Page 108 of Savage Ends

Ava laughed, although she didn’t feel happy.She felt ...raw.

Violet lifted Bernice onto the bed, and Ava welcomed the loving kisses from her dog.She wrapped her arms around Bernice and pressed her face against her dog’s neck, breathing her in.It was probably strange, but she did love the smell of her dog.She knew it sounded completely crazy, but it was true.She loved her dog so much.Kissing her snout, Bernice gave her a lick and settled on her lap.

“What are you doing here?”

“Pat came to get us last night,” Hazel said.“He told us what happened, what you had to deal with, and he told us we’re at risk.”

Violet sighed.“We’re trying not to freak out in case the shop gets attacked.Between the garage and the sheriff’s place, we’re trying not to freak out, you know.”

“Do you think they’re going to do something to it?”Ava asked.

“I don’t know.I’ve told Pat about my concerns, and he said he would take care of it.”

“If Pat said he is going to take care of it, I trust him,” Ava said.

“How are you?”Violet asked.

“I’m ...I don’t know.Lauren is dead.I tried to save her, but she was gone,” Ava said.“I think she attempted to save me.I was in the fridge, and I heard something.I thought it was my name, and I was about to answer, then the fridge closed and I heard Lauren scream.”She pressed her lips together.

“The person who did it,” Pat said, startling her, “will pay for what he did.The club is going to take care of Lauren’s funeral.She didn’t have any immediate family, and we’ve already looked into it.It would seem she had placed you as her next of kin,” Pat said.

“How can you know that?”Ava asked.

“We have people who can figure this stuff out.Lauren had trusted everything to you.”

“But I don’t have a clue how to bake or what to do.”

“Until you’re ready to figure out what you want to do with the place, it will be closed.”

“I can’t believe this happened,” Ava said.“She was so happy.”She sniffled.“Bad things shouldn’t happen to good people and Lauren was so good.”

Violet cleared her throat.“I think now would be a good time for us to go and ...I don’t know, do something else.”

“Yes, we’ll take Bernice out,” Hazel said, reaching for her dog.

Ava watched them go, and she didn’t say a word, just saw them leave.She turned toward Pat, not knowing what to say.

“Do you know who did it?”

“Not yet, but we’re going to figure it out, and when that happens, I’ll take care of it.”He moved toward the bed, sitting down, and held his hand out to her.

Ava didn’t even hesitate and placed her hand in his.

“I will understand, Ava, if this is a deal-breaker for you,” Pat said.

“What do you mean?”

“Whoever attacked Lauren, they were ...youwere their target.”

“I was?”Ava asked, shocked.

“Yes, you were the target, and they wanted to kill you, and I have a feeling it was because of me.”

“You?”

“Yes.The club.We’re going through a rough patch right now, trying to deal with an external threat that is attempting to take control of the town.”

“And you don’t know where this threat is?”Ava asked.