Alanna took her eyes off the glass refrigerator she had only seen in stores. “What kind of explosion?”

Ginny sighed. “I might as well tell you. All you have to do is ask around town, and they’ll fill you in. My mother bombed my house. Instead of offing me, she was caught in the blast herself. I had left. I didn’t know until I had gone to The Last Riders’ house and they looked at me like I was a ghost.”

Alanna stiffened at the mention of the bikers. “You know The Last Riders?”

“Yes, I do. I used to work for them. I’m friends with them.” Ginny grew curious at her expression. “Have you heard of them?”

Alanna stared at her stonily. “The Last Riders are how I ended up in jail.”

Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

“The Last Riders aren’t the reason why you were in jail.”

Her breath became lodged in her throat at seeing Gavin standing in the doorway off from the living room.

“You’re right. I apologize.” Alanna managed to get enough oxygen to get the words out. “I have no one else to blame, but myself. Being in jail wasn’t an experience I want to relive. I think I’ve developed PTSD from being there. Take it from me; you don’t want to end up there. I would rather go to maximum security prison.”

“It was that bad?” Ginny asked sympathetically.

She wasn’t aware she was shaking until Ginny looped her arm through hers to give her a steadying strength.

“They kept the temperature at minus zero, Deputy Porter would use any excuse to talk to me for hours on end, and he would pick and choose what food I would eat for the day then confiscate some of it whenever he wanted it for himself. Once I get my charges dropped, I’m going to file a suit against the jail for inhumane treatment.”

Never in her life had she ever wanted to melt into the floor as she did with the way Matthew, Gavin, and Ginny were staring at her as she finally finished the rant she had been holding in since her release.

Alanna brought her hand to face. “I have never been so embarrassed in my life. Ignore everything I—”

Laughter bubbled out from Ginny. Alanna looked through splayed fingers to see Gavin, whose expression had been deadpanning the short time she had met him, had amusement curling his lips. Even Matthew’s frosty behavior had thawed enough to show he was holding back his own laughter.

“Uh … I hate to tell you this”—Ginny chocked back her laughter—“but Greer treats everyone the same way, regardless if you’re in jail or not. He’s been kicked out of every restaurant in town. King has threatened two lawsuits, and the owner of the burger place in town locks the door when he sees him crossing the street toward his place.”