Defiance: A House Divided (The Defending Home Series Book 2) by William H. Weber Page B
Authors: William H. Weber
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those weren’t the tears of remorse. No, after the pain of Julie’s passing, Dale knew what it meant to be gutted. The tears in Nicole’s eyes were the tears of regret. Regret at having been caught.
“The next order of business,” Zach said, “should be finding a rope and a tree tall enough to hang her from.”
Dale didn’t say a word. Not because Zach was wrong, but because he was trying to decide how right he was.
Chapter 18
Randy
––––––––
D awn had turned to early morning when Edwardo Ortega and his group of bodyguards showed up at the sheriff’s office. Many of the deputies who hadn’t been working the night shift were only starting to stir.
Edwardo strode right into the barracks area, stuck the tips of both pinkies into his mouth and let out an ear-shattering blast.
“Good morning, my friends,” he said in a rare display of joviality. “You know what they say. The early bird gets the worm.” Which sounded to Randy’s tired ear more like, “De hearly bur gets da whurm.”
But it was the blaring truck horns drifting in from outside which really caught his attention.
“What’s this all about?” Randy said, trying his best to hide his annoyance. A man thought twice about offending his boss when the man in charge was a cold-blooded killer. That the sheriff himself was also guilty of murder—and more than one—didn’t seem to register in his sluggish early-morning brain. Either way, psychos and sociopaths always seemed to be the other guy.
Randy and his deputies dressed and shuffled outside. If this was another oath-taking ceremony, Randy wasn’t sure what he’d do. Those horns blared again as three water trucks came roaring down the street, the cartel flag stenciled along the side. Gone were the days when the drug lords needed to hide from any government. Perhaps the reason was simple. In many cases they had simply taken the government’s place.
The three trucks swung into the sheriff’s office parking lot. A handful of townspeople whose houses were along Coronado Boulevard poked their heads out. Many even cheered. Randy shook his head in disbelief. It was a sight he would never have expected.
Edwardo and his bodyguard headed inside the office, followed by Randy and his deputies.
“When I give my word,” the cartel lieutenant said with a toothy grin, “do I not deliver?”
“This will go far in helping the people of Encendido accept you,” Randy said, trying to be positive.
Edwardo didn’t like that. “Accept me? Why wouldn’t they accept me?”
Randy’s palms began to moisten. “I don’t know, I’m just saying.” This guy was acting like a Mexican Joe Pesci. Even the deputies around him looked nervous.
“Just saying? Your citizens are thirsty. I bring them water and you imply that we are not welcome here.”
Keith cleared his throat. “Sheriff Randy’s just saying that folks here were just getting used to Mayor Reid before his recent... departure. But we’re all confident your generous gift will go a long way to help win them over.”
The features on Edwardo’s face softened. Then a smile appeared. He was happy again, at least for now. “Consider it the first of many more deliveries. Compliments of my father, Fernando. Not far behind these are trucks filled with food. One way to deal with men like Señor Dale is to cut them off at the knees. He thinks distributing water himself will win him friends. I intend to show him the error of that thinking.”
Just then the front doors swung open and in walked a handful of Ortega’s men. In the middle of the group was Shane Hardy.
“I take it you two know each other,” Edwardo said.
“Where’s Mayor Reid?” Shane asked, sounding more than a little nervous and looking like he hadn’t slept in days. His right arm was bandaged, likely a wound he’d received during the battle over Dale’s property.
Edwardo regarded Shane thoughtfully. “I’m afraid Mr. Reid is no longer with us.”
Shane’s
“The next order of business,” Zach said, “should be finding a rope and a tree tall enough to hang her from.”
Dale didn’t say a word. Not because Zach was wrong, but because he was trying to decide how right he was.
Chapter 18
Randy
––––––––
D awn had turned to early morning when Edwardo Ortega and his group of bodyguards showed up at the sheriff’s office. Many of the deputies who hadn’t been working the night shift were only starting to stir.
Edwardo strode right into the barracks area, stuck the tips of both pinkies into his mouth and let out an ear-shattering blast.
“Good morning, my friends,” he said in a rare display of joviality. “You know what they say. The early bird gets the worm.” Which sounded to Randy’s tired ear more like, “De hearly bur gets da whurm.”
But it was the blaring truck horns drifting in from outside which really caught his attention.
“What’s this all about?” Randy said, trying his best to hide his annoyance. A man thought twice about offending his boss when the man in charge was a cold-blooded killer. That the sheriff himself was also guilty of murder—and more than one—didn’t seem to register in his sluggish early-morning brain. Either way, psychos and sociopaths always seemed to be the other guy.
Randy and his deputies dressed and shuffled outside. If this was another oath-taking ceremony, Randy wasn’t sure what he’d do. Those horns blared again as three water trucks came roaring down the street, the cartel flag stenciled along the side. Gone were the days when the drug lords needed to hide from any government. Perhaps the reason was simple. In many cases they had simply taken the government’s place.
The three trucks swung into the sheriff’s office parking lot. A handful of townspeople whose houses were along Coronado Boulevard poked their heads out. Many even cheered. Randy shook his head in disbelief. It was a sight he would never have expected.
Edwardo and his bodyguard headed inside the office, followed by Randy and his deputies.
“When I give my word,” the cartel lieutenant said with a toothy grin, “do I not deliver?”
“This will go far in helping the people of Encendido accept you,” Randy said, trying to be positive.
Edwardo didn’t like that. “Accept me? Why wouldn’t they accept me?”
Randy’s palms began to moisten. “I don’t know, I’m just saying.” This guy was acting like a Mexican Joe Pesci. Even the deputies around him looked nervous.
“Just saying? Your citizens are thirsty. I bring them water and you imply that we are not welcome here.”
Keith cleared his throat. “Sheriff Randy’s just saying that folks here were just getting used to Mayor Reid before his recent... departure. But we’re all confident your generous gift will go a long way to help win them over.”
The features on Edwardo’s face softened. Then a smile appeared. He was happy again, at least for now. “Consider it the first of many more deliveries. Compliments of my father, Fernando. Not far behind these are trucks filled with food. One way to deal with men like Señor Dale is to cut them off at the knees. He thinks distributing water himself will win him friends. I intend to show him the error of that thinking.”
Just then the front doors swung open and in walked a handful of Ortega’s men. In the middle of the group was Shane Hardy.
“I take it you two know each other,” Edwardo said.
“Where’s Mayor Reid?” Shane asked, sounding more than a little nervous and looking like he hadn’t slept in days. His right arm was bandaged, likely a wound he’d received during the battle over Dale’s property.
Edwardo regarded Shane thoughtfully. “I’m afraid Mr. Reid is no longer with us.”
Shane’s
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