Page 104 of Gideon

“It’s nothing,” Fairfax said.

“Horns blasting randomly is normal around here?” Cole said with a sarcastic sneer.

More car horns blasted, and Peters looked at Fairfax.

“Well?” Fairfax said. “What are you waiting for? Find out what’s going on. That’s your job.”

Peters shrugged. “It’s your house, you find out.”

“For crying out loud.” Fairfax hurried to the door. “If you’re not careful, I’ll find myself another sheriff.”

“I can see the pitchforks already,” Cole said as he followed the others out.

Fairfax’s shoes crunched on the stones in the driveway. He refused to be intimidated. That’s when the shouting started.

He turned in a circle with the rest of them, looking at the lights that had appeared at the tree line. Then the sheriff’s car’s horn bleated, and Gideon got out of the front seat.

Fairfax chuckled. “Ah, kid. You are a fool. I’m going to chew you up and spit you out.” He ignored the panic that twisted in his stomach. He’d never given in to fear before, and he wouldn’t start now.

Gideon remained behind the door of the car. Cole hadpulled his weapon but was pointing it at the ground. Peters had his hand on his hip, ready to pull.

When Fairfax marched forward, Gideon put his hand up. “Slow down. I’m here to talk.”

The horns blared again, and Gideon couldn’t help but smile. From his position near the house, he could see that the lights and noise had the effect he was going for. It looked like the whole town had turned out.

“I shouldn’t have trusted you to do what you’re told,” Fairfax said. “I should have dealt with you before you got the whole town wound up tight. My mistake.”

“You never trusted me. You just didn’t want to risk your neck by following through by way of the judicial system, where all your dirty little secrets could slip out.”

“You think you know a lot more than you actually do. You can’t turn up in this town and think you get to have a say in the way it’s run. Everyone was doing fine before you. They’ll do fine when you disappear.” Fairfax was doing a good job of appearing unfazed. It was unnerving.

“This has got nothing to do with me. It’s them.” Gideon pointed toward the ring of lights. “They’re the ones who are asking for change. I just decided to stick around and make sure it happened.”

“It will take more than light and noise to get to me. Are you prepared for that? Cause I can tell you, nobody else is. They haven’t got the guts for it. That’s why you’re down here and they’re not. You’ve been sticking your neck out for a bunch of people that will turn on you as soon as you sneeze funny.”

“We’ll see.”

“You better watch yourself, Mr. Stone.” Fairfax lifted his voice. He was good at speaking across a large crowd, and he used that voice now, probably hoping to reach those on the outskirts. “You think you’ve got us outnumbered, but you forget about all the workers I have who are loyal to me.”

Gideon held his face steady. That was the second part of the plan he’d made. “Beating a woman until she cowers in fear,” he said, “doesn’t mean she’s loyal. It means she’s afraid.”

“That’s just semantics. She was beaten by her father in Mexico. That’s why she came here. It’s all she knows. It gives her security.”

“Is that why she left you?”

“She was stolen from me. But I won’t let you do that to anyone else. For a lot of them, going home is a death sentence. You’d be surprised how feral one of those animals will fight to stay under my charge.”

“Animals? Seriously. What year are we living in?”

“Oh, stop it. Don’t pretend you’re offended. If it suited you, you’d say the same thing. It’s time for you and your friends to go home before someone gets hurt.”

“They’ll never fight for you.”

“You think so?” Fairfax looked at a short, stocky man that had followed the others out of the house when the noise started. “Carlos, go get them, will you? Make sure they’re prepared. I want them to understand what the cost is. We need to show Mr. Stone that his efforts are in vain.” Carlos nodded and hurried away. “This is your last chance, Gideon. Instruct everyone to disperse while they still can.”

“Actually, I think it would be better for everyone if Sheriff Peters arrested you. It would save us all a lot of trouble. Unless he wants to lose his job too?” Gideon looked at the sheriff.

Peters laughed, but it was tense. “Have you already forgotten about your encounter with the ICE agent? I thought that would have shown you that you don’t have any ground to stand on. You should have left when you had the chance.”

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