Page 106 of Savage Ends

Pat stepped into the room, all the while aware of Ava upstairs.

Grant inserted the cable, and Bull clicked away, bringing up the images on the screen.There were several camera angles, all displayed at once.

“You’re going to need to put it to about two hours ago,” Pat said.

Bull went too far, and Pat saw himself arrive with Ava, kiss her, and then leave.The angle changed, and the whole club was able to finally see Lauren.She was in the kitchen, her hair tied back into a hairnet.

“Does it have sound?”

“Yeah,” Rip said.“She said getting this system nearly put her out of business before she even started.I told her I wanted to check it out and make sure it wasn’t ruined.”

The tape continued:

Ava was smiling as she came into the kitchen.“Hey, wow, okay, you look a little rushed off your feet.”

Different camera angles showed different sides of Lauren.The smile on her face was sweet.

“I know.I know.But I was out on my date, and it kind of ran over.”

“A date?Do I ever get to meet this guy, or girl?”Ava asked.

Lauren laughed.“It is a guy, and I don’t know.Maybe one day, but at the moment, we’re taking it slow.He told me he is not used to nice women.I think he might have said ‘girl,’ but he’s used to women who sleep with him.”Lauren frowned.

“So, you and this mystery man haven’t had sex?”

“No, no, and I’m not ready.”

“You’re not?”

“Well, sex is so ...naked, and I don’t think I’m ready to go that far just yet.”

“We can skip ahead,” Rip said.

“I’m a virgin,”Lauren said.“I have been so focused on my career and getting this place to work, that I have not considered men or boys, or anything.”

Ava smiled.

Grant finally moved the clip forward, and he got to see as the two worked.Out in the parking lot, neither of the girls realized what was about to happen.A car pulled up, and one man, wearing a ski mask and holding a baseball bat, came across the parking lot.He didn’t even go in the front, which suggested this man had stalked the place out.Also, Pat noticed the guy immediately wore the ski mask.

He couldn’t help but look toward Rip.The other brother wasn’t showing any sign, only his hands clenched at his sides.

“Rip, man, you don’t have to watch this.”

“I wasn’t there,” Rip said.“I didn’t warn her.She needed me.”

Grant had paused it.“Look, guys, I’m not going to lie, it’s brutal.We saw Lauren’s body, and he beat the crap out of her.There was no way anyone was going to survive.”

Rip gritted his teeth.“I need to see this.”

And after a second’s pause, they all watched.Lauren asked Ava to go to the fridge to grab some more butter.That was when it happened.

The man mumbled something and then they saw Lauren get hit across the face.The moment she did, she threw herself into the fridge, shoving the door closed.

“Did none of you fucking hear that?”Grant asked.

Pat was shocked as Grant rewound the video and then turned up the sound.

“Ava?”