least a dozen pictures of a pretty, young woman with blond hair. Knox had obviously not wanted anyone to see them.

“I’ve got it.” One of the troopers had pulled open a bottom draw, holding the jewelry that Mrs. Langley had described to her.

“Take pictures of each one and bag it,” Thurman said, smiling smugly. Diamond raised a brow at his unprofessional behavior.

“Don’t you think it’s strange he takes more trouble to hide innocent pictures than jewelry he took off a murder victim?” Diamond
questioned the Commonwealth’s Attorney.

“So, he’s a dumb fuck; we already knew that.” Thurman shrugged at her comment.

“We’ve found what we’re looking for, we can go.” He motioned the troopers out of the room. “Take him back into custody.” He told the last trooper as he came out of the room.

“Why?” Diamond argued. “He didn’t resist.”

“With this, the chances of his taking flight increase.”

“He’s not going to run,” Diamond tried to reason with him.

“I’m sure his ass won’t be in their long, Di, but he’s going back to jail,” he said, walking off and leaving her no alternative other than to follow. Hesitating, she went back into Knox’s room, opening the drawers she found him a shirt and socks. Picking up his large boots, she hurried down the steps where he was already in handcuffs, being lead down the steps.

“Diamond? Why are they arresting Knox again?” Viper yelled angrily.

“Someone called in a tip last night. They found what they were looking for, that’s why they’re taking him back in. Don’t worry; the court is just going to raise his bail. The quicker you let me get out of here, the sooner I can get him out.”

“Go,” Viper answered begrudgingly. “When you’re done, I expect to see you.”

Diamond nodded before going down the steps. All The Last Riders were standing on the porch with Evie and Bliss among them, still wearing their coverings. Diamond avoided eye contact as she carried Knox’s clothes down the steps, getting into her car then followed the procession of cars down the mountain.

Holly wouldn’t be in the office; she had called last night and told Diamond that she was still ill. She was going to have to wait until she got to town to make the phone calls she needed. The twenty-minute drive was frustrating, but Diamond used the time to organize her thoughts, formulating a plan of action.

As soon as she pulled into the sheriff’s office’s parking lot, she watched as the troopers pulled Knox from the back of the squad car. Calling in what few favors she had earned in the short time she had been practicing in Treepoint, she managed to get a hearing later that afternoon.

She knew they were going to raise the bond he was on to a huge sum. Calling Viper and confirming the funds would be available, she was hopeful that Knox would be out that day.

Picking up Knox’s clothes, she went into the small office. The sheriff was talking to David Thurman so Diamond handed Knox’s clothes to the receptionist. The woman rose from her seat and then went through the clothes before handing them to the sheriff. He looked at Diamond while taking the clothes from his secretary then excused himself, going into the rooms where the cells were.

Thurman turned at the sheriff’s abrupt departure, seeing Diamond standing by the front desk.

“Quick work, Diamond. I heard you finagled him onto the docket.”

“Nothing has changed, David. This shouldn’t affect his bond. He hasn’t tried to flee and has no intention of doing so.”

He laughed at her. “I think you’re misjudging your client. I think when he realizes his case just went into the dumpster that he is going to run.”

“He won’t.”

“He’s a known member of a motorcycle gang, what makes you think that he’s not going to run?”

“Because he didn’t kill her, David. Did you even research the man you are trying for murder?” Before he could say anything, Diamond filled him in on the facts that she had learned. “He graduated at the top of his class in high school before going into the Navy at eighteen where he stayed, becoming a navy seal. He has served on several dange
rous missions before becoming elite at search and rescue. He has donated his time to several countries after natural disasters to help recover victims. He’s also very wealthy; several of the patents that The Last Riders have are his and the products the patents are on sell extremely well. One is a hatchet that turns into a small shovel so that rescuers can use it to help get victims out that are covered in ruble.

“So, no, I don’t think a man who is extremely sensitive to others in dire circumstances killed a young woman to steal her jewelry when he could easily buy her the whole jewelry store.”

Thurman turned pale at Diamond’s information. “Why didn’t my investigators find out about his money?”

“They didn’t dig deep enough. The business is in The Last Riders’ names, but I did a patent search with Knox’s name. He keeps his money within the business for his own reasons. I haven’t asked, but from what I gather, he could care less about his wealth. His bike isn’t even an expensive make.”

David shrugged, gathering his wits. Diamond could practically see the wheels turning. “The money just makes him an even bigger flight risk. He has the funds to leave the country. Thanks, Diamond.”

“Tell yourself that, Thurman, if it makes you feel better for putting a veteran that has honorably served his country and still volunteers his time in dangerous situations behind bars. I don’t happen to think Judge Creech, a veteran himself, will see it the same way.” Diamond turned on her heel, running into the sheriff who had come up from behind.

“I agree also. I don’t think he’s a flight risk, and why would they call that tip into the state police and not the sheriff’s office?”

“Probably because the tipster knows the preferential treatment The Last Riders receive from you,” Thurman said with rancor.

The Sheriff gave Thurman a look of steel. “I think it’s more likely that they thought that someone from this office would recognize their voice. This is all premature bullshit anyway; until the final autopsy report comes back from Frankfort, you’re way ahead of yourself.” The sheriff didn’t back down from Thurman.

“I didn’t realize there was a question about the autopsy?” Diamond said. It was the first time she had heard that the autopsy was in question.

“There isn’t,” Thurman prevaricated.

“There is,” The sheriff disagreed.

“David, if you’re using your power to railroad an innocent man...” Diamond stared at the man, aghast at the thought of someone with his power trying to push an innocent man into prison.

“He had the jewelry! How innocent could he be?” Thurman retorted nastily.

“That house is never locked during the day when everyone works at the factory next door, and with the influx of new employees, anyone could have planted that jewelry,” The Sheriff argued.

“We’ll know that once we fingerprint it, won’t we, Sheriff? Now, if you two are done fighting about putting a murderer behind bars where he belongs, I need to get back to the office. I have court this afternoon.” Thurman left both Diamond and the Sheriff staring after him.

“He’s a dumb fuck,” The Sheriff said.

“Yes, he is,” Diamond confirmed, but he was a dumb fuck that had the power of the State of Kentucky behind him. He was more than able to put Knox away; innocent or not.