Page 126 of Five Mountain Daddies

He cackles again, clearly losing his mind. “Or else what? You’ll fucking get your asskilled?”

“No.” I take my phone from my pocket, open the camera app, and start a video. “If you don’t let her go, I’ll leak this video on the internet and you’ll all burn for thiskidnapping.”

Ingram stares at me then bursts out laughing. “This is your plan?” he asks. “A phone video? Tom, take his fuckingphone.”

“Wait,” I say. “You can take my phone. But what about all ofthose?”

I point toward the back door. Outside, three guys have their phones out, takingvideos.

Instantly Ingram’s guys react. They throw open the door and start chasing the miners, but I instructed my guys to run away if anyone came after them. Ingram’s boys return a second later, shaking theirheads.

Ingram looks at me and laughs, deep and loud. “You really are stupid, aren’t you? Look at these guys. Who do you think’s in here withme?”

“I recognize them,” I say, turning my phone to Tommy. “Say hi, Tommy Sloan. And over there’s Jimmy Brown, and Roger Lark, and a few other cops I’ve seen around.” I move my phone, making sure to get them all in theframe.

Some of them shift uncomfortably. Ingram doesn’t seem phased. “Take the phone and break his arm, Tommy,” Ingramsays.

I grin wickedly at Tommy. “Go ahead. If you do, my guys will leak the videos they just made online.” Tommy hesitates and I can see him considering. “Ingram may own this town, but he doesn’t own the world. You really want your face out there for this? Fuckingkidnapping?”

Tommy stares at me then back at Ingram. All the guys are shifting uncomfortably now. None of them have masks on, those stupid cockyfucks.

“Look, more cameras,” I say, gesturing at a window. Some of my guys have their phones up, getting good shots into theroom.

“Goddamn it, Ingram,” Roger Lark says. “You said this was going to beeasy.”

“This is easy,” Ingram says. “Get their phones, kill the bystanders, and let’s finishthis.”

“Goddamn it,” Roger says. “I didn’t sign up for fucking murder. This was supposed to be intimidation. But he’s right. We kidnapped this girl, and now they got fucking proof.” Roger shakes his head, lowering hisgun.

I grin as the others start togrumble.

“Fuck this,” Tommy says, and he backs away. “I ain’t going to jail for this shit.” He turns and walks down the hall, hurrying out the frontdoor.

The other guy that brought me inside hesitates a second then follows after him. The guys with guns start grumbling, and soon they all start leaving out the front door, one after the other. I keep my camera running, a smile on myface.

Ingram starts screaming. “Get the fuck back in here!” he shouts. “I fucking paid you, you fucking corrupt scumbags! You can’t back out now!” He tries to grab Roger’s arm, but Roger throws him off, shoving him back into atable.

After a minute, the dirty cops are all gone, leaving just me and Ingram alone in the room. I save the video file and put my phone back into mypocket.

“Let her go, Ingram, it’sover.”

“Fuck that!” Ingram grabs a knife from the kitchen counter, sliding it from the knifeblock.

“Now!” I shout, and suddenly the back door flies open. The miners flood inside, all of my guys wielding guns instead of cameras now. After a second, Ingram has fifteen weapons pointed athim.

“Drop the knife,” I say, walking up to Ingram. “It’sover.”

He growls, and he’s about to make a move, when Vernon walks in withRoy.

Ingram looks at Roy, and in that moment of hesitation, I grab Ingram’s wrist. I punch him in the gut, twist, and tear the knife from his hand. I throw Ingram to the floor and put my knee in his back, pushing downhard.

Roy stands there, dumbfounded. I look up at him and grin. “You chose the wrong side,” Isay.

Roy stumbles back. “Samuel,” hesays.

“Fuck off,” I answer. “Get the fuck out of here. And don’t ever come back to town. You hearme?”

“Samuel,” he says again,pleading.

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