Page 40 of Kings of Decay
Rose sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Don't play dumb. I'm sure you know exactly what sort of problems come with that family."
"The Winstons."
Rose nodded. "They, well, their father, rules this town, the mines, and everyone in it."
I looked down at my reflection in the teacup.
"You've gotten tangled with them, haven't you?" Rose's voice was barely a whisper.
A lump grew in my throat, and hot tears prickled my eyes. "I," I let out a shuddering gasp. "I... yes." My voice cracked as I continued, "I don't even know why they spared me."
Rose leaned across the table, her eyes wide with concern. "Willow, honey, you must be careful. Those brothers are dangerous and unpredictable. They've hurt a lot of people and buried their secrets deep." She took a moment, studying me carefully before continuing. "I know more than I should, but I can't tell you everything, not now."
I leaned forward, my anxiety growing. "Rose, please. I need to know," I said, feeling desperation grip me like cold chains.
Rose looked at me with a grave expression. "I can only tell you what I've heard. But I swear on my grandmother's grave, all of it points to a dark secret surrounding the Winstons."
I leaned forward, my fingers gripped tightly around my teacup as I waited for her to continue.
"The Winstons are hiding something big," Rose continued. "Their father has his hands in all the pots. The politicians, the mine, the investors, everything."
"Your typical psychotic old rich white man," I said bitterly.
"Yes, but... his sons do his bidding. They kill for him, and they kill for pleasure," she paused. "And sometimes they kill for us when the law forgets about this little town."
I looked at her. "So people keep quiet because otherwise, they'll lose their own enforcers too?"
"Among other things," Rose sipped her tea. "Fear is a powerful motivator. And people know better than to shit where they eat," she added.
I blinked. She didn't seem like the sort of old lady to talk like that, but she had a point. People were afraid, but they weren't stupid.
"Their father was the Mayor for as long as most of us can remember," Rose continued. "He's not ready to give up that power. He's the puppet master of Grayling Pass. He'll never give in."
I forced down another sip of tea. It was already getting cold.
"If you want to survive the storm, just keep to yourself and pray they get bored with you. Tell your father the same. Both of you need to keep your heads down and stay out of trouble."
"The storm?" I ask.
"By December, all of the roads will be closed. No one will be able to get in or out until Spring," Rose said, an edge to her voice. "Supplies will come by air, but it's always unpredictable. That's when people get on edge. That's when the Winston Brothers will really show their teeth, and the snow will be stained red with death."
Chapter twenty-seven
Ainsley
Pearce's expression was unreadableas I told him what happened at the mine.
"We need to keep an eye on Willow's old man," I finished and knocked back another sip of whisky.
"Seems like the whole family has a talent for putting their noses where they shouldn't and not shutting the fuck up," Pearce said after a long silence. He leaned back in his chair.
I glanced around the bar. Paydirt was pretty empty around lunchtime. Once the miners switched shifts, it would be packed as always, full of desperate drunks drinking their money away.
"So what do you think we should do?" I asked.
"You're the brains, Ainsley. You tell me."
I rolled my eyes. "Don't be like that," I sighed.
