Page 42 of The Plan

Felner paced, muttering to himself, his eyes darting from the window to the door and back again. “Ward’s been working this for years, Hiller. Setting people up, making sure they’re stretched too thin. Bad loans, shaky deals—doesn’t matter. He lines ’em up, waits until they’re about to crack, then swoops right in. Buys things up under a damned LLC.”

This was information Hendricks had agreed with George was a possibility. They had been planning to start digging into that very thing in the morning. “You’re saying he’s forcing foreclosures?”

“You think Tolben’s the first? Hicks, Babbitt, Perry cases—same game. Push the paperwork through fast, pile on the pressure, make it look like they were careless. And when they can’t keep up, poof, it’s gone.” He turned suddenly, his eyes wild. “It belongs to Ward’s shell company before they even know what hit them.”

George kept his hands loose at his sides, his voice even. “Why now? Why today, with Veronica and my sister?”

Felner’s grip on the gun tightened. “Because you’re in the way.”

“I recognize those case names, too. Is Brian Atkins involved?” Veronica asked.

Brian Atkins, the county attorney. He worked just up the street, and had been doing the job nearly as long as Felner had been sitting the bench. As long as George had been alive.

Felner nodded. “He’s in it. Atkins, Barton—hell, even the damned bailiff. Tommy Noals. Ward’s got them all under his thumb. They move the pieces where he tells them to, and they get their cut.”

Atkins. George should have known. Veronica was staying still, but Giavonna shifted behind her, the small sound making Felner twitch. “Just stay still, girls. While the judge and I talk this out. Everything is going to be okay for all of us, understand?”

“Ward’s got leverage on all of them, all of us, Hiller. You think Atkins got where he is without help? He’s not that good of an attorney. Sheriff Barton? Ward completely owns him. They all do. I got proof. In my desk, in my chambers. Everything anyone could ever want.”

George forced himself to not move. “And you?”

“I didn’t have a choice. None of us did. You have to understand, he knew how to manipulate.”

“How deep does this go, Judge?” George asked.

“You think I know everything? Ward doesn’t tell anyone more than they need to know. Just enough to keep us trapped. There are people in the county, in Barrattville, too. Other attorneys. I don’t even know which ones, now.”

He was close enough now for George to smell the alcohol on him. It explained a few things. He’d heard rumors before that Felner liked the whiskey at times. When things got tough. That made him even more unpredictable.

“They’re watching,” the judge said, looking toward the window. “Ward’s always watching. He’s probably outside right now. Watching.”

“Who else?” George wanted names. And he wanted to get between Felner and Veronica and Giavonna.

“It’s not just Tolben’s place anymore. Ward’s after all of it. He’s convinced there’s treasure down there, buried deep in thoseold mines. Something left behind, something big. He’s been after it for years. Buying up the land, clearing people out—whatever it takes.”

“Those are just stupid kids’ stories. No one really believes there is treasure down there,” Veronica said.

“Do you really think this is going to fix things?” George was almost to him now.

“I should have just walked away. I should have just walked away.”

Wellnowwould bea good time for him to walk away.

Ronnie almost said it out loud but didn’t. She fought a bout of nausea. Before she could stop herself, she jerked toward the trashcan. Just in case. The bathroom was right there, but the door was locked. It was staying locked, too. No matter what. Ronnie did what pregnant women did—holding back the results at the last minute.

George told her not to move. Judge Felner jumped back and swore.

“No kidding,” Ronnie said. “I’m pregnant and I’m afraid. Not like I can exactly stop the nausea, boys, you know. If I’m going to hurl, you really want it all over the floor? Someone will have to clean that up and it’s not going to be me, boys. It’s not going to be me.”

“Or me,” Giavonna added. “Just saying.”

“Lemon lime soda; my wife swore by it with both of ours,” the judge said. “Potato chips, not crackers. About all she could keep down for a few weeks. My boy still loves potato chips; his mother said that’s why. He’s…twenty-eight now.”

“I’ll remember that.” Apparently, he didn’t intend to kill them. There was that. “Can Giavonna go home now? Or just outside? And…Genny?”

“Genesis is back at the diner,” George said, shifting until he was almost fully in front of her. “Slipped out the window.”

Ronnie found herself staring at George’s strong back. Poor Giavonna was almost crammed into the corner now. Giavonna had absolutely nowhere to go.

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