Page 47 of A Dose of Pretty Poison

Cam looks back at the hole. “This place was only open from April to October, right?”

“Yeah…”

He forces his hand into the hole and grips the sheetrock, ripping more out so it’s wider. “There’s no insulation in the walls. With it only being open in warmer months, it didn’t need it. But if the bar’s going to be open year-round, we need to take off all the drywall and put insulation in. All the walls need to be replaced.”

“Fuck,” I groan as my head falls back. “I know it’s better we know that now rather than after it’s all done, but still.”

Laiken squeezes me tighter. “Think of it this way, the walls will be all new and pretty when you’re done.”

“You won’t notice a difference,” I reply. “But your optimism is still cute.”

Meanwhile, Mali is practically vibrating with excitement. “Does that mean I get to break more shit? Because you were a little selfish with the demolition, Mr. Caveman.”

I chuckle as I roll my eyes, grabbing the hammer from the tool bag and holding it out to her. “Knock yourself out.”

“Are you sure she should be using that?” Cam questions skeptically. “Could be things behind that wall we don’t want to hit.”

In any other circumstance, I might side with him on this, but I shake my head. “Marc gave me the blueprints to the place. She’s good as long as she stays on that side.”

He doesn’t look convinced, but he also doesn’t fight with me about it.

OKAY, SO MAYBE HAVINGmultiple high-strung people in the same room for multiple days isn’t the best idea I’ve ever had. Laiken canceled all scheduled lessons between Cam’s release and his preliminary hearing, so she’s been here just as often as we have—and Mali comes when she’s not working. It’s only a matter of time before shit goes a little wrong.

Cam is choosing the safe route, carefully making a hole in one part of the wall, and then using the claw of a hammer to break off the rest piece by piece. I, however, have always believed you work smarter, not harder.

I take the hammer in my hands and use it to break through the drywall, the same way I’ve done with every other part I’ve removed, just as my phone starts to ring. I pull it out of my back pocket to see Owen calling me.

Answering it, I put it on speaker. “Hey, O.”

“Hey. What are you up to?”

“Breaking shit!” Mali yells excitedly

Owen chuckles. “Sounds like a lot of fun. Listen, I wanted to talk to you. It’s about Isaac.”

At the sound of his name, my hammer slams into the wall, and Cam winces.

“Are you trying to go through the outer wall, too?” he chastises me.

I roll my eyes and drop the hammer, focusing on my phone as everyone comes closer to hear him. “What about him?”

“He bounced,” he says. “Literally packed up his shit and peaced out. Claims he found some team in Arkansas that wants him.”

Wow. Looks like he has some sense after all. “Good fucking riddance. But wait, what does that mean for Cam’s assault case? Is he dropping it?”

“I was hoping for the same thing, but no. He said if he needs to testify, his lawyer said he can do it over webcam.”

Motherfucker. I was really hoping that would be the end of it, and we wouldn’t need Monty’s help. The last thing I want is for that prick to believe we owe him any favors. Unfortunately, it looks like we will anyway.

“Such an asshole,” Cam grumbles. “Thanks for letting us know, Owen.”

“No problem,” he responds. “Keep your head up, man.”

“Will do.”

Cam hangs up my phone for me and we all stay silent for a minute. Isaac listened when I told him to get the fuck out of town, but of course, the fucker still has to hold his grudge and try to ruin Cam’s life anyway.

I feel my blood start to boil and I pick my hammer back up, banging it into the sheetrock over and over again.

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