Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 78227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
How did I not know this? Years ago, when I gave up my opera performance dreams, my brother was still working toward his own musical dream. He’s amazing.
“Then I’ll help you, Jess. I’ll help you put this band on the map.”
“Seriously?”
I sigh. “I love playing with you guys. Singing, leaving all my inhibitions behind. Singing opera was always so controlled. But singing rock? It’s freeing, Jess. Maybe it’s time I leave opera behind for good.”
“Rory…”
“It’s not a rash decision. It’s not even a decision. Opera turned its back on me long before I turned my back on it.” I punch his arm but not hard enough to startle him. “Oh, and nice redirection, by the way.”
“What?”
“I believe we were talking about you not dating recently.”
“I explained that.” He shakes his head. “And actually, sis, we started by talking about what’s going on with the Steels.”
“Honestly, I don’t know a lot of what’s going on with them. Very little, in fact. But if you promise to keep this between you and me, I’ll tell you what I know.”
“I promise, Rory. I won’t go after anyone, and I won’t mention it to Callie.”
“Good, because she and Donny are engaged. She’s much closer to being a Steel family member than I am.”
“Pinky swear,” he says.
“Don’t joke, Jesse.”
“Who’s joking? I promise, Rory. I promise.”
I clear my throat. “It appears the rumors may be true. The Steels may very well own Snow Creek.”
His eyebrows rise. “What does that mean, exactly?”
“That’s just it. We don’t know. This is all news to Donny and Brock as well. But apparently the Steels have liens on almost all the town’s property.”
“On ours?”
“That’s the weird thing. They don’t. Mom and Dad own our property free and clear.”
“Of course,” he says. “Our property isn’t technically in Snow Creek.”
“Right. It’s unincorporated county property. But most of the properties in town? They have liens, held by the Steels.”
“Okay…”
“And there’s more…”
He clears his throat. “That’s what I was afraid of.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
BROCK
We trudge to the other barn, my stomach and bowels churning.
Again, it’s up to me to open the door.
God, what might I find in here? Bodies? That horrible sweet stench?
I brace myself, holding my nose. And I open the door.
No dogs this time.
Odd, because if there are dead bodies in here, surely whoever put them there would want them guarded.
You have to do it, I tell myself. You have to inhale with your nose because you have to know if that horrible pungent odor is here.
I inhale.
“Oh God,” I say out loud.
Again, the syrupy smell of decaying human flesh.
Again, no windows, and I almost don’t want my eyes to adjust.
But they do.
And I find…
Nothing.
A sigh of relief whooshes out of me like a gust of wind.
No bodies piled anywhere.
Only a few tarps stacked and folded in the corner.
Again, I walk the perimeter of the place, and I come across dog shit once more. Which means… They do indeed keep guard dogs here when there is cargo stored here.
But that’s it.
No bones this time, and thankfully, no bodies.
But the bodies have been here.
My nose tells me that.
I draw in a deep breath—through my mouth of course—and walk back outside.
“What did you find?” Dad asks, still training his gun on Doc Sheraton.
“Tarps,” I say, “and nothing else. Except…”
“Except what?”
I draw another deep breath, this time of fresh air tinged with dog shit. “The odor is there, Dad. The one we told you about. Dead flesh.”
“Jesus Christ.” Dad shakes his head.
“No,” Doc says. “Please, no.”
“I know the odor,” I say. “I’ve smelled it before, and Donny and Dale told me what it is.”
“How would they know?” Brittany asks.
I say nothing. None of her damned business anyway.
“Answer my daughter’s question, please,” Doc says. “I don’t understand any of this.”
“The only thing you need to know,” Dad says, “is that we know the fucking smell. As for how we know it? That’s none of your concern.”
“Yes, it is,” Brittany says. “If you know what dead bodies smell like, what does that say about the two of you?”
“Shut her up, Doc,” Dad says.
“Wait a minute,” I interrupt. “We know because Dale and Donny, before they were adopted by the Steels, came in contact with decaying human flesh. It’s not a pretty story, Brittany, and that’s all you’re going to get of it. But trust me. That is the odor I smelled. Judging by the fact that your fingernails have been left at our property, where we also smelled decaying human flesh, I’d say you’re done talking.”
Brittany gulps, and she says nothing more.
“My God,” Doc says.
“Don’t give me that.” From Dad. “You had to know something nefarious was going on. I will never believe that you didn’t. I might believe that she didn’t.” He nods to Brittany.
Brittany.
Unlike my father, I’m not convinced of her innocence. Something’s off with her for sure.
“I didn’t, Mr. Steel,” she says. “I swear.”