She had searched the house that had appeared mainly empty, but she had seen her father’s bike out front, therefore she knew he was there somewhere. Hearing sounds from the front room, Diamond went down the hallway and peeked around the corner. There she had found two other men in the room with her father as well as a woman lying on the pool table. One of the men was slamming his thing into her as another man sucked on her breasts. Her father had merely watched without touching the woman.

Diamond turned away, embarrassed, yet she hesitated as the man who was having sex with the woman groaned and pulled out of her. That was when Diamond had gotten her first glance at a man’s penis, watching as he pulled something off it and threw it into a trashcan. With her eyes on the startling first look, she had missed her father unzipping his own jeans and placing a condom on. Diamond’s attention was drawn back when the woman moaned.

“Can you handle another one?” The woman widened her legs as her father stepped between them. He plunged his penis into the withering woman who wrapped her legs around his waist and began moving with him.

“Fuck me.” The woman arched into the mouth of the man still sucking on her breast.

Diamond had sneaked back down the hallway and climbed back out the broken window and walked home.

That evening, when her father had arrived home she had not rushed down the steps to greet him nor had she gone down to dinner. Her mother had come in to check on her and had consoled her about the beating, however Diamond found a huge barrier now in place between her mother and herself. She had been unable to meet her mother’s eyes and tell her what she had witnessed.

Her father had come to her room as soon as her mother had told him about the fight at school. Diamond still remembered when he had reached out to touch her face. She had jerked away from this touch, stepping away. She had then pretended an interest in her homework until he had left.

Diamond had never told any of her family about what she had seen, and the disillusionment had created a wedge between her and her father. After that, she’d no longer gone to the biker get-togethers unless forced by her parents, emotionally withdrawing to spend more and more time alone in her room.

Sex Piston’s sexual antics brought out the revulsion she’d felt when she had found their dad with the other woman. It was a painful reminder and often made her act out towards her sister.

Diamond would have long ago broken off contact with her family if not for her mother. She alone was the reason Diamond didn’t cut the final tie to her family, yet it was becoming harder to maintain a relationship with her as her mother was determined that her daughters get along. Diamond knew it was never going to happen.

Getting out of the bathtub she dried herself off and dressed for bed. Diamond lay down on her bed, turning out her bedside lamp, then for some odd reason, missing her mother. Tomorrow, when she finished the interviews, she would stop by her mother’s house early enough that she should be able to avoid her father and Sex Piston.

Chapter Five

Early the next day, Mrs. Langley answered her door when she heard Diamond’s knock.

“Mrs. Langley, I’m Diamond Richards. Thank you for seeing me.”

“Please come in. I’m anxious to be of any help I can.” The older woman’s face was grief-stricken. Samantha, Diamond had come to find out, was Mrs. Langley’s only relative. With her death, she no longer had any family left.

The woman showed her into a formal living room that was very well taken care of with several family photos and expensive knick-knacks placed around the room.

Sitting on the couch, she accepted the cup of coffee the woman had waiting for her.

Diamond didn’t want to upset the woman further, but she needed answers. “I am sorry for your loss, but do you mind me asking if Sam had stopped by the day of her death?”

Mrs. Langley nodded, placing her shaking cup back down on the ornate coffee table. “Yes, she came by for a few minutes then left. She didn’t stay thirty minutes.” Her voice cracked.

“Did she come by for any particular reason?” Samantha carefully probed.

“She needed some money.” Mrs. Langley answered, a tear running down her cheek.

“Did you give it to her?”

“Yes, but it wasn’t much. I’m not wealthy, but I have enough to live on. Sam wanted several thousand dollars. She was upset with me when I couldn’t give it to her.”

“So she left when you told her no?” Diamond asked gently.

“No, she asked me for some of my jewelry to sell.”

“Did you give it to her?” Diamond disliked the woman she was investigating. The more she learned, the more her dislike grew. Seeing the woman in front of her, Diamond wished Samantha was alive so she could kick her ass.

“Yes, I gave her two rings and a necklace. She took them and left. Do you think that the jewelry could have drawn the killer to her?” The thought had her hands shaking.

“No, I’m sure it didn’t, Mrs. Langley.” Diamond felt angry with herself because it could be a false assurance, however she couldn’t help wanting to make her feel better.

Diamond finished drinking her coffee and sat with the woman a few more minutes. She was about to leave, but then brought up a subject that she knew would further upset the woman. “I understand the sheriff is currently investigating the whereabouts of your great-grandchild?”

“Yes, Samantha had the baby in Jamestown. From there, they can’t find a trace of the child. She tried to claim that Gavin James was the father, but I put a stop to that.”

“Do you know who the father is?”

“No, I can’t help you there. Samantha always kept that part of her life secret from me. She knew I wouldn’t approve.”

“Thank you for your time, Mrs. Langley. I know this is a very difficult time for you,” Diamond apologized and meant it; the woman seemed really sweet and didn’t deserve the ungrateful granddaughter fate had given her.

Mrs. Langley nodded and then showed Diamond to the door. She hated leaving the woman alone in her grief, but having no other option, she reached into her purse to find one of her cards, giving it to the woman.

“Take my card. If you need anything I can help you with, please call, Mrs. Langley.”

“Thank you, Ms. Richards.” Mrs. Langley managed a weak smile.

“Call me Di,” Diamond said, waiting until Mrs. Langley nodded her head and then closed the door before she returned to her car. When the car started, Diamond put it in gear, then backed out of the driveway, thinking of Samantha. The sheriff hadn’t mentioned the jewels, which meant the only one who knew about them had to be the murderer. If she found the jewels, she would find Samantha’s murderer.

* * *

On the way back to her office, Diamond passed the diner as several bikers were going inside. She caught a quick glance at one of the men’s jackets. Coming to a sudden decision, she braked sharply and turned into the diner’s parking lot.

Leaving her briefcase in the car, she grabbed her purse then braced herself to go inside the busy diner.

Inside, she saw the men she was looking for sitting at a large table. Searching the group, she found the one she thought might be the leader.

Diamond assumed her professional mantle as she strode forward confidently. As she approached, the men noticed her and quit talking to see if she would be brave enough to talk to them.

“Hello. May I talk to you gentlemen for a few moments?” Diamond addressed her request to the man with the long blond hair. His moustache and beard covered a good portion of his face, but Diamond could still see he was an attractive man. He appeared to be in his late thirties; however the dead look in his eyes spoke of a man much older. For some reason Diamond couldn’t explain, she felt sympathy for this man who had been through something that had marked him to such an extent.

“Sure, sweet thing. Will my lap do?” One of the men slid his chair back and motioned for Diamond to have a seat.

Diamond moved to the side and pulled out an empty chair, sitting down. The waitress came to take her order, giving Diamond a worried glance. She ordered herself a glass of water; she couldn’t handle another cup of coffee. After the waitress left, Diamond faced the table of men who were staring at her with astonishment.

“I was wondering if it would be possible to ask a few questions.” Diamond felt the atmosphere at the table change with her request.

“Unless you want to ask me how long my dick is, then no,” the man who had offered her his lap to sit on said sharply.

Ignoring him she asked the question to the man she now was sure was the leader.

“It won’t take long.”

“You a cop?” His eyes brushed over Diamond’s designer dress.

“No, I’m a lawyer. I’m investigating the murder of Samantha Bedford.”

Everyone’s face closed off and Diamond knew that they had been acquainted with the woman.

“Then I’m going to repeat, the answer is no. Now get the fuck out of here,” he said.

It took all her years of dealing with badass bikers to keep her seat as the waitress sat down her water and retreated with another worried glance.

“I just need to talk to the three men that Sam was friends with in your club. Warrants have been taken out for their arrests since they missed their last court appearance and I know you won’t break a confidence and tell me where they are, but if you had a way to contact them, perhaps you could give them my number?” Diamond reached into her purse and pulled out her card, handing it to the blond biker.