Page 122 of Out on a Limb
“What accusation has anyone made, Alan?” I wasn’t going to let him keep focusing on her.
If he wanted to come for someone, it was going to be me.
“This little bitch insinuated that she’s a prostitute.” His rage-filled gaze was still on Collette.
Looked like I might still get a punch in.
“Prostitute?” Collette’s hands came to cover her mouth. “I thought she was selling drugs.”
“It’s pretty strange that you went straight toprostitute, Alan.” I edged closer to the man who might be worse than the one he shared an office with. “Almost like you already knew.”
The vein in Alan’s head started to throb. Hopefully he’d stroke out and we could be done with him.
Put all this behind us and finally get the garden back where it needed to be.
Unfortunately, the man wasn’t ready to go down without a fight.
Literally.
Alan lunged.
But not at me.
He went straight for Collette.
“I know what you did, you little cunt.”
The next few seconds were a blur of screams and swinging arms.
And feathers.
Because I wasn’t the only one ready to do whatever it took to keep Collette safe.
Phillip came out of nowhere, wings flapping as he managed to gain enough air to latch onto Alan’s back with his spurs, holding tight as he stabbed at Alan’s head with his beak.
The old man immediately turned his rage to the rooster, flailing at the small bird with closed fists until eventually one connected, knocking Phillip to the ground.
“You son of a bitch.” Collette took one step his way, putting some momentum behind the clipboard in her hands as she whipped it directly at Alan’s head, hitting him right in that vein bulging out of his temple and dropping him where he stood.
“Nice job.” Dennis’s fiancé tipped her head in a single nod as she stared down at where Alan was sprawled across the grass.
But Collette didn’t hear the compliment because she was rushing to where Phillip was lying, motionless.
She dropped to her knees and started to scoop him up.
Before she could get her hands on him the bird jumped to his feet, shook out his feathers, and tipped his head back, beak opening with a crow of victory.
I was definitely getting that bird a bag of mealworms.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Collette
“I THINK HE’S crazy.” I pulled into the parking lot of The Pearl, a hotel that sat on the border of Sweet Side and Waterhaven. “He went from zero to ready-to-throw-hands in two seconds.”
“That sounds about right.” Julia sat beside me in the front seat. “He might be worse than the other one.” She shot me an apologetic look. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I can admit that my granddad sucks.” I huffed out a sigh. “But at least he’s never tried to make me hire a hooker.”
