Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 106839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Then she pushes past me, walks up the porch steps, throws the door open, goes inside, and slams the door closed behind her.
Then there’s a click. The tell-tale click of that door being locked.
My head hangs low and I play back what just happened. Surely, this is some kind of dream. And if I could only wake up, it will all go away.
But when I look up again, it’s not a dream.
It’s just a nightmare.
I leave Rosie’s house because there’s not much I can do if she doesn’t want me there. But I text Collin on the way back to the compound, telling him to call the men home because the search is over.
Cell service is spotty in the hills between Disciple and Edge, so I don’t get the return text until I’m actually pulling into the driveway. All he says is, Come down to the mine.
That damn mine. I don’t give a fuck about the damn mine.
I go into my house and stare at my phone for a good ten minutes before I actually work up the nerve to press that contact.
It rings and Charlie Beaufort answers. “What can I do for you, Amon?”
It’s not a congenial ‘what can I do for you?’ It’s nothing like the way he talks to Collin. But that’s because I’m not Collin. Charlie respects Collin because he knows what Collin is capable of. He needs Collin. Not today, not tomorrow. But there will come a day when Collin is the only man who can get the job done. So Charlie will maintain a relationship with Collin until such a time when Collin is no longer useful.
Me, though? He’s got no respect for me. “Hey, Charlie. Yeah. So. I guess you’ve heard that we’ve had a little trouble over here with a missing boy?”
“I heard.” He sounds bored. “But I don’t know why you’re calling me about it. I already told Collin we can’t get involved in this.”
“So you know what it’s about though, right? And you know who this kid is? And who his daddy is?”
“I do. But Amon, this call is a waste of time. You’re not gonna get any help from me.”
“But the underground city? This is real?”
He doesn’t say anything, but I can practically hear his anger.
“Because I was just told that it is. That Blackberry Hill isn’t some little village in the mountains. It’s not a hill at all, is it?”
“Amon, I’m gonna say this once and only once. You should forget you ever heard about that place.”
“Should I forget I was up there too? Should I forget the fact that General Forbe rode in with us to save Lowyn McBride from Ike Monroe? Should I forget about him as well? How about Disciple? Should I forget I come from Disciple?” I snicker here. “You know what’s funny, Charlie? The way you lied to Collin all those years ago. Talking him up and pretending you had no idea who he was or where he came from.”
“Look, I’m sorry it turned out this way, I am. You might not believe it, but it’s in the best interest of everybody that you, and Collin, and Ryan, and Nash all stay happy so you can play your parts. And that part is a pretty good gig, if you ask me. I mean, no prison time, right? Your names are in the clear. And we keep you alive, don’t we? Every Monday you get that little cooler of fruit drinks, don’t ya? You’re gonna get one today, in fact. We do that for you, Amon. Us. The bad guys. We keep you alive with those drinks.”
“Funny. Because the way I remember it, you’re the whole reason we needed those drinks in the first place.”
“I’m not having this discussion with you, son. I don’t owe you a fuckin’ thing. And as I said, the only reason you’re not in prison, or dead, right now is because I need Collin. But if Collin doesn’t play ball, then… one day, I might not need him. So you best remember that, boy. Because one day he might not be enough.”
The call ends with three quick beeps.
I fume. I’m talkin’ steam coming out my ears kinda fuming.
One day he might not be enough.
That fucker just threatened me.
I shake my head and pace my front room as I plan two dozen ways in which I could kill Charlie Beaufort and get away with it. If I tried a little harder, I could come up with four dozen. And that man talks to me like I am some kind of intellectually-challenged toddler.
“Amon!”
I turn as Collin comes up my porch steps. A moment later he’s pulling the screen door open and it’s slapping closed behind him. “What the hell did you just say to Charlie?”
“Me?” I point to myself and laugh. “He’s got some fuckin’ nerve.”