Page 205 of Eight Years Gone

Jagger shrugged, pleased that Ray had made the connection. “You keep your guys out of Preston Valley. You keep them far away from Colton and his family and friends.”

Jagger sat up now, leaning closer. “Because here’s the deal, Ray. These pictures are between you, me, and a couple of my very discreet friends. But if anything should ever happen to me, Colton, or any of the people he loves, I promise those will end up in hands you don’t want them to.”

Wanting to send his point home, Jagger grabbed his phone from his back pocket, finding the picture he’d gone searching for in the old iPhone 5s Grace had packed away in the box all those years ago.

He’d been eighteen in the shot—a quick snap of Jagger and his golf partner at Sheraton Country Club’s two-day tournament Steve had mostly insisted he and Logan play in.

Jagger showed Ray the screen. “I’m sure you know who that guy is.” He pointed to his partner with his thumb.

Ray shook his head. “I have no idea.”

Jagger blinked as if he was surprised. “You’re unfamiliar with Jose Lopez, Pennsylvania’s Attorney General?”

Ray swallowed again as sweat dribbled down his temples.

Jagger chuckled as he shook his head—as if they were having the most casual of conversations. “This was a long time ago. I haven’t played golf with Jose since, but I guarantee he remembers the three holes in one I shot over those two days.”

Jagger smiled again. “I have a knack for stuff like that—hitting my shots. We won the whole tournament—set a couple of records, too. And I figure that was a good thing because Jose’s a competitive bastard. It’s safe to say that once he sinks his teeth into something, he’s gotta win.”

Jagger put his phone away. “I feel pretty confident that Jose has never heard of Millsdale Automotive. Let’s make sure it stays that way.”

Ray said nothing as his pulse pounded visibly in his neck.

“So, you’re going to leave Colton alone, and I’m going to forget about this whole thing. Do we understand each other, Ray?”

Ray adamantly nodded.

“That’s good.” Jagger gained his feet. “You go ahead and have a great day. And don’t forget to shred those pictures. You and a couple of your boys would be looking at a minimum of fifteen years.”

He walked out, putting his sunglasses back on, ready to get home.

Getting behind the wheel of the car he’d rented—just to play it safe—he turned over the ignition and tossed up a wave to Ray as the man watched him reverse and head for the exit.

“And that’s how you do it,” he muttered with a grin as he gained speed in the downtown traffic.

It felt good to know that the worst was over—that they could all finally relax. Because there was no way in hell Ray or his punks would bother Colton again.

He had wanted Ray shitting in his pants by the time he had finished with him, and that’s exactly what he’d gotten.

* * *

Grace brought out Dr. Hammond’s lavender and white floral arrangement from the back. “I hope this is what you had in mind.”

Dr. Hammond gasped as she pressed her hand to her heart. “It’s gorgeous. The white roses and carnations. The lavender alstroemerias. All of Lily’s favorites for her twenty-first birthday.”

Grace smiled, always loving when her customers were happy. “Make sure you tell Lily she has great taste in flowers. It’s a beautiful arrangement. Perfect to surprise her with on your lunch date.”

Dr. Hammond beamed. “I’ll tell her you think so. Thank you so much, Grace. Please thank Maggie, too.”

“I’ll be sure to when she gets back,” she said as she rang up the extra-large arrangement. “Today’s the Rotary Christmas luncheon.”

Dr. Hammond tapped her card against the screen. “I was supposed to go to that, but Lily’s special day is the priority.”

Grace nodded as Colton walked through the door after a half-day of school.

“Hey,” he said to Grace as he unzipped his winter jacket.

Dr. Hammond blinked as she looked from Colton to Grace. It was clear Dr. Hammond didn’t keep up with the Preston Valley gossip mill. Apparently, she had no idea that Steve Evans had fathered another son when he stepped out on his wife.

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