Page 11 of Spock’s Snare

I shake my head. “No. Not after meeting Spock and hearing about their plans for Inferno Ridge. They look like tough bikers, and they are, but there is more to them. Puma is a force. I wouldn’t want to cross him. But seeing him with those kids? He isn’t a bad man. He’s a great man.”

“You aren’t fallen for him, are you?”

I chuckle at the look of horror on his face.

“No, I’m not falling for him.” I don’t mean to emphasize the word ‘him’, but I do.

He raises his eyebrow, but before he can press me about it, there is a knock on the door.

Dad starts to push himself out of the recliner.

"I've got it."

He settles back with an annoyed grunt while I cross the living room and open the front door.

The man standing on the porch is tall, broad-shouldered, and dressed in a charcoal suit that looks expensive without being ostentatious. His sandy blond hair is cut short, and his sharp blue eyes take in everything around him before settling on me.

"Chloe Davenport?"

"Yes."

He reaches into his jacket and flips open a leather badge wallet.

"Detective Rafe Sterling. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department."

I scan the badge before stepping aside. “I don’t understand. Is there a problem?”

Detective Sterling gives me an odd look. “I understand that your father was attacked. I’ve come to take his statement.”

“Chloe?” my dad calls out.

I gesture for the detective to come inside before shutting the door. I lead him into the family room and direct him to my seat on the sofa. Then I take the seat next to him as I introduce him to my father.

“I don’t understand,” I say. “I didn’t call the police.”

“Puma did,” the detective explains.

“Puma called the cops?” my dad asks, surprised. “That’s unexpected.”

The detective chuckles. “It is, and it isn’t. Puma is a friend.”

“And he called you about the attack?” I ask.

Detective Sterling nods. “He wants the attack on record. I don’t doubt that Puma plans to hunt the culprit down himself, but he likes to cover his bases.”

Dad and I share a look. Detective Sterling watches us with a smirk on his face. “Maybe I should explain. I’m a cop, yes, but I’m also a friend of the club. My girlfriend, Viper, is a club enforcer. My nephew, Randy, who is also a cop, is in a relationship with Viper’s brother, Rattler. Rattler is also a member of the club.”

My eyes widen at his statement. “I met him today. Randy. Rattler, Randy, and Bianca were looking at lots.”

“So, you can see that this is personal for me, too. The Demon Dawgs are my family, and now they’ve adopted you. Puma wants us to patrol the Riversedge site, too. So, tell me what happened.”

I let my dad go over the events again, while I listen. I’m hoping to hear something that helps me figure out who is behind the attacks.

CHAPTER FIVE: SPOCK

The room fills with my brothers and sisters as I settle into my usual chair. Normally, Church is loud and boisterous, but not today. There are no insults or lame jokes, just men and women with grim expressions.

Puma waits until everyone's seated before he starts.