“You don’t, which is why I have a little present for you,” he said, getting to his feet and striding over to the door. “Bring him in.”
Austin Callahan marched into my hospital room, followed by Remi, who looked rather pleased with himself.
“As soon as I showed up at his place, he took off. I had to chase him for a mile. In my good boots, which are now covered in mud.”
“Prick,” Austin muttered under his breath.
“Did I mention that I tackled him in the river? I smell like fish now.”
Mav sauntered over to him, a grin on his face. “Well, Austin, I brought you in here because it seems you haven’t been playing nice with others.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“How about the truck?” I asked.
“Or Bailey’s car,” Mav said thoughtfully. “The break-in and the fire?”
Austin shrugged. “Wasn’t me, and you can’t prove it.”
“No, but we can prove that your brother broke into Liam’s house the night of the fire, which would also suggest that he set the fire.”
“That’s a lie!”
“Is it? The bullet fragment pulled from his shoulder matches Liam’s gun. Not sure how you’re gonna talk your way out of that one. Either way, Clay’s going down for the break-in and the fire.”
Spinning on his heel, he walked away. “It’s a shame. A man inClay’s condition won’t do very well in prison. He won’t understand what’s really going on, and how will he defend himself?”
Mav sighed, turning back to Austin. “I suppose the courts might be lenient on your brother and place him in a mental institution instead, not that it would be much better for him. If only there was something else we could do?”
I choked back a laugh at how Mav had this all coming together so perfectly. Austin thought he wouldn’t be caught, but he never planned on what would happen if his brother somehow got in trouble.
Austin turned to me with a snarl. “He’s innocent.”
“But he’s your puppet,” I argued. “He doesn’t even know what he’s doing is wrong.”
Instead of shame or guilt clouding his eyes, righteous indignation flooded them. “You wouldn’t send a kid to prison.”
“You bet your ass I would. Unless you and I can come to some kind of understanding. I guess the question is, how much do you want to save your brother?”
I knew it was the one thing that would get him to back down, and so did Maverick.
The anger on Austin’s face would be comical if it weren’t for the fact that so many people got caught up in his need for revenge. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost, but only because I knew he was angry on his brother’s behalf, and the life that was stolen from him.
But both Jeff and Clay made their choices that day, and no one else would be held responsible any longer for their actions.
“What do you have in mind?”
All humor was wiped from my mind as I stared the fucker down. I’d had enough of his antics. “Leave everyone alone. No more break-ins or fucking with cars. No more following people around. Hell, if you so much as jaywalk, I will give Maverick the green light to prosecute your brother. If you so much as look at Bailey the wrong way, I will make sure that Clay ends up in prison, and I’ll make sure he has the meanest fucking cellmate you could imagine.”
I took a deep breath, grateful I finally could. “And then I’ll come after you.”
Teeth gnashing, he glared at me before giving a curt nod. “Agreed.”
“Get the fuck out of here.”
Mav nodded to Remi, who immediately dragged Austin from the room.
“I can’t believe you didn’t ask him to pay for the house,” Mav said, taking a seat.
