Page 21 of Xavier

The shorter man pulls out the corner stool and sits on it while the other man walks behind the bar and grabs a bottle of whiskey.

In the kitchen, something metal clangs to the floor.

All eyes turn toward the door leading to the kitchen as we wait to see what’s going to happen.

I should message Uncle Zach, Lieutenant, and Dad.

But I don’t get a chance because as soon as that thought crosses my mind, the kitchen door swings open and the first intruder, Everett, walks through the door.

He’s completely oblivious to the company that’s waiting for him. His smile fades, turning into a tight, thin line when his gaze lands on his counterparts.

The man holding the whiskey bottle unscrews the cap and takes a swig. “You were trying to cut us out of this deal, weren’t you?”

His eyes widen, and he shakes his head. “No, I wasn’t. I was just doing my own research.”

“Bullshit.” The man takes another swig before handing the bottle over to his friend.

The friend on the stool takes a few sips before saying, “I thought we were all in this together?”

Everett glances from one man to the other. “We are. All three of us, just like we said.”

The man behind the bar walks closer to Everett, not believing what he’s saying. “Then why didn’t you tell us you were coming here today?”

Everett leans against the bar. He might act cool, but he’s anything but cool right now. “Because I didn’t want it to be a waste of time or draw attention to us.”

The short man places the bottle on the bar before turning his entire body in Everett’s direction. “Did you find anything back there? It sounded like you made a hell of a mess.”

Everett seems to relax with the casual conversation, like three friends just hanging out and drinking. Not ones that committed crimes and are planning to do worse.

“No, nothing. Are you sure this man is even related to him? There aren’t any pictures of them together. His office looks like he’s a bachelor with no family.”

So this isn’t about Uncle Zach? Are they trying to dig up dirt on Dad?

Dad isn’t a saint, but he’s far from a criminal. He’s honest, caring, and loyal. He’s a great mayor and really cares about the community.

He puts together toy drives for the kids at Christmas and angel trees for the elderly.

He puts the town’s surplus into giving teachers and law enforcement raises while making sure the roads are in pristine condition.

When hurricanes hit, he does everything in his power to make sure everyone has a roof over their heads even if theirs is in ruins.

The man behind the bar moves until he is standing right next to Everett. “I’m sure.”

Everett takes a few steps back, so he isn’t boxed in. “Maybe they had a falling out and don’t speak to one another anymore.”

The other two men aren’t buying anything coming out of his mouth.

If this is about Dad, then Uncle Zach just got the short end of the stick because this mess is going to take forever to clean up, and there’s a hurricane coming, so time is of the essence.

Everett gestures toward the kitchen and the office. “There’s nothing here. I already tore the place apart and came up empty-handed.”

The man sitting at the bar grabs the bottle of whiskey and throws it toward Everett. It sails past his head and crashes into the wall behind him.

Glass and whiskey go everywhere.

“You’re a lying piece of shit!” He accuses Everett.

Everett shakes his head. “I’m not lying. Do you think I’d still be here if I found what I was looking for? Seriously, guys, this is insane. How about we go back to the warehouse and reassess everything?”

---