much today?”
“If you sign, I will consider it.”
“Oh? And how much did you offer my mom before you killed her?”
He jerked, his mouth opening and closing rapidly. “You’re delusional.”
“Come on, Mr. Davis.” She placed a hand on her hip and hoped he didn’t notice her legs shaking. “With my mom out of the way, you figured her daughter would be an easy sell. Grieving too much and not wanting to be around the memory of her mother and where she died, isn’t that right?”
“Keep your voice down.” Mr. Davis glanced around, but Michael was gone.
Where had he disappeared to?
“Listen, you little bitch,” David took out a gun from his pocket and her heart jackhammered against her chest. “I had a feeling you were going to be just as stubborn as your mother. With no one alive owning the place, it’ll go to the state. I’ll pay my lawyers to get it one way or another.” He pointed the gun at her chest.
Her whole body trembled. With her eyes wide open, the ice cream shop around her blurred. A vision of her mother arguing with Mr. Davis sprung forward. His rage was out of control as he rushed and grabbed her mom’s arm to keep her from walking away from him, and said something to her. Her mom slapped him and he shoved her. She stumbled backward, slamming her head into the glass display case and bleeding out.
“Y-you killed her.”
“And I’m going to do the same to you if you don’t shut up and sign the damn paper.”
The look on his face said otherwise. It said he was going to kill her if she signed the paper or not. Her whole body trembled. Between them, the shop seemed to brighten while the edges darkened.
Chapter Fourteen
“Listen, this doesn’t have to be painful.” Colt Davis kept the pistol locked on her, his gaze drilling holes into her face. “Sign the paper and we can forget this whole thing. You’re in college, so do the right thing.”
Her legs shook. She clenched her fists, her anger surging through her. “Y-you think I’m going to do what for you? I’m not signing anything. Murderer!”
“What?” He barked out a laugh. “You’re crazy.”
Sweat trickled down her back while her whole body seemed to vibrate as fear and rage trampled her. “Why do you even want this place?” Her gaze didn’t leave the gun. Anytime now, Jarred.
“Opportunity and money.” He smiled and a sick sensation rolled through her.
That made no sense. Sure the ice cream shop was profitable, but only a small percentage was left after overhead and paying all the bills. And certainly not worth $120,000. “I don’t understand.” And she still needed him to admit he’d had something to do with her mom’s murder. Right now, all he’d admitted to was being a shrewd businessman.
“Behind you is prime property.” He motioned with the gun. “I take over this strip mall, demolish it and build a high-rise. Location is everything. Here there’s access to schools, entertainment, everything.”
“So? Move somewhere else. Across town.”
He frowned. “I thought you were smart.”
Stiffening, she took a step toward the ice cream scooper laying on the counter, out of his line of sight.
“This town is booming. People are moving here all the time. Pricing for the property has gone up.” He held up a finger. “But if you get property from individuals who have paid off their lease, then it’s much cheaper.”
Made sense. The ice cream shop was at the heart of town. There were plenty of businesses nearby who’d love to take this space over, she guessed. “How do I know you won’t kill me if I sign?”
“You’re right.” He cocked the gun. “But if you don’t sign, then I’ll kill you anyway and forge your signature.”
Had he planned to do that after her mom died, but then realized she was on the title too? “The bank won’t accept a false s—”
“Yes, they will. You were under stress of your mom’s murder. I saw for myself how your hand shook. And it’ll be our
“If you sign, I will consider it.”
“Oh? And how much did you offer my mom before you killed her?”
He jerked, his mouth opening and closing rapidly. “You’re delusional.”
“Come on, Mr. Davis.” She placed a hand on her hip and hoped he didn’t notice her legs shaking. “With my mom out of the way, you figured her daughter would be an easy sell. Grieving too much and not wanting to be around the memory of her mother and where she died, isn’t that right?”
“Keep your voice down.” Mr. Davis glanced around, but Michael was gone.
Where had he disappeared to?
“Listen, you little bitch,” David took out a gun from his pocket and her heart jackhammered against her chest. “I had a feeling you were going to be just as stubborn as your mother. With no one alive owning the place, it’ll go to the state. I’ll pay my lawyers to get it one way or another.” He pointed the gun at her chest.
Her whole body trembled. With her eyes wide open, the ice cream shop around her blurred. A vision of her mother arguing with Mr. Davis sprung forward. His rage was out of control as he rushed and grabbed her mom’s arm to keep her from walking away from him, and said something to her. Her mom slapped him and he shoved her. She stumbled backward, slamming her head into the glass display case and bleeding out.
“Y-you killed her.”
“And I’m going to do the same to you if you don’t shut up and sign the damn paper.”
The look on his face said otherwise. It said he was going to kill her if she signed the paper or not. Her whole body trembled. Between them, the shop seemed to brighten while the edges darkened.
Chapter Fourteen
“Listen, this doesn’t have to be painful.” Colt Davis kept the pistol locked on her, his gaze drilling holes into her face. “Sign the paper and we can forget this whole thing. You’re in college, so do the right thing.”
Her legs shook. She clenched her fists, her anger surging through her. “Y-you think I’m going to do what for you? I’m not signing anything. Murderer!”
“What?” He barked out a laugh. “You’re crazy.”
Sweat trickled down her back while her whole body seemed to vibrate as fear and rage trampled her. “Why do you even want this place?” Her gaze didn’t leave the gun. Anytime now, Jarred.
“Opportunity and money.” He smiled and a sick sensation rolled through her.
That made no sense. Sure the ice cream shop was profitable, but only a small percentage was left after overhead and paying all the bills. And certainly not worth $120,000. “I don’t understand.” And she still needed him to admit he’d had something to do with her mom’s murder. Right now, all he’d admitted to was being a shrewd businessman.
“Behind you is prime property.” He motioned with the gun. “I take over this strip mall, demolish it and build a high-rise. Location is everything. Here there’s access to schools, entertainment, everything.”
“So? Move somewhere else. Across town.”
He frowned. “I thought you were smart.”
Stiffening, she took a step toward the ice cream scooper laying on the counter, out of his line of sight.
“This town is booming. People are moving here all the time. Pricing for the property has gone up.” He held up a finger. “But if you get property from individuals who have paid off their lease, then it’s much cheaper.”
Made sense. The ice cream shop was at the heart of town. There were plenty of businesses nearby who’d love to take this space over, she guessed. “How do I know you won’t kill me if I sign?”
“You’re right.” He cocked the gun. “But if you don’t sign, then I’ll kill you anyway and forge your signature.”
Had he planned to do that after her mom died, but then realized she was on the title too? “The bank won’t accept a false s—”
“Yes, they will. You were under stress of your mom’s murder. I saw for myself how your hand shook. And it’ll be our
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