My dad’s jaw worked. “I’m here today because she’s trying to kick me out of my house!”
“Your house?” Romeo asked, humor lacing his tone. “Are we sure it’s your house?”
“We’re sure,” Dad snarled.
“Because that’s not what I hear,” Romeo said. “If it was actually your house, she wouldn’t have been able to serve a formal eviction notice, would she? Seems like your late wife knew you were a bit of a tool, and put all the money Mable would ever need into a trust fund that you couldn’t touch. And she made sure to leave her the house. A house, from what I gather, she loved. Tell me, is that why your now-wife started taking loans out in the kids’ names? Did you know that your wife was using your children’s Social Security numbers and taking loans out in their names? Did you know that your wife actually ruined Birdee’s credit? Ever wondered why Birdee and Mable didn’t get along? Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, there was a reason behind it? Or did you just live off your dead wife’s inheritance, plant your head in the sand, and not question a damn thing?”
Romeo’s words had exhilaration surging through my body.
These were all questions I’d been dying to ask, but probably never would’ve gotten the nerve up to ask.
Birdee might’ve. But definitely not me.
I was the most non-confrontational person in existence. I didn’t even tell restaurants that they added mustard to my burgers when I couldn’t stand it, and definitely wouldn’t have uttered the word mustard in a thousand years.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Dad disagreed. “Whitney is a great mom to those two girls. She’s spent the last fucking decade and a half trying to get them to like each other. Their hate for each other is all on them. Not my wife. And she most certainly wouldn’t have taken out any loans or ruined their credit.”
“Why don’t you maybe go snoop around in her office,” Romeo suggested. “You have about twenty-six more days until you’re forced to be out of there. Use the time wisely.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Neither one of us are. I have a business that I run out of that house.”
“Well, either you can leave nicely, or the cops can make you leave,” Romeo said. “Either way, you’re no longer allowed to be on this site. This is Bunyan Property.”
“You don’t have the authority to keep me away from here,” Dad tried.
“No, but I do,” Paul Junior said as he came ambling up. I’d seen him in the yard earlier working, but I hadn’t expected him to intervene with my father. Though, maybe I should’ve expected him to seeing as my dad was interrupting our workday. And lunch wasn’t for another fifteen minutes. “You’re officially being asked to leave the property. Don’t make me call the sheriff’s department. They’re too busy to come out here for something so petty.”
My dad’s hackles raised. “I know the law here. Go ahead and call them.”
Romeo pulled me back even farther, putting himself between me and my dad. “Don’t make me throw you out.”
“You could try,” my dad snapped.
I pressed my forehead between Romeo’s shoulder blades and prayed that he would get a freakin’ clue.
This wasn’t the time or place.
“How about you leave, and we meet up and talk about this civilly when the workday ends. We won’t, however, invite your wife so we can show you some of the evidence that’s piling up against her,” Romeo offered.
“Yeah, like I’ll believe anything you say,” Dad hissed. “And who are you to my daughter? Some ex-con that just got out of prison? Makes sense that’s all she could pull.”
That had my hackles raising.
Before I could reply or say anything to defend Romeo, though, Big John had enough.
He caught my dad by the jacket collar and started dragging him behind him toward the yard’s gates.
Once there, he pushed my dad out.
“My vehicle is inside!” Dad snarled.
Big John closed the gates. “Maybe if you’re nice, I’ll unlock it for you once you calm your tits.”
My dad straightened. “I’m calling the cops.”
“Good,” Big John muttered.
He walked right up to me and tapped me on the head with his meaty fist. “Don’t sweat the small stuff, girl. He’s a piece of shit. Always has been. Been seeing how he’s treated you for years, and haven’t done a damn thing about it. But no more.”
