Page 78 of Mountain Hero

“You know what it is,” Dennis snaps. “If you’d just sold me the damn property, none of this would be happening. You could still be out in Arkansas doing your Marine thing and your girl wouldn’t have to go through this. But no. You had to be selfish.”

“Selfish? Uncle Caleb wanted me to have the house I grew up in. The store I used to work in. You never even came here. Why is it so important now?”

I have a feeling I know the answer. The house and store could sell for a decent amount, but it’s the acreage that holds the real value. Still, it’s undeveloped land in a rural part of Vermont. It’s unlikely an investor would want to come in and develop it. Unless…

“I found someone to buy it,” he spits, scowling at me. “A company that wants to turn it into some kind of”—he makes quotes with his free hand—“meditative resort. Do you know how much they’re willing to pay?”

“No. How much?”

“Two million.” He waits for me to react, but I just glare at him. “Two million. I need that money. I have debts. Dad cut me off. And if you’d just sold it?—”

“You offered me two hundred grand. Hardly a fair deal, is it?”

“You could have negotiated! I would have gone up to two-fifty.”

“He hired Thomas to burn down the store.” Winter’s voice is hard, and she casts an angry look at Dennis. “That’s why he did it. To force you into selling.”

As Dennis’s attention shifts to Winter, the gun dips. Not quite enough, but close. “And it would have worked,” he replies. “With the store gone, there would have been more incentive to sell.”

“No. There wouldn’t. I made a promise to Uncle Caleb. It didn’t matter how much you offered, I wasn’t selling.”

“That’s why I’m here!” His voice raises. “You wouldn’t sell, and you’re not going to give in. So I had to do something different.”

I keep my tone carefully calm. “What’s your plan, then?”

“I’m going to kill you. But first, you’re going to sign it over to me. I’ll set your death up to look like a suicide, and by the time anyone finds you, they’ll never be able to connect it to me.”

What?

Is he really this stupid? Doesn’t he realize how suspicious that sounds?

And what about Winter? Is he planning on killing her, too?

But I don’t ask any of those questions. Instead, I follow a hunch. Something I think will really distract him.

“Does your dad know you’re doing this?” When his eyes flare with surprise, I press on. “Does Charles approve of what you’re doing?”

Dennis frowns, and the gun dips a little further. “He has no idea. He’s too much of a pussy. He was all excited about trying to buy the property, building a vacation home up north, but once you said no, he just dropped it.”

“But you didn’t.”

“Of course not! I knew there was value. And then I found a buyer, and it was all going to be perfect. My stupid dad, though… after the funeral, he started moaning about how he should have gone. That he let old grudges go on too long and some bullshit about his own mortality. He even said you deserved to have it. It was fucking bullshit.”

It’s almost time.

“And now what?” I pin Dennis with my gaze. “Are you just going to shoot me? Just like that? Have you ever shot anyone before?”

A flicker of uncertainty moves across his face.

“Are you confident you can get off a killing shot? Do you think you can actually pull the trigger? Kill someone in cold blood?”

The gun drops another inch. It’s not pointed at Winter anymore, but at the floor.

“Yes.” Dennis swallows hard. “I can.”

“I don’t think so.”

And before he can argue, I take my shot.

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