Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Rae

" R ae, are you sure you want to do this? That's a lot of money." My annoyance grew as the man on the other end of the line asked the same question for what felt like the hundredth time.

"I've already told you, Tony. I'm doing this, whether you agree with it or not." I'd never been more determined in all my life.

His sigh carried through the line as I looked out the driver side window of Lennix's little red car to the ratty, dilapidated singlewide trailer I was parked in front of. "Fine, if you're going to do this, I'm not going to stop you, but I feel like I should remind you that the contract I drafted won't hold up in court if it were to ever reach that point. "

I wasn't worried about whether or not it was enforceable. Something told me these people would take one look at the document my father's attorney had worked up for me in the middle of the night last night and wouldn't have the smarts to question it.

"So you've said."

"Jesus. You're just as big a headache as your father, you know that?"

I couldn't help but smile. "I'll take that as a compliment, Tony. I have to go. Talk soon."

"I hope not," he grumbled through the line before I disconnected the call and shoved the phone into my purse.

I turned off the car and pushed the door open, climbing out and brushing the wrinkles from the front of my pencil skirt. I'd decided to pull out more clothes from my old life for this, dressing in a skirt, a designer blouse, and expensive heels. I'd even slicked my hair back into a bun, taming all flyaways to project a look of importance and authority.

I hooked my purse over my shoulder and tucked the folder with the documents inside under my arm. It also contained the check Tony wasn't happy about. Fortunately, when I told my mom and dad my plan, they'd been fully supportive, and as long as they had my back, I didn't care what anyone else thought .

I puffed out a breath and steeled my spine before starting up the cracked walkway to the trailer. I probably should have been scared—or hell, even nervous—given I knew what these people were capable of, but I was too angry to feel anything else. It also helped that I'd noticed the truck parked at the corner of the four-way stop a few yards away and spotted Zach's father, Cord, sitting inside. I had a feeling Lincoln had filled him in on my plan, and the man was there to make sure nothing bad happened.

It had been three days since the scene outside of Muffin Top, and no one had seen or heard from Zach. I was beyond worried about him, and the more worried I got, the more my anger at these horrible people grew.

It was time to put an end to all of this. I stomped up the rickety front steps and lifted my hand to knock, banging my knuckles right over the top of the eviction notice taped to the door. I could hear sounds coming from inside. Something that sounded like a game show playing on the TV inside.

I waited a few seconds, but when no one answered, I knocked again, this time putting my fist and my foot into it.

"Jesus Christ!" the man inside barked. "Hold your damn horses, will ya? I'm comin'."

The door flew open a second later and the man I'd seen holding Doreen Caswell back as she screamed horrible, nasty things at Zach stood in the doorway, one forearm braced on the frame. "Charles Caswell?"

He looked me up and down, a sneer curling at his lips. "Who's askin'?"

"My name's Rae Blackwell."

He squinted, looking closely. "You're the woman my wife and I saw with that piece of shit the other day," he growled. He was going for intimidating, but his words had the opposite effect. I wanted to reach down and rip off my shoe so I could use the heel to stab him right in the eye.

"I'm the woman you saw with Zach Paulson while your vile bitch of a wife verbally assaulted him," I corrected on a hiss.

He narrowed his eyes in a glare. "Got nothin' to say to you." He started to close the door, but I slammed my hand against it.

"That's where you're wrong." I looked to the eviction notice and back to him, cocking a brow. "You're going to want to hear what I have to say."

"Oh yeah, little girl? What makes you think that?"

I reached into the folder and pulled out the rectangular slip of paper. "Because this is a check for fifty thousand dollars, and it's yours if you do exactly what I say."

Just like that, I had him. He crossed his arms over his dingy T-shirt that probably started out white but was now a nasty grayish brown.

I flipped the folder open and pulled out the stapled stack of papers. "This is a contract that states the fifty thousand dollars is yours, free and clear, as long as you and your wife move out of the state of Virginia."

He reared back, his eyes flaring. "Why the fuck would we do that?"

The smile I gave him was downright vicious. "Because out of everyone in this town, you two are the most hated. Unlike Zach Paulson, who is admired and loved by everyone, you have no friends here, no family, and there isn't a single person in or around Hope Valley who would be willing to give a job to either one of you. Your checking account is overdrawn, your car has been repossessed, and you're being evicted." It had to be said, Lincoln Sheppard was good at his job. When I gave him the go ahead to dig, he dug deep.

"There's nothing for you here. No one wants you here. The longer you stay, the more likely it'll be that you end up living on the streets." I held up the check and flipped it over so he could see it was already filled out. I'd pulled the money from my trust fund, and I couldn't imagine spending my money on a more worthy cause .

"You think fifty grand will last us now-a-days? That money'll be gone in no time."

I shrugged. "I don't give a shit how long it will last you. You'll be lucky to see this amount of money before you die. I'm not trying to give you a comfortable life. Neither of you deserve it, and if I thought for a second that it wouldn't affect the person I care about, I'd be more than happy to let you stay here and rot. God knows there are a ton of people living in this town who agree with me. I'm giving you enough to get the hell out of here. This is the best offer you're ever going to get. The only offer."

His nostrils flared. He wanted to argue. He wanted to turn down the money. But he knew I was right. And he hated it. Part of me wished I had the forethought to record this whole thing so I could show it to Zach, so he could see how dire things were for these miserable people.

"Sign the papers, Mr. Caswell, and the money's yours."

A growl worked through his chest. Finally, he relented. "Gimme a fuckin' pen."

I slapped the documents against his chest and fished in my purse for a pen. "Just so you know," I started before passing the pen over, "there are a few stipulations. First, you'll have exactly one week from the time of signing to leave the state. If you aren't out of Virginia by that time, you forfeit your right to the money and will be made to pay it back. Second, if you ever set foot in this state again, you have to pay back every dime of that fifty thousand dollars." And to put the fear of God into him, I added a little fib. "My lawyers are chomping at the bit to rake you and your wife over the coals in court should you violate any terms of this contract." I extended the pen to him, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling, because I knew I had him. I'd won, it was only a matter of time before he finally conceded.

I could see the hate in his eyes, but it didn't faze me one bit. In fact, it spurred me on.

He flipped to the last page with the signature lines and slapped the contract against the siding of the trailer. A second later, he scrawled his name along the line that would guarantee Zach would never have to see the Caswells again. His nightmare was officially over.

"There. There's your contract," he hissed venomously. "Now gimme my money." I passed him the check with one last warning that I would have people watching to make sure he didn't violate our terms. Then I turned on my heel and sauntered back to Lennix's car, feeling a level of pride in myself I had never experienced before.

I hadn't backed down. I hadn't depended on someone else to handle this. I fought for a man who meant the world to me, and I won. For him.

At some point, Cord had gotten out of his truck and started across the street, reaching Lennix's little coupe at the same time I did.

"I take it Lincoln tattled?"

He smiled, nodding in the affirmative. "Used to work for him at Alpha Omega before the wife wanted us both to retire. He called me as soon as you walked out of his office. Told me your plan."

I inhaled, lifting my chin and squaring my shoulders. "Thank you for not trying to stop me."

He surprised me by reaching out and pulling me into a tight embrace, and when he spoke, his voice cracked a little. "Thank you for loving my boy as much as you do."

Oh, man. I was going to cry. That would really ruin the badass image I'd been striving for. I didn't bother denying it. My feelings for him were obvious. I loved Zach. I loved him more than anything, and there wasn't anything I wouldn't do to make him happy.

Cord pulled back, his deep green eyes shining with appreciation. "Now get the hell out of here. You're too good to be in a place like this."

He didn't have to tell me twice. Grabbing the handle, I opened the door to climb in, but paused, twisting back in his direction. "Cord?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Will you do me a favor? Will you find him and bring him home?"

He dipped his chin. "Consider it done."