Page 103 of Smokescreen

Reid pressed him harder into the wall. “Stop lying to me.”

“Reid, you’re one of my closest friends?—”

“Don’t give me that!” Reid snapped. “Don’t pretend I’m your friend while you secretly stab me in the back.”

Cooper opened his mouth again, and Olive expected him to deny Reid’s statement.

Instead, he remained quiet.

“You better start talking,” Reid said.

As he said that, Olive texted Tevin and Trick.

If Cooper really was behind part of this, then it was time to call in backup—before things turned even uglier.

“Why?” Reid released Cooper, but the man remained against the wall as if locked in place. “Why would you do this?”

“It’s not what you think. Andy was never supposed to get hurt. He just pushed a little too hard. Was a little too nosy.”

“What does that mean?” Reid growled.

“It’s complicated.”

“Why don’t you be a man and own up to what you did? Stop making excuses.”

“How about everyone stops making excuses,” a new voice said.

Olive stiffened as she recognized who the voice belonged to.

CHAPTER 47

Olive turned and saw the man holding a gun behind them.

Wayne Barrington.

Part of her wasn’t surprised.

After all, he was the one who’d started the rumor about the government trying to buy land in the area. He’d been trying to put the crazy ideas into everyone’s heads so no one would look at him.

“What are you doing, Wayne?” Reid stared at his old friend, surprise lacing his voice.

“I don’t know why you couldn’t have just gone along with everything.” Wayne’s voice sounded deeper yet duller than usual. “Why you had to make things so complicated.”

“Please, don’t tell me you’re behind this, Wayne.” Reid stared at the man in disbelief. “How could you do this?”

“This land should rightfully be my family’s.” Wayne’s voice rose with each of his words.

“What are you talking about?” Reid squinted with confusion as Cooper still lingered against the wall.

“Your family stole this land from my family over a hundred years ago. Your family was more powerful, which meant my family could do little about it. My great-grandfather pretty much just rolled over and let your great-grandfather take it.” Wayne sounded decidedly edgier.

Reid’s eyes widened with surprise. “That can’t be true. I’ve never heard any of that.”

“Of course, you haven’t.” Wayne narrowed his gaze. “Because things worked out in your favor.”

“Why would my family do that?”

“For the same reasons anyone would. Because they wereselfish, and they thought that more was better.” Wayne scowled. “Now I want back what’s rightfully mine.”

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