The Spyder's Web, page 11
After she and Zedra were on the road, Charlotte told the woman as much. “I know you’re here to protect me, but this is our livelihood.”
“Don’t worry, Charlie. I promise I won’t antagonize Wynter. Hell, I won’t speak to her if that’s what you think is best. I’m here to keep you safe, not cause more trouble.”
“Thank you, Zed. I spoke to Wynter earlier when I gave her the code to my new alarm. She was dropping Gibby off at my apartment on her way to the church, and I reminded her you’d be with me.”
“Did she explain how we met?” Zedra asked.
“No, and I didn’t ask. It’s none of my business. You were right that we all have secrets, and if she needs to keep this one, I can respect that.” Charlotte was practically an open book when it came to her best friend. She lived life to the fullest with no regrets, but not everyone did. Too many people held themselves back because they were afraid of societal recrimination. Too afraid of what their families would think about their choices. Elise used to be the same way, but one tragic afternoon changed her cousin.
“Can I ask you a personal question?” Zedra rubbed her hands down her jeans as though she were nervous.
“You can, but I reserve the right not to answer. You know, secrets and all that.”
Zedra snorted. “Fair enough. I know you met Spyder at Dominion. Is that something you’re interested in? The kink?”
It was odd to hear Jude referred to by his biker name. “The lighter parts of it, like what Jude does with his ropes, definitely. I’m not into pain, but I think I might like to be spanked or have one of the softer floggers used on my ass. I’m looking forward to when he and I can have a night alone so he can show me what it feels like to be bound.” Charlotte glanced over at Zedra and found the woman smiling. “What?”
“I like you, Charlie, and I think you’re just the female Spyder needs in his life.”
“I guess we’ll see.” Charlotte was smitten with Jude Sterling. When Zedra explained how the Hounds of Zeus weren’t like other bikers, Charlotte had been skeptical. All she knew of motorcycle clubs came from movies and television shows. But having met several of the members and seeing how respectful they were, Charlotte believed what Zedra had shared. Jude said his MC, as well as his family, was all about rescuing people, and Zedra had reiterated that fact. Seeing them drop everything to watch over Charlotte and figure out who was after her made her a believer.
“Here we are.” Charlotte pulled in the parking lot of the church and drove around back until she found the door Wynter mentioned. Zedra had already asked Charlotte to wait in the van until Zed cleared the area, whatever that meant. The woman didn’t carry a gun. She didn’t look imposing, but looks could be deceiving. After less than a minute, Zedra opened Charlotte’s door for her.
“All clear.” They walked to the back of the van together, and Zedra helped carry the boxes. The back door was unlocked, and Zedra insisted on entering the church first. “You can never be too careful.” Charlotte wasn’t a security expert, but she was more afraid of someone sneaking up from behind than attacking from inside a church. She looked over her shoulder, but the parking lot was empty save a few cars, including Wynter’s.
“Good morning, Zedra,” Wynter said cordially as soon as they stepped inside. “Please, follow me.” Charlotte’s bestie was in professional mode. She had greeted Zedra with the same smile she would anyone, and Charlotte’s worry dissipated. Wynter led them to a classroom the bride and her attendants were using as a dressing room.
“Charlotte!” Carrie Ann exclaimed as soon as she entered the room. “Oh, my gosh! They’re perfect. Tracy, look!” The bride grabbed her maid of honor by the elbow, dragging her over to see the bouquets. “Didn’t I tell you Charlotte was the best?” Tracy oohed and awed as expected, and she wasn’t merely paying lip service. She was genuinely impressed with the flowers. Carrie Ann had wanted simple yet elegant, and that’s what Charlotte provided.
“The boutonnières and corsages are still in the van. I’ll go—”
“You stay here. I’ll get them,” Zedra offered.
“Thank you.” Charlotte turned to Wynter. “How was Gibby?”
“He was happy to be home, but he had to sniff everything before he settled down. He knows there have been strangers in his space.” Wynter tapped her smart watch and read a message. “That was Carlton. He said there was a wreck on Vine Street, so you’ll need to go in the back way.”
“Good to know.” Charlotte allotted plenty of time in case of such things, but having a heads-up was nice. Zedra returned from the van carrying the last two boxes.
“Here, I’ll take those,” Wynter offered. “The flowers are gorgeous, Charlie. You outdid yourself again.”
“Thanks, Boo. We’ll leave you to it.” Charlotte kissed Wynter on the cheek before turning to Carrie Ann. “Good luck today. I know it’ll be a stunning wedding.”
“Thank you again, Charlotte.” The bride cradled her bouquet, inhaling the fragrant flowers.
“It was my pleasure.” And Charlotte meant that with all her heart. She had always loved flowers, but it wasn’t until one of her girlfriends couldn’t afford a florist for her wedding that the idea hit. Charlotte had gone to the craft store and put together a colorful bouquet for her friend and boutonnière for the groom. She had always loved helping Ellen with her flowerbeds in the summer, and helping her friend gave Charlotte the idea of opening her own business. She had started small, making arrangements in her apartment and selling them at the farmer’s market. It didn’t take long before she was getting requests for weddings, and Charlotte, with Wynter’s help, learned about wholesale warehouses, business licenses, advertising, and everything that went into owning her own shop. Ten years later, and Charlotte was one of the most successful florists in the New Albany area.
The drive to the inn took longer than normal because of the wreck Wynter had warned her about, but Charlotte was familiar enough with the area she was able to navigate the back roads and arrive on time. No, the wedding hadn’t even started, but the reception needed to be set up and ready to go ahead of time so that when the wedding party arrived, everything was in place. Charlotte had a few close calls in her early days and had learned from those experiences. Once again, Zedra helped transport the arrangements inside. Charlotte had met with Carlton once Carrie Ann signed the contract, and she knew how the venue was being set up. She directed Zed to the back of the dining room where together they placed the arrangements in their appropriate spots.
Carlton rushed into the room more flustered than Charlotte had ever seen. “Sorry I didn’t meet you at the door. The mayor called with some last-minute changes.”
“No problem. We put everything where we previously discussed, and here is the throw-away bouquet for the cake table.” Charlotte took the bag of blush rose petals from Zedra. “And here are the petals for the cake. These need to go in the cooler.”
“Got it. Thank you for your punctuality, Charlotte. It makes my day easier.”
“No problem. Anything we can do to help?”
Carlton shook his head. “No, but thank you. Mayor Drysdale added four people to the guest list, and space is already tight. I’ll figure it out.”
“Okay. We’ll get out of your hair. See you next time.”
Carlton rushed off, waving over his shoulder.
“I’m impressed.” Zedra strapped on her seatbelt, smiling. “You have this down to a science.”
“I’ve been doing weddings for a while now. Working with Wynter helps though. We meet several times before the day of the event to know where everything goes. Winter weddings – the season, not the woman – are the hardest. Sometimes it takes a minute to source certain flowers if the bride requests something off the wall, but for the most part, I have good suppliers.”
“It’s also something you enjoy. I can tell by watching you like working with plants. Not everyone can take several different flowers and put them together the way you do.”
“What about you? Do you like working security? I can’t imagine it’s an easy job.” Charlotte couldn’t see putting herself in front of someone to protect them even if she were trained.
“Most of the time I’m in the office, so it’s not as glamourous as you may be thinking. I do enjoy it for the most part. Sometimes I get men who don’t want a female protecting them. They don’t think I’m strong enough or smart enough.” Zedra glanced in the sideview mirror, and then turned to look out the back. “Charlie, I need you to take the next exit.”
“What? Why?” Charlotte flipped on her turn signal and sped up to merge into the outer lane. “Zed—”
“Don’t panic, but we have a tail. Black truck, three vehicles back.”
Charlotte gripped the steering wheel tighter. She waited until the last second to take the exit, but when she glanced in the rearview mirror, the truck was closing in on them. “Shit, hang on.” Charlotte took the right at the bottom of the offramp faster than she should, barely missing a car merging into her lane. When the other driver laid on their horn, Charlotte muttered, “Sorry.” The van wasn’t made for speed, but she pushed it to its limit. The truck, however, was powerful. Traffic was thick on the four-lane, but Charlotte wove in and out of the cars like a pro.
“Where’s a cop when you need one?” Charlotte blew through a yellow light with the truck on her ass. “Seriously?”
“Charlie, you can’t outrun them. We need to find somewhere to—” The truck tagged the van’s bumper, and both women were pushed forward, their seat belts digging into their chests. “Sonofamotherfucker! Crazy fucking pig licker!” Zedra braced her hand on the dashboard as Charlotte changed lanes before slamming on the brakes. “What are you doing?”
Charlotte made a U-turn in front of oncoming traffic. Cars braked hard and horns blared as cars scrambled to stop or get out of her way. Charlotte didn’t let up though. She punched the gas and took off in the opposite direction. “Get Jude on the phone. Tell him what’s going on. We need a divers—” A loud pop sounded, and the van careened hard to the right. “Fucker shot my tire!”
“Charlie, look out!” Zedra shouted, like Charlotte couldn’t see the light pole they were headed for. Charlotte pulled hard on the steering wheel, but it was no use. She closed her eyes, let go of the wheel, and braced for impact. The airbags did their job, but the seat belt still cut into Charlotte’s chest and stomach. The cab filled with the nasty, ashy substance from the airbags deploying, and Charlotte started coughing while waving her hands.
Sirens rent the air, but they weren’t close enough for Charlotte’s peace of mind. Zedra, still cursing the driver of the truck, released her seat belt. Before Charlotte knew what was happening, an animalistic growl filled her ears as Zedra crawled across the console. Were those fangs? And holy shitballs! Zedra’s long hair was no longer auburn. A fur-covered head that looked scarily like a lion smothered Charlotte’s face. She couldn’t see, but the roar that left her guardian was deafening. Okay, so she’d hit her head and had passed out, because if she’d been conscious, she wouldn’t have a lapful of wild animal. That, or she was dead, and this was her version of Hell. Charlotte didn’t think she warranted Hell. She’d lived a good life.
“Shit, shit, shit.” Zedra lunged backward onto her side of the van. Bloody claws retracted, and Charlotte started laughing. Not in a humorous, this-is-funny laugh but a hysterical, I’ve-lost-my-mind, high-pitched chortle. “Fuck, I’m so sorry.” Zedra wiped her hands on her jeans, but the blood wasn’t coming off.
“What the fuck are you?” Charlotte managed to ask after her wheezing stopped. Before Zed could answer, Charlotte’s door was wrenched open. Charlotte screamed as she tried to back away from the door, but her seat belt kept her in place. She grabbed at the buckle, and when Zedra reached over to help, Charlotte smacked at her hand.
“Ma’am, please calm down.” The man’s voice was soothing, not threatening. When a quick peek at his chest revealed a paramedic’s uniform, not someone out to kill her, Charlotte relaxed.
“You ladies okay?” Charlotte nodded, but the movement made her dizzy. She released her seat belt, leaned over, and threw up all over his shoes. “I’ll take that as a no.”
Charlotte remained quiet as the first responders got her out of the van and into a waiting ambulance. The one Charlotte had tossed her cookies on was arguing with Zedra for refusing medical treatment. “Worry about her. I’m fine.”
“But you have blood on your hands. Where did that come from?”
“I cut myself on a vase earlier. Seriously, I don’t need stitches. Can I ride with her?”
Charlotte wasn’t sure she wanted the woman in the ambulance with her. What in the ever-loving hell was that back in the van? As badly as her head throbbed, Charlotte knew she had to have imagined a lion on her lap, because Zedra was not an animal. The police arrived and started questioning her as she lay on the gurney. Another officer questioned Zedra a few feet away.
Closing her eyes against the pain, Charlotte said, “Someone in a large, black truck began following us on the freeway. I tried to get away from him, but he shot out my tire, causing me to hit the pole.”
“Do you know why someone would try to kill you?” Officer Blake asked.
That shocked Charlotte. Had the man been trying to kill her or just scare her? “I had a couple things happen at home and at my business. Break-ins.”
“Did you call the police?”
“Yes. Officer Sims came to my shop.”
“I don’t recognize that name.”
“My shop, The Blooming Boutique, is in New Latham. I had just dropped off flowers for a wedding and was on my way back.”
“Did you get a look at the driver?”
“No. But Zedra might have. She leaned over me, and...” Charlotte clamped her mouth shut. She couldn’t admit what she thought she saw.
“And?” the officer urged.
“And I must have blacked out. That’s all I remember.” Charlotte’s stomach threatened to heave again. She looked at the paramedic. “I don’t feel so well.”
“I need to get her on the bus,” he said to the cop. That was enough for the officer to let her go with no further interrogation. The gurney was lifted, and the shuffling didn’t help Charlotte’s stomach. The paramedic grabbed a plastic bowl and held it beside her head. Charlotte breathed through the nausea, squelching the need to puke. The back doors closed as Zedra was yelling, “Wait!”
It was stupid, but Charlotte was glad for a little distance from the other woman. She needed to wrap her head around what she thought she saw and heard.
“I’m starting an IV. I’ll give you something for nausea and pain.” The man was efficient. Charlotte barely registered the prick of the needle going in her arm. Needle? Was that the technical term?
“What’s that thing you’re sticking in my arm?”
“I just explained how I’m starting an IV.” His eyebrows dipped as though he was worried about her mental state.
“No, I mean the needle thing. Is it called a needle?” Charlotte needed to know. It was imperative to keep her mind off Zed.
“Oh. It’s called a catheter.”
“I thought that was what you put in someone to help them pee.”
“Same terminology, different use. Can you tell me your name?”
“Charlotte Fanning. What’s yours?” Charlotte closed her eyes, but the memory of the wreck assaulted her senses, so she opened them to stare at the handsome Black man tending to her. He was chuckling.
“I’m Rob, and Cassie is driving. Do you know what day it is, Charlotte?”
“Saturday. Carrie Ann’s wedding.”
“Very good. Did your friend really cut her hands on a vase?” Rob was busy cleaning Charlotte’s face, so he didn’t notice when she blanched. “Because I didn’t see any glass.”
“I don’t know. I was trying not to wreck. It was all a blur really.” Charlotte was lying, but she wasn’t going to tell this man anything that might get Zedra in trouble. Not until she talked to the woman and got some answers.
Zedra
“Look, I need to get to the hospital and check on my friend.” What Zedra really needed was to get away from the cops and wash her fucking hands
“What you need to do is calm down and answer the questions. Your friend is being cared for. Tell me again about the blood on your hands.” Officer Perez would have been checking off all Zedra’s boxes had he not been on the wrong end of this interrogation.
“I already told you I threw a vase out the window trying to distract the driver of the truck. I missed.” Yes, that sounded as irrational to her as it did the cop, but there was no way she was telling him her Lion came forth and clawed the driver as he approached Charlotte’s window. She couldn’t ask him to check local hospitals for a man being treated for gashes down his face. What a clusterfuck. “Look, there’s a man out there who just tried to kill my friend and me. He’s the one you should be going after, not me. If you call Officer Sims in New Latham, he’ll tell you Charlotte called in a report of her shop being broken into.”
It took thirty more minutes of back and forth before he let Zedra go. Thirty minutes for Charlotte to spill her guts to the paramedics about what really happened. When she was cleared to grab their things from the van, Zedra first ordered a ride, then she sent a text to Zander instead of calling. She didn’t want the cops to overhear any part of their conversation. She also didn’t want to hear her brother yelling at her. She had one job – to keep Charlotte safe. She’d failed.
Her phone rang within seconds of sending the text. “I’ll call you back.” Zedra hung up. She knew she’d catch hell, especially since Spyder was losing his mind in the background. Her car arrived, and Zedra slid into the back seat. The driver greeted her, and Zedra responded with a grunt. She dialed her brother.
“Zedra! What the actual fuck?”
“I couldn’t talk freely. Long story short, we delivered the flowers to the inn and on our way back we got a tail. Four-wheel-drive, black Ford. Charlotte tried to lose him, but he shot out one of the van’s tires. She lost control, and we hit a pole. The driver approached the window, but he met with my ferocious side before he could get his hands on her. She’s in an ambulance on her way to Mercer. I just got turned loose from the cops. Physically, she’ll be fine.”
