But this didn’t look like chaos.It looked like family.Loud, foul-mouthed, armed family, but family all the same.
Tempi’s hand stayed on Twister’s shoulder, and every now and then, his fingers brushed over hers like he was checking that she was still there.Swift hadn’t moved from the door, but his eyes tracked Britta every few seconds.Hodge looked angry at the world, but when Rev said something low beside him, Hodge leaned in like he trusted the man next to him without question.Gramps griped.Nugget annoyed everyone.Magnum and Chewy looked like they were pretending not to listen while hearing every single word.
And Wheels?Wheels sat close enough to me that I felt the heat of him.A steady wall of leather, muscle, and calm confidence that kept making my brain do stupid things.
I still had half a mind to run.The thought hadn’t left me.
Not after sleeping.
Not after the burger.
Not after a beer or Tempi’s smile or Wheels standing at the bottom of the stairs like a guard dog with tattoos and attitude.
Running still made sense.Far away from Madison.Far away from The Ledger.Far away from every name I had found on those documents and every person who had looked me in the eye and lied like breathing.
I could leave.I could disappear.Change my phone.Empty what little savings I had.Drive until my car ran out of gas or courage.
Except my car was sitting in a field driveway somewhere outside Madison, and my sister lived here.
Novalea was still here.
My life was still here.
Twister shifted in his chair.The room changed before he said a word.
I didn’t know how else to describe it.One second, there was joking and eating and men yelling about burgers.The next, every bit of attention turned toward the man at the head of the table.
President.
Tempi’s fingers tightened on his shoulder.
Wheels set his beer down.
Swift straightened by the door.
Conversation died.
Twister reached into his cut and pulled out the yellow envelope.
My stomach dropped.There it was.A little bent from being shoved into Wheels’ chest while I was panicking and telling all of them to run, but it still terrified me.
Twister tossed it onto the table between us.
The sound it made was soft.Barely anything, but it landed like a gunshot.
“Since we’re all fed and awake,” Twister said, his voice low and controlled, “it’s time we talk about what’s in this envelope.”
No one moved.
My throat went dry as I looked at the envelope.Then at Twister.Then at Wheels.
Wheels was watching me, not the papers.Of course he was.
Twister leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.“I looked over what’s in there.”
I didn’t respond.
He tapped one finger against the table, right beside the envelope.“Permits.Inspection notes.Property transfers.Business filings.Names.Dates.A few handwritten notes that look like they were put together by someone who either knew exactly what they were doing or was terrified enough to write fast.”
