Page 24 of To Match A Dragon's Fire

So when did it get there? And if the government had taken my property, didn’t they owe me payment under constitutional law?

I wasn’tthathard to find.

Come Monday, I’d be the first in line at City Hall, and I’d figure this out even if I had to talk to every single person in town to learn the truth.

“Is everything okay?” Riley asked as I slid into the driver seat.

“Everything is fine.” I shifted into drive. My teeth were grinding like my gears.

“Who is Mr. Tall-Dark-And-Handsome?” Willow asked from the backseat. My eyes met hers in the rearview mirror.

“What?” She shrugged. “I’m a widow, not blind.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I tried to keep my voice light. “He’s not staying for long.”

“May I point out that the reinforced concrete barracks-like structure makes it seem as though he plans to be here for a while?” Riley held Dobby’s cage as the cat started meowing again while the tires bumped over the rutted road.

As much as I appreciated her sense of humor returning, now was not the time.

“There’s been a misunderstanding,” I explained. “He thinks he owns this land, but I have the bank receipts proving otherwise.”

Because at the end of the day, that’s all there was to it. Follow the money to find the truth.

“I know that.” Willow frowned. “You wouldn’t even let me help you out three years ago when I tried to pay you extra for babysitting while you were saving for the bill.”

“You were going to use the life insurance money,” I grumbled. “That’s for you and Harper.”

“What’s life insurance?” Harper piped up from her car seat.

Crap.I always forgot how well she listened to what she wasn’t supposed to hear.

“Your daddy loved you very much. He left money for when he died so you and mommy would be taken care of,” I told her.

“They should call it death money then.” Harper nodded, turning to look out the window.

Willow mouthed the words, “Thank you.”

But Harper had already moved onto more interesting topics.

“Why is Mr. Handsome pulling the door off that old cabin?” she asked.

I slammed on the brakes, wondering how it was humanly possible for Kieran to get here this fast.

He marched into my old house like he owned the place. Fire raced through my veins as I put the Bronco into park.

“Looks like someone is ready for round two.”

8

Kieran

Round Two

“What the fuck, Fred?”

My uncle chuckled. “You can thank me later.”

He was still cackling as he wheeled himself away from the window and out of sight.

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