Published by Prism Book Group
November 2016
This scene is from Chapter 46, Wednesday, after Cam is detained for questioning regarding his Internet search for information regarding the murder his grandparents witnessed in Milwaukee in the mid-1960s Open Housing Marches. He is on his way to meet with a potential legal representative at the newspaper office when he runs into his rival.
Cam had borrowed Lily’s car to get home last night. As he
drove back into Barter Valley in the morning, slipping around on the car’s bald
tires, for his appointment with Minerva Thorsten, he kept a running commentary
of his current situation spiraling in his head. Stone cold stupid. This whole
deal with him and the Internet and research was a separate thing going down
from the case Forbes was on, just like the man said. Cam could not believe him
at first.
Uncle Sam was monitoring his personal business. But Cam
had beaten a mess before. He’d been acquitted. He wasn’t on any sex-offender
registry or felon watch-list. He didn’t think so, anyway. How ripped from the
headlines was that? “Illegal Wire Tapping in Small Town Library.” “Free Speech
Rights Stomped Again.” “Sex Trafficking Stopped.” All of Matt’s dreams would
come true when he broke both stories. And if Matt was right, this Minerva was
the perfect legal representation for a person whose constitutional rights were
being violated.
He parked, pulled up his hood and jumped frozen waist-high
piles of snow to get to the newspaper office. At least the weather was
changing. The high temp might make zero today. The dogs would be all right.
They’d stay together, keep warm. He’d water them later. What day was it? Logan
possibly had his truck ready. He caught a glimpse of a shadow on the walk, the
prickle that something was in his way. He stopped and looked up. And swallowed.
“Hi, there, Ole. What’s happening?”
Ole took off his gloves and cracked his knuckles. He slowly
pulled the gloves back on. “Lily isn’t like the other girls around here. She
sorta got a little stuck-up from living in the cities, but she’s still a nice
girl.”
After the big guy’s little display of assumed prowess, Cam
decided to refrain from eye-rolling, sighing, or any other possibly
misunderstood gesture of superiority. Besides, he liked Ole and felt a little
sorry about maybe taking Lily away from him…if he could even pretend like that.
“I agree she’s a nice girl. Pretty early in the morning for a conversation like
this, pal. And I’m on my way to an appointment. Spot you a coffee later?”
Ole plunged right on. “And good. She’s not going back
there with you, all alone, to stay at your place again.”
At this, Cam let out a chuckle. “I agree she’s not going
back there alone.” He watched Ole’s jaw muscles clench and held up a hand.
“It’s not what you think, man. I care about her safety, and it’s not safe out
there.”
The other man snorted as he breathed in. His mouth opened.
“I kin keep her safe.”
Cam nodded as if he agreed and said softly, “Or your
mother can.”
Ole’s apple cheeks turned an even darker shade of red,
while his expression became wounded.
“Just so we understand each other, brother,” Cam said. “I
trust you. Lily trusts you. We don’t trust anyone else.”
Cam swallowed and wiped his mouth as he watched Ole stride
away, each step like a league, until he disappeared around a corner. A hugely
smiling fox-faced Sven drove the snowplow past and honked.
They had to have been fraternal twins.
Ten seconds later, Matt moved his face from the computer
screen at the Freeman office to
notice Cam stood at his side. “Buddy! I gotta tell ya, this is the third most
exciting thing to happen in Barter Valley. Since I can remember, anyhoo. Take a
load off.”
Cam set his coat on the back of a chair and rubbed his
hands. “Third?”
