Spark in the Dark

Chapter 165

Shawn was making a bed at Diosa the next afternoon when Lyla poked her head into the room.

"Hey, darling. Some guy is out front looking for you," Lyla told her.

"Okay. Take over for me?"

"Sure thing."

Shawn walked down the hall and into the lobby area where the bar was. It was still early in the afternoon, so the place was almost empty. She saw a older man with long hair and a thick goatee standing near the bar and assumed he must have been the one looking for her since he stood out like a sore thumb.

"Can I help you?" Shawn asked the man.

"I think so," he said and looked her over. "Shawn Ortiz, right? Formerly, Shawn Trager. Your father and husband are both members of the local motorcycle club, Sons of Anarchy. And you're currently a little over 5 months pregnant. With a girl, I'm told."

"Wow. You do your homework," Shawn said nervously. "You know my high school GPA, too?"

"3.52," he stated matter of factly. "You were a good student, just weren't so great at science."

"What can I do for you, Mr. ...?" Shawn asked, no longer trying to be polite.

"Toric," he said and stuck out his hand for Shawn to shake. "Lee Toric. I'm Pamela Toric's brother."

"Oh," Shawn said, feeling confused. She had no idea who Pamela was, but several of the Diosa girls didn't go by their real name. "Does she work here?"

Lee laughed politely. "Oh, no. She was a nurse at Stockton State Prison up until recently when she was murdered by Otto Delaney."

"Oh... My God. I am so sorry to hear that."

"Thank you. Otto used to be a member of the Sons, correct?"

"Yes, but he's been incarcerated for so long, I'm not sure there's anything I could possibly help you with. I haven't spoke to him in over ten years."

"But you have spoken to Dr. Tara Knowles, isn't that right? You even do favors for her. Like take her objects that could be used as a weapon to give to dangerous inmates in prison."

Shawn suddenly felt like the blood was rushing out of her head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? Because the prison has camera everywhere, including right outside the front gates. I didn't see you too well on the video, but your license plate number was really easy to read."

"Why would the prison allow you to see their security tapes?"

"Oh, did I forget to tell you?" He asked as he pulled a business card from his pocket. "I'm a U.S. Marshall. Well, I was. I'm retired. They did it as a professional courtesy for me."

"Wasn't that nice of them?" Shawn said sarcastically.

"Did she ask you to bring the cross to her so she could give it to Otto to murder my sister?"

"Why would she do that? Tara has no reason to want anyone dead."

"Because there's a RICO case hanging over the Sons. You know a bit about it, right? They tried to make your husband rat so they could charge the Sons and send them all to prison for a very long time."

"I'm afraid I have nothing else to say to you. I assume you know the way out," Shawn said and turned to walk away.

"I'm not after you, Mrs. Ortiz," Lee called to her. "I just want to know more about the doctor."

"Then I suggest you ask the doctor."

"I tried. She didn't want to talk. Then I tried to get Otto to talk, but he bit off his own tongue in order to not have to say anything to me." Shawn had to force herself not to gag as she listened. "Like I said, I'm not after you. Help me get Tara for helping Otto murder my sister and you can have your baby in a hospital instead of a jail cell."