Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73042 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“Just a test,” Grandfather said. “One you passed, Vincent. One you passed.”
Savannah has gone pale, and Raven?
Her hands are shaking, but the look on her face is one of quiet countenance. She obeyed her brother. She sat down.
She did not heed my advice, though. She’s still here.
I am at once annoyed at her obstinance and impressed—not to mention a little turned on—at her fearlessness.
“I always knew you were innocent, Falcon,” she says.
“Listen, Ray,” Falcon says. “What you just heard does not leave this room, do you understand?”
“Yes, I understand,” she says. “I’m not a fucking moron.”
I see her strength again. Inside that body, despite its fragility from her illness and treatment, this woman exudes a strength that I’m not sure her brothers appreciate.
But I appreciate it.
More than I can ever let her know.
“You okay, Sav?” I ask.
“Yeah,” my sister finally says. “I knew some of this. I just didn’t know the whole story.”
Falcon’s youngest brother, Eagle, says nothing. Clearly this is something he doesn’t allow himself to think about. Perhaps he made peace long ago with the fact that his brother took a fall for him, but now it’s dredged up again.
I don’t know whether to feel sorry for him or to kick his fucking ass.
I settle for neither.
“So then…what do you need from me?” I ask.
“It’s pretty simple,” Hawk says. “My father wants to demolish that old barn and excavate that portion of the property. And we all know what he’s going to find when he digs through that soil.”
“It’s been eight years,” I say.
“Yeah, but they can still identify Diego Vega from his dental records.” Falcon runs his hands over his face. “Plus the drugs are still there. This will all start again. There will be a murder investigation, and again, the bullet inside Vega is from my gun. Shot by Eagle, but my gun.”
“I see.” A thousand thoughts run through my head.
“What we’re thinking,” Falcon says, “is that maybe we can get a stay of execution. Have some nonprofit organization file for an EPA assessment or something. Maybe based on the Clean Water Act.”
“You got wetlands around that area?” I ask.
Falcon simply sighs.
“If there’d been a problem with the Clean Water Act,” I go on, “the barn never would’ve been built in the first place.” I get out my phone and do a quick search. “Looks like the Clean Water Act went into effect in 1972. Do you guys know when the barn was built?”
“Damn,” Hawk says. “We’d have to ask Dad.”
“Yeah,” Falcon says, “and Dad would want to know why we’re asking. I suppose we could get the info from City Hall if the proper permits were pulled.”
“The place is a wreck,” Hawk says. “It’s possible it’s over fifty years old. Hell, it’s possible it’s a hundred years old.”
“Not a hundred years old, Hawk,” Falcon says. “We’ve got a shot at fifty. Plus with the Clean Water Act being so new, and with Dad’s ancestors owning this land since the beginning of time, they could’ve easily built this barn without even worrying about any federal regulations or local permits.” He frowns. “But again, the problem is there aren’t any wetlands around that area. At least not that I can see.”
“That may not matter,” I say.
“No,” Falcon says. “Not if you can get some organization to file a lawsuit and hold things up.”
I nod. “One thing you guys need to remember. I just got back. I was away for seventeen years, and things have changed since then. Hell, I’d only been brought into the organization for a couple of months before I hightailed it out of here.”
“But surely your father—”
I hold up a hand to stop Falcon. “My father’s in the slammer, remember?”
Falcon nods. “Yeah. And I’ll say again how grateful I am to him for saving my life.”
“He did it for me,” Savannah says. “All those years, I thought the worst of him when he was trying to get me to marry Miles McAllister. But I should’ve remembered that he got me out of it not once but twice. And maybe in the end, he just didn’t have a choice.”
“Well, you got yourself out of that,” Falcon says. “You were so brave, Vannah. So brave.”
I clear my throat. “When is your father starting the demolition?”
Hawk sighs. “He’s already filed the paperwork.”
“And how long does that usually take?” I ask.
“Not long for Austin Bellamy.” Hawk sighs again.
I draw in a breath. “I’ll see what I can do. But damn, I’ll have to talk to my grandfather.”
“Why should you?” Savannah asks. “Hasn’t he given you access to everything?”
“Are you kidding? He’s thrilled I’m back, but I was gone for seventeen years, Sav. Mario Bianchi is not going to trust me with everything until I prove myself.”
“Then do it without him,” Savannah says.
I fix my gaze on my beautiful sister. “I came back for you, Sav. To avenge what Dad and Grandpa were trying to force you into. And to avenge Mikey’s death. I want to take down the family, not participate in more breaking of laws.”