fishing. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Angus sniffed, turning his head to the side as if sharing a joke with the yard at large. He looked supremely unflustered. “Daniel Redmond has an arrest record. Larceny. It really wasn’t a problem convincing the credit union to rethink things.”
The betrayal was already unfurling, Danny at the center of it, but Calvin tamped it down in light of the more immediate threat. The threat, he reminded himself, that he trusted far less than he did his foster brother at the moment.
At any rate, Calvin knew small-town mentality. If Angus’s business paid certain bills, it was unlikely that fighting the situation would do much good with local business owners, not when he still had other options. He summoned up a version of his voice that wouldn’t stick him in the defensive position. “You know I’ll just take out a loan somewhere else. Somewhere that will laugh you out of the building for even trying to pull this shit.”
“I don’t think you will, Calvin.” And didn’t that just bite, the use of his first name like they were friends? “Your little brother’s not the only one with a secret.”
Oh God, not Devon, too. Calvin gritted his teeth, preparing for whatever came flying his way next. “And you’re going to air all the dirty laundry, are you?”
“Do your youth group organizers know you have a history of drug use?”
“I don’t!”
But Angus’s eyes went disturbingly bright. “Yes, you do.” He enunciated each word. “Some fairly potent antidepressants. Do they know? More importantly, would they be interested in knowing?”
Calvin’s throat felt hot, his head strangely desolate, as if it had just been washed clean with lava. He swallowed and knew Angus saw it, hated himself for allowing such an easy blow. “You’re blackmailing us?”
Angus’s lips tripped upward at the corners, an amused flutter that sickened Calvin. “Your kids’ group is liberal by design. But it’s still a small town, still parents to answer to. I think your particular history of medication won’t go over well.”
The crunch of shoes over gravel erupted, and Will came around the side of the house, wooden slats in hand, his face already grimy with sweat. He stopped when he noticed them. His expression twisted and he started forward again, faster.
“And maybe your contractor wants to know, too,” Angus murmured.
Calvin had no idea what horrors he’d just given away in response to that. The jolt in his innards was more resounding than anything so far. He waved Will off with a shaking hand, praying the blood back into his cheeks. “Will, give us a minute?”
Will eyed them warily. He didn’t nod, but he did head for his truck, casting his eyes their way once he dumped what he was carrying into the bed.
Calvin forced himself to meet Angus’s gaze again. He could record this, on his phone. Except he didn’t know his cell’s systems well enough to do it blind, and if Angus noticed, there’d be nothing worth recording. “What are you doing?” His voice cracked. He was lucky it didn’t do more.
“Protecting my investment.” Angus had a hundred smiles, each one shocking in its ability to hammer exactly where it was aimed.
God, he was a fool. He should have waved Will closer, at least then he might have a witness. But it was too late. Will had vanished, gone back around the house out of sight. As it was, it likely wouldn’t matter. Angus wasn’t stupid and he didn’t need to voice his threats in order to make them real.
“You’re not getting the house,” Calvin croaked.
This time the smile Angus gave him was revoltingly soft, almost commiserating. “Talk it over. I’ve been patient this long, I’m perfectly comfortable waiting for you to tally the options you still have.”
He left Calvin on the porch, chilled by the damp in the air, and walked out through the gate with his hands in his pockets as casually as if he planned to stroll
Angus sniffed, turning his head to the side as if sharing a joke with the yard at large. He looked supremely unflustered. “Daniel Redmond has an arrest record. Larceny. It really wasn’t a problem convincing the credit union to rethink things.”
The betrayal was already unfurling, Danny at the center of it, but Calvin tamped it down in light of the more immediate threat. The threat, he reminded himself, that he trusted far less than he did his foster brother at the moment.
At any rate, Calvin knew small-town mentality. If Angus’s business paid certain bills, it was unlikely that fighting the situation would do much good with local business owners, not when he still had other options. He summoned up a version of his voice that wouldn’t stick him in the defensive position. “You know I’ll just take out a loan somewhere else. Somewhere that will laugh you out of the building for even trying to pull this shit.”
“I don’t think you will, Calvin.” And didn’t that just bite, the use of his first name like they were friends? “Your little brother’s not the only one with a secret.”
Oh God, not Devon, too. Calvin gritted his teeth, preparing for whatever came flying his way next. “And you’re going to air all the dirty laundry, are you?”
“Do your youth group organizers know you have a history of drug use?”
“I don’t!”
But Angus’s eyes went disturbingly bright. “Yes, you do.” He enunciated each word. “Some fairly potent antidepressants. Do they know? More importantly, would they be interested in knowing?”
Calvin’s throat felt hot, his head strangely desolate, as if it had just been washed clean with lava. He swallowed and knew Angus saw it, hated himself for allowing such an easy blow. “You’re blackmailing us?”
Angus’s lips tripped upward at the corners, an amused flutter that sickened Calvin. “Your kids’ group is liberal by design. But it’s still a small town, still parents to answer to. I think your particular history of medication won’t go over well.”
The crunch of shoes over gravel erupted, and Will came around the side of the house, wooden slats in hand, his face already grimy with sweat. He stopped when he noticed them. His expression twisted and he started forward again, faster.
“And maybe your contractor wants to know, too,” Angus murmured.
Calvin had no idea what horrors he’d just given away in response to that. The jolt in his innards was more resounding than anything so far. He waved Will off with a shaking hand, praying the blood back into his cheeks. “Will, give us a minute?”
Will eyed them warily. He didn’t nod, but he did head for his truck, casting his eyes their way once he dumped what he was carrying into the bed.
Calvin forced himself to meet Angus’s gaze again. He could record this, on his phone. Except he didn’t know his cell’s systems well enough to do it blind, and if Angus noticed, there’d be nothing worth recording. “What are you doing?” His voice cracked. He was lucky it didn’t do more.
“Protecting my investment.” Angus had a hundred smiles, each one shocking in its ability to hammer exactly where it was aimed.
God, he was a fool. He should have waved Will closer, at least then he might have a witness. But it was too late. Will had vanished, gone back around the house out of sight. As it was, it likely wouldn’t matter. Angus wasn’t stupid and he didn’t need to voice his threats in order to make them real.
“You’re not getting the house,” Calvin croaked.
This time the smile Angus gave him was revoltingly soft, almost commiserating. “Talk it over. I’ve been patient this long, I’m perfectly comfortable waiting for you to tally the options you still have.”
He left Calvin on the porch, chilled by the damp in the air, and walked out through the gate with his hands in his pockets as casually as if he planned to stroll
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