His mouth twitched as if he was going to tell her to wait, but as her hands migrated to her hips he smashed his lips together, nodding once in assent.
Rhett walked with her through the door, and then let them into the large back office. Judge Hogg sat at his desk, hands clasped, waiting. Cedric Swift had been right: he did have a black eye and deep bruising on his forehead.
“What’s the meaning of this?” His tone of manufactured outrage was exactly the type people use when they must pretend at having nothing to hide.
Rhett cut to the chase. “We’re here for Davy Jones. Where is he?”
“The precious town dog? I don’t know what you’re talking about.” But his hands belied the bold statement. They didn’t stop moving, adjusting a water glass, moving a pencil. Sweat sheened his creased brow.
“You were seen,” Pepper said. “Crowbarring him off his pedestal.”
“We don’t want trouble.” Rhett jerked a chin to the door. “I can’t say the same for the people lining up behind that door.”
The judge cocked his head. Deep-set lines bracketed his mouth as he took their measure. “Such a pity about your animal shelter. You had worked so hard to honor your mama.”
“What’s that mean?” Pepper swiveled her head back and forth. The judge was steering the conversation in an unexpected direction. “What’s the shelter have to do with anything?”
Judge Hogg blinked blearily. “Doesn’t matter. It’s not going to be built.”
“You have no say in that,” she scoffed.
“Actually, yeah. He does. Hogg’s on the board of Low Country Community Foundation.” Rhett raked a hand through his hair. “He needs to review our grant application and sign off. He tried to strong-arm me, and it didn’t work.”
“Deal is off.” Hogg shrugged with satisfaction. “Construction grants require unanimous approval.”
“Listen good.” Rhett broke the smug silence with a fist banged on the desk. A glass of water upended, trickled down to the carpet. “There’s three things I care about most in this world. One is this town’s reputation, and one is my mama’s memory. Here’s how this is going to go. Another deal. Give me the statue and recommend the shelter funding—in full.”
“Or?”
“I open up that door and unleash a horde that will tear you limb to limb like a pack of hounds on a treed coon.”
The menacing grumbles outside increased in volume.
“It’s not here.” The judge’s Adam’s apple worked up and down. The clockwork gears in his head almost audible.
“Where?” Rhett wasn’t fucking around. All patience was gone. His boyish features brokered no weak excuses.
“Hogg Jaw.” He licked his dry lips, glancing at his dog’s painted portrait. “Let me drive home.” Anxiety wafted off him, thin and sour as old milk.
“You’re lying,” Pepper broke in. “Rhett, Davy Jones is here, and I think I know where.”
The judge broke into a sweat as Pepper stalked to the portrait, “There!” She touched the frame and the picture swung open. Inside was a secret cubby. A pair of bronze ears poked out of the top of a flour sack.
The judge bolted to the office door, took one look at the townspeople, and slammed it shut. “Mama’s going to kill me,” he sniveled. His hands splayed the wood. “She has a plan. Taking that dog was step one.”
“Now I have the statue. I still want the grant.” Rhett’s tone was implacable, even as he opened the window. “Deal or disaster?”
“Yes, damn you,” the judge choked. “Deal. Deal. Anything. I’ll sign off on the grant tonight. All I’m asking is to get out in one piece.”
“Pleasure doing business. There’s a thick wall of ivy. Climb down and head for the hills. Tomorrow the shelter will be funded in full, and you’ll submit your resignation from the board and job. You’re off the bench and out of town. No more lording over the people of Everland.”
“Climb down?” The judge’s pale face drained of the last vestiges of color. His waxy mouth went slack with shock. Fists beat at the door. The frame creaked. With a whimper, he kicked a leg over the window ledge and vanished into the night.
Pepper closed the cubby and swiveled around. “What are you going to do to buy him time, uphold your part of the deal? You got the dog and the grant, but this crowd is baying for payback.”
“Trust me, Trouble.” Rhett’s features grew grave. “I’m going to do something I should have done a long time ago. And when I’m done, people will have something to talk about for a good long time.”
