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Everett walked around the railing on his porch to the steps and descended them. He stopped directly in front of Tate. Close enough, Tate could smell him. He smelled like medicine or joint cream.
“I told you yesterday, reinstate a lifetime deferment on the taxes and we’ll talk.”
“And I told you to keep your people up here so my negotiations with the mayor would show your good faith. You let them come down last night and disrupt the power, root around the town, and damage property. That’s not good faith.”
“That’s a taste of what will happen if the deferment is not reinstated.”
Tate nodded. “Okay. I’ll let the mayor know. But we’ll be taking hostages effective immediately. The United States government doesn’t take kindly to your terrorist actions.”
Everett’s lips thinned as he looked at the three men standing near them.
He nodded slightly then turned and walked up the steps to his cabin and disappeared inside.
“Let’s go, assholes.” Brenner spat.
Tate glanced at Aidyn and nodded. They followed two of the men from the cabin with Kent, the third, behind them. The passed through the clearing and to the road they’d come up. As soon as they were just out of sight of the clearing, Kent walked up behind him and shoved him.
Tate caught his balance and whirled around, his hand on his gun at his waist.
“You’re just trying to get us in trouble, fuckers.”
“No, we’re trying to stop the harassment of the townspeople.”
Kent stepped forward. “Fuck you and that little bitch at the bakery. That’s why you’re really here, isn’t it? We’ve seen you there every morning. She thinks she’s so much better than us.”
Chills skittered down his spine. They’d been watching. The bakery most likely, but now he was on their radar.
“You tell your president, if he’d like to discuss this, he can contact Keaton Bennit, since he seems to have a phone or a way to do so, and make an appointment with me.”
Tate stepped back, unwilling to turn his back on these assholes, and Aidyn did the same. They walked around the two standing in front of them and made long strides down the road.
As soon as they were near the truck, they jumped in, and Tate backed down the hill using only his mirrors.
Aidyn laughed. “Oh, that was priceless.”
“Yep. And did you smell him? He’s feeling his age I’d say.”
“That might make him a bit unpredictable.”
Aidyn nodded. “It might. It might also make him vulnerable.”
Chapter24
Tate dropped Aidyn off at the gate and drove to the bakery.
The late afternoon light shining through the windows cast a deep glow on the glass tabletops and the bakery case, giving it a completely different feel than it had in the morning.
At the sound of the doorbell, Lara entered from the kitchen, wiping her hands. “Hi. Long time no see.”
Tate nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been working.”
“Of course. Can I get you anything?”
“I actually came in to...”
The sound of tires on the pavement outside had him turning. Keaton Bennit pulled into the lot. “I’m stepping outside for a moment.”
“Okaaay.” She tossed her towel onto the display case.
