Page 13 of Stone Cold Sinner

“I suppose we probably should,” Devyn said. “Just kind of makes it all real when we do that and read her will.”

“Well, let me enlighten y’all. I caught her cryin’ one night over them bills and prayin’ out loud that we didn’t lose the place because of her. Can you imagine how she felt, thinkin’ this place was more important than her health? I told her not to worry about it –– that I had it handled. This was me handlin’ it the quickest and easiest way I could. I’d run down my savings covering what I could, and needed a plan B. The opportunity just sort of fell in my lap. So, I took it.”

“What’s done is done. We’ll all work together on the financial aspect and make it all right,” Coy said. “Everything will be fine. In the meantime, I cut it down, and you need to get it all cleaned up.”

“Already did,” Nash said, grabbing a sandwich off a platter on the counter. Nora smacked his hand and grinned but let him take it and stacked more on top.

“Not all hope is lost on you after all.” Coy chuckled.

“Just tossed it all on the burn pile. It’s burn day. It’ll all be gone in no time.”

Coy choked on his water. “You lit it?”

“Jesus, Coy. I didn’t leave it unattended or anything. Have a little faith in me. I got a ranch hand watchin’ the pile.”

Coy turned to the group. “Can burning a massive pile of marijuana plants, you know…”

They each shrugged.

“I have no idea,” Cut said. “Pretty sure getting the whole town high isn’t the best way to find out.”

Ransom kissed the top of Dillon’s head and grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair before heading for the door. “Let’s go.”

“Not sure the President putting out a blazing pile of weed makes for good optics,” Coy warned.

“No. I suppose not. But they don’t drug test the President, and I’m not worried about optics –– my detail has the property secure. Like I said, I’m on my way out anyway, so worst case…”

“You leave office on a high,” Coy teased.

Ransom chuckled. “Good one.”

“Let’s do this,” Coy said, following Ransom out the door, the other men on their heels.

“Wait. But you didn’t eat lunch,” Devyn shouted after them, catching the eye of another member of Ransom’s detail who’d been waiting right outside the door. “I’ll uh, I’ll bring it out to y’all.”

Coy looked between his sister and the agent. “I’m sure you’d love that, sis. Always so helpful. Worried about others.”

“Helping herself to Ran’s detail, anyway.” Nash laughed. “Man, you move fast, girl.”

“Shut up, Nash, or you can find yourself a new lawyer.”

5

“Anyone feelin’ lightheaded and a little silly?” Cut asked while watering the fire.

Coy shook his head. “No. And neither are you.”

“Just making sure.” Cut shrugged. “I guess all this was for nothin’ then.”

“Better safe than sorry.” Coy continued to beat down the fire spots that kept popping up.

“Yeah, I suppose.” Nash sounded disappointed. “I just hate to see all this money burn. We can really use it.”

“Is it really that bad?”

“It isn’t great. At least what I saw or heard while Mama talked to the bank,” Nash shared. “Of course, when I went down to the bank myself, they were happy to take my money and apply it to the loan against the property but wouldn’t share details because I was not authorized on the account. Go figure.”

“Loan?” Cut asked. “There isn’t a loan against the property. Hasn’t been since the last expansion right before Pop passed.”

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