Page 112 of Mountain Wood

The axe scrapes the bar top when I slide it out of the way. “Now what do I do with this pretty footage?” I hit play on my cell and prop it up so that not only can Bryson see the incriminating evidence, but so can everyone else. “All the cabins flooded, thanks to your little trick.”

“Pity,” Bryson chimes with no remorse.

Dean snaps. Ripping Bryson off the stool, he drags him across the bar and slams him against the wall.

His fist is ready to swing.

“Don’t!” I yell.

Dean freezes.

Bryson laughs.

“She’s got you on a short leash. Do you bark for her, too?”

Dean slams his fist into Bryson’s jaw. Before he can do it again, I grab his arm. “I can hurt him better than that.”

Bryson spits blood onto the floor. His hair is disheveled, and shirt is half untucked. “Go ahead, sweetheart. I know you’ve been dying to get your hands on me.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? But eww. No. There’s not enough disinfectant in the world to make me risk touching your disgusting….” I twirl my hand in the air trying to come up with the best word, “baby man body.”

Not my finest work.

I pull my cell up and scroll through the contacts, then dial a number. Funny, I have more enemies than friends in my contacts list. Guess I picked up a habit from my mother. “Keep your frenemies within reach, Grace. They’re more valuable than you realize.”

Stella answers the phone on the third ring. “Hello?”

“Ms. Clyde, it’s Grace Finch, how are you?”

Bryson’s blood drains from his face.

I wink at him and put her on speaker. “I have a slight problem and am hoping you can help me.”

“Of course, sweetheart. What is it?”

“Your great nephew has… well, he’s overstepped and broken the law.”

She doesn’t sound at all shocked. “Bryson or Bailey?”

“Bryson.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “What did he do?”

Bryson shouts out, “I’m only closing in on a big property that—”

“Shut up, you stupid fool.” Guess Stella’s not surprised he’s on the call too. “I asked Grace a question, not you. Close your mouth and keep it shut until I say otherwise.”

There’s a reason this woman is good friends with my mother.

She sighs heavily over the speaker. “Go on, Grace. What has he done now?”

“He destroyed private property and caused major damage. I’ve just sent you a short video of him doing it.”

More silence. Dean hasn’t looked at me at all. His attention, and fury, remain on the prey locked in his grip.

“How much?” Stella finally asks.

“Damage?”

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