Page 43 of Faun Over Me

Ramble rolled their eyes and flumped back in their chair. They fluttered a hand at Avery. “The Georgia Men only broker the sale of the property if I am reading the filed paperwork properly. But the taxes are being paid by Payne Properties.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s my dad.” Avery stubbed her finger against the table. “There are a lot of Paynes in this country, and I have a large family. It could be an uncle, or a cousin, or my—”

“True. Fair. It could be any of them, but the name on the signature line is Elizabeth Avery Payne,” Ramble stated. Avery froze. “That’s you, isn’t it?”

18

Avery

“What?” She jolted back in the chair, head spinning. “That’s insane. I don’t own any property. I’m a musician. I’ve never even been to Green Bank.”

“Would not have to have been,” Ramble sniffed and picked at the corner of a cereal bar. “Not if the Georgia Men were brokering the sale. All you would have to do is sign.”

“But I didn’t sign anything!”

“Of course you didn’t.” Cricket squeezed her hand. “Ramble, explain.”

“What is there to explain? The personal representative is listed as Elizabeth Avery Payne, and it is that name on the signature line. That is you, is it not?”

“I—yes, but …” This made no sense. How could she have signed any paperwork, much less been paying property taxes? Elkwater paid above minimum wage, but even in this part of Appalachia, that was nowhere near enough to own property. And when was the last time she’d signed anything? The only things she ever signed were college applications and the job letter for the camp. Sure, there was the odd check or credit card receipt, but even then, she meticulously filed her documents and sent them home for her dad to … to … “Oh, my God.”

“She said ‘God’, oh shit.” Cricket bolted to her side, kneeling beside her chair. “Aves?”

“I—he wouldn’t.” Her lips felt numb. Her fingers tingled. Why was the room so large? “I’m his daughter. He wouldn’t … who would …”

“Care to share?” asked Ramble.

“I send home my receipts and carbon paper checks so my dad can balance his accounts. And the other day, he had me use my emergency credit card for lunch, but he kept the receipt and I-I … I’m going to be sick.” She pushed away from the table and staggered out the door, barely making it down the steps before she emptied her stomach in the yard.

Her father wouldn’t do that; he wouldn’t be so cruel. Who would defraud their own daughter?

But if what Ramble and Cricket said was true, the Georgia Men had been buying up land in Green Bank for years. Payne Strategies buying the land outright, the land their client, US Petroleum, wanted for a pipeline, would be a gross conflict of interest … and she’d been sending him paperwork with her signature for years.

What was it he had said in Elkins?

That’s my good girl.

Another roll of nausea surged up her throat. She spat into the bushes, coughing and sobbing and falling to her knees. The grass crunched, and a long-fingered, tawny hand appeared gripping a glass of water.

“Are you okay?” Cricket’s raspy voice enveloped her like a slightly scratchy wool blanket. An unwanted comfort.

“No,” she spat. “I’m far from okay, thank you.”

“You’re welcome?”

Avery angled her head, taking in the faun through bleary eyes. “I was being sarcastic.” She pushed to her feet, wiping the back of her hand under her nose. “You don’t believe her, do you? That I would—that I bought—”

“Oh, hells no.” Cricket shoved the glass into Avery’s hand, forcing her to take it. “Do you know how boring it is in this cabin during the day? I’ve been snooping through Mac’s papers to keep from going insane; you’re barely paid enough to buy groceries for a week, much less half of Green Bank.”

“My dad,” she hiccuped. Cricket nodded at the glass of water. “I think he’s—”

“Signing paperwork in your name?” She tapped the bottom of the glass and glared pointedly at Avery. “I figured. Overheard him talking with Mac the other day; he seems like a real skeezeball.”

The Valley Girl slang coming from Cricket earned a tiny laugh from Avery. She raised her head and found the faun standing nearby. Close enough for comfort but far enough away not to crowd her. She fluttered a smile at Avery and held her arms out, fingers bending just enough to beckon her forward.

She gripped the water glass, took a tiny sip, and collapsed into Cricket, sighing when she held her tight and close.

“You want to know my guess?” she asked. Avery nodded into her shoulder. “I think your dad saw an opportunity to get you out of the way for the summer and a reason to be in Green Bank.”

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