Jennifer Estep - Web of Lies

About what, I couldn’t imagine. But it was there.

After about three minutes, the babble of voices and conversation wound down.

“I just don’t see how it’s possible,” Donovan Caine said. “Diamonds? Here?”

I nodded. “They have them over in Arkansas, why not here in Ashland? Tobias Dawson’s found plenty of coal in the mountain. That’s all a diamond really is — coal put under pressure long and hard enough to evolve into something else.”

“How do you know that?” the detective asked.

“I know a little bit about stones, especially precious ones.” I didn’t mention the fact I could hear their vibrations, tap into them, and get them to do anything I wanted. I never flaunted my magic, and I wasn’t about to do it now.

“But if Dawson’s already started drilling this other shaft to get to the diamonds, why is he still threatening us?”

Violet asked, confusion flashing in her eyes. “Why even bother? Why not just take the diamonds out on the sly?”

“Because the dwarf doesn’t own the mineral rights to the land,” Warren rumbled. “I do. So legally, they aren’t his diamonds. They’re ours.”

“And people might realize that, if he started mining them,” Jo-Jo finished. “Word would get around. It always does. And then Warren could cause problems for him. Legal problems.”

Warren nodded. “Or try to at least.”

We all fell silent. I gave the others a few minutes to think, but my decision had already been made.

“Finn?” I asked in a low voice.

“Yeah?”

“What else did you find out about Dawson today?”

He stared at me with his green eyes. “All the usual info. Finances, business interests, hobbies, homes, social connections.”

“Anything we can use?”

Finn stared at me. His gaze cut to Warren. He saw the resolution in the other man’s face and realized it matched mine. “Yeah, there are a few angles. Nothing too easy, of course, but I’m sure we can find something. There’s always a way in.”

That’s what Fletcher Lane always used to tell me. I smiled.

The detective stared at me, his gold eyes dark. “Surely there’s another way besides killing Dawson.”

“And what way would that be, detective? Turn Tobias Dawson into the cops? For what, making threats? It wouldn’t take, and you know it. Besides, the police usually require a pesky little thing called proof. And I’m betting there is none. Dawson’s too smart for that. Am I right?” I looked at Warren.

Warren shook his head. “It’s just my word against his. Dawson’s men are the ones who’ve been harassing my customers, never him directly. But his men would never speak out against him. He pays them too well for that.”

“But you own the land, Warren, the mineral rights,” Donovan said. “Dawson just can’t do whatever he wants with your property. You could take him to court to get him to stop. We have the files from his office. We can prove what he’s doing.”

Finn snorted. “Yeah, files which you and Gin got by breaking into Dawson’s office. No judge would ever allow them in court. And I don’t think Dawson would be eager to cough up any more information. Besides, look at it from the money angle. A court case would drag on for years, and Dawson’s pockets are a lot deeper than Warren’s are.”

“Even then,” I said, “Dawson could probably buy the verdict he wanted. And while everything was getting settled the wrong way in court, Dawson could continue his reign of terror in the meantime. Make another play for Violet in the meantime. Face it, detective, the dwarf isn’t going to walk away from a mountain full of diamonds. Nobody would. There’s only one way to get him to stop. My way.”

Our eyes met and held, gold on gray. After a moment, Donovan Caine looked away, but not before I caught the weary resignation in his gaze, the sag in his shoulders, the deep lines of defeat in his face. He knew what I said was true. He didn’t like it, but the detective was going to let me do it. He knew I was going after Tobias Dawson, and he wasn’t going to try to stop me. Not anymore. I hadn’t expected the detective to come around so easily.

I wondered what had caused the quick turnaround. His friendship with Warren Fox? Me? Something else?

But I didn’t feel like celebrating my victory in making the detective agree to my plan. Something was bothering Donovan. Me, most likely, and what had happened between us in the backseat of his sedan. But the detective’s anger over my assassinating Cliff Ingles, his corrupt partner, seemed to have faded away, for whatever reason.

Donovan hadn’t mentioned it once all day. So what had I done now that was so terrible besides give him a couple of orgasms? I couldn’t help but wonder.

But now wasn’t the time to focus on Donovan Caine and this curious warmth I felt for him. Things needed to be done tonight before I made any kind of move against Tobias Dawson. So I pushed thoughts of the detective away and looked at the others.

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” I said.

“First of all, the two of you,” I jerked my head at the Foxes, “need to disappear for the next few days. Take a vacation somewhere.”

Warren shook his head. “No. I’m not running from Tobias Dawson. Never have, never will.”

“And what about Violet?” I asked. “She almost got raped and killed last night because Dawson wanted to send you a message. If he even thinks the break-in at the mining office tonight is connected to you, he’ll come down here, kill you two, and burn everything to the ground. Is that what you want?”

“Of course not,” Warren snapped. “But I’m a Fox, of the Ridgeline Hollow Foxes. My ancestors have lived in these mountains for more than three hundred years. The settlers didn’t drive my people out, and I’ll be damned if one greedy dwarf is going to make me go anywhere. I’ve never run from a fight. I’m not about to start now.”

A mulish look spread across his wrinkled face, and I knew he wasn’t going to budge. Not on this point. Warren might die, but he’d do it in his own store — just like Fletcher had. My heart twisted, and the old man’s ruined face awam before my eyes. I shoved the image away. Warren T. Fox wasn’t going to end up like Fletcher Lane — not if I could help it.

“Fine. You can stay here in the house.”

Warren smiled.

“With Sophia and Jo-Jo as protection,” I added. “And you’re going to close the store for the rest of the week. That’s not a request.”

His smile slipped. “Why?”

“Because Tobias Dawson will be sure to be watching. If he sees the store’s closed, he might think you’re finally softening up. It should buy us a little extra time.”

“What about me?” Violet asked. “I can’t exactly leave either. I’ve got classes and exams coming up.”

I turned to her. “Do you have a friend you could stay with for the next few days?”

She nodded. “I could stay with Eva Grayson.”

I flashed back to that night in the Pork Pit when Owen Grayson had told his little sister she was getting a bodyguard whether she liked it or not. The guy I’d seen Eva with at the community college had looked capable enough. So had Owen, for that matter. Staying with the Graysons was probably the best place for Violet until this thing was over. “All right. Call Eva.”

Violet blinked. “Now?”

I nodded. “Now. I want this all squared away tonight. That way, I can focus on getting to Dawson.”

I looked at the two dwarves. “You two think you can stand guard duty for a few days?”

“Of course,” Jo-Jo said. “Anything you need, Gin. You know that.”

“Um-mmm.” Sophia grunted her agreement.

“What about me?” Finn asked.