New furniture was going to be a biggy. A
bigger television set in the living room and his room. There would be a gaming
room too, something his father had refused to let him have before now. And
there would be more staff, pretty girls that would fawn all over him when he
needed a boost to his ego. That wasn’t often, but he wanted it and could afford
it, so that was going to happen.
When he entered the living room, Mason was
standing near the fireplace and his father wasn’t there.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Dirk turned to
ask Fox, but the bastard was gone. Dirk looked at Mason. “Where is my dad, and
what the fuck are you doing here?”
“I’ve come to talk to you.” Dirk turned to
leave, but Mason’s next words made him pause. “You leave and you’ll get
nothing. Not one thin dime, and certainly not a place to live.”
Dirk would only tolerate so much, and he’d
give this man his due when the time was right. For now he was married to his
sister. He went into the living room and sat on the couch, right in the middle
so as not to look as if he wanted Mason to join him. And if he did sit with
him, the couch would be burned with the rest of the household furniture.
“Well?” Dirk hated this man more than anyone
he’d ever hated. In school the Douglas boys had always had women with them
despite their lack of good clothing and modes of transportation. And they were
smart, too, even though none of them had gone to college.
“You’ve been a very bad man, haven’t you,
Dirk?” Dirk had no idea what he was talking about and said as much. “You’ve
been on a murdering spree that has the police looking everywhere for you. What
do you have to say for yourself?”
“About what?” Mason said nothing but stood up
straighter against the mantel. “I’ve done a few things that anyone would have
done to get to where I am. So what if a few people lost their lives? My sister
is going to get me off and if she can’t, Dad will pay them off. It’s the way
the rich do things. And since I’m Dirk McBride, things get done for me.”
“My wife isn’t going to help you. She’s got a
good job now, and helping you isn’t part of the equation.” Dirk started to
stand up and argue, but Mason was taller and that wasn’t good. “You should also
know that being Dirk anyone isn’t going to cut it when you go to trial.”
“I’m glad you brought up Emma. She’s going to
have to leave you. I won’t have her married to someone like you.” Mason asked
him what kind of person he thought he was. “Let’s face it, Mason, you’re just
not up to standards with us. You’re a rancher, for Christ’s sake. I just won’t
have you bringing down our bloodline with your tainted blood. Emma will listen
to me or she’ll be taken care of, like I’m going to take care of a few other
things around here now that I’m back.”
Mason laughed. And for a few minutes too. Dirk
wanted to get up and hit him, but he didn’t. Then he remembered that he had a
gun and pulled it out, telling Mason to shut the fuck up.
“You going to shoot me, Dirk? I would
strongly advise that you not. Not only will you piss me off, but I might hurt
you badly should you try.” Dirk was tempted to show him that he was going to do
it and right now, but paused. “Your dad wants to talk to you.”
“It’s about fucking time. On your way out,
tell him I’m ready to see him now.” Mason laughed again. “You should learn to
listen to your betters, Mason. I’m sure you’ll get along better in life if you
simply know where your station is.”
“My station? I’ll tell you what my station is,
you little shit. I’m married to your sister. And we’re happily in love. You,
you little fuck, are not going to come between us or even have a say in
anything that we do. As of right now, I’m the one allowing you to be here, I’m
the one that is keeping the police at bay, and you, sir, should be grateful
that I’m not allowed to fucking kill you.”
“Kill me? You think you can kill me?” The gun
was pointed at Mason again, and the man paused. “Good, now I want you to tell
my dad to get his ass in here so I can get started on the things I need to get
done.”
“You put the gun on the table and he’ll come
in here with us.” Dirk said no. “Then I’ll make a call, bring in the police,
and have you arrested. It’s that simple.”
Dirk wasn’t going to jail. He might be
delayed in getting things done, but there was no way that he was going to go to
jail. He had money and connections. His sister might be mad at him, but she’d
never let him stay one moment in a cell. Of course, she’d told him he was on
his own from now on, but that had been because he’d taken her away from her job
when he’d needed her.
But to Dirk, things should be the way he
wanted them. All the time. Not just because of who he was, and that was
important enough, but because he was rich. Even his sister should know that as
the male of the family, he was going to get it all. And while she’d been nice
enough to help him, it was her duty to continue to do so. But he needed to get
things going.
“If I put my gun here, you’ll bring my dad
out so I can talk to him? There are things we have to discuss, and the sooner
the better.” Mason nodded. “How do I know I can trust you? You’re not exactly
the nicest person I know.”
“You’re right on that one. Had I been in
charge of this crap, you’d be in prison right about now.” Dirk laughed and told
him that wasn’t likely. “You think not? We’ll see. Put both guns and the knife
on the table and I’ll call your dad out.”
“Dad is here now?” Mason said nothing. Dirk
yelled for his dad several times and got nothing. “You’re a liar, Mason. And as
soon as I talk to my dad, you’re going to regret talking to me at all, much
less lying to me.”
“I already do.” When Mason whistled, his dad
came to the doorway. Dirk told him to get in here, that time was being wasted,
but his dad just walked away. When Dirk went to get him, Mason was suddenly in
front of him. “I told you, guns and knife on the table and he’ll talk to you.
And if you call me a liar again, I’m going to tear you to pieces.”
Dirk stalked back to the table. He slammed
the gun he had in his hand on the table, followed quickly by the knife. When
Mason only cocked that fucking brow at him again, Dirk reached into the back of
his pants and put the second gun there as well. Mason came into the room again,
but he didn’t go to the fireplace this time but stood near the table. And as if
he were magical, the guns and knife were gone.
“What the fuck are you doing? Give those back
to me.” Mason only sat down and whistled again, this time loudly and longer. Not
only did his dad come into the room, but Emma as well. Good, get two things off
his list at one time.
His dad sat on the other chair that was
opposite to the couch, and Emma sat on Mason’s lap. It was disgusting, and he
had to look away before he started on her first. His dad had to be dealt with
or nothing was going to go right.
“Did you do what I told you?” His dad said
nothing but looked at Mason. “I’m the one you’re supposed to be talking to, not
him. Mason is nothing right now. I’m the one that’s important.”
“I used to think that as well.” His dad
sounded sad, more than likely because he had to give him what he wanted. But
Dirk was the one with the money, and he had to do something so that the name
McBride was no longer sullied. “You’re a great disappointment to me, Dirk. I
never thought I’d say that to one of my children, but you truly are.”
“For what? You’re the one that kicked me out.
Had you just continued on the way things were, none of this would have
happened.” He leaned back on the couch. “I asked you a question, Dad, did you
do what I told you?”
“No. And I’m not going to either.” His dad tossed
a blue packet like thing at him. “This is my will. I had them make you a copy
as well. As of right now, you’re getting nothing should I die. And as much as
you’d like that to happen, it’s not going to be any time soon. And your mother
and I aren’t going to be remade in your image either. Emma is going to stay
married to Mason and hopefully have me lots of grandchildren. But you, son, are
on your own. After today we will not—”
“You can’t do this to me. I’m your son. The
heir of your money. And I want it. I’ve grown to love having it. Now….” Dirk turned
to Emma. “Get off him. Christ, and you change his will right fucking now. I don’t
know how you thought this was going to work, but I’m not going to stand for you
treating me this way any longer. Get me my cards and money and I’ll pretend
that you didn’t just tell me no.”
“I should have told you no a lot more.
Perhaps this might have ended better.” Emma stood up, but she didn’t move away
from Mason as Dad continued speaking. “I’m ashamed of what you’ve been doing.
You killed those people, Dirk. Don’t you even care?”
“Pay them off. It’s about all you’re good
for. And I had to do what I needed to do. You threw me out in the streets. You
took all my money. For what? A lesson? Well, the only thing I learned was not
to trust you again. That’s why I’m putting my foot down and having things my
way.” Dirk looked at Emma. “You are the one who should be ashamed. Christ, you’re
married to a…a Douglas. What the fuck are you thinking? Well, you’ll fix that
too. And pay him off to never mention his association with my name again. I’m
Dirk McBride, and I’m in charge now.”
“You’re a moron.” Dirk looked at Mason when
he called him a name. “A complete and total moron if you think even one thing
that you’re spewing is going to happen.”
Mason nodded to Emma, and she went to the
phone. If he had the gun right now, he’d have shot her. Instead he started for
her, and was stopped when Mason picked him up by his throat.
Clawing at his neck to try and get Mason’s
hands off him, he stared at the man. How dare he touch him? Dirk wasn’t going
to put up with this any longer. When he was tossed away, he stood up and
straightened his clothing and glared. His throat was sore, and his neck hurt,
but there was no way he’d let this bastard win this round.
“You’re going to pay for that.” Mason only
laughed, and he heard the sirens screaming in the drive. “The police. Perfect.
I do hope you have everything in order, Mason. You’re going away for a very
long time.”
“Me?” He laughed again. “You should really
think about who they’re here to arrest, Dirk the Dick. I’m pretty sure that it’s
not going to be me led away. And you’ll be rotting in prison too before anyone
comes to help you.”
The police came into the room with their guns
drawn. Dirk watched them go to Mason, and he smiled. His point was proven when
two more went to his dad. But when he was jerked up from the couch that he’d
just sat down on, Dirk turned to the man to see what the hell he was doing.
“Dirk Dwight McBride, you’re under arrest for
the murder of Sadie James, Michael Lowendick, and the attempted murder of your
father, Landon Dwight McBride, and Mark Coldwell.” Dirk tried to get away but
the cuffs were on him before he could take a step. “Would you like for me to add
resisting arrest to your list?”
“Emma, tell this man to unhand me.” She only
stood there holding onto Mason. “Emma, this is just stupid. Tell them to let me
go and we’ll just get finished with what we were talking about. You can’t mean
to teach me another lesson. I’m sick to death of what you think I need to
learn. Tell them who I am, goddamn it.”
“He’s Dirk McBride.” Dirk smiled at her and
looked at the officer holding him, waiting for him to let him go. “And there
are three more names you can add to that list of murdered people. I’ll have the
files sent to your office in the morning.”
Dirk tried his best to get away, but all he
managed to do was get himself dragged to the back of the cruiser and shoved in.
People were going to pay for his treatment, and he was going to start with his
sister. Screaming at them to let him go resulted in one of the officers turning
around and hitting him in the face. It was the last thing he remembered for a
while.
Emma sat at the desk she’d been given and
stared at nothing. She supposed she should get something done before they came
in and told her she was fired, but for the life of her she just didn’t have the
energy. Her brother was going to prison and she’d covered up three other deaths
he’d committed. When someone knocked on her door, she looked up at Georgie and
bid her to come in.
“How you settling in?”
Emma told her she was doing fine, but noticed
that there were still packages on her desk that had been there when she’d
arrived. “They’re from the men. I still can’t believe that I have a husband and
five brothers-in-law.”
“Don’t forget you have a sister-in-law and an
aunt too.” Georgie leaned back and pointed to the gifts. “You should open them.
I’ve been sent here to make sure that they did well in picking them out. And I
think that Zach put the most thought into giving you something.”
Emma reached for one of the prettily-wrapped
packages and saw who it was from. Jace and Holly, it said. Opening it up, she
smiled at the pretty pen and pencil set that had her name engraved on them
both.
“I should just let them take these back. I’m
pretty sure that when the county finds out about Dirk, I’m going to be fired.
And to be honest, I don’t blame them one bit. What I did was wrong.” Georgie
handed her the next box. This one was from Gerard. “Oh, how beautiful.”
It was a sun catcher that had a cougar on the
bottom of it. She was sure that it could be used as a wind chime as well, but
she got up and hung it in the window, and was delighted when she had a rainbow
of colors dancing over her desk.
The next gift was from Darin. She sat the
large pencil holder on her desk, then smiled when Georgie told her it was a
vase. “He made it. There is this pretty girl teaching a pottery class at the
local college, and he’s taking it. I think that he is enjoying the class more
than the girl after he got started. That’s his first attempt. I’m very proud of
him.”
“I love it. I’ll have to put some flowers in
it when I get home.”
Emma took the next box. It was bigger than
the rest of them, and she tore the wrapping off. It was from Logan. She looked
at Georgie, not sure what it was.
“It’s a teat. You know? The things that they
hook up to cows to milk them. He wrote a note to go with it. It’s that little
card. Read it.”
To my new sister-in-law. May your tits remain
as firm as this one. May your milk run true when you have children, and if you
need to, hit Mason with this. It’s harder than his head.
She held it to her breast and laughed with
Georgie, then set it with the rest of the gifts and picked up the one from
Zach. She was almost afraid to open it, but did when Georgie told her it wouldn’t
hurt her.
Opening it, she thought of all the plans she’d
made concerning this office. It had been fun over the last week while waiting
on something to happen with her brother. She should have known that it was too
good to be true. And when Mason told her she was being silly, she didn’t even
bother correcting him. But when the watch fell out into the palm of her hand,
she looked at Georgie again.
“It was his mother’s. She gave it to him the
day they left them.” Georgie got up and came around the desk to help her put it
on. “He came to me last night and told me what he was going to do and why. He’s
the reason I came by today. To tell you why he did it.”
“This should go to his own mate. Someone that
he loves.” Georgie told him he’d given it to someone he loved. “That’s not what
I mean. I mean, like his own wife or his own children.”
“He wanted you to have it.” There was a note
to this one as well. She pulled it out of the envelope and started to read it, but
her eyes filled with tears and she had to stop. Georgie took it and read it to
her.
“‘Emma, there are few women that I would call
friends in my life. Few of them that I respect. I didn’t know my mother well
because she died when I was so young, but others in my life have made up for
her loss to me. Aunt Georgie because of how much she gave up to come and care
for us, and how much she still does just to keep us together. My sister-in-law,
Holly, because of her ability to simply be smart and not make you feel like you
need a dictionary when you have a conversation with her. But you, you are the
one I care for deeply.
“Mason has always been a good man, the best
brother, and a wonderful role model. I’ve wanted to be like him, grow up like
him, since I was old enough to realize what he was. Not perfect, but willing to
let you know that he was aware of his many flaws and still be a good person.
You’ve made him better.
“He whistles now. Not just a little, but
seemingly all the time. Mason smiles now. He did before you came into his life,
but there is a twinkle in his eyes now that makes you think that whatever he
has, you’ll want too. And I do.
“Having a mate has never been a thing that I’d
thought of. I’m sure that she’s out there…more than likely a human…and she’s
probably going to give me a run for my money. But I will love her, bring her
into my heart, and keep her safe. Because of you.
“Emma, I give you my mother’s watch because I
simply love you. It was the last thing she ever gave to me, and the only thing
in the world that I treasure above all else. One day, when I meet her, the
woman that will make me sappy like my brother Jace and happy like my brother
Mason, I’d like for you to remind me, should I be stupid, about what I said
about love and happiness. Just show me the watch and it will be a reminder that
every day is precious to us, and to love with all we have.’
“Then he signed it, ‘your loving brother,
Zach.’” Emma looked at the watch and wondered, not for the first time since
meeting Mason, if his parents would have approved of her. Would they have liked
her or just tolerated her? Voicing these questions to Georgie, Emma was
surprised when she laughed.
“I was just thinking that maybe they’d think
I was…I don’t know, a snob. My brother certainly is.” Georgie nodded. “Would
they have? Liked me I mean?”
“They would have loved you. And been very
proud…well, right now they would have been here kicking your ass and wondering
why you’re not doing your job and telling the rest of the world to fuck off.”
Emma was shocked by the language and nearly said so. “Norman and Zelma Douglas
were the most…everything people I knew. My brother would have told you to get
to your job that you’re perfect for and don’t let anyone bring you down. Zelma,
a very strong-willed woman by the way, would have kicked your bottom for
sitting here moping too.”
Emma heard the phone ring in the outer office
and waited for the woman—she thought her name was Celia Holt—to tell her it was
for her. When she didn’t, Emma looked at Georgie again before speaking.
“Did Mason talk to you?” She nodded and
smiled. “I’m really scared, if you want to know the truth. He’s been telling me
that I’ll be fine, that I’m very strong, but I’m still afraid.”
“And you should be. It’s a scary thing to go
from one species to another with someone tearing into your flesh.” Emma
shivered. “But Mason is strong and so is his cat. If anyone can do it, he’d be
the man to do so. Holly had some advantages that you won’t. Drugs helped her go
through the change with little to no pain on her side. You’re going to hurt.”
“But he said that it would be over long
before I died. I think I’m more afraid of dying and leaving him alone than I am
the pain or anything else.” Georgie told her she’d do well. “I hope so.”
Celia came into her office after a brief
knock. “There’s a meeting down the hall that they’re ready for you to come to
now. Sheriff LeBlanc said he’d like for you to be there, but if you’re too busy
he said to drop everything and get down there anyway.”
Emma stood up. It was time. She wondered if
she’d have time to come back and get her few things, and decided to stuff them
into her purse. She might need them later to cheer her up. Going down the hall,
Celia was with her, briefing her on who was going to be in the room with them.
“The sheriff, of course, and then the
Ranchers’ Association is there as well.” Emma looked at Celia and asked her if
Mason was there. “Yes, and Jace too. Mr. Snow, as well as Mr. McBride. They’re
a part of the committee that takes care of things when you’re away.”
Emma stopped just before the door and turned
to Celia. “I’m thinking they’re going to fire me. And if they do, I wanted to
tell you what an amazing job you’ve done for me this last week. Whoever they
get to replace me…well, they’ll need you as much as I did.”
“You think they’re going to fire you?” Emma
nodded. “I don’t think so. I had to…. Maybe you should just go in and talk to
them. I think you’re going to be just fine.”
Emma walked just through the doorway and
stared. She felt like she was in the wrong room and would have left had Mason
not put his arm around her and brought her all the way into the room. There
were more people in here than she’d been told, and a good many of them should
have been back on their ranches and working.
Balloons were everywhere. The table in the
middle of the room was laden with food…cakes and pies, and a ham with loaves of
homemade bread that was still steaming, it was so fresh. Her dad and mom were
there, standing next to Mr. Snow and Mason’s brothers. Emma was handed a plate
and told to fill it.
She moved through the line and never saw what
was being put on her large tray-like plate. Mason was filling it while people
told her congratulations. Nodding, it wasn’t until they were both seated at one
of the tables that she found her tongue and asked Mason what was going on.
“You’re the new mayor.” She shook her head. “Yes
you are, love. The committee took a vote and it was unanimous. You have the
full job instead of just being a fill-in until they find a replacement. Which,
I will tell you, it would have been hard to replace you.”
“I don’t understand.” Mason just laughed at
her. “Seriously, didn’t they read what I wrote about helping my brother out all
those times? He was out because of me.”
“No, honey, he was out because a judge let
him go. You presented the case, which we all got to see by the way, and the
judge made his decisions. Both times. And as for him being out because of you,
had you not helped us the way you did, he would still be out. You did well and
they know it.”
The rest of the afternoon was sort of a blur.
Emma was presented with a new chair for her office, and some of the other
staff, including Celia, were invited in too so they could enjoy the meal and
celebrations. Emma was exhausted by the time they got home, and went up to bed
early.
~~~
Mason was out in the barn when he heard the
bell. It wasn’t even noon yet, so he came out quickly and started for the
house. The rest of his family was on their way too when the big semi pulled up
in front of Georgie’s house. She stopped ringing it as soon as they came up on
the porch.
“Which one of you did this?” Mason looked at
his brothers, then back at Aunt Georgie. “Fess up. I swear to you, I’m only
going to get madder if you don’t tell me.”
“Did what?” She glared at him, and he took a
step back. “You know what’s in the truck? If you do then if you told us, maybe
we can tell you something about it.”
“You don’t know.” He shook his head and
watched as the rest of them did the same. “Well, this is just dandy. I have a
delivery here and not one person ordered it for me. I guess I’ll have to send
it—”
The car stopping in the drive sprayed rocks
and dirt up over the porch. When Emma and Holly got out, Mason had an idea who
might have ordered whatever had his aunt all twisted up. Aunt Georgie glared at
them when Emma walked up to the driver and told him to unload it.
“I’m not going to accept this.” The driver
ignored her, as did Emma and Holly. “You heard me. I said I don’t want it.”
“Yes, you do.” Holly helped the driver pull
the last of the plastic off the back end before she came up to kiss Aunt
Georgie too. “Now, behave yourself and say thank you.”
The driver, using a lift off the back end of
his truck, brought down the first box. It was huge and the only writing on it
said “fragile” and “this end up.” When he went back up to get the next load,
Mason and his brothers moved the box up onto the porch. The sucker was heavy
too.
Cutting into the tape that held the box
together, Mason stepped back when he realized what was inside. It was a chair.
One that his aunt had wanted since…well, since forever.
The next few boxes were a couch, loveseat,
and lamps. All of it matched the chair, and each piece made his aunt cry
harder. When they had wrestled all the old out and the new in, he realized how
worn out and used up the furniture was. It also suddenly dawned on him that
they’d been avoiding the living room, a room that they had gathered in after
every meal. Now they stayed in the dining room, or on the porch if the weather
was nice.
In addition to the living room furniture,
there was a kitchen table and chairs, a stove, appliances that nearly filled
all the space on the counters, and a huge mixer, coffee maker, and tea maker. There
was a new can opener, electric, that was being hung under the cabinets by
Gerard as the rest of the boxes were opened. Mason went to find his wife to
thank her and to ask her how she knew.