“That’s probably smart.”
“Yeah.” He sighed. “But he told me, Dad’s estate guy, that he’d signed the cantina over to you in some kind of side deal with Manny, and that you were keeping it. And that worried me.”
“Why’s that?”
“Dad was tied up with seven other little places like Manny’s, was washing money through all of ‘em. Since he died, his biggest rival, Nathan Silver, has been moving in, taking over where Dad left off. Had his kid brother Angus running that end of things for him.
“That clears up a lot,” Ethan said. “Angus made me an offer. I told him to shove it where the sun don’t shine.”
“I’m aware.”
Ethan looked at Jeremiah. He was working his way up to the accident that might not’ve been an accident, so he probably ought to quit interrupting him.
“Two other business owners told him to shove it, too,” Jeremiah said. “The nail salon and one of the bars. The owner of the nail salon’s adult daughter was found floating in her backyard swimming pool a few days later. It was ruled an accidental drowning. I even bought it at first.”
Ethan looked at him sharply. “At first?”
“Yeah. The strip club was owned by a smart-ass entrepreneur who thought the days of shakedowns were over once our father kicked it. His young bride turned up dead in an ally. She’d been beaten and raped.”
Ethan swore in an entirely un-Brand-like manner.
“He’s fond of taking out his rage on young women. You see what I mean? And I saw him come talk to you. And I knew you’d tell him to take a flyin’ leap. And I knew he’d go after one of the women in your life. Willow, or Maria, or Lily, or young Drew.” His words had come faster as he’d gone along.
“I believe you,” Ethan said.
Jeremiah nodded, as if that was important to him.
“But he wasn’t trying to shake me down, exactly. He wanted to buy the place.”
“Either way, if he doesn’t get what he wants, people die.”
Ethan took a breath and asked the question. There was brown paint on the Caddy,” he said. “Was that you?”
Jeremiah nodded. “It was only supposed to be a warnin’. Run him off the road, then get up in his face and tell him who my father was, talk a big game, put a little fear into him. That’s how Dad always did it.”
Ethan nodded.
“The passenger bailed. But the passenger wasn’t Silver. It was his driver. Silver was behind the wheel. I didn’t see that coming.” His eyes had gone distant, and Ethan knew he was remembering. “I was stalled there in the road. He tried to ram me, broadside. I got her started, slammed her into gear, and shot out of the way.” He let his chin drop low. “I couldn’t believe it when he went over the side,” he said. Then he took a deep breath. “I killed a man.”
“You didn’t kill him, you just ducked. And you saved a life in the process. A life I’d have hated like hell to see end.”
Jeremiah glanced sideways, his lips curving up at one corner. But the slight smile died before it was fully born. “But there’s still the brother. Nathan.”
“So Willow told me.”
“Nathan’s bad news, Ethan. Makes Angus look like a Boy Scout. I left the hospital, because if they’d arrested me for trespassing in your shed, I wouldn’t’ve been able to keep an eye out, and if Nathan got wind of what had really happened, he would have come back for vengeance. He’d assume it was you, since you’re the last person his dumbass brother messed with. I had to get close to him. Find out what he knew.”
Ethan frowned hard. “That’s where you’ve been.” Jeremiah nodded. Then Ethan asked, “Close to him, how?”
“Doesn’t matter. What matters is that Angus’s driver came back, and he talked. Nathan knows that accident was no accident, and he’s not gonna let it go. I got this information earlier today, and I been tracking you down ever since. He’ll try to get revenge.”
“I’m not even there,” Ethan said.
“But everybody you love is.”
Their eyes met. Ethan sensed his brother was telling him the truth, and he pressed down harder on the accelerator.
Lily couldn’t keep the smile off her face. Everyone was enjoying the food, the drinks, the band, the dance floor. If only Ethan were there to see it all. There’d been a minor disaster in the kitchen, a collision and some spilled taco beans, possibly due to too much help out there (Maria). But since then, everything had been smooth, fun, and joyful.
