Chapter Seventeen #2
Shepard starts arguing with him again, but I hold up my hand.
“Do what you need to do. I just hope you have a lawyer who is half as good as mine.” I walk away, taking Willow with me.
We wander around the property, staying in sight of the agent behind me.
I ignore him, but I can feel his eyes burning a hole in my back.
I hear machines and feel the land react to being pawed at.
I send soothing waves into it, promising I’ll fix things afterward and to remain calm.
The last thing I need is vines popping up and attacking people, that’s how on edge the place is.
What feels like hours later, it eventually calms down, and I can sense that people are leaving. I head closer, pausing when I’m between my two favorite pastures. I swallow a wave of rage at the desecration, though I can have everything fixed and better than new in no time at all.
“He fucking said that she was responsible,” I hear the asshole marshal snarl at someone.
“I don’t know what to tell you, sir. We’ve searched every nook and cranny of this place and come up empty. Sure, there are a few more pastures we could dig up, but that land is undisturbed, unlike here. We’d be hard pressed to convince anyone that anything was buried there.”
“Fuck. Fuck!”
I clear my throat, making them both turn around. I’m surprised they didn’t see me and my massive fucking horse approaching. Some marshals these guys are. “I hope you know I’ll be seeking damages.”
“You’re growing poisonous plants.”
“Which isn’t illegal. Know what it is? Digging up endangered ones.” I nod to where he’s standing in a pile of broken and discarded plants. Neither of them knows what to say about that, but I’m so fucking done. “As you didn’t find anything, I suggest you pack up and get the fuck off my property.”
I spot something gold on the ground. I pick it up and slip it into my pocket before I climb onto Willow. I take off before anyone can stop me and head back to the house. If I stay, I’ll knock someone’s block off.
I take Willow back to the stables. I clean out her stall, brush her down, and give her an apple before I head up to the house, which is now, thankfully, agent-free.
Shepard stands when he sees me and walks over, pulling me into his arms. “You okay?”
“I’m pissed, but I’ll get over it. They’re gone?”
“Yeah, and heads up, Jen is on a warpath. She’s already called in a bunch of favors. I would not want to be a US marshal right now.”
“Good.”
I turn toward the door before it opens. Riggs is standing there with Hannah fast asleep on his shoulder. I walk over to him as he drinks me in. “Hey, Opie.”
“Hey,” I whisper back.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t trust myself. There was no way I could watch them tear through our home and not kill someone.”
I smile as I stroke my hand down Hannah’s hair. “I get it, trust me.”
“I’ve gotta say, it was interesting listening to the agents left in town trying to dig up information about you.
” I tense, wondering what was said. “I know this place has fucked you over in the past, but damn, I was proud to be a resident today. They really circled the wagons. Not a single person had anything negative to say about you. Even those who usually have plenty of negative shit to say. Hell, even Judy sang your praises. Everyone was protective, and damned if it didn’t warm this cold, dead heart of mine. ”
He leans over and kisses me. “I doubt they’ll be back.”
“No, they fucking won’t,” Jen snaps, hanging up her cell as she storms into the room.
“I’m guessing you took care of everything?”
“Oh, you can bet your cute ass I did. I spoke with the governor himself, and he’s pissed. On a positive note, as of tomorrow, you will officially be exonerated.”
“Really? The governor said that?”
“He did. The paperwork has finally been processed. He’s also going to issue a press release apologizing and begin talks about restoration. He has assured me he will be dealing with the US Marshals Service himself. He implied he’ll be pointing them in the direction of Porter and Derek, thank god.”
“I’m not worried about them.”
“Well, I am. I don’t want either asshole getting a sneak attack in on you or Hannah.”
“Nobody is going to be sneaking in anywhere.”
“I’m just going to pop Hannah upstairs. I’ll be right back,” murmurs Riggs.
I nod but move over to Jen and take her hands in mine. “It’s like Riggs said, things are different now. Derek and Porter burned their bridges when they hurt their own, and I’m not talking about me.
“I’m talking about Sarah and Dawn. Seeing people openly weep as they watched Hannah at the funeral tells me everything I need to know.
Those who might once have been their friends and hidden them would sooner turn them in to Shepard than let either of them come within striking distance of Hannah.
She might have lost her mom, but she just gained hundreds of aunts and uncles who will not let her get hurt again on their watch.
” I flip my eyes to Austin briefly, reminding him with my stare to keep his mouth shut about the real reason Porter won’t be a problem.
He winks at me before I focus back on Jen, who deflates.
“Well, I guess they won’t have time to come back here anyway if they have the US marshals chasing after them,” she concedes.
“Exactly.”
“Um, Opie?”
I turn when Riggs calls my name and find him right behind me, looking a little spooked. “What’s wrong?”
“I actually can’t believe I’m saying this, but where’s the workshop?”
“Huh? What do you mean, where’s the workshop?” Shepard questions, looking between us both.
“I mean, if I hadn’t built the interior of that room, I’d never know it existed. The door is gone. But so is the space that would make it obvious that a room was there to begin with.”
I grin as they both eye me. “Oh, that.” I throw myself down on the sofa beside Austin.
Even he’s looking at me oddly. “I’m not the only thing that’s been getting stronger around here.
I didn’t want the marshal sniffing around in shit that didn’t concern him, or fucking everything up, so I simply asked the house to hide it. ”
“To hide the workshop?” Austin says, just to be sure.
“Yeah.”
“And the house can do that now? Just move things around willy nilly?” Shepard asks.
I smirk at my sexy sheriff using the words willy nilly. “Of Course.”
Shepard looks from me to Riggs, then to Austin. “Yeah, I’m gonna need a whiskey. Anyone else?”
“I’m in.” Riggs nods.
Austin gets to his feet. “Me too.”
“It’s seriously gone?” Austin asks Riggs, making me giggle as they walk away.
I slip my hands into my pocket and pull out what I found, rolling it between my fingers. I look over at Jen and see her holding back a laugh. “You don’t seem spooked.”
“I watched the marshal trip over objects that were most definitely not in his path moments before, stumble over air, and fall into things like he was being shoved by an invisible force. Let’s just say nothing surprises me anymore.” She focuses on my hand and frowns. “Is that a gold tooth?”
I laugh, sending warm thoughts filled with pride to the house.
She grins at me. “There’s never a dull moment around here, is there?”
“No, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”