"So he knows what the hell Autumn is doing?"
"That's not true. Silas just wants you to think that the grifters are superhuman or something," Elias says, laughing. "He really only knows this because he heard gossip from Connie down at the general store. She mentioned that Autumn was going down to talk to Fred Mason."
"The newspaper guy?" I ask.
Fred has been running the West Bend Gazette for as long as I've been alive. The only reporter at the small-town paper, Fred covers all of the important events in West Bend – like who won the apple-pie-making contest at the county fair, and whose cows got loose from their ranch. Pulitzer-prize-winning stuff. The newspaper has always written fluff pieces, avoiding anything political or potentially controversial. I can't remotely imagine that it would cover something like this – small town corruption, murder, shadiness with big business. It has all the makings of a real story, and West Bend's newspaper doesn't do real stories.
Even so, Autumn going to Fred to talk about whatever she suspects is happening with the mining company is terrible news. Her town hall speech was bad enough. She has no idea what she's walking into, with the mining company or the sheriff and the mayor. If she pokes her nose around anymore… well, Jed is obviously unhinged enough to take care of anyone who gets in his way. And this would certainly count as getting in his way.
"I'll take care of it," I say, firmly. I don't know how the hell I'm going to get Autumn to listen to reason – she's more stubborn than a damn mule – but I'm going to talk to her. I have to talk to her. "What else did you call me for that was such a big emergency?"
"Status update," Elias says. "Why, were you busy?"
I want to kill him. No, I wasn't busy, I think. I was just trying to talk to the girl I can't stop thinking about, trying to convince her that she shouldn't hate me when she has every right to hate me since she doesn't know a thing about why I broke things off the way I did.
When every fiber of my being craves her touch.
"You 911 dialed me for a status update?" I ask, my jaw clenched.
"We called you because virtually everything is taken care of," Elias says. "Emir is monitoring emails at the mining company. They don't say anything outright in email – they use code words for people, but it's pretty transparent who's they’re talking about. And it looks like they think Jed and the mayor were trying to scam them."
"The mining company will have them taken care of," Silas says. "I'm sure of that. Oscar says they have mafia connections or something."
"You could have told me this shit on the phone." I'm irritated that I left Autumn's place for this. I'm also annoyed with the idea of the mining company taking care of Jed, after all the shit he's done, what he's responsible for. I still think we should take care of him with our bare hands – on principle. He killed our flesh and blood, even if it turned out she wasn’t the greatest person ever. Letting the mining company get rid of him for us just seems like a copout.
Elias shakes his head. "Nothing over the phone," he says. "We need to be discreet while talking about this shit, at least until everything is finished."
"I have to get back to Autumn." I meant just to think it, but I realize too late I've said the words aloud.
Silas nods. "You should stay with her," he says. "At least until this is over."
I laugh, the sound bitter. "She may not want to see me, specifically because of this whole plan of yours."
"Bullshit, Luke," Silas says. "We didn't tell you to keep her in the dark about all of this. That was all on you – your choice. And it's your choice to come clean to her. If you love her, you should be able to trust her."
Fuck. Silas is right. When the hell did Silas get so smart about this kind of thing? I told myself it was good for Autumn to be kept in the dark, that I was protecting her and Olivia. The truth is, I was protecting myself.
I need to see her.
35
Autumn
"What are you doing here?" I ask, forcing a hardness in my voice I don't necessarily feel.
Luke stands in my doorway, looking the way he usually does: sexy as hell. Except this time, he looks more nervous than cocky. Lucy stands there beside him – and I swear he's taught her to make puppy dog eyes because she looks at me and my heart melts. Almost.
"I have something to say to you."
"Well, I don't have anything to say to you," I tell him. But my voice wavers. "So you should leave."
"I don't think so. I'm not going anywhere. I'll sit out here all night if I have to."
It's seven in the evening, and it's already chilly, and Luke's saying he's willing to sit outside all night? Yeah, right. "Fine," I say. "But Lucy's welcome to come inside where it's warm."