Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Renard shrugged. “Just told her the truth. She called Opal a trollop. So I told her to stop acting like an old shrew.”
Jake ran his hand over his face. “Why me?”
Opal glanced over as a truck pulled up at the curb.
Uh oh.
Three doors opened and out stepped Beau, Raid, and Tanner.
Oh hell.
This was just what the situation needed.
Malones.
7
“What the hell?” Jake muttered.
Renard had to grin. It was well known that the Malones weren’t fans of the sheriff. Not because he wasn’t a good sheriff, but they weren’t fans of obeying the law.
“Did one of you message them?” Jake asked.
“No,” Opal said. “When would I have done that?”
“Not me. I don’t need Malone help. I can get myself in and out of trouble on my own,” Renard said.
“Truer words were never spoken,” Jake replied.
“Sheriff! What are you doing here?” Tanner asked as he walked around to stand by Opal. “You okay, Opal?”
Renard frowned, not liking the implication that he couldn’t keep her safe and happy. “Of course she is.”
The Malone men glared at him. Renard just raised his eyebrows. They didn’t intimidate him.
“We were asking Opal,” Raid said. “You all right, Opal?”
Opal opened her mouth.
“What are you doing here, Renard?” Tanner asked before Opal could speak.
“I came to replace the security light for Opal. It was broken.”
Tanner frowned down at her. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come and replaced it for you.”
“Or me,” Raid added.
“Me too,” Beau said.
“I, uh . . . I . . .” Opal looked overwhelmed.
He didn’t like that.
There were a lot of things that Renard didn’t like, but it turned out that Opal being upset was something he really didn’t like.
In fact, it made him feel a bit murderous.
“You’re upsetting her,” he said.
“We are? She doesn’t look upset,” Raid said.
“Why would that make her upset?” Tanner asked. “Opal, how come you didn’t call?”
Calm.
You’re in control.
“Renard,” Jake warned, clearly seeing that he was getting upset.
“You all need to stop talking over her and let her speak,” he informed them.
There. That was civilized, right?
“Or else I’ll have to throat punch the three of you so you have to shut up and listen.”
Ah, well.
He’d tried.
Opal gaped up at him. “Do you always choose violence?”
He shrugged. It was a legit question, he just didn’t have an answer.
“Nobody is throat punching anyone,” Jake said firmly. “I do not want any threats or trouble. All of you need to calm down.”
“So why are you here?” Beau asked.
“I got a call from a neighbor with some concerns,” Jake explained.
“What neighbor?” Raid asked.
“It will be Mrs. Gingers,” Tanner said. “She was a problem when we were moving Opal in, remember? Complaining about the noise, the people, the cars.”
“Yeah, but everyone complains about the noise when we’re all together,” Raid said. “What’s she got to complain about now? Opal isn’t causing any trouble.”
“Well, I could be,” Opal said. Then she glanced at Jake. “But I’m not.”
“No one said Opal was causing trouble,” Jake said.
“Then what is there to complain about?” Tanner demanded. “And how come that light wasn’t working? We only installed it a couple of months ago.”
“It was smashed up,” Renard said. “And the old shrew was complaining about me because I told her off for calling Opal a trollop.”
“Renard,” she chided.
“What?” What was wrong with her? Why was she acting so quiet and almost scared? He turned so he was blocking her from the rest of them, then took a few steps forward so she was forced to back up until they were out of earshot. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
Here was something else he didn’t like.
Lies.
She could lie to whoever she wanted. She wanted to lie to the sheriff? To the Malones? He’d back her up, no problem.
But he didn’t like her lying to him.
“Don’t lie to me. You want me to get rid of them? I will. They’re all annoying the shit out of me so it will be a pleasure.”
She frowned up at him. “No.”
He eyed her. “What are you worried about? The sheriff? He’s not a bad cop. The shrew? She’s all hot wind. The Malones? Sure, they’re annoying but mostly they’re okay. You don’t need to take any shit from anyone.”
“Right. You’re right.” She straightened her shoulders, some attitude coming back into her face.
“That’s my girl.” Then he wished those words back.
She wasn’t his girl.
And he didn’t want that. Nope.
“I mean, my friend.”
Shit.
She gave him a strange look before stepping around him. Renard turned. Tanner, Beau, and Raid were staring at her with a mix of concern and confusion. While Jake just looked serious.
“Jake, I’m really sorry Mrs. Gingers called you out here,” Opal said. “She’s been a pain in the ass ever since I moved in. But I don’t think there’s any reason to call the cops when Renard was just defending me. He would never harm a woman.”