Walker Pride (25 page)

“Yes. Someone was outside. I heard them. Then they drove off in my car and sliced the tires on Eric’s truck.”

Douglas pulled his cell phone from his pocket and set it on the table. “Do you mind if I record this? That way I have all the facts.”

“No problem.”

“Great, would you repeat that?”

Susan did as he asked.

“Any reason someone would be out here this far?”

Eric clasped his hands together and let out a breath. “Since my grandfather’s death we’ve had a lot of things going on out here.”

“Such as?”

“Stuff,” Eric snapped out.

“Someone poisoned his cows and horses,” Susan quickly added.

“You didn’t report that?”

Eric snapped his teeth together. “Thought I knew who was responsible.”

“And who did you think it was?”

“Not important,” Eric said as leaned back in his chair.

Douglas ran his tongue over his teeth. “It’s not important. Someone is poisoning your animals, stealing your cars, and slicing your tires and this isn’t important?”

Susan took a quick breath before blurting out, “And vandalizing the cemetery.”

She noticed the quick flash of irritation in Eric’s eyes.

Douglas raised his brows. “Vandalized your cemetery?”

Eric didn’t answer right away. Susan could see the vein pulse at his temple and his fingers tense against his thighs.

“Yes.”

Douglas cracked his thumbs. “You haven’t changed, huh? Eric Walker is always bigger than the world. He can handle anything on his own?”

She watched as Eric’s eyes narrowed and the glare intensified.

“Sometimes, Walker, I think you make this crap up to look tough.”

The vein in the side of Eric’s neck thickened as his jaw tightened.

“This is why you pay taxes, Walker. The police are here to protect you and keep your family and crap safe. How are we supposed to do that when you don’t report things?”

“I can handle this.”

“Really? At this point you can’t even drive away from your house. This is pretty serious stuff.”

Eric pushed back from the table and Susan worried that he’d begin to hit the police officer in front of them, just as he’d obviously done when he’d confronted Tyson in the past week.

He paced the kitchen and just as he turned to take a breath to speak the front door flew open.

“Susan?” Bethany’s voice rang through the house and a moment later she raced into the kitchen, panting. “Thank God you’re here.”

Susan stood and moved to her. “I told you I was here. I texted you.”

“You said your car had been stolen and Eric’s tires cut, but your car is parked outside our house.” She sucked in a breath and looked at Douglas. “Oh, hi.”

He gave her a nod. “Bethany Waterbury?”

“Yes,” she said on an obviously annoyed sigh.

Douglas stood and handed her a business card from his pocket. “I’ve seen all of your movies. You’re pretty gifted.”

“Thanks,” she said, as looked down at his card. “Douglas Brant?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“You gave me a ticket the last time I was here.”

“I remember.”

“You remember that? It was at least four years ago.”

Susan wondered if Douglas even realized he was grinning at Bethany.

“I was still dishing out tickets back then. You were parked over the line and in a fire lane. You argued with me for at least thirty minutes.”

Bethany crossed her arms in front of her. “And now you’re drinking coffee in my cousin’s kitchen at four in the morning?”

“Believe it or not, this is a promotion.” He shifted his glance to Eric. “Cousin?”

“Byron’s youngest daughter.”

Douglas’s mouth formed an “O” as he looked at Bethany.

“Oh, great,” she growled. “People know Byron Walker and simply roll their eyes when they know I’m his daughter.”

“I didn’t roll my eyes,” Douglas said as he narrowed his gaze. “You’re Violet Waterbury’s daughter?”

“Yes.”

“You’re the spitting image of her.”

“I know.”

Douglas gave her a nod. “You said her car was at home?”

“I live with Susan. She texted me to tell me her car had been stolen. But it’s parked outside the house.”

Susan placed her hands on her abdomen. The adrenaline of the evening had landed like a lead ball in the pit of her stomach.

She noticed Eric’s quick move to her side as he stepped toward Douglas. “I don’t know who the hell is messing with us, but this says they’re too close. I don’t want them near the girls.”

Douglas stood. “Someone is trying to scare you.”

“It’s working.”

“Why don’t you go to your family’s house tonight? Susan, I need your address so I can go by your house.” He turned toward Bethany. “Did you see anything? Hear anything?”

“No. I did my yoga and went to bed. Next thing I knew she texted me and told me her car was stolen and Eric’s tires cut. I decided to come out. When I left her car was there.”

“I’ll call you,” Douglas said putting on his hat and walking toward the door. “Anything else happens you call me directly.”

Eric nodded. “We will.”

“I mean it,” Douglas reiterated before he walked out the door.

They watched as Douglas drove away, his headlights illuminating the dark road.

Eric shut the front door and turned toward them. “I don’t like this. Someone’s going to get hurt.”

“I don’t understand what they want,” Bethany held her hand over her mouth. “My father lost the land to the Morgans. Why are they trying to push you off now?”

“I firmly believe the Morgans aren’t part of this. There’s more to it. Someone wants all this land. They’re not going to get it. They’ll have to kill me first.”

That knot in Susan’s stomach tightened. She certainly didn’t like the sound of that.

“Should we call your parents and tell them we’re coming to their house to stay? They should know what’s going on.”

Eric tightened his lips. “I’ll call them and tell them what’s going on. I’ll have Russ set me up with some new tires, but I’m not going to start staying at their house. No one is running me off.”

She could admire that about him. His Walker pride ran deep, but she was scared. She certainly didn’t want to go back to her house and she didn’t want Bethany to either. It looked like the three of them were going to be roommates for a little while. At least until they truly knew what was going on.

Later when they were alone and getting ready for bed, she approached the subject of Douglas Brant.

“You and Douglas have some history together, don’t you?”

“Why do you say that?”

She pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed. “He seemed a bit anxious around you.”

“Like he said, I’m an older brother.”

“There’s something else. The bit about you having to take care of things and making stuff up. That got you angry.”

“He’s just a punk who happens to be a cop now.”

That made some sense. “That bothers you?”

Eric climbed into bed and fell back onto his pillow, his hands behind his head. “Do we need to talk about this?”

“I’m just curious about it.”

“I saved his ass once by lying for him. Who knows, had he gotten in trouble maybe he’d not be a cop now. But as it is, I lied so he wouldn’t get in trouble. I sometimes think he forgets the reason I made stuff up.”

She was certainly intrigued now. “What did he do?”

Eric turned on his side to face her. “I hate talking about things in the past.”

“I’m in your bed after knowing you only a week. I think it’s okay to tell me everything. I want to know who I’m sleeping next to.”

“I haven’t scared you off yet?”

“You’re about to tell me how you covered for a friend. That’s admirable.”

His lips puckered as if he thought she was wrong. “He borrowed my truck for an intimate night with some girl. They got drunk and he crashed it out by the lake. Then he left it there with all the beer cans left in it. When the cops came looking for the owner they came looking for me.”

“Eric, you covered for him? That’s not okay.”

“No one was hurt. My truck was totaled. He was screwing around with some older woman. I don’t know why I covered for him. I guess I had a lot less to lose and a family that would bail me out and still love me. He wasn’t that guy. He didn’t have that kind of home.

“You said you’d crashed the truck?”

He shrugged. “That’s what friends do.”

“Not his.”

“It was a long time ago. We need his help now and I’m willing to let him have his power trip. We all make mistakes.”

Susan snuggled in closer to him. How could she not love a man who took care of everyone?

Chapter Twenty-Seven

There had been some tension when Russell brought Eric’s new tires out and Tyson pulled up behind him. Russell would be gracious, but they’d all disliked the Morgans for so long it was hard to accept it all so quickly without looking over your shoulder. Eric could respect that.

“They slashed the tires on Lydia’s car too,” Tyson said as he approached them. “I just got her changed out. What time did they hit you?”

“About three,” Eric said. “They stole Susan’s car only to drive it to her house and leave it.”

Tyson bit down on his bottom lip. “They have a lot of information then. They know who she is and where she lives.”

“She lives here now,” he said. “She and Bethany. I’m not chancing anyone getting to them.”

Russell grunted as he tightened the nut on the tire, which Eric assumed was on purpose.

Tyson grinned. It must have been very obvious.

“Where are they now?”

Eric ran his hand over the back of his neck. “She had classes. We argued about her going, but she won. Bethany was going to hang out there. They promised not to go to the house unless they had a police escort.”

“I have some friends on the force I could call,” Tyson offered.

“Douglas Brant has their numbers. He’s going to check in with them.”

Tyson nodded. “Good guy. They’re in good hands.”

“I’m done.” Russell stood and brushed the dirt from his pants.

“Thanks. Have you met Tyson?”

There was an unmistakable flash of irritation in Russell’s eyes. But he nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Tyson said. Neither of them extended hands to shake.

They were both in a strange position, Eric thought. These were his brothers and yet they were total strangers, even in blood.

Russell threw the tire iron in the back of his truck. “That fence in the east quad is in need of repair. I’m heading over. You coming?”

“I’ll be right behind you.”

Without another word, Russell climbed into his truck and drove off.

“He doesn’t like me much,” Tyson said kicking the dirt with his boot.

“It’s going to take some getting used to. Morgan isn’t a name we’ve been known to embrace.”

“Walker at our house wasn’t too nicely met either,” he said with a crooked grin. “Lydia got a hold of the guest list.”

“Anyone we know?”

Tyson rubbed the stubble on his cheek. “Your uncle is there, just as you’d assumed.”

“Figures.”

“Your dad is too.”

Eric snapped his head up. “My father?”

“It’s on the list.”

Eric tightened his jaw. “Who else?”

“Dwight Peterson.”

He thought on the name. “I don’t know him.”

“Are you familiar with Peterson Oil?”

“Of course.”

“Looks like they are coming to dinner. He and his son, who is about our age.”

“We’re not going to find out we have more brothers are we?” Eric joked, but there was some realistic worry in the joke.

Tyson must have thought so too, but he laughed. “I don’t think so. The grandson’s name is Shooter.”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

“Afraid I’m not. But there’s no reason not to assume that this land stuff has something to do with them.”

“If it’s a legit deal, why destroy our properties?”

“I don’t know. That’s what concerns me. Who else is involved aside from Dwight and Shooter?”

“That’s the whole list?”

“It’s all she got.”

“I’ll ask Douglas about it. We have a few days before the dinner. Maybe we can find out more.”

~*~

Susan’s mind certainly wasn’t on her class. Luckily it was a business class and not one that focused on using fire.

Her mind had been spinning since she’d seen her car drive away.