"And I'm pretty sure he paid for Meredith's attorney and other legal issues with Faith's custody case," Ash added. "The man is completely invested in anything that will get him this land. What I don't understand is why. To me, it's not worth the amount of bullshit he's putting into getting it. There are easier ways to get a couple million bucks."
"It's the chain that comes from it," Billy explained. "He wants to buy the land, sell the water, make an exclusive subdivision, have that improve his own property value, so he can then sell that to turn his paltry cattle operation into something bigger. Most likely, he plans to eventually invest in some company or get into politics. It's what bored old men do - and they don't care who they run over in the process," Billy added. "Stopping him isn't hard, though."
"No," I said, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "We're not making people disappear."
Billy's jaw clenched. "Without Simmons, the rest of this goes away. The push against reopening Southwind evaporates. One man and all of our problems are solved."
"No," I repeated. "We are supposed to be the good guys here. We're the second chance. We will not start killing first and covering it up later. That is not a good way to make sure the next generation has a chance. You've said it yourself, Billy. Making things go away doesn't mean they stay gone. The last thing we need is to have a murder come back on us later. That would completely destroy everything Gran worked for."
The grunt he made was nearly a growl. "I'll make sure you're clean."
"No," I said again. "I will not budge on this."
He just met my eyes, and the look in his gaze was cold enough to make me shiver. "Then you may lose Southwind."
"Move," I corrected. "Nothing can take away all the good my grandmother did. Not even Paul Simmons. We'll do this the right way."
He nodded once. "Fine. Get me everything you have. I'm not giving up until Southwind is safe. No one messes with my grandmother either, Vi. This is the only family I've ever had, but I don't have the same limits you do."
"Under this roof, you sure as hell do," I assured him. "Otherwise, you know how to find the door."
Surprisingly, that made him smile. "You grew up to be just like her, you know that?"
Which was the kindest thing anyone had ever told me. "So you'll be good?" I asked.
"For now," he agreed.
Chapter Fifteen
Eventually, Violet dragged Blaze into her office with her. The guy was nothing at all like what I'd expected. I'd been warned that he was dangerous, and I knew that he had the ability to hire a hitman. I couldn't think of anything more dangerous than that - yet he looked like a respectable businessman. Well, aside from the tattoos.
Because Blaze definitely had tattoos. Considering that Violet and Darnell were both covered in ink, maybe it didn't stand out to the other colors as much as it did to me. Still, seeing that overly-stylized bird on the side of his neck was a little shocking. When the man talked, I noticed flashes of more ink around his wrists. His full suit covered a lot, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that anyone who had both his neck and his wrists tattooed probably had quite a bit more in between them.
His watch was the expensive kind, and Blaze's suit was certainly not traditional. He wore black. Black pants, a black coat, and even a black shirt. The man's tie and the little handkerchief in his pocket had been in some fancy dark on dark pattern. Blue, I thought. The only concession he had to the color he'd been named was his socks - and I hadn't noticed those until he sat down.
Everyone else in the rainbow seemed to wear their color proudly. Hell, even my daughter had embraced her lilac. Blaze, however, looked like he was hiding his. Sadly, I didn't get the chance to ask about that. The moment Violet hauled the man out of the room, Faith went to let the dogs inside. The puppy realized that everybody was in the room and got a little too excited. That left me with a piddle spot to clean up.
Then I had a coffee, and when my brain was fully functional, I sought out my daughter to make sure she was still okay with last night's sleeping arrangements. Thankfully, she was. She was also more worried about whether she could talk to Zeke than anything else. From the sounds of it, she was thrilled to have even more family around.
Somewhere in all of that, Darnell and Cessily woke up. When they heard Blaze was here, there was a whole new round of catching up. Everyone was talking in half-sentences and bringing up old memories that I hadn't been a part of. So, feeling like the odd man out, I retreated to the one place where I was always safe: the barn.
I wanted to finish making the little set of stairs so that Cy's pocket-sized mutt could get on and off the bed without help. It would need to have smaller steps because Lucy's legs weren't that long, which meant they would be built to run across the foot of the bed. I was also working on a shadow box with Bea's old tools. I'd picked out things that she'd always used; the ones that made me think of her.
So while the tools were in the sonic cleaner getting a little more rust off, I started measuring out the spare wood. Everyone else could worry about the mess with Paul Simmons. My brain was overloaded with that stuff. I'd always been a simple man. I didn't want to worry about politics and crap like that. I just wanted to do my job, take care of my family, and be a good man - but Simmons was making that hard.
For a few days, everything had been perfect, and as much as I hated to think it, seeing Blaze was proof that it had all been a lie. Maybe my relationship was good, and having Faith with me was amazing. That didn't make the other things just go away, though. I was already tired of this mess. I couldn't understand why anyone else cared about what we did. Who cared if I fucked a man or a woman? It wasn't like I was making them do the same!
Marking off the measurements on the wood, I clamped it in a vise and then cut the angles I needed. This would be the frame of the shadowbox. The old wood was perfect for the barn, and it'd be gorgeous right over my workbench. I'd have to buy a little plaque, but that shouldn't be hard. Stain - I'd need to get some of that to finish this properly.
I was making a list in my head when the barn door opened on the drive side. Glancing back, I expected to see Ash coming out to check on me, or maybe even Cy. But the man who walked in was neither. Blaze had changed into something more comfortable. He now wore loose-fitting jeans and a bright white shirt. Sure enough, tattoos ran all the way down his arms.
"Blaze," I greeted him.
"Emerald," he replied as he made his way over. "Looks like you picked up right where Bea left off."
"I'm trying," I admitted. "So, what brings you out to my office?"
"You." He moved to the far side of my work bench and pressed his hands to the edge. Leaning on those, he let his head drop to face the ground. "Violet wasn't supposed to notice that I got involved in your case."
