Hell Hounds MC: Welcome to Serenity

Chapter Three

“You hungry?” Rubble called back to her.

“Umm, yes,” Eleanor shouted back. Her breakfast had consisted of a cold, convenience store sandwich. Before her car broke down, she planned to stop in the next town for a real meal and fuel up.

With a nod, the biker pair pulled into the Arby’s drive-thru and Rubble rattled off their orders without hesitation. Evidently, the pair did this often. Then he glanced at Eleanor, “What would you like, Ellie?”

“Oh, umm, the French dip will be fine,” Eleanor said, taken aback by the nickname he automatically gave her. No one had ever done that, and he had only just met her.

They eased up to the pay window and Rubble handed off a card, paying for their meals. Once they were handed their food, they moved off to the side to park near outdoor tables. He helped Eleanor off the bike, encouraging her to walk off any stiffness from the ride before they settled down to eat.

A soft moan escaped Eleanor before she could stifle it as she took her first bite of the sandwich packed with warm roast beef. Embarrassed by her reaction, she bowed her head and sipped her drink while her companions shared a chuckle.

“Love a woman who loves to eat,” Rubble smiled. “So, what are your plans, if I may ask?”

Eleanor hesitated. She had no idea. The obvious answer was to keep running. But where was she even going? Where could she hide that Arthur wouldn’t be able to find her with his immense resources?

It wouldn’t take him long to see through the smokescreen of the credit charges and her phone. Once he eliminated that, he would scour any exit points out of the city. She had paid in cash, but there were always cameras. It was probably a good thing she had gotten off the bus in Trenton rather than taking it to its final destination. But it wouldn’t throw him off for long. Eventually, he would come for her. She shivered.

“This is just a guess,” Rubble said after watching her fret, “but you’re running from someone, aren’t you?”

Eleanor sucked in a breath, looking at him. He had removed his glasses, leaving them perched on his head and allowing her to see the sympathy in his gaze.

“And I’m guessing it’s from the bastard that did that to you,” Rubble touched his face, indicating the bruises she still carried. Since she hadn’t been eating well, she always took a long time to heal.

Eleanor bowed her head, refusing to admit he was right, but that didn’t seem to matter. Rubble didn’t expect an answer. He had seen far too many women in the same position not to know.

“Serenity is a good little town,” Rubble said, “just big enough for a person to hide in, but not so large that it’s difficult to get settled. And, I’ll be around if you need anything.”

Eleanor blinked, hesitantly glancing at him.

“It’s a safe place. Promise.”

* * *

Eleanor didn’t know what to say, but he didn’t seem to expect one either. After their meal, her burly escorts drove her to a bed and breakfast in a quiet residential neighborhood just south of the downtown. Everything she could need was within walking distance with the added benefit of lacking the security cameras of a large hotel.

“Yo, Donna,” Rubble called to the middle-aged woman quietly gardening in the front yard.

“Rubble, dear,” she smiled, then saw the young woman he carefully helped off his bike. “And who might this be?”

“This is Eleanor,” Rubble said, “she’s new to town and needs a place to stay for a while. This was the first place I thought of. Eleanor, this is Donna. She’s a little batty in her old age, but she’s good people.”

“Old age!” Donna scoffed, swatting him playfully. “We’re practically the same age, you oaf. Welcome to Serenity, Eleanor. Shall we get you settled in?”

“Umm, all right,” Eleanor hesitated as Rubble and Matchbook untied her bags and carried them into the quaint two-story home.

The foyer had been turned into a lobby complete with mailboxes for the different rooms. There appeared to be five in total. To her right was a cozy living room turned common area and on her left was an airy dining room with a large table capable of seating ten.

Donna stepped behind the desk, opening a sleek laptop, “Okay, let’s see what we have. I think room three will suit you just fine. It’s cozy and has a lovely view of the garden out front. So, name?”

“Eleanor…Nolan,” she hesitated. This wasn’t a large hotel chain and the laptop just a personal computer, so her name wouldn’t appear in any database. It should be fine.

“All right, got you all checked in,” Donna smiled. “It’s a hundred and fifty for a night, seven hundred for the week.”

“Umm, all right,” Eleanor hesitated, rummaging in her shoulder bag before counting out seven hundred dollars. “Let’s just start with a week.”

“Of course,” Donna agreed. “Here is your key. Up the stairs and to the left.”

“Thank you,” Eleanor nodded, taking her suitcases from her escorts. “And thank you.”

“You bet,” Rubble said, handing her a business card. “This is the office number and my personal number. Call if you need anything. I mean it.”

Eleanor accepted the card. One side simply read Hell Hounds MC with motorcycle handlebars. On the back, she read Rubble, H.H. Auto body and Repair with several numbers below. Looking up at him, she gave him a hesitant smile before heading upstairs.

“Rubble, those bruises,” Donna said after Eleanor was safely out of earshot.

“She’s running from the one who gave them to her,” Rubble answered, “I’d like to ask, but I don’t think she’s ready to share. Keep an eye on her, Donna. If there is any trouble, you know the number.”

“Of course,” Donna agreed. “She’ll be safe here.”

Rubble nodded before they departed. As much as he wanted to stay and help Eleanor settle in, he had his own mission to complete for the President. At least, he knew she was safe for the time being. He would send out the tow truck later to dispose of her vehicle and erase her tracks, though she seemed to have a handle on that already given how much cash she was carrying.

He’d give her a few days before he stopped by to check on her and see how she was settling in. Maybe the President would have some idea how they could help her. If there was one thing they would not tolerate, it was women or children suffering abuse. If the person who gave her those bruises was smart, they’d stay far away from Serenity.

* * *

Eleanor stepped up to the door marked with a simple three. She unlocked it and stepped into a much larger bedroom than she expected. The four-poster bed was covered with a vibrant floral quilt. There was a small closet and dresser as well as a nightstand and even a narrow bookcase. The room boasted a rounded bay window that mirrored the one directly below and had a cushioned bench, making it a perfect reading nook.

Eleanor dragged in her suitcases and tucked them beside the dresser. She wasn’t sure if she should unpack as she didn’t know how long she was going to stay. The sound of roaring engines drew her attention to the window. Peeking out, she watched as Rubble and Matchbook drove off. She felt bad she hadn’t given them a proper goodbye and thank-you for everything they had done. It was so much more than she expected.

Belatedly, she remembered she never paid Rubble back for the meal. Maybe she would see him around town. Then she could offer him a meal as a proper thank-you. She did, after all, have his card.

A soft rap on the door drew her attention as Donna poked her head in, “Knock, knock. Everything to your liking?”

“Yes, it’s lovely, thank you,” Eleanor agreed.

“I just wanted to bring you some fresh towels. The bathroom is just down the hall. I only have one other renter right now, so it should be nice and quiet for you. Normally, I only offer breakfast, but since it’s just the three of us, I also make dinner. I hope you will join us.”

“Yes, that sounds nice. Thank you.”

“Okay. I’ll let you get to it then.”

“Oh, ah, Donna.”

“Yes?”

“Umm, is there a place I could get a cheap phone?”

“There is a Wal-mart downtown. They have those handy prepaid ones. Will one of those do?”

“Yes, that would be perfect.”

“Why don’t you get settled tonight and we can go tomorrow?”

“Oh, you don’t have to.”

“I need to do some grocery shopping anyway,” Donna waved off her concern. “It will be nice to have some company for a change. How about it?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“All right. Dinner is at six.”

Eleanor smiled as Donna left her. She wondered if it was the habit of small towns to be friendlier compared to large cities or if it was just Donna’s nature. Either way, she liked it. She liked it a lot.

Coming to a decision, she selected one of her suitcases and grabbed her toiletries. A leisurely bath sounded lovely. She wondered just what tomorrow would bring.