Page 33 of Draco

“Who are you people?”

I tsk at him, “You mean you have been steadily waging a war against my brewery and you don’t even know who I am or who my family is?”

He shakes his head, “I don’t know any of the people on the list. I get given a list and work my way down. If I’m going in the order of the list, then you must be Molly Jensen. You were at the top of my list with Raven Roost Brewery and Farm but you haven’t caved yet so I can’t move down. You have a lot of acreage that he wants.”

“Interesting,” I mutter. “Who is he and who is next on the list?”

“I can’t tell you who he is because he’ll kill me.”

Simultaneously, I thrust my knife through his left hand and slapped my hand over his mouth to stifle his scream.

Quietly I whisper in his ear, “And you think I won’t? You’ve hurt my family and there is nothing I won’t do for my family. Now, who is he and who is next on the list?”

Wiping my hand down his suit jacket to rid it of this weasel’s spit and snot. He doesn’t even know the people he was fucking with. It made my blood boil.

“I can’t,” he sobs. “I can’t tell you who he is. He’s powerful, and he has friends in high places. You don’t know who you are messing with.”

Leaving my knife in his left hand, I pull another from its sheath and his eyes widen as he watches me.

“I know he’s a property developer,” I inform him, tapping my knife against my lips, his eyes not leaving the weapon I’m holding. “I know you are both into shady deals and that you are happy to hurt and maim anyone that gets in your way, including children. Who is next on the list?” I demand.

“Please don’t make me tell you?” he cries.

I sigh, getting fed up with his whining. Shoving his handkerchief back in his mouth, I turn to Dog.

“Is there a way we can get him out of here and to the Manor so we can take our time? I can’t torture him here in case someone hears and he may be a snivelling weasel, but he’s more scared of whoever is pulling his chain than us, and we need to make him talk.”

“Yeah, we can get him out, but we’ll need to first clear the party out,” Dog answers.

“I can do that. I can pretend to be his personal assistant. It seems like Mr. Badger has had to leave for a personal emergency,” Avy volunteers.

“What about if his partner is a guest, won’t he find it strange?” I challenged.

“Oh, his partner in crime is no doubt here,” Noni responds, “But this may bring him out of hiding. If his right-hand man has left without telling him, it could spook him a little.”

Dog opens his mouth to respond, but there’s a knock on the door.

“Rupe, you and that redhead finished yet? If not, you need to hurry up because your guests are wondering where you are. It’s bad form man. I’m trying to do deals and make contacts and you’re fucking around.”

He bangs on the door again.

While everyone else has been watching the door, I’ve been watching Rupert and the sheer terror in his eyes as whoever is at the door bangs again. I smile as I realise who it is.

Turning to the others, I whisper, “It’s him, the business partner.”

“How do you know?” Avy asks, puzzled.

I point my knife at Rupert, “His face.”

Noni nods, “Leave this to me.” She kicks off her shoes, bends over and tousles her hair, standing she runs a finger across her lips, smudging them to look like she’s been kissed hard. Then, shoving her hand into the bodice of her dress, she adjusts her girls so that they are sitting high on her chest.

A soft, “Jesus Christ, I’m getting too old for this shit,” is whispered and Noni giggles as we find my father-in-law to be with his eyes looking at the ceiling and nowhere near the girl he considers a niece.

Noni lets out what can only be taken as a drunken giggle, saying loudly as she gets to the door, “Oh Rupert, baby, it’s your friend. Do you think he wants to join us?”

Noni opens the door slightly, leaning heavily against it as if she’s drunk. “Hi,” she says cheerily. “Who are you and why do you want to take my Rupe away, we were just getting to the interesting part?” she pouts as if put out, then brightens as if the idea has just hit her. Grabbing his tie, she pulls him closer, “Hey do you want to join us?” she giggles again. Before whispering loudly, “I don’t mind sharing, but I need to know your name first.”

“You’re a hot one, aren’t you?” We hear muttered. “I’ll join you, but it will be fast and if you want to come, you have to get yourself there. I don’t have time to get you off.”

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