Page 102 of Taken By Storm

“Where’s he been?”

“He and his son take that annual hunting trip out west, you know that. He’s been gone a few weeks.”

“Oh yeah. Forgot about that.” Levi leaned back in his chair, voicing a concern that had come to him on the walk to his parents’ house. “I think Scottie Grover might have taken advantage of Herb’s absence. Might be interfering.”

Dad frowned. “Interfering how?”

Levi didn’t answer that question; rather, he asked another of his own. “Does the mayor have anything to do with the collection of property taxes?”

Dad shook his head. “No.”

“Would he know which families were behind on their taxes?”

Dad took a sip of his coffee, then shrugged. “It’s a small town, son, and Scottie’s office is in the same building as Herb’s. Not unusual for the folks who work there to talk. Hell, the fact Sheriff Anderson was up here just a day after Archie and Keith’s antics the other night at the brewery should tell you that.”

“Scottie proposed to Kasi,” Levi said.

Sam leaned forward, scowling. “He did what?”

“Keith said the mayor’s been stopping by a lot of late. Apparently, he mentioned to her that we were considering pressing charges against Keith.”

Sam exploded. “In what world would we do that? Why would he tell her that?!”

Levi agreed with his brother. “What if he knew the Mills family couldn’t pay their taxes, and he decided to apply a little pressure?”

While Dad looked skeptical, Sam’s mind jumped to the exact same place Levi’s had. “Everybody in Gracemont knows theGrovers want to build a training facility on their farm,” Sam pointed out.

Levi nodded because that was common knowledge.

“You think Scottie’s proposal was based on getting Lucky Penny Farm? That’s a pretty big leap, son,” Dad said. “Especially considering if the town did foreclose on the farm, it would go up for auction. Why would he marry Kasi when he could just buy the property outright?”

Sam tapped the rim of his coffee cup. “If it went up for auction, there’s no guarantee the Grovers would win it.”

“That’s true. And if there was a bidding war…” Levi looked down at the bill.

Dad clearly wasn’t convinced. “The Grovers are wealthy. Chances are very good they would be the winning bid.”

“Maybe so, but if Scottie marries Kasi, all he has to do is pay off that bill, which is considerably less than he’d pay at auction,” Sam suggested. “Plus, there’s no risk of losing and he gets the farm for…”

“For a fraction of what he’d pay if he bought the land outright,” Levi finished. “He’s asked Kasi out more than a few times the past year. She rejected him every time. I think he found a way to have his cake and eat it too.”

“That fucking asshole,” Sam muttered.

“Kasi would do anything to make sure her family didn’t lose the farm,” Levi added. It was the missing piece of the puzzle—and likely proof that Levi had been right. She’d been willing to marry a man she couldn’t stand to ensure her dad and brother didn’t lose their home.

Dad shook his head. “Fellas, come on. That’s a lot of conjecture. You can’t accuse Scottie of foul play,” he paused, then gave them a smirk, “until we speak to Herb.”

Sam chuckled.

Dad didn’t. “I know you’re not a fan of the mayor, Levi, but?—”

“He forced himself on Lucy when she rejected him,” he interjected.

Dad raised his hands in immediate surrender. “I know, and you have to believe that pisses me off as much as you. But I also know that a lot of what’s driving you right this minute has less to do with Lucy and everything to do with Kasi.”

Levi couldn’t deny that. “It does.”

“She’s the one, isn’t she?” Mom reached out and took Levi’s hand.

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