Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 139029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
“You brought it back. Now get your fucking asses off my property,” Greer growled between clenched teeth.
Observing Holt’s and Asher’s expressions, Dustin knew they had come for more than to return the weed. “Be quiet, Greer. You got something on your mind, Holt?”
“I do. Asher and I want to apologize not only for him not returning the pot but to you, Dustin.” Holt looked like he would rather shovel horse shit, but he kept talking. “I shouldn’t have made you leave the hospital when you wanted to stay, and I shouldn’t have had you removed from the hospital the four times when you tried to bring Jess flowers.”
Noticing that Greer went slack-jawed at the information he had been unaware of, Dustin played it down as if he hadn’t questioned his sanity for wanting to renew his friendship with Jessie.
Shrugging, Dustin let it show in his eyes, the numerous insults he had endured from the Hayeses over the years. “I’ve been treated worse by a Hayes.”
“Not anymore,” Asher rushed out, his usual attitude of contempt of every Porter missing.
Dustin darted a quick look over his shoulder to make sure another Hayes wasn’t about to sneak up behind him and Greer and stab them in the back during the friendly overture.
Rubbing his hand on the side of his jeans, Asher then held it out to him. “At the hospital, you reached a hand out. I’d like to take it now, and all of us want to let bygones be bygones and put an end to the feud between the Porters and Hayes.”
Dustin stared down at the hand, making no move to take it. “Quit wasting mine and Greer’s time. What do you really want?”
Asher dropped his hand back to his side. “You ask him, Holt.”
Clearing his throat, Holt took his turn. “We’d appreciate it if you would stop by the house and give Jess some company.”
“You’re shitting us, right?” Greer scowled. “You think my brother is stupid enough to walk into an ambush?”
Holt shook his head quickly. “No ambush. Jessie refuses to leave the house and won’t let any of the women from town stop by. She needs the company, and knowing how close you two were when you were kids, we’re hoping you could help get her out of the mood she’s in.”
“What kind of mood is she in?” His concern for Jessie overrode his loathing for her brothers.
“A mean one,” Asher confessed plaintively. “A man can’t walk out the door without being afraid his dick will be shot off when he comes back.”
“She opened our gun safes. Jessie has them by every window and door. Hell, I saw her put one under the pillow on the couch. I’m afraid to sit down without checking the cushions.”
“I don’t blame her. The bastard nearly succeeded in killing her.” Excusing her behavior, Dustin couldn’t bring himself to sympathize with the men.
“We don’t either,” Holt hastened to explain. “I just don’t want to be shot in the ass by mistake when the one who done it is getting away scot-free.”
“He’s not going to get away scot-free,” Greer spoke up. “Knox and the state police are working the case.”
Dustin gave Greer a quelling look, not wanting him to disclose that they had been trying to find out who the person was who had tilted Jessie’s life upside down.
“They couldn’t be working on it too hard or they would’ve already made an arrest,” Holt muttered under his breath, looking away.
Do they really think that the whole town doesn’t know that the whole Hayes clan is searching high and low for the man who had hurt Jessie? Dustin thought to himself.
Not only were they badgering Knox and the state police with phone calls, demanding information on Jessie’s case, but they were using their family connections to find out pertinent facts of the case before Knox or the detectives could. They had no intention of letting the person who almost killed Jessie go to jail. He would be killed and buried before the authorities could find him. Dustin couldn’t blame them. The Porters had the same intention.
“They find out who the woman was who was killed yet?” Holt asked as if he didn’t know the answer.
“You tell me,” Greer hedged.
“It sure as shit isn’t Lisa West. You and Knox are wasting time waiting for the DNA to come back to match the body found.”
“No one has seen her lately.”
“Don’t care. I don’t know where the fuck she is, but it isn’t her.”
“I’ll tell him you said so. I’m sure he’ll really care what you think.” Greer hocked up a ball of spit, launching it at the dirt in front of Holt’s foot.
Seeing the look on Holt’s face at the insult, Dustin decided to defuse the building anger. “I’ll stop by to visit Jessie.”
“When?” Asher immediately asked.
Expecting the brothers to hightail it off their property once they got what they wanted, Dustin was surprised at how quickly Asher wanted the invitation they had extended accepted.