The secret became old club mythology.
Then Garrett himself eventually stopped believing it meant anything.
Now a six-year-old child named Lily Carter stood gripping his vest.
Evan Carter.
Same surname.
Same note.
Garrett looked down at the back of Lily's hand.
The pen marks he noticed earlier formed three words.
ROAD REMEMBERS GARRETT.
His chest tightened.
“Who wrote that?”
Lily looked at her hand.
“My mom.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“Where is she?”
The girl’s eyes filled.
“She was sick.”
Dean interrupted:
“Enough.”
Garrett looked toward him.
Dean’s face had gone pale.
Garrett asked Lily:
“Your mom’s name?”
“Sarah.”
Dean closed his eyes.
Garrett saw it.
Recognition.
“Sarah Carter?”
Lily nodded.
Cole whispered:
“Evan married someone named Sarah after he left Flagstaff.”
Garrett remembered vaguely.
Before disappearing, Evan had dated a nursing student named Sarah Whitmore.
The relationship had been serious.
Then came the disappearance.
Garrett looked at Dean.
“How do you know Sarah?”
Dean said nothing.
“Who are you to Lily?”
Silence.
Garrett repeated:
“Who are you?”
Dean finally said:
“I helped Sarah.”
“With what?”
“Everything.”
“That means nothing.”
Dean looked toward Lily.
“She shouldn’t be here.”
Lily tightened her grip around the rabbit.
Garrett stepped slightly sideways so Dean could no longer make direct eye contact with her.
“Don’t look at her. Look at me.”
Dean glared.
“You people have no idea what you're interfering with.”
Garrett nodded.
“That’s the first honest thing you’ve said.”
Local deputies arrived thirteen minutes later.
Garrett heard the cruisers before seeing them.
Several riders near the door immediately moved aside.
The last thing Garrett wanted was anyone interpreting the gathering as obstruction.
Deputy Amelia Ruiz entered first.
Forty-one.
Short dark hair.
Calm expression.
A second deputy, Thomas Greene, followed.
Both paused briefly at the sight of almost two hundred bikers standing silently.
Amelia looked around.
“Everybody relax.”
Garrett nodded.
“They are.”
She looked at him.
“This is relaxed?”
“For us.”
Cole coughed to hide a laugh.
Amelia did not smile.
Garrett raised one hand.
“No one has touched anyone.”
“Good.”
He pointed toward Lily.
“Child says the man is not her father.”
Amelia immediately changed posture.
She crouched several feet from Lily.
“Hi.”
Lily stared.
“My name is Amelia. What’s yours?”
“Lily.”
“Can I sit here?”
Lily nodded.
Amelia sat on the edge of a nearby booth rather than approaching.
“Do you know that man?”
Lily nodded.
“What do you call him?”
“Dean.”
“Uncle Dean?”
“No.”
“Mr. Dean?”
“No.”
“What does your mom call him?”
Lily thought.
“Dean.”
“Does he live with you?”
“No.”
Dean interrupted.
“I’m her mother's friend.”
Amelia looked at him.
“Sir, I’ll speak with you separately.”
“She’s been through a lot.”
“Then giving her room to answer is probably best.”
Dean said nothing.
Amelia continued asking Lily simple questions.
No leading.
No pressure.
Where did she sleep two nights ago?
Her house.
What color was the front door?
Green.
Pet?
A cat named Pickle.
School?
Sunrise Elementary.
Teacher?
Mrs. Monroe.
Mother?
Sarah Carter.
Father?
Lily became quiet.
Garrett watched.
Amelia waited.
Finally:
“My dad’s Evan.”
“Where is Evan?”
Lily looked at Garrett.
“I don’t know.”
Amelia asked:
“When did you last see your mom?”
“Yesterday.”
“Where?”
“The hospital.”
Garrett’s stomach tightened.
“What hospital?”
Lily gave a name in Phoenix.
Amelia looked toward Thomas.
He stepped outside to make calls.
Dean became restless.
“I have paperwork.”
Amelia stood.
“Good.”
He handed her a folded document.
Temporary caregiver authorization.
Sarah Carter’s name.
Dean Wallace.
Valid signature.
Dated three weeks earlier.
Garrett felt a flicker of uncertainty.
Maybe the man did have legal authority.
Lily saw the paper.
She started crying.
“No.”
Dean pointed.
“See?”
Amelia gave him a sharp look.
“Stop.”
Lily stepped closer to Garrett.
“He made Mommy sign.”
Dean shouted:
“That’s a lie.”
Every biker in the diner moved at once.
Not toward him.
Just a collective shift.
The atmosphere became heavy.
Amelia raised her hand.
“Everybody stays exactly where they are.”
Garrett looked over his shoulder.
“Sit down.”
Two hundred riders sat.
Almost simultaneously.
The effect was somehow more intimidating.
Amelia stared at Garrett.
He shrugged.
“Road Captain.”
She returned to Lily.
“What do you mean he made her sign?”
Lily wiped her face.
“He said we couldn't stay if she didn’t.”
Dean shook his head.
“She was sick. She needed someone to take the child.”
Garrett asked:
“Why you?”
Dean glared.
“Because Sarah trusted me.”
“Did she?”
Garrett held up the note.
Dean’s face changed.
Amelia looked at it.
“What’s that?”
Garrett handed it over.
She read.
Then the back.
Then the writing on Lily’s hand.
Amelia looked toward Dean.
“We’re verifying everything.”
Dean’s voice became harder.
“You cannot hold me here.”
“You’re not under arrest.”
“Then I’m leaving.”
“You are free to leave the diner.”
He looked toward Lily.
“But she is staying with us until lawful custody is established.”
Dean stared.
“That paper gives me custody.”
“It gives temporary caregiving authority.”
Amelia folded it.
“And I have concerns about how it was obtained.”
Dean's breathing became faster.
“Call Sarah.”
Thomas reentered.
His expression answered before he spoke.
Amelia stood.
“What?”
Thomas looked toward Lily.
Then lowered his voice.